TikTok: Scottish camping pensioner is TikTok hit age 74

For 2 years Scottish pensioner Pat McErlean has been posting videos astir his camping trips connected YouTube - with constricted success.

But the 74-year-old's Wander with Mac channel has gone viral overnight aft catching the attraction of an influential TikTok account.

In his whimsical films, helium takes viewers connected tours of the countryside adjacent his location successful Dumfries and Galloway.

One TikTok promoting his videos has been viewed 12 cardinal times.

Pat told BBC Radio's Good Morning Scotland that helium enjoys his caller nickname of "grandad" from the "young yins" who ticker his videos connected TikTok.

"I got a connection from 1 of the guys that has a vacation location successful my colony saying 'Pat get connected to your YouTube channel, something's happening'," helium said.

"I deliberation they similar the mode I enactment things. Instead of being called an aged git oregon thing they accidental 'that's my grandad'."

Pat's lifelong passionateness for camping was inspired by the acquisition of an Ordnance Survey representation erstwhile helium was 10 years old.

He created his transmission 2 years agone to papers his camping trips with his dog, Morag, with a storytelling benignant inspired by Scottish movie shaper John Grierson and presenter Tom Weir.

"I've been successful camping disconnected and connected since I was a laddie," helium said.

"When I was 10 years aged I lived adjacent Edinburgh and I utilized to vanish up the Pentlands astatine nighttime and spell for agelong walks."

Now retired and surviving successful Garlieston, helium said: "I wanted to bash thing - thing different, thing that I'd bask - thing that was a spot of an escapade truthful I thought good let's bash immoderate camping and I've enjoyed each infinitesimal of it."

His transmission has recovered greater occurrence aft it was promoted by instrumentalist Kristian Keenan connected TikTok.

Keenan wanted to beforehand a transmission with "little to nary views" connected YouTube. His video astir Pat has present been viewed more than 12 cardinal times.

The fig of subscribers to Pat's YouTube transmission has jumped to much than 400,000 arsenic a effect of the endorsement.

Pat has present acceptable up his ain TikTok account, besides called Wander with Mac. It already has much subscribers than the creator who promoted him.

Pat has since been successful interaction with Kristian Keenan who was arsenic amazed by the occurrence of the video.

"I'm not that tech savvy but I managed to get connected TikTok and find retired who the feline was, helium said.

"I contacted him and we've exchanged messages and helium was gobsmacked arsenic well.

"He thought 'I mightiness get this aged feline 500 oregon possibly a mates of 1000 other subscriptions and get his transmission monetized'. He couldn't judge it either."

Pat has had to enactment his camping hobby connected clasp precocious owed to wellness problems, truthful Keenan has helped rise much than £1,000 to assistance with the outgo of moving a campervan.