Bristol comedian completes walk to Edinburgh

He has walked 400 miles, run away from stampeding cows and got stuck knee deep in a river.

But Bristol comedian Mark Olver has finally made it to Edinburgh, raising thousands of pounds for charity in the process.

The self-confessed cuddly comedian has lost almost a stone in weight, and gathered a wealth of material for his Fringe Festival show.

Friends  thought the 33-year-old was joking when he said he was planning to walk to Scotland for his gig but when he set off from Bristol just over four weeks ago, they soon realised he was deadly serious.

Mark, of  Brislington,  walked an impressive 54 miles in the last two days of his trip.  He said: “I was trying to get there as quickly as possible by the end. I really pushed myself and  literally crawled into my hotel in Edinburgh.

“But the next day I was out again walking around the city. I’ve noticed the changes in my body and mind, I’ve lost weight but can already feel it coming back on. Spending so much time on my own I really did experience a whole range of emotions.

“At times it was raining, I was missing my girlfriend, Martha, and Bristol and so I put my head down and listened to Radiohead and got on with it. Then you’d turn the corner and see the most beautiful view. Other days, the sun was shining and I’d walk along singing to Dolly Parton.

“I did learn just how much I rely on my friends and family in Bristol as well as the kindness of strangers.”

Mark, who has been compared to Samwise in  Lord of the Rings, spent  most  nights with  people  he met on the way. At other times he camped.

Experiences that are likely to get a mention in his Edinburgh show include waking up in a hostel to find a false limb in a bag at the bottom of the bed and having an egg thrown at him from the window of a car.

As Mark  brushed shoulders with seasoned ramblers he picked up hints and tips for making his experience easier. But he said: “I got lost at least once a day. When I got near West Auckland in the North East, I ended up at the River Tees.

“I could see where I was meant to end up but was the wrong side of the river. It looked pretty shallow so rather than do a four mile detour I decided to try to cross it. I got in as far as my knees when the map fell out of my mouth and I realised it was a lot deeper. I got out and walked the long way.”

So far he has raised around £5,000 for Help the Hospices, including St Peter’s Hospice which cared for his uncle. Mark  is appearing  at the Alma Tavern in Clifton,  next Friday and Saturday, to preview next month’July 25 and 26s Edinburgh show.