Charity walker to pass through Seaton as she navigates entire British and Irish coastline

A woman who is walking the entire British and Irish coastline for charity will pass through Seaton and Beer this week.

Karen Penny is currently on the 490th day of her continuous 20,000km walking challenge around the British and Irish coast and its islands - a feat never achieved by a woman before.

In a bid to raise £100,000 for Alzheimer's Research UK, she set off in January 2019 and has been walking everyday since. Her entire journey is expected to take three and half years.

This week, Karen is walking the Devon coastline and is expected to arrive in Beer on Thursday (October 15th) for the night. She will then be passing through Seaton on Friday and on to the Dorset leg of her journey, stopping in Charmouth for the night.

She would welcome the company of other walkers who would like to join her en route.

Karen, who is married with one son, lives in the Gower Peninsula in Wales, having retired following three decades working in the legal profession.

She volunteers for many local causes, including the National Trust, working as a volunteer ranger to help safeguard the Gower Peninsula, and in her spare time is a keen Parkrun runner and a member of Lliswerry Runners in Newport.

Before embarking on her "adventure of a lifetime", Karen completed marathon and walked from John O'Graots to Land's End in aid of Alzheimer's Research UK.

Speaking about her reasons for supporting the charity, she said: "Many people have pre-conceptions about dementia, and often, it is only when someone is personally affected that they begin to find out about it.

"Dementia has had a profound impact upon our family. During the last 10 years we have lost two very dear family members; Alma, who succumbed to the effects of vascular dementia in a matter of months, and Kingsley, who deteriorated to such an extent both mentally and physically that ultimately he couldn't even recognise family members.

"I  have previously raised over £6,000 for Alzheimer's by running a marathon and walking the length of Britain. I am now devoting the next four years of my life, leaving family and friends and my cat Bilbo behind me, to raise a target of £100,000 for Alzheimer's Research UK

"In 2017, Alzheimer's and other dementias became the leading cause of death in the UK. With no treatments to stop or cure them, these are diseases that no-one has yet survived. Alzheimer's Research UK is committed to changing that and, with their supporters, they are here to make breakthroughs possible."

You can donate to Karen's fundraising appeal by visiting her JustGiving page or you can stay up to date with her progress on her Facebook page.