Have you heard of the biggest walking event in Scotland? No? Let us tell you all about it, and by the end of this, we’ll have you signing up to take part!
The Kiltwalk is an annual event held across four Scottish cities–Glasgow, Edinburgh, Aberdeen, and Dundee–with walks of varying lengths for participants to complete. People raise money for their charity of choice, and come together on the day of the event to walk the Mighty Stride, the Wee Wander, or the Big Stroll (only at some events!). As of 2025, the Kiltwalk has raised £49.6 million for almost 4,000 Scottish charities. This amazing event brings people from all over Scotland together who have the shared goal of raising money and spreading awareness for their favourite charity. In addition, walkers receive snacks along the way, as well as a ‘finishers meal’ at the end of their route. Volunteers are also in place on the routes to support and cheer on people as they walk. It’s an uplifting event, and Paws On Plastic is delighted to be participating in this year’s Kiltwalk events.
Last year, Paws On Plastic was represented at the Kiltwalk in Dundee by a few of our dedicated members, including Sarah Mansell and her Border Collie, Max. Sarah first became involved with Paws On Plastic after she moved to Scotland and noticed how litter would wash up on the beaches after storms. She started beach cleaning, and quickly became alarmed at the amount of litter she collected during her solo walks. Sarah wanted to be more involved in helping to clean up, which is when she turned to Facebook and found Paws on Plastic (P.O.P.).
Sarah and Max participated in the Dundee Kiltwalk last year, raising money for Paws On Plastic by completing the Wee Wander walk. We spoke with Sarah about her experience, and she was very enthusiastic about her participation, saying “it was great to meet others in the P.O.P. group locally… it was a really fun day out with a great purpose.” One of the great benefits of the Kiltwalk is the opportunity for people who support the same charity to meet in person, when they may have only known each other from online groups. As such, it’s an excellent way to see people in person, and make new friends with a shared interest. This is at the heart of P.O.P.’s mission of cleaning up Scotland and building stronger relationships and communities.
Although Sarah signed up for the Kiltwalk close to the date of the event and worried she would have a difficult time fundraising, she reported that friends rallied around her passion for P.O.P. and she received a great deal of support for her fundraising. The support walkers receive from people in their communities is truly inspiring; in 2024, Kiltwalkers raised over £7 million for charities!
“Walking as a team means you’re all in it together,” Sarah said, and we couldn’t agree more. The Paws on Plastic community (as well as all those involved in the Kiltwalk) move with the same goal in mind: to raise money for a cause they feel strongly about. This is a community event for everyone, and Sarah encourages people of all ages to walk for Paws On Plastic: “It’s a chance to meet people you’ve only ever ‘met’ online, and it increases the profile of P.O.P. and raises money for the charity.”
The Kiltwalk allows people to share their stories with each other, and in doing so, our Kiltwalkers can spread awareness about Paws On Plastic and encourage more dog owners to join us.
The Kiltwalk is intrinsically tied in with P.O.P.’s mission. We encourage people to get outside (especially with their dogs!) and take notice of the environment by picking up rubbish while walking around their neighbourhood. With our busy lives it’s important to slow down and take time to appreciate the beauty around us. Taking the time to notice and pick up litter is one way to reconnect with nature and help keep our planet (and ourselves!) healthy. With the Kiltwalk, people have an opportunity to get out and get moving, in support of something bigger than themselves. The Kiltwalk itself presents a great opportunity for litter picking, as the walks cover far stretches of road that may need to be picked up. Picking up litter at the Kiltwalk allows our walkers to engage in conversation with others, educating them about why we do what we do, and how they can get involved.
This year, Sarah is looking forward to seeing the people she met at last year’s Kiltwalk, as well as raising more money and building awareness for Paws On Plastic. Since she joined P.O.P., she appreciates how the community is “very supportive and friendly,” and we pride ourselves on the caring nature of our 27,000 members. If you want to volunteer for our charity like Sarah, join us to walk the Kiltwalk this year!
Have you been convinced to take part in the walk? Great! Signing up for the Kiltwalk is easy: first, you find the city you wish to walk in, then choose Paws On Plastic as the charity you want to raise money for. It’s that simple! Join us as we continue to raise awareness about the danger of litter to animals and the environmental, and let’s continue our goal of decreasing litter in Scotland (and the world!).