WHEN it comes to taking up challenges, Wendy Jones is miles ahead of the vast majority. After horse riding in Mongolia and later in the Canadian Rockies, she has now turned her attentions to walking all of the 186-mile Coast Path around the Pembrokeshire Coast National Park. Walking nearly 200 miles of coast is a challenge for anyone, but especially so for Wendy who has very little sight. She lost a large amount of her sight six years ago to Retinitis Pigmentosa. But this has not prevented the 38-year-old mum from Pontypridd, and her sighted friend, Elly Morgan, who lives in Pembrokeshire, from planning the Coast Path trek - dubbed 'Wendy's Walk'. She is linking in with the Pembrokeshire Coast National Park Authority and started her walk on Wednesday from St. Dogmaels. Over the following weeks, she and Elly will walk every metre of the National Trail right through to Amroth. En route they will, on specific days, meet up with community representatives, individuals and groups who will walk sections with them and give their support. And they plan, through sponsorship, to raise funds for the British Retinitis Pigmentosa Society (Fighting Blindness). A special programme of short Coast Path walks, led by Park rangers and specialists, has been organised for several of the days, allowing the public to walk alongside Wendy and support her. Wendy's Walk is being co-ordinated by Lesley Jones, who has joined the National Park in a part- time post specifically for this. Said Lesley: "Anyone who would like to become involved or to chat over an idea should contact me. There are a limited number of places on each of the public days, so it is important that those interested should contact me without delay. "There is a general feeling of celebration attaching itself to this walk and Wendy is becoming quite a celebrity." Lesley can be contacted through the National Park's Pembroke Dock headquarters on 0845 345 7275 or by e-mailing [email protected]">[email protected]. Wendy's Walk details are also on the National Park website, http://www.pembrokeshirecoast.co.uk">www.pembrokeshirecoast.co.uk.
