Brave Derbyshire woman racks up FIVE MILLION steps walking from Mexico to Canada

A brave Derbyshire woman has racked up five MILLION steps walking across the entire length of America from Mexico to Canada.
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Mary Mansfield, 40, suffered with crippling headaches for 15 years - but they miraculously disappeared within months of giving up meat.

With a new lease of life, she embarked on her dream trip of walking across the whole of America - from Campo in California to Manning Park in British Columbia.

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She hiked 25 miles every day for six months, racking up around 5,600,000 steps and wearing out FOUR pairs of shoes along the way.

On the California-Oregon border, October 2019.On the California-Oregon border, October 2019.
On the California-Oregon border, October 2019.

She came face to face with wolves and bears, and trekked across deserts, snowy mountains and thick forests.

Mary, from Hadfield, said: “It’s the hardest thing I’ve ever done and is probably the hardest thing I’ll ever do.

“I didn’t notice my headaches at all and only took a tablet once.

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“It was like I was in a completely different world and I was in complete solitude and peace.

Golden Trout Wilderness, California, June 2019.Golden Trout Wilderness, California, June 2019.
Golden Trout Wilderness, California, June 2019.

“I had a couple of accidents along the way. I fell on a rock in the snow in California and cracked two ribs.

“I almost fell down a cliff in the snow too and had to pull myself from the edge with an ice axe.”

Since she was 25, author Mary has suffered from chronic migraine syndrome, taking painkillers daily before starting her vegan lifestyle.

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She challenged herself to take on the mammoth 2,653-mile Pacific Coast Trail.

North Cascades, Washington state.North Cascades, Washington state.
North Cascades, Washington state.

She packed one bag with a tent, a spare pair of clothes, pots and pans for cooking, basic survival equipment and a satellite GPS navigation system.

She was walking along a trial in thick woodland when she noticed a brown bear was blocking her path.

"It was a scary moment but it went off in the other direction,” she said.

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“I also came face-to-face with a wolf in California but it ran away as soon as it saw me.”

Mary returned to the UK in November, greeted by her mum and partner, Derek Fox, 53.

“It turned out to be the best painkiller I could have wished for,” she said.