A Dorset man whose family has been devastated by neurological brain conditions has completed an emotional 630 mile solo walk along the South West Coast Path, finishing on Studland Beach.
Chris McKenna, who has lost his mother, brother and sister to Alzheimer’s and has been diagnosed with a brain condition himself, took on the eight week challenge to raise money for the National Brain Appeal.
After a solo trek of more than eight weeks and 630 miles, Chris McKenna received a warm welcome at Studland from family and friends
Raised £7,500 for brain research
Chris, aged 66, reached the end of his marathon coastal trek on Sunday 5th July 2026 after setting off from Minehead, Somerset, in April.
His son Sean and daughter Freyja joined him for the final stretch of the walk, before more than 30 relatives and friends welcomed him onto Studland Beach, singing “He’s coming home,” to the tune of the Three Lions football anthem.
Chris, who has raised more than £7,500 for brain research, celebrated by opening a bottle of champagne before thanking everyone who had supported him, and particularly his wife Michelle for putting her life on hold to allow him to fulfil his ambition.
A welcome back cake awaited Chris on his arrival at Studland, including a lifelike edible model of himself!
Family devastated by Alzheimer’s
His family has been profoundly affected by Alzheimer’s since his mother was diagnosed with the condition at the age of 76 and died three years later.
In 2022, his brother Mike died aged 65 after being diagnosed with young onset Alzheimer’s and in 2025, his sister Deirdre was also diagnosed with the condition and is now living at home with support from her husband Barry.
In between those dates Chris, of Winterborne Whitechurch near Blandford Forum in Dorset, received life changing news of his own after he collapsed at a wedding in 2024.
Scans subsequently revealed he had suffered more than 100 tiny bleeds on his brain and he was diagnosed with Cerebral Amyloid Angiopathy (CAA), a neurological condition closely linked with Alzheimer’s.
Chris McKenna at Studland Bay with his daughter Freyja and son Sean, after completing a solo trek along the South West Coast Path
“This is deeply personal to me”
Chris said:
“I’m raising funds for The National Brain Appeal, an organisation that supports pioneering research into a wide range of neurological conditions.
“This cause is deeply personal to me – it was a personal journey shaped by love, loss, and hope.
“I’ve seen first hand the importance of research, expertise, and hope, so I took on the challenge of walking 630 miles round the South West coastline to raise funds for research that could change the future for families like mine.
Chris records a greeting from Lulworth Cove, with just one day of his journey to complete
“Honouring those I’ve lost”
Chris added:
“This walk is my way of honouring those I’ve lost, supporting those still fighting, and contributing to the breakthroughs that might one day prevent others from experiencing the same heartbreak that we’ve been through.
“I shared a passion for long distance walks with my brother Mike – we completed Hadrian’s Wall, the West Highland Way and the Isle of Wight Coastal Path together, as well as running 14 marathons. We were always very close and losing him hit me hard.
“Mike had brought his three boys up from a young age after losing his wife to ovarian cancer, so I’m also very close to his boys. They have been through so much.”
Chris was given an MRI scan after getting a dizzy spell and collapsing while he was at a wedding with his wife Michelle two years ago, which revealed he had CAA, which is thought to contribute to more than 4,000 strokes a year in the UK.
He was referred to a special professor, David Werring at the National Hospital, where he went through extensive testing. Following his diagnosis, he retired from a 33 year career working in IT for a law firm, and decided it was time to tackle the South West Coast Path, something he had always wanted to do.
At Land’s End, the halfway point of Chris’s journey in June 2026
“Walking became a form of therapy”
Chris McKenna said:
“I needed a challenge after my diagnosis. Other than occasionally feeling a bit detached, like I am looking out from my own body, I have no issues and I am getting on with life.
“There’s nothing I can do to affect my situation, having CAA, so I thought there’s no point worrying about it. It felt like the right time to take on the South West Coast Path.
“The solitude of walking became a form of therapy, it gave me time on my own to reflect on my family and my life, quiet time with just me and nature.
“Apart from the amazing landscape, I have been so struck by the kindness of people I have met along the way. Hotels, bed and breakfasts, and campsites along the route often gave me accommodation, and some even fed me for free! Their generosity has been overwhelming and quite humbling.”
Although Chris loved the scenery of the Jurassic Coast, he was less impressed by the number of steps to be climbed!
“He is an inspiration to us all”
Marie Mangan for the National Brain Appeal, said:
“We are delighted to pass on huge congratulations to Chris McKenna, who has completed the South West Coast Path, walking 630 miles from Minehead to Studland Bay.
“He has raised £7,500 to date for the National Brain Appeal, inspired by his family’s experience of Alzheimer’s and his own diagnosis of CAA, and is an inspiration to us all.
“There are nearly 15 million people – that’s more than one in six of us – in the UK living with a neurological condition.
“Here at the country’s leading neurological centre, we’re passionate about supporting the National Hospital to help improve the lives of patients through treatment and research.”
Chris and Michelle McKenna, centre, on their wedding day. Chris’s late brother Mike is fifth from right and sister Deirdre, who has young onset Alzheimer’s, is third from right
Further information
- Chris McKenna’s fund raising appeal is still open at Just Giving
