Coastal walker Penny rolls on
Coastal walker Karen Penny is preparing to restart her epic 20,000 mile trek. Having walked along the Kintyre peninsula and through Argyll in November 2019, Karen reached the UK’s northern-most point in March before having to take a break from her adventure as the coronavirus pandemic forced her home.
Alzheimer’s Research UK champion Karen Penny is set to re-start her amazing 20,000 mile coastal walk around the UK and Ireland on August 10.
Karen had been travelling continuously for 13 months on foot from her home in the Gower, South Wales, before the COVID-19 pandemic forced her to return home in March. She had walked 6,405 miles and reached the UK’s northern-most point in the Shetland Islands, where she placed an Alzheimer's Research UK flag to mark the point at which she had to break off her incredible journey. Inspired to support the dementia charity after both of her in-laws were affected by different forms of dementia, Karen has not rested on her laurels while under lockdown at home. She said: ‘I have tried to use my time away from walking as productively as possible. As well as helping out with deliveries to vulnerable or shielding people in my community, I have put together a calendar with some of the images I took on the 13 months of my journey so far, which I will be putting on sale for Alzheimer’s Research UK.
‘Although it’s been nice to catch up at home, I’m itching to get started again. On my walk I met so many wonderful people who were as keen as I am to support Alzheimer’s Research UK. One in two people know someone who has been affected by dementia, so everywhere I went I met people with their own stories to share.’
Since setting off on January 14 2019, Karen had already walked the entire coast of the island of Ireland, the Welsh coastal path and more than 20 Scottish islands. She has raised almost £62,000 towards vital dementia research.
To sponsor Karen, go to www. justgiving.com/fundraising/ thepennyrollson