I'm walking 50 Miles in January for Dementia UK
This January, I'm walking 50 Miles and raising funds to help ensure no family faces dementia alone. I'm taking on the challenge for Dementia UK, the specialist dementia nursing charity, and would be grateful for your support.
Your donation, big or small, makes a difference. £33 could fund a new dementia specialist Admiral Nurse to spend an hour helping a family in the community, offering practical solutions and emotional support to cope with their loved one’s distressed behaviour.
Thank you!
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My Updates
Saturday morning, 24th January
Saturday 24th Jan This morning I walked from Danes Dyke to Flamborough Head, it is an 8 mile walk.Walking along the Holderness coast on the cliff tops and looking out at the North Sea. The tide was out walking all the way, the sun low and hitting off the sea, blinding you as you look out to admire the view.
Parts of the walk on the cliff tops was treacherous with mud and with the coastal erosion it was very narrow to walk and the wind can be very strong on the cliffs.
There is an old war bunker before south landing walking to Flamborough Head and you know it is going to end in the sea.
You can't walk on the beach from Danes Dyke to Flamborough because there is too much rock. The cliffs are of different sizes and the sea waves reach the nearest foot of the cliffs, cutting you off. At the Head there are lots of seals in the coves and you can tell they are enjoying the winter sun.
I brought a cheese sandwich and a drink to have and at the cafe I had apple pie with cream and a cup of tea.
I have walked over 50 miles since January 1st.
I have put some more photos up.
Thank you for reading my blog and sponsoring me.
17/01/2026, Saturday
Saturday 17th Jan Today is my last day in Rome.This morning I walked to the River Tiber, which is in the centre of Rome to do a street walk to include sampling local food with a guide, it was 4 mile walk. I walked with Canadians, Australians, Germans and a couple from Wales. We sampled pizzas with potato, and tomato & cheese, panani's, beer, lemonade, ice- cream, rolls fried with rice, mozarella and a spicy sauce and a bun with fresh cream called chubby hubby cakes. We walked through narrow streets, with shops, market squares, plazzas with fountains, statues and churches. Whilst walking it is all the time busy with people and cars.
After the street walk was over, I walked to the Pantheon and the Trevi fountain and they were extremely busy. It was hard to move with the amount of people.
(As I am with my husband on the city break) we then decided to walk around the city more - exploring and found ourselves back where the Colosseum is which is a fair distance from St Peter's Basilica, we had clocked 8 miles walking altogether. We then got on the metro to go to our appartment near St Peter's Basilica.
I have now walked 46 miles and have 4 miles left to walk.
(My legs and feet are tired from walking around the city as it is pavement walking and a lot of steps to go up and down)
Thank you for reading my little blog and if you have sponsored me - thank you.
Please look at the photos I have attached.
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Friday 16th
Saturday 17th Jan Early this morning I set off to visit some of Rome's must do and I knew I would be walking a lot. I walked around the Roman Forum, the Colosseum and the Vatican museum. I walked just over 5 miles. The weather was a little colder today but the sky was blue.I have 12 miles left to walk.
I have put some photos up of the Roman Forum, the Colosseum and the Vatican.
Thursday Afternoon 15/01/26
Friday 16th Jan I am in Rome (a Christmas present for myself and husband) I got a bus from Rome Airport to the bus station in the centre of Rome. I then bought a train (metro) to where I am staying near to St Peter's Basilica. It is a fair walk to the underground from the bus station about 1 mile and hard going when you have luggage to carry. After walking through the long corridors and steps of the underground, I arrived at our accomodation.I walked to St Peter's Basilica, it is about 10 minutes walking from the appartment. It is the largest Basilica in the world and a UNESCO world heritage site.
There is a lot to see and you don't know what to look at first, I timed my walking, counting steps by using my mobile phone. There are 45 alters, 11 chapels, doors given names, such as The Door of Evil, Door of the Sacraments, etc.
The splender is magnificent, the marble statues of previous popes, the Cherubs with such detail to feet and hands, Doves with olive branches, the lights from the ceilings, the patterned marble walls and floors, the apostles, the painted and gold high up on the walls and domes, the 5pm Mass with the organ playing, the bells ringing, marble statues everywhere. The beauty is truly amazing, jaw-dropping stuff . It is hard not to notice a strong sense of feeling secure, a magic as it where but the security and magic for me is its memerising beauty and picking up on others, who for religious reasons harmonising the senses of security.
I walked over 2 miles and altogher I have walked 3 miles today.
I have 17 miles left to walk.
Thanks for sponsoring me and for reading my blog.
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Wednesday morning 14th January
Wednesday 14th Jan This morning 14/01/26 , I went walking with a local walking group and we walked 5.5 miles.It was a circular walk from the village, Walkington to Risby in the Wold. It was a beautiful walk, big open fields, trees, a hare, snowdrops, birds of prey, crows, robin redbreast, sparrows and clear blue skies.
There was lot of ice on the paths, tracks and in the fields and muddy in parts.
On one part of the walk, a board telling the history of a large hall, which was burnt down twice? And King Henry 8th used to stay there and go deer hunting.
Afterwards we went into the local pub and had lunch.
I now have 20 miles left to walk.
12/01/26
Monday 12th Jan Monday morning, I decided to go to the gym to get some training in by walking and using the cross trainer.I use the local leisure centre where there are exercise classes and a swimming pool.
The gym was very busy of all ages and sizes.
