For the last two years my mum Mary has been coping with the death of my dad Brian, who had a short battle with lung cancer.

She is an incredible woman - generous, warm, determined.. in fact stubborn as hell is more accurate. At age 63, she is also super-fit and has been her whole life. Sport and exercise was a way for her to work through her grief and I know she has missed it greatly during the pandemic.

Fortunately my mum hasn't been alone this last year. Her dear friend and neighbour Angela, who also lost her husband recently, got her out walking - literally anywhere they were allowed, and miles and miles of it. They walