Karen soon to set off on 19,000-mile charity trek
AWELSH woman is hoping to become the first to walk around the entire coast of Great Britain and Ireland.
Karen Penny, who is aged 53 and a former legal professional, is aiming to raise £100,000 for dementia research.
She estimates that her incredible trek will take her between three-anda-half and four years to complete, during which time she is not going to return home at all – her husband will be driving in a camper van to join her every six weeks.
Karen, from Gower, says she has “guesstimated” a total distance of 19,000 miles, carrying a tent in her rucksack on every step so she can camp along the way.
She said: “I’m delighted to do this – I wanted to do something that would get a good amount of money. Both my husband’s parents died from dementia-related illnesses, and it had a massive effect on me. Alzheimer’s is something that touches nearly every family.”
She aims to raise £100,000 for Alzheimer’s Research UK, having been moved to support the charity after the tragic deaths of both of her inlaws from dementia – her mother-inlaw with vascular dementia and her father-in-law with Alzheimer’s disease.
Karen is setting off from her local primary school in Pennard on January 14, and is expecting a great send-off from the local community.
From there she’s heading for Fishguard via Rhossili, Penclawdd, Pembrey, Pendine, Tenby, Stackpole, Freshwater West, Lambeeth, Milford Haven, Frenchmen’s Bay, Little Haven, Llandruidion, Ogof Morlanod and Penbwchdy – and that’s just the first 18 days of the journey.
After walking the entire circumference of Ireland she’ll return to Wales, head north, take in “at least 20” Scottish islands en route, before coming back down and around, back to her starting point in south Wales.
A spokeswoman for Alzheimer’s Research UK said: “Karen is amazing – completely determined to complete this journey, articulate, driven and focused, but also with a great sense of humour about the challenge ahead.
“We believe she’s going to be the first woman to do a continuous walk around the whole of the UK (and Irish) coastline.”
At the moment Karen is hard at work training for her epic voyage, covering between eight and 10 miles a day with around 30lb of kit.
She added: “There’s nowhere better in the UK to train than on the beautiful Gower coast where I live. I live on Three Cliffs Bay, and the whole of the Gower coastline is tricky, it’s up and down.”
■ Karen is aiming to raise £100,000 for Alzheimer’s Research UK. Visit her JustGiving page and follow her on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.