Pensioner nearly drowns during charity walk

Pensioner nearly drowns during charity walkJanet Baldock, 67, was on a gruelling 700-mile trek when disaster struckCommentsNewsHoward Lloyd Regional content editor07:26, 07 Apr 2026Updated 07:26, 07 Apr 2026View 4 ImagesJanet almost drowned on her trek(Image: Cover Images)Janet Baldock, aged 67, never anticipated that her dream of walking the Wales Coast Path would nearly cost her life in Carmarthenshire. Travelling solo, Janet was just five weeks away from completing a 700-mile journey when she lost her way last summer.‌Every morning, her husband Nigel would drop her off at the point where she had ended the previous day's walk, and after covering approximately 15 miles, he would collect her and they would head back to their rented cottage or Airbnb along the route. The Wiltshire grandmother embarked on the four-month-long, 730-mile trek with the aim of raising funds for the Support Dogs charity.‌The majority of the journey was an incredible experience. Janet underestimated her own stamina, and despite walking the equivalent of a half-marathon every other day for 16 weeks, the retired psychotherapist and former cabin crew member was pleasantly surprised by her fitness levels.‌"I thought I would need lots of rest but I didn't need it," Janet recalls. "And the weather was amazing." By July, she still had the entirety of South Wales to traverse, but as she reached the Gwendraeth in Carmarthenshire, she lost track of the path. Like much of the coastal route, it relies on signage that can be infrequent or damaged."My book said, turn left, and I couldn't see any turning left. So I thought, well, I'll just walk on," she explains. Instead of ascending uphill towards the road, she veered down towards the estuary. "I was lost. I thought 'oh, this doesn't look very good', because the estuary is all bog and swamp."View 4 ImagesJanet Baldock on her charity trek(Image: Cover Images)‌Janet attempted to navi...