WHERE HAVE THOSE 2 MONTHS GONE!
Blog post 5 Thursday 15th August 2024 in Martigny, Switzerland
Since last Blog Post
Bucey Le Gy(Sunday 28th July) to Martigny (Thurs 15th August)
WHERE HAVE THE 2 MONTHS GONE!
Departed Swinford Saturday 15th June
Commenced walking from Canterbury. Sunday 16th June
Today Thursday 15th August in Martigny
Distance Walked 1116.8 Kilometres
MY DESTINATION IS NO LONGER A PLACE, RATHER A NEW WAY OF SEEING.
-Marcel Proust
THE JOURNEY CONTINUES
After my last post I arrived in the beautiful French city of Besancon on Monday 29th July and immediately decided it would be a lovely place to take a break before tackling into the last French stages in the Jura mountains. It is a lovely city and was a great spot to rest up for a day.
After Besancon I headed out walking in the Jura mountain range towards the French Swiss border. The day were now getting very hot and I was glad of a few moderate distances that allowed me to finis at a good time in the day to avoid the intense afternoon heat.
The scenery was changing all the time as it was now a much more mountainous region with many different types of trails. As I approached the Mouthier Haute Pierre to Pontarlier stage on Sat 3rd August I was growing more apprehensive as this was the stage that I was the most apprehensive about so far. There terrain in this are was completely different and involved a lot of uphill walking through forests trails and to great heights. There is a lot of discussion on the different VF forums regarding this stage as for the last couple of years there has been a local detour in place due to rock falls etc. There was a lot of different opinions shared by people who had walked it as to whether a walker should take the detour or stick to the VF official path. I leased with some walkers who I have befriended so far on this journey and who are now walking ahead of me. Taking their advice I decided to take the longer detour path. It was tough, hot and very challenging but I reached Pontarlier after a 31.5km trek delighted I had conquered it and got it under my belt. Was so glad to have the advice of these friends to rely on and make it a bit easier. You wonder sometimes after these experiences do you waste so much time and energy worrying about what is ahead instead of appreciating the present moments. But that is a work in progress.
So I was delighted to reach Pontarlier as my great friend Dannie Cassidy was flying into Paris the following day Sunday and driving 6 hours up to hang out for a few days and some walking of course.
AN AMAZING & MEMORABLE ENCOUNTER
Sunday 4th was a memorable day for the chance meeting I had with a fellow pilgrim walker Lois from Germany. It was memorable for many reasons but why it will always remain a special experience for me is that there was so many reasons why I should not have been in the village of Les Fours where I had my encounter with Lois on the Sunday afternoon.
As I mentioned Dannie was arriving in from home and I was very much in 2 minds as to whether I would take the Sunday as a rest and wait for him in Pontarlier. I decided that rather than hand around all day as he was not arriving until evening that I would walk the 13 or so kilometres to the next town of les Fourgs and then make my way back to Pontarlier for the evening to meet.
Reaching Les Fours around 1pm my lift back was not for another 45 minutes so I decided to stroll to the other end of the town and grab a beer in the only open cafe. There was a German walker Lois who I had briefly met in the forest on the path about 2 hours earlier. We joined each other and chatted for a bit and wow thank god we did.
Lois mentioned to me that he had heard there was an Irishman walking the trail in aid of Parkinson’s disease. I laughed and told him that was me. He was really delighted to meet me and very interested in my story as to why had decided to walk to create awareness for Parkinson’s disease.
I told him my story about how my Dad Has Parkinson’s disease and the wonderful support he gets from our local Mayo Branch Mayo Parkinson’s Association of the wider Parkinson’s Ireland association. I was now very curious as to why he was so interested in my story and Lois then informed me that he was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease. He told me of the many pilgrim walks he has undertaken and how he did so now especially to keep his body and mind healthy. I could not hide my admiration for his own story and immediately felt so grateful that I had been lucky enough to experience this short encounter with Lois. It really gave me a great lift and inspired me to try even harder to continue to raise awareness of this disease.
I could not help believe that myself and this fellow pilgrim walker were meant to share this meeting at that particular point in time on our respective walks. I keep in touch with Lois and he has just crossed the Great St Bernards Pass and has actually walked with some of my other pilgrim friends who I have met on this journey from Belgium, Jan & Alfons.
I wish them all a continued safe and good journey.
Lois website
Gives great accounts of the many pilgrim walks he has undertaken and I am really delighted I had the pleasure of meeting him and hope to do so again as well as the other pilgrim walkers I have befriended.
GREAT FRIENDS MAKE GREAT GESTURES
So Dannie arrived in Pontarlier and it was absolutely brilliant to have his company for a few days. What a friend.
Drove Westport to Shannon
Flew Shannon to Paris
Drove Paris to Pontarlier
Few days craic, chat and laughing
Drove Orbe to Paris
Flew Paris to Shannon
Drove Shannon to Westport
We enjoyed a great few days chatting, laughing and eating and of course walking.
