TikTok star takes on 650 mile adventure foraging for own food through Scotland after losing job
A man is attempting to walk from Bristol to John O'Groats with his dog solely by wild camping after losing his job in a life-changing moment.
Dave Atter always had a love for the outdoors but after losing his job last year left him in dire straits, he turned his hobby into a full-time profession becoming a social media content curator.
The 39-year-old from Eastbourne showcases his survivalist skills to his 55k followers on TikTok, gaining millions of views from posts that have earned him deals with brands.
In a new challenge starting on May 20, he will live blog hiking over 600 miles with his dog Niko, living only in the wild and foraging for food.
He told the Record: "I decided to go on this big adventure after losing my job as a decorator. It has been a big struggle with money and I've lost nearly everything.
"I've always been into hiking and so I started reaching out to brands to work with. I now do these challenges and get millions of views on my page. It just proves that whatever you're going through in life, you can turn it into a positive."
Dave is also breaking trends with his dog Niko, who is a chow chow, known for being a very lazy breed that are normally not physically able.
However, Niko has broken all stereotypes and loves going for hikes with Dave for hundred of miles.
"Since he was a puppy he's wanted to be out and about," Dave added. "He's nine years old now but people think he's only two as he's got so much energy.
"Chow Chows are renowned for not having much energy but Niko's totally different. He's just done 100 miles with me in four days while wild camping.
"Walking all the way to Scotland just using what I have seems crazy but I want to show people how they can survive in a situation without much. I will be foraging for food and filtering water. The sort of stuff I've done in challenges in the past to show human resilience and our capabilities.
"I'm not really sure how long it will take us but we're going for it and we will be walking until we've completed it!"
Follow Dave's journey on TikTok @wildcampersandniko.
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