Couple to Resume Trek Around Britain's Coastline After Injury Halt

Zoe and Mike Langley plan to resume their 7,300-mile trek around Britain's coastline after Zoe's injury halted their first attempt. They aim to raise £10,000 for the Dorset and Somerset Air Ambulance during this two-year challenge.

Couple to Restart Britain's Coastline Trek

A couple who set out to walk the entire coastline of mainland Great Britain are preparing to resume their journey after an injury forced them to pause their initial attempt.

Zoe Langley-Wathen, 54, and Mike Langley, 73, from Somerset, aim to raise £10,000 for the Dorset and Somerset Air Ambulance during their planned 7,300-mile (11,748 km) trek.

The couple began their walk in October last year but had to stop after Zoe Langley-Wathen sustained a stress fracture, having covered only 60 miles.

"I'm learning to go slowly, not too fast too soon. It's probably the reason I got the fracture in the first place."

Due to renting out their home, they were unable to return there and have been staying in a friend's flat in Wellington, Shropshire.

Upon resuming their walk, they encountered an unusual situation where a man, seeing them wearing coastal banners while walking in landlocked Shropshire, thought they were lost. This man connected them with an experienced coastal walker who provided valuable advice, including high-visibility vests for road walking and a set of maps.

Now fully recovered, the couple plan to restart their two-year challenge from the beginning at Studland near Bournemouth on 4 February.

"I was like a caged lion for months, because I can't sit still. Now that we're going again I'm ready."

Mike Langley, despite having had two hip replacements in the past three years, expressed eagerness to continue.

When they initially commenced their walk, members of the local air ambulance crew saw them off.

"It was incredible and the most beautiful experience,"

said Zoe Langley-Wathen, with her husband adding,

"We were honoured to have so many people come."

Background and Motivation

The couple met by chance in 2011 while walking separately along the South West Coast Path and married three years later.

Since then, they have walked thousands of miles together, including a 500-mile journey on the Camino de Santiago pilgrimage route in Spain for their honeymoon.

Both emphasize the importance of challenging themselves beyond their comfort zones, regardless of age.

"The use of adventure can benefit women like me, with perimenopause, or men like Mike with new hips,"

said Zoe Langley-Wathen.

Contact and Follow-Up

For more updates, follow BBC Somerset on Facebook and X. Story ideas can be sent via email or WhatsApp at 0800 313 4630.