Alastair’s Fife Coastal Walk

I’m happy to make sure it is no secret that I’ve become a keen coastal walker over recent months. It has been a good way to not just stay active for me, but also give me chance to think and unwind, as well as take in some excellent scenery along the way.

But, this walk is a bit different. Whilst I’m known for having made my way up the country on foot, I can’t complete the next part of that journey without doing it in the memory of the person who introduced me to it. Over the course of 8 consecutive days over June and July 2025, I will be walking the 120 miles of the Fife Coastal Path, from the Forth Estuary to the city of Dundee, through the towns and villages Mum knew so well. By coincidence, the week coincides with the first anniversary of Mum’s admission to the Marie Curie Hospice in Newcastle, the place where Mum (and I) got looked after during the final weeks of her life. Until you have had experience of these places, it is hard to realise quite how incredible they are, and to me, they could not have done anything more for either of us. Saying goodbye is a horrendous feeling, as anyone who has gone through the loss of a close friend or family member knows, but the team could not have tried any harder to take that pain away.

We never know if or when we will ever need such expert care for ourselves or the people closest to us, and the truly incredible support they can offer us all through difficult times. Thank You for the support you have given me through the last 12 months, you will continue to give, and for making sure that other families can still have the special moments I had last Summer.