It was mighty lonely, but a Barnoldswick man and his dog are celebrating after completing a 192-mile Coast to Coast Walk.

Leon Dewhurst and his Border Collie, George, took 12 days to walk from St Bees in Cumbria to Robin Hood’s Bay, near Whitby, a route created by legendary hill-walker Alfred Wainwright.

And despite it raining on all but one of the days, Leon and George had a good time – and so far have raised more than £1,579 for brain-injuries charity Headway.

“Apart from the weather, it went very well,” said Leon.

“A friend joined me for a couple of days, but for the rest it was just me and George.”

They walked between ten and 20 miles every day, depending on the terrain, and for the majority of the time camped outside, with a few nights spent in local bed and breakfasts.

“People keep asking me how George coped – he was fine,” Leon said. “In fact when we got home and I stayed in for a couple of days he was really down in the dumps, wanting to go out on a long walk again.”

Leon decided to walk for Headway after his mother died from a double cerebral brain haemorrhage 12 years ago.

“Having a family member suffer from a brain injury is devastating and for those who survive and their families, it is life-changing,” he said.

Leon said he was delighted to discover when he returned home the amount of money raised by the town’s businesses – including Singhs Off Licence in Gisburn Road, which had been collecting without his knowledge.

“My aim was to get around £1,200, so to raise so much was great,” he said.

Other businesses who collected for him were Cafe on the Square, Heaps of Tackle, The Good Life, Barlic Bites and Short Dog and Sides.