Michael: I would
Dunkeld man and his
A man from Dunkeld is walking 5000 miles across Canada to help raise money and awareness for the vanishing wilderness in the Scottish Highlands.
With Alaskan Husky Luna by his side and a kilt around his waist, redbearded Michael Yellowlees began the astonishing trek in Tofino, British Columbia on the Pacific coast in early March.
The inseparable pair are walking 26 miles per day, the same as a marathon, with their goal to arrive in Newfoundland on the Atlantic coast by October – which will take around seven to nine months.
Michael and Luna made it to Medicine Hat in Alberta earlier this week, which is 955 miles – around 305 hours walking time - into their journey.
So far the adventurous pair have raised just over £6600, all in aid of Trees for Life, a Scottish non-profit dedicated to rewilding the Caledonian Pine Forest in the Highlands which once stretched from coast to coast across Scotland.
The ancient pinewood forest was formed at the end of the last ice age, and its unique ecosystem is almost eradicated.
Michael, who has lived in Canada for nine months, says he was inspired to embark on this journey due to Canada’s Scottish heritage and the need for broader understanding of rural environmental concerns.
“I dreamt this up about two years ago and now I am seeing through my dream,” he said.
“This is a global issue, this is something that we all need to be addressing now.
“If it can inspire one person to go out and do something for the environment, then that’s winning.
“It was almost a romantic notion:
Tofino is known as the end of the road and so I like the sound of that, leaving from the end of the road.
“Also with what I’m doing it has a bit of a metaphor to it, because we’re talking about the end of the road in regard to the environment.
“We need to do something about this now.”
Along with being a gardener and working in the construction trade, Michael was also a fitness instructor, which should help him in his travels.
But Luna’s experience as a former sled dog in Alberta means he will do well to keep up with her.
“She’s used to running 100 miles a day with sled dogs so she’s finding it quite easy right now – she’s just sauntering,” he said.
“I’m struggling along behind her but she’s doing quite well.
“Physically we are holding up