Lucky for Some

Whitianga-based vet Alex Elson, 58, has completed Britain’s 117km South West Coast Path 13-years after she began it in the coastal town of Minehead. Elson and her British friend Sandra Fairchild met about 17 years ago and discovered they both liked walking so began doing a few local parts of the coast path. But Elson emigrated to New Zealand before they could finish the route. Showing an extraordinary level of determination she came back every year, for the next 13, to walk another section of the trail with Fairchild. “Although it has taken 13 years to complete, in actual fact it was about 13 weeks,” Elson said. New Zealand walks were now on the agenda but as she got older she said she might do it differently. “I really want to do the Routeburn Track but I might do it the luxury way… with someone carrying my pack,” she laughed.