Nature hikers thank people for their kindness at the Wolverhampton stop

Nature hikers thank people for their kindness at the Wolverhampton stop

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  • Post category:trip

Image source, Indy Kiemel Greene

Image caption, Indy Kiemel Greene and Katie Monk walk from Land’s End to John O’Groats

  • Author, Clare Lissaman
  • Role, BBC News, West Midlands

Two nature lovers walking hundreds of miles for a marine conservation charity have thanked the people who helped them in Wolverhampton.

Indy Kiemel Greene, 18, and Katie Monk, 20, arrived in the city on Monday after a 22 mile journey from Bewdley, Worcestershire, on their way to John O’Groats.

They agreed to camp for free for most of the trip, but “took to Twitter” for an overnight stay in Wolverhampton after struggling to find somewhere to stay, Mr Greene said.

He said Lesley and Martin Burrow responded and gave them an evening at their home and dinner.

Mr Greene added that a tour boat in the city had carried their bags for part of the route, while boat trippers donated on their GoFundMe page.

He said they were “overwhelmed by the friendliness of the people” on the journey from Land’s End.

“One of the big things we really enjoy about this walk is meeting really lovely people,” Mr Greene said.

Image source, Indy Kiemel Greene

Image caption, Indy Kiemel Greene and Katie Monk have mapped their wildlife spots along the route from Land’s End

So far they have raised around £5,000 for the Hebridean Whale and Dolphin Trust.

They stopped in Wolverhampton on day 33 of their 107-day trek, which takes in the Pennine Way and the Hebrides.

Mr. and Mrs. Burrow responded to the couple’s call for accommodation and dropped them off to continue their journey the next day.

“They even provided dinner and breakfast and it was nice to have a good bed after not being very comfortable camping,” Greene said.

Ms Monk, from Edinburgh, an ecology and conservation student, and Mr Greene, who studied rural management, met as members of the RSPB Youth Council.

They spotted birds and other wildlife along the route and shared videos of their observations on social media.

Mr Greene, from Sherwood Forest, Nottinghamshire, who won a national conservation award at the age of 16, said he enjoyed the canal walk in Wolverhampton.

“It was very nice and flat and we saw kingfishers and signs of water voles,” he said.

“There have been blue herons and lots of beautiful ducks and geese.”

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