On the cross trainer I did 1.5 miles, I have it on a normal setting gor big strides and the sophistication of the machine allows you to take you on various walks around the world, I did a french walk.
I then used the thread mill and walked 0.5 mile and again set it to take me walking through South America.
I did use various weights throughout the time I was there and the bike.
I have now have 25.5 miles left to walk.
Thanks for reading my blog and for sponsoring me.
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10th January, Saturday.
Saturday 10th Jan I went for a walk after lunch today to Hornsea beach as the frost and snow was still around. The tide was out so I could walk on the sand. There is a lot of coastal erosion around this part of East Yorkshire.The Holderness coast has lots of clay cliffs, some are big, some small and now some parts are washed away, the land and sea are at the same level. Big boulders jut out from the clay, fences broken and exposed water waste pipes gradually being washed away. On the top of the cliffs are caravan parks and houses, the people know eventually they'll be forced to move away and move inland. A lot of Holderness villages are already under the sea.
It is refreshing walking beside the sea and there was quite a few people out walking with families and dogs. The weather was cold and the sun low in the sky.
I walked nearly 2.5 miles along the beach.
I have 27 .5 miles left to walk.
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Thursday morning 8th January
Thursday 8th Jan This morning I had a meeting to go to and I left the house about 9.45am and instead of driving I walked, it is about 1 mile and walking back makes it 2 miles.Walking through the housing estate where I live, the paths are still icy in parts and it was 2 degrees walking. The sky was cloudy, the tree tops bare, crows squawking and the leaves on the footpath disintegrating, making the path look muddy - winter making things look tired.
I have now up today walked 20 miles and have 30 miles left to walk.
Thanks for reading my little blog and if you have sponsored me - Walking for Dementia.
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Tuesday Morning 6th January
Tuesday 6th Jan I had to drop my car off to be serviced early this morning, 8 am.It was minus 4 walking home after the car drop and bitterly cold and I am wrapped up with thick jumpers, a very large scarf, woolly hat and sheepskin gloves.
It is nearly a 3 mile walk, the paths and grass verges were very icy in parts, so I was walking carefully. It is noisy walking because I am on the main paths beside the main road, walking from a large industrial estate and there is lots of cars, lorries, buses and push bikes.
Quite a few people walking with dogs.
I now have 32 miles left to walk.
Sunday Afternoon 4th January
Sunday 4th Jan I drove to Driffield late this morning to walk some of the Driffield Canal. It was very cold, minus 2 but it felt a lot colder. The wind was icy cold. There is a track along the canal which eventually brings you to the River Humber and it is a linear walk. The path, a mud path was snowy, icy in parts and it felt hard under your foot with noises of crunching ice, bird song and the trickling sounds of the water. Swans and ducks swimming met me whilst walking and on parts of the canal banks where the sun was hitting, some swans were lying down enjoying the low winter sun.I walked to the first lock, the Whin Hill Lock which is 3 miles and walked back again to the car. Today I walked 6 miles and even though the skies were big and blue and welcoming it was very cold.
I have walked 15 miles since the 1st January and I have 35 miles left.
Thank you for those who have sponsored me and those reading my blog.
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Friday Afternoon 02/01/2026
Friday 2nd Jan I went for a walk along Hornsea beach this afternoon and walked 1.5 miles.Walked on the promanade onto the beach, I noticed the tide was coming in very fast and the sea water reaching the small clay cliffs quickly in parts, each cliff creating very small coves. Big waves crashed against the seabreaks and sea wall causing big splashes and wetting the passerbys.
It snowed whilst in Hornsea and it was cold.
I meet up with family afterwards and we went for a drink and meal in Hornsea. And it was a very nice evening.
41 miles left to walk.
Thank you for reading my blog and don't forget to sponsor me.
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New Year's Day 2026
Thursday 1st Jan This morning 01/01/26, still on our Christmas holiday in Northumberland, I walked from Dunstanburgh to Low Newton by the Sea and back . A 7 .5 mile walk. It is a beautiful part of the Northumberland coast, rocky with huge waves and they must of been 7 - 8 ft if not more and all the time Dunstanburgh Castle on view. The weather was good, big blue skies but it was cold, minus one or two with frost on the grass.I now have 42.5 miles left to walk.
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20/12/2025
Saturday 20th Dec Hi to anyone reading this blog and a thank you for sponsoring me.I thought about things that I could do for the New Year 2026, as I am a walker and in various walking groups as well as walking with my husband and children, I thought I will walk for Dementia. 50 miles is a lot to walk throughout January but I will timetable myself.
I will walk locally, 2, 3 miles a couple of times during the week and gradually building it up to 5 and probably the ocassional 8 - 10 miles in the countryside.
All the best for the New Year 2026,
Love, Johanna x x
Thank you to my Sponsors
£33
Richard Boal
£33
Jennifer Hartley
Good for you Johanna! 🫶👏
£20
Ellie
Go granny jojo!
£20
Sharon
Well done Johanna.
£20
Sue Scott
Well done Jo xx
£19
Alison Hodgson
Well done Johanna, keep going!
£19
Anonymous
£15
Ann Murray Fraser
Well done Johanna!
£10
Cat Boal
Go mum! Love you xx
£10
Jackie Harris
Well done Johanna . Great cause .
£10
Marcus Boal
£5
Team Bowser
Happy Walking in our beautiful country 🚶♀️
