Kellys Walk 2 Rome Days 1-6.
Hi Everyone
First of all please let me start out by saying that I am extremely nervous writing this blog so I hope you bear with me. Popping up the daily posts on social media is easier compared to this as I hope this blog will be a more comprehensive collection of my thoughts and observations as I experience this adventure of a lifetime, my 2200km charity walk from Canterbury to Rome in aid of 2 charities very close to my heart
* Mayo Parkinson’s Association
* Children’s Health foundation Crumlin
I hope has my journey grows so will the quality of my blog.
Thank you for taking the time to read my blog and I hope you enjoy following my walking journey across Europe as I continue towards The Vatican City.
It has been an emotional week.I enjoyed what was probably the longest farewell seen in a long long time and all of a sudden departure date was quickly upon me.
My Last Evening in Swinford
On Friday 14th the eve of my departure we enjoyed a lovely family dinner at home which was lovely. Thinking it would be my last home cooked dinner in a long while I savoured every bite. Little did I know what to expect over the coming weekend!
Of course Mellett’s had to be visited for a last few pints of the black stuff in the usual great company that I experience in Swinfords (and one of Irelands) oldest Pub.
Just as I was walking in the door of Mellett’s I received a call from Margaret & Tommy Moore (Originally Sancta Maria & Brabazon Heights, Swinford). The Moores now live just outside Canterbury and are great family friends. Margaret was arranging to meet me for dinner on Saturday evening after I arrived in the UK.
Well that was my first dinner sorted!
On Saturday morning I visit Kilconduff graveyard in Swinford to spend some time with family and friends no longer with us and then said my emotional goodbyes to family. Mum, Dad, Douglas, Katie, Michael, Lorraine, Odhran & Daimhin.
And I’m Off
Everything was real now, the backpack was full and I was off from knock airport.
Even though my flight was delayed by 1.5 hours I enjoyed it as I ended up been sat beside good friend Peter Cassidy.
On arrival in Heathrow I was met by Tomas Moore, son of Margaret & Tommy and he drove me straight to their beautiful home outside Canterbury where I spent a fantastic Saturday evening enjoying great home cooked food and mighty company.
So much for my long expected wait for a home cooked meal with great company!
LETS GET THIS JOURNEY STARTED.
Sunday morning started with much trepidation for the journey ahead but also with a massive sense of excitement that I was getting going.
I was especially anxious to get to my first destination in time for the Mayo V Dublin match.
I got up early and headed for a Sunday morning service in the beautiful Canterbury Cathedral. I attended a lovely service in the Chapel of Our Lady undercroft and afterwards received a lovely Pilgrims blessing from the Vicar.
The first days walking is on the North Downs Way through wide valleys and gently rolling hills. Much of the route was on paths through fields. It was a nice enjoyable walk and definitely different from day 1 on the Camino Frances out of St. Jean that sends you staright into the Pyranees. Instead Day 1 on the VF sent me to the lovely quiet English village of Shepardswell where the local pub was just opening for the day as I arrived.
For my first night on the VF I had booked to stay with a local couple who host pilgrim walkers in their home and what a beautiful experience it was. A fantastic couple Stella & Mike greeted me at their door with the Green & Red of Mayo playing on his phone. The evening only got better as I enjoyed another delicious home cooked meal in their company. i will always be grateful to Stella and Mike for making my first night on the VF so comfortable and enjoyable. i would recommend to anybody to even undertake a small part of the VF just so they can experience their wonderful welcome and hospitality.
Day 3 I have a Ferry to catch
Up early to enjoy a lovely breakfast cooked by Mile and after visiting the lovely village church of St. Andrews where I received my pilgrim stamp I was on the track for 7.30. Today was the only day where I had a timeline as my ferry to Calais was departing Dover at 13.30. The walk to Dover was very similar to day 1, across fields and into Dover town by the castle and check in for the ferry.
Enjoying a beautiful crossing from Dover to Calais, the looming continent was quite daunting as I was now entering the relm of foreign language and a huge continent to cross. But this is what the challenge is all about. As far out of my comfort zone as I could hope to be and as such that is where the wonderful sense of excitement and challenge comes into play.
I have a Continent to Cross. Holy F**k
Day 4 on Tuesday 18th was quite emotional because of the huge walk across France, Switzerland and Italy now ahead of me. The walk out of Calais brings you down the beautiful o coastline to Wissant. It is the only seaside walk on the VF and the beautiful views of the sea make it unforgettable. Almost immediately you start to come across markers and monuments of the world wars and it definitely makes for some very sobering thoughts as you walk along.
The going was tough on this route from Calais to Wissant as much of the walking take place on the sand which is definitely tougher on the legs.
I am also carrying my backpack while walking which definitely adds to the challenge as it weighs in at 13.4kg but trust me any chance I get to send it on ahead on a stage I will take. I am no Martyr.
Day 5 Why do we let Negative thoughts take first Place
Day 5 took me from Wissant to Guines. This stage is mostly among fields and forests. A highlight was definitely the stunning panoramic views at Mont du Couple. Guines was a beautiful French town but I did not venture out much as I was staying up 3 flights of stairs!!!!!
A thought that very much struck me today was How our minds almost always go to the most negative place when we are faced with any issue. An example of this today was when I was on the last stretches of my walk and had gone about 4km outside the village of Caffiers the last village before my final stop at Guines. I was tired and looking out for the farmhouse which was noted on my guide book as an important marker on this route. Now I was walking through a massive wide open space apart from a few small clusters of trees and I could not see any farmhouse as described. Immediatel it thought feck it I am afetr going well off track here and started cursing myself for adding kms to my route. Then after another 15 minutes I came to one of the cluster of trees and there hidden amongst the trees was the farmhouse. I was on the right track but had spent the previous 15 minutes in a negative state of mind. I am going to work on this habit through mediation and other techniques during my journey
Day 6 When you’re hungry enough You’ll let the robots feed you!
Day 6 is today Thursday 20th June,when I am writing this blog post.
I really am getting very luck with the weather conditions and today enjoyed a lovely 17km walk from Guines to Licques. A route mostly through forest trails and farm roads. Licques is a very small and quiet French village and what would yu know I arrived at noon to be told that there were no food options available on a Thursday. Apart from an automatic Pizza kiosk. Yes you read that right today i was fed by the robots. I will dream of all my home cooked meals from alst weekend tonight. But what harm I am sure I will find another good place to eat tomorrow.
As I said This blog will very much be a work in progress as I experience my journey on theis old pilgrim route the Via Francigena and make my way by foot to Rome. I want to thank you all for tuning in and I hope you all enjoy my journey as I go along.
The 2 charities are in regular contact with me and are very grateful for all the donations that are coming in. Please see the donate button on this site www.kellyswalk2rome.ie if you would like to donate. I am very grateful for all who have done so already.
I will be adding photos t my blog posts just have to do a bit of practice to learn how to do so properly and once I have that mastered I will add pictures to this and future posts.
You can check out some of my pictures on Instagram and Facebook under the channel Kellys Walk 2 Rome
Thank you & Take Care
Cathal
Licques, France, Thursday 20th June 2024