Cork to Donegal via The Long Route

I will be walking from Cork to Donegal starting on 26 May 2009 and hope to achieve the 650 kilometre (approx 400 miles) journey in about 6 weeks.  The route will not be direct as I intend to avoid major roads in favour of cross country tracks or minor roads wherever possible and also travel over the mountains I think I can manage and around those that are just too steep.  When I am about halfway into the journey I’ll be taking a sharp turn to the West and go around the coastline.

The entire trip will be on foot as I will not accept any offers of lifts however well intentioned.  I’ll also survive out of my backpack and sleep under the stars in my new lightweight tent.  Maybe get a hostel or B&B when I need to scrub up for church on Sundays.

Why am I doing this you might ask – well first of all because I will be 62 in a couple of months and find the challenge exciting and secondly because I hope to raise some money for the Marie Curie Nurses who care for terminally ill people with cancer.  

I’m sure you are aware that the nurses care for people at home making it possible for those who are seriously ill with cancer to choose to stay in the comfort of their own home at the end of their life, rather than in hospital.  This care and support is totally free to patients and their families and is only made possible by fundraising.  Please be as generous as you possibly can for this very worthy cause.

20 May 2009 - Update

It's nearly time for me to fly off to Cork and get the show started, so although I  hope donations will continue to come in whilst I'm on the road,  I would like to take this opportunity to say a big thank you to everyone who has contributed online and to those such as Maureen Holden and David Broome CBE, who have contributed offline.  A very special thank you must also go to Josh Bates for his tremendous efforts in raising awareness of my charity walk with his many friends and associates.

Thanks for all your help and suppport.

Bernard