Craig Ferguson walking 3,000 miles

Craig Ferguson is more than halfway through a 3,000-mile walk across the United States that he says is aimed at raising money and awareness for mental health. A May 19 PR Newswire release said Ferguson, known as the “Tartan Trekker,” had passed 1,500 miles and raised more than $200,000 toward a target of more than $1 million for SAMH, or Scottish Action for Mental Health. The route began at Santa Monica Pier in California and is due to end in Boston after 104 consecutive days of marathon-distance walking. Ferguson is completing the trek in a kilt, according to SAMH and campaign materials. ### Where did the walk start, and where is it supposed to end? Santa Monica Pier was the starting point for Ferguson’s walk on February 24, according to PR Newswire. The campaign is structured as a coast-to-coast route from Los Angeles to Boston, with Ferguson aiming to arrive in Boston in time for Scotland’s opening match at the 2026 FIFA World Cup on June 14, SAMH said in a January 20 post. (prnewswire.com) Boston is the planned finish after 104 days on the road. Early coverage from The Gazette on February 25 said the challenge was designed around a marathon a day for 104 consecutive days and tied to the World Cup schedule. ### How demanding is the challenge in practical terms? The campaign calls for Ferguson to cover the equivalent of a marathon every day for 104 straight days. (prnewswire.com) PR Newswire said that by May 19 he had already come through Death Valley, Las Vegas, Denver and Kansas City, which marked the halfway point of the trek. (the-gazette.co.uk) Kansas City was the point where Ferguson said the effort became a different kind of test. In comments carried by PR Newswire, he said reaching halfway was “massive” but added that “the real mental battle kicks in” after 1,500 miles, citing terrain, heat and distance. (prnewswire.com) ### Who is the fundraiser for? SAMH is the beneficiary of the campaign. The charity said in January that Ferguson, who is from Paisley, chose the organization to help fund mental health support in Scotland and to widen public discussion of mental health issues. Hazel McIlwraith, SAMH’s director of fundraising and major appeal, said in the May 19 release that reaching the halfway point was an “extraordinary achievement.” PR Newswire said the money raised would support SAMH services across Scotland. (prnewswire.com) The Gazette separately said those services include its network of walk-in mental health hubs known as The Nook. (samh.org.uk) ### Why is Ferguson doing this now? SAMH said Ferguson drew inspiration from his own mental health challenges and from friends and loved ones affected by similar issues. The charity also said he completed a 1,000-mile walk from Glasgow to Munich in 2024, raising more than £70,000 for the Brothers in Arms men’s mental health charity. (prnewswire.com) The 2026 trek is larger in both distance and fundraising target. Ferguson told SAMH before the start that the challenge was “three times the size” of anything he had done before, physically and mentally. ### How much has he raised, and where can people follow it? More than $200,000 had been raised as of May 19, according to PR Newswire, which said the campaign’s target is more than $1 million. (samh.org.uk) Earlier U.K. coverage described the target as £1 million, reflecting campaign messaging before and during the trek. The Tartan Trek website is the campaign hub for route tracking and donations, according to The Gazette, and Ferguson’s campaign has also been promoted through his video updates and social posts. The next milestone is Boston, where the walk is scheduled to end before Scotland’s June 14 World Cup opener. (the-gazette.co.uk) (prnewswire.com)