Blue Wilson walks UK Coastline - West Sussex leg starts on October 21

Blue, 49, from Selby, North Yorkshire is walking solo around the entire UK coastline. So far she has walked 2,251.37 miles in 128 days and reached as far south as Portslade-by-Sea in East Sussex and as far north as Blandy on The Kyle of Tongue at the very top of Scotland in a continual line. She is taking on this challenge in stages due to other commitments and alternates sometimes between heading north from last most northerly point reached and heading south from last most southerly point reached.

Blue is fundraising in aid of Surfers Against Sewage and Sea Changers, two marine conservation charities. So far raising £3,099 split between the two.

During her trek she says she has become increasingly aware of the perils endangering our oceans, marine life, coastal communities and climate. Having seen first hand some of the great work her chosen charities have done and she wants to help by contributing as much as possible to their future projects.

The challenge is completely self funded including all travel to and from start and finish points, accommodation, sustenance and kit. She uses weekends and annual leave off work to complete each stage.

She has recently got back from another eight day’s walking 156.8 more miles back up on the sunny and rainy Highland coast. She completed the east coast and made it onto the north passing John O’Groats and Dunnet Head, the northern most point of mainland Great Britain.

Her next leg will be from the 21st October for another eight and a half days continuing westwards from Portslade-by-Sea on the Sussex coast. She is aiming to reach Bursledon between Portsmouth and Southampton by the 29th October. Then walking round the Isle of Wight at Christmas with thanks to sponsorship from Red Funnel ferries to get to and from the island.

Every year she hopes to complete as big a section as possible until successfully completing the entire UK coastline in an estimated five years. As she is walking as many of the islands as possible and NI also this could take longer. The estimated total distance is a whopping 19,000 miles!

She crosses all rivers and estuaries by nearest bridge or path so often it’s a long walk inland. She'll only use a boat to get to an island and even then only if not accessible by bridge or causeway.

She's walked in all weathers including gale force winds, torrential rain, sleet, hale, snow and baking hot sun and walks an average of 20 miles per day.

Blue says she has seen and experienced some incredible things so far on her journey and made some amazing new connections with fellow coast walkers. All doing it in their own way and for their own reasons and/or fundraising.

The thing she has found most heartwarming is the support and utter kindness and generosity of friends, family and complete strangers (many of whom will see her fundraising top that she wears whilst walking and stop her to ask about the challenge and often donate money too which is always added to the Just Giving total).

Blue wants to set a fundraising target of £4000 per year per chosen charity towards a final grand total aim of £20000 for each by the end of the full challenge. People can donate via the Just Giving page.

For further information on Blue's challenge please go to:

https://www.facebook.com/bluewilsonwalkstheukcoastline

http://www.justgiving.com/team/teambluewilsonwalks

Instagram: @bluewilsonartist