After enjoying a day off in Pontarlier on the Monday , Dannie joined me on the VF path on the Tuesday & Wednesday.
I was so lucky to have Danny with me on Tuesday 6th August as I celebrated a huge milestone on my journey, crossing the border from France in to Switzerland. This was very emotional as it meant I had walked across France and was grateful to share this moment with a great friend who was also there to capture a great video that of course I could then share with everyone else. It wouldn’t be like me to keep quiet about these things.
The walks themselves continued through the beautiful French and then Swiss countryside. Everyday is like walking through a series of postcards and no picture or video can do justice to the absolute stunning scenery I am so grateful to be able to experience on my journey.
A few days after Dannie began his long journey home, I was again luck to be joined by another great friend from Home Declan Murtagh. One of my oldest childhood friends It has been great having declan here with me this week as we walk across Switzerland heading for the Alps and the iconic Great St Bernards Pass at the crossing of the Swiss Italian border over 2400 metres high in the Alps. If I was on my own this week I would be really apprehensive of these tough stages and what was coming ahead but having the company of Declan. Is making it a lot easier and allowing me more fully embrace and enjoy these experiences.
I look forward to posting another blog about the crossing of the Alps and the pass early next week.
INCREDIBLE SUPPORT FROM AN INCREDIBLE COMMUNITY
I cannot believe that today marks the 2 month mark sine my incredible journey began. It has been an amazing experience so far and I look forward to many more to come as I cross in to Italy and begin the long walk down Italy to Rome. I have never been to Italy and cannot wait for the experiences that lie ahead waiting and the fact that more friends from home are coming over top join me over the coming weeks will make this journey even better.
The support I have received and continue to receive ij just outstanding and I thank every single person who has reached out to me and the charities as I undertake this epic walk from Canterbury to Rome. The 2 charities I am doing this for
Mayo Parkinson’s Association and
Children’s Health Foundation Crumlin
Are a huge source of inspiration to me.
I am proud and grateful to be able to undertake this challenge in order to raise awareness and funds for them.
The generosity of my supporters on this journey is incredible. We have just gone over the €25000 mark, which is beyond my wildest dreams with the second half of my journey still to come.
I don’t think I will ever be able to find the words to convey my sense of gratitude. Also the awareness we are creating is great for the 2 charities.
I have and always will be a proud Swinford & mayo Man and just want to give you a few examples of the support being given to me.
Over the recent Swinford Siamsa Sraide 40th Festival celebrations we had a stand on the street where Mum & Dad and my family and friends showcased my journey and fundraiser. The messages of support along with an incredible €1500 donated into the bucket was truly humbling. Thank you to everyone who visited and helped out with the stand. And thank you to Breandan `Cassidy and the Siamsa committee for supporting it
The Swinford AC club who I am a very proud member of very kindly held their annual Siamsa 5km run/walk in aid of my fundraiser. Over 140 people took part and last I heard over 900 Euro was collected from this event. WOW. The support I have received and continue to receive from Adette Gallagher, Tony Gleeson and all the tribe involved in this fantastic club is inspiring. Thank you all
Over Siamsa Joe Mellett (who will be joining me in a few weeks) had a display of Swinford Photos from over the years and is kindly donating all proceeds from the sales to my funds.
The May Davits GAA Dads & Lads team very kindly donated the proceeds from a recent challenge match with Glenswilly of Donegal. A very kind gesture that I am. Very grateful for. Thanks Lads
The Swinford Senior Ladies in Swinford Golf Club this week held a 2 day competition with all proceeds going to my Kellys Walk 2 Rome fundraiser. It was a great success and they very kindly hosted my Mum & Dad and my sister Katie & nephew Odhran ups in the club house where an amazing €1555 was donated. These ladies have always been very supportive of me throughout my time in business in Swinford and I am enormously appreciative of what they have done for me this week.
The donations continue to roll in on donate and to my parents and these regular and daily acts of kindness and support are just so very welcome and spur me on every single day.
I want to reiterate that every single cents donated will be going the 2 charities as my journey is self funded. These amazing acts of support will be I know of huge benefit to my 2 charities.
THATS ALL FOR NOW
Well folks I think I have rambled on long enough this evening.
Please reach out if you can and send a message of encouragement and suoport. I love getting them.
My daily trails are well documented on my social media channels so I hope you are enjoying my journey so far.
I can see the Alps.
I have sent the last week walking towards them.
I am now at the base and will get to the top please God on Sunday where I will celebrate my nest major milestone of reaching the iconic part of this journey at the St Bernards pass and I am already looking forward to sharing these fantastic experiences with you.
Thank you for reading
Take Care
Cathal
Martigny
Thursday 15th August 2024