Offa's Dyke: The man who sold his house to trek Wales

What do you do if you've lost your job, hit 50, and are fed up of lockdown? For Jon Moss it's been easy - sell your house, and set out on an epic trek of Wales.

Despite admitting he was relatively unfit and piling on the pounds, he was ready to swap lazing about in his Cardiff garden hammock - to taking on the challenge of walking the Offa's Dyke path - which celebrates its 50th Anniversary this year.

He said: "I thought, what can I do? I can't go abroad and then I remembered about that path that goes up between Wales and England.

"I just needed to get off my backside and do something.

"I needed a change, if I was to stay in my house in that life, then in 10 years I'll be a fat 60-year-old wondering what to do with myself.

"Hopefully, others will see what I'm doing with no planning and no training... and think well if he can do it, I can do it.

"These middle-aged men who are lonely and committing suicide - I'll tell everybody - just get up and walk - it just fills the day."

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Mr Moss set off for the 177-mile-long hike on 27 June and will arrive in Prestatyn on Thursday before embarking on the Wales Coast Path which will eventually take him home to Cardiff, where only a camper van awaits.

Offa's Dyke crosses the border between England and Wales more than 20 times

Acts of kindness

He said as someone who previously did little exercise and was not a walker, he found the first week tough with terrible blisters and an injured ankle and even wondered if he could complete his challenge.

He said "a new decent pair of boots" and the "stunning" scenery kept him going and that people he has met along the way have boosted his morale.

"You see people of all different ages, some walking just sections of the route," he said, including an older couple he met and others, who would walk together for a few days at a time.

He said that people's morale on the path had been incredible.

When he hurt his ankle on one section, he was given a lift to his next camp spot, while another following his progress as he posted messages on social media, invited him into his home for a meal and to watch the football.

Mr Moss has dubbed himself @hopeless_travelling_man on Instagram, where he has been detailing his adventures through Wales

Mr Moss is staying on campsites where possible, but is also wild camping - again something he has never done before.

He said: "It's technically illegal in Wales. It's ok, it's without a tent. Getting water can be a problem. It's lovely views but there's a bit of a slug problem, one night I woke up with a slug on my eye.

"Apart from that... it's being alone in nature. You don't get that in campsites."

His journey back to Cardiff will take him three months, which he said would "give me time to think about my next three".

"I'm a firm believer that if you come to a dead end and you are in a rut... you have to make drastic changes," he said.

"If you are not sure what to do - travel. You don't know what opportunities will present themselves.

"I've told my daughter, and she's going to travel the world once coronavirus restrictions are lifted. Just travel and see what happens."

For now, all Mr Moss' traveling is on foot. And his best purchase for the trip? A pair waterproof socks.

"They are expensive, but they are worth it, they make all the difference."

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