A 22-year-old's kilted journey across the United States has become a campaign for SAMH and conversations about mental health
The Tartan Trek is the name given to a bold fundraising challenge undertaken by Craig Ferguson, a 22-year-old from Paisley, Renfrewshire. He set off from the Santa Monica Pier on February 24, committing to an everyday long-distance routine that closely matched a marathon distance.
Wearing a kilt throughout the route, Craig has covered roughly 2,800 miles and reported arriving in Washington DC as a major milestone on a journey planned to total about 3,000 miles. Organizers and supporters describe the trek as both a physical feat and a platform to raise awareness and funds for SAMH, the Scottish mental health charity.
Beyond mileage and geography, the venture has a clear finish line in mind: Boston, where Craig intends to celebrate by watching his team compete in the World Cup. Along the way he has sustained an average daily distance close to 26.2 miles, while meeting local communities and gathering stories that have amplified the campaign’s purpose.
Financially the effort has already generated more than £170,000, yet the ultimate target remains ambitious at £1 million for SAMH. The mixture of sight-seeing, public encounters and fundraising has transformed a personal challenge into a transatlantic conversation about mental health.
Route and daily routine
Craig’s planned path traversed a wide cross-section of the United States, beginning on the Pacific coast and cutting across numerous states as part of the overall strategy to reach New England. The mapped course includes California, Nevada, Arizona, Utah, Colorado, Kansas, Missouri, Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, West Virginia, and Maryland, before the planned northern leg to Boston. Day after day he has aimed for distances around an official marathon distance, wearing traditional Scottish attire and maintaining a strict rhythm that balances pace, recovery and visibility for the fundraising cause. That steady cadence has been essential to reach the figure reported on arrival in Washington DC.
Encounters and impact
Stories that kept him moving
Perhaps the most resonant element of the trek is not the mileage but the human exchanges along the way. Strangers offered practical help—water, food and a place to rest—and many people approached Craig to share personal experiences related to mental health. One meeting in Illinois particularly stayed with him: an elderly woman living with dementia who spent a short time talking to the walker. Her granddaughter later contacted Craig to say her relative continued to mention “the Scottish boy walking across America” long after their meeting, a small but powerful reminder that simple encounters can leave a lasting impression. These conversations have reinforced the charity message beyond monetary donations and have formed a central emotional thread of the journey.
Fundraising, reaction and the home stretch
Support and calls to action
Financially, the expedition has attracted significant support: more than £170,000 has been raised so far for SAMH, while the campaign remains focused on the stretch goal of £1 million. Hazel McIlwraith, director of fundraising and major appeals at SAMH, described Craig’s achievement as remarkable, noting that his openness and resilience have helped spark conversations about mental health in both Scotland and overseas. With fewer than 500 miles publicly reported left to complete, Craig says the proximity of Boston brings both exhaustion and renewed determination. Supporters who want to back the effort are encouraged to contribute through the campaign website at www.thetartantrek.co.uk, where donations and updates remain available.
As the final miles approach, the combination of physical strain and public encouragement defines the closing phase of the walk. Craig continues to acknowledge days when each mile is a struggle and days when the kindness of strangers provides the fuel to keep going. The journey has become more than a personal test: it is a visible, kilted campaign raising funds and carrying stories that reach into living rooms and care homes alike. If the finish in Boston arrives as planned, it will mark the end of the walk but not the end of a conversation about mental health that Craig has helped bring into sharper focus.
