A retired professor has completed an extraordinary year-long journey around Britain's coastline, walking 5,000 miles to honor her late wife. Tracey Howe, 61, returned to Glasgow on Friday after 365 days on the road, raising more than £53,000 for five cancer and end-of-life charities.
Howe began the trek on October 31 last year in memory of her wife Angela, who died from cancer in 2023 after 37 years of marriage. The challenge saw her average 17 miles per day, take more than 11 million steps, and live in her campervan named Priscilla while circling the entire British coast.
The journey became as much about processing grief as raising funds. «When I started, it was winter and it was very dark, the days were short, the weather was terrible,» Howe said after completing the trek. «It really matched my mood at the time because I was really sort of overwhelmed with my grief. My mood has lightened as the weather lightened through summer, and then we're full circle back here.»
Celebrity support and impact
The trek attracted support from high-profile figures including Olympic diver Tom Daley, who sent congratulatory messages and crocheted hearts. Football pundit Chris Kamara walked one mile with her in Middlesbrough, while The Proclaimers, Clare Balding, and Dame Kelly Holmes also sent encouragement. Howe distributed 5,000 crocheted hearts along her route to serve as reminders of lost loved ones.
The five beneficiary charities include Marie Curie, The Beatson cancer centre where Angela received treatment, The Brainstrust, CoppaFeel!, and Breast Cancer Now. Howe's final destination was The Beatson, bringing the journey full circle both geographically and emotionally.
Reflecting on her wife's potential reaction to the challenge, Howe said: «She always knew I was a bit bonkers, so she wouldn't have been surprised that I took on this task, but she would have been my biggest cheerleader and supporter.» Angela worked as a mental health nurse in counseling, and Howe believes she would have been proud of the conversations about grief the trek sparked.
Note: This article was created with Artificial Intelligence (AI).
