On the Edge: Walking the South West Coast Path with Limited Sight

My name is Lena. I am 37, working, and living with Cerebral Palsy and a sight condition I’ve had since birth. I’m also a proud Guide Dog owner. My current Guide Dog is Alex, a beautiful golden retriever cross. All four of the guide dogs I’ve had have been instrumental in helping me maintain my independence and mobility.

My Inspiration

In May 2023, I suffered the heartbreaking loss of my guide dog, Pete, to cancer. I wanted to do something to honour his memory, so I set myself the goal of raising enough funds to name a puppy after him. Having previously climbed Snowdon to raise money for my pet dog Toby, I knew I wanted to do another physical challenge. After reading The Salt Path and seeing the coast path on screen, I thought—maybe, just maybe, this is the challenge for me.

Making it Happen

This was the tricky bit. Was it too much for me physically? How would I find the support required to make the walk—and the logistics of getting there—a reality? Fortunately, after speaking with friends and family, the support was overwhelming. I had to become a project manager for the first time, something I never thought I was good at but without the route planning, accommodation and making sure we had enough guides, support and drivers was a logistical nightmare but if I wanted to make my dream become a reality I would have to knuckle down and get it sorted so I organised our first stretch.

Starting Out

I gathered a big group of supporters who travelled from far and wide. Once I completed the stretch from Poole to Worth Matravers over two days, I was hooked. A few of my friends some of whom I’d only met for the first time on our first Coast path stretches decided they wanted to tackle the whole path alongside me, while others join as and when they can. It has been an incredible journey of making friendships, memories and a wonderful community who are all in it to support me.

The Journey So Far

Since starting in June 2024, we have conquered the Dorset coastline and progressed onto East Prawle in Devon. We aim to reach Plymouth by the end of this year, paving the way to start Cornwall in 2027.

Tackling this path is no small feat. The terrain is a constantly shifting landscape of rocky crags, bright sunlight affecting sight, uneven paths as well as sheer cliffs that demand intense concentration from those of us with sight impairments. We walk in stages as my health will only allow me to push so much and I know my limits and to be able to complete the path I need to give myself time between walks to recover and we all have our normal busy lives to lead as well so fitting this in among it all is quite a challenge in itself. Our sighted guides and friends are the true backbone of this journey—without them, none of this would be possible.

My friend recently captured a fantastic photo of one of my guides, guiding me up a steep cliff near Durdle Door. It perfectly illustrates how close to the edge we must walk, the trust I hold in my guide and how she brings the breathtaking scenery to life for me with her descriptions. Whenever a steep hill tests us, I like to remind the team: “We wouldn’t have the views without the climb.”

Flexibility is key to our success. While the weather has been on our side so far, our schedule ultimately adapts to the availability of my support team, weather extremes, my own health, and the well-being of our dogs, who happily accompany us on most legs of the journey.

Raising Funds

I am thrilled to say I have already raised enough to name a puppy in memory of Guide Dog Pete and that pup has gone on to be a Guide Dog for someone living with sight loss. Now, I am so very close to my next goal: naming a second puppy in memory of my guide dog, Texan.

A Personal Milestone

This has been a deeply personal transformative journey. A few years ago, I never would have imagined I was capable of something like this and I want to show that whatever difficulties you face, life can be fulfilling and challenges however small can be conquered, we are all dependent on someone in life and I am very independent but this journey has helped me to realise that without the support I simply couldn’t do it and that help is often freely given if we just ask. Some days have been extremely tough—there have definitely been moments where I’ve seriously reconsidered my life choices and there will be many more of those! But ultimately, I’m loving the challenge and I am so fortunate  to have this amazing path and the wonderful nature, flora and fauna right on my doorstep here in the South West. Having friends, family and my Guide Dog by my side keeps me motivated (along with the occasional well-deserved ice cream)!

I am aiming to complete the entire 630-mile path by 2030. I want to share a huge thank you to the South West Coast Path Association; the work you do to maintain the Path ensures that people like me can enjoy these incredible landscapes safely.