Wayne Dixon
is accompanied by his handsome canine companion, Koda. Koda’s wolf-like appearance belies a playful nature, and the bond between them is strong. When you are travelling 6,000 miles together, it has to be.
WA NE DI ON is on a ,000-mile, one-man mission to keep Britain tidy, writes Colin Cameron.
The mysterious appearance in recent weeks of filled waste bags neatly tied up and left by the roadsides in Argyll is the work of this 44-year-old Lancastrian.
Angered and frustrated by the state of the environment around his home town of Blackburn, Wayne set off from the port of Fleetwood on February 1 to walk the coast of Britain – a longheld ambition – picking up litter as he goes.
Seven months and more than 1,000 miles later, he is in Argyll, accompanied by his handsome canine companion, Koda, a four-year-old Northern Inuit. Koda’s wolflike appearance belies a playful nature, and the bond between man and dog is strong. egularly camping beside the highways and byways on his trek, having a wolf’ for company is no bad thing.
As the prospect looms of a winter spent in Scotland, it is the hospitality of the folk he has met along the way that has stunned Wayne. Wherever he and Koda have gone across Argyll he has been met with warmth and kindness.
Wayne said I have faith in the Scottish people. I’m seeing their kindness and hospitality first hand – it’s amazing and I am making some really good contacts. The people of Argyll are being amazing.’
From Inveraray to Lochgilphead, and Tarbert to Campbeltown, people are fascinated by his story and are keen to help.
Wayne’s walk is about more than litter picking – he is raises money for two good causes mental health charity Mind and Northern Inuit escue.
I generally manage around two to six bin bags full of rubbish every day,’ he explained, ‘but I filled five full bags on the A between Furnace and Lochgair alone.
This area has a real problem with rubbish on the roadsides, particularly plastic bottles and food wrappers. I want to encourage people to take responsibility and pick it up, or dispose of waste responsibility.’