I first came across the Way Of St James some 15 years ago, and finally I am going to cycle it this year.
The pilgrim route to Santiago de Compostela in Galacia, north-west Spain owes its origin to the discovery of the tomb of the Apostle James the Great there in the early 9th century. It probably achieved its greatest popularity in the 12th century, when it came to rival Rome and Jerusalem as goals of Christian pilgrimage, and although it declined thereafter, it has never been entirely forgotten. In recent years it has seen a renewed surge of interest.
I shall be cycling from Ouistreham on the Normandy coast to Vezelay in Burgundy. Iwill then turn south-east and follow the Vezelay route to the Pyrenees before turning to the Spanish coast at Irun and following the Camino del Norte along the coast to Ribadeo and finally turning inland to Santiago de Compostela. This is a 1,500 mile route which I expect to take some 5-6 weeks.
The scallop shell which is mounted on my bar bag is the symbol of St James and of those on the pilgrimage.
For some time I have been driving for Town Break, bringing their clients into the lunch club by minibus.
I am fund raising for Mary's Meals as well as Town Break throughout this trip and would ask you to visit their page [ http://www.justgiving.com/Jon-Gambles-cycling-for-Marys-Meals ] as well.
Donating through JustGiving is simple, fast and totally secure. Your details are safe with JustGiving – they’ll never sell them on or send unwanted emails. Once you donate, they’ll send your money directly to the charity and make sure Gift Aid is reclaimed on every eligible donation by a UK taxpayer. So it’s the most efficient way to donate - I raise more, whilst saving time and cutting costs for the charity.
So please dig deep and donate now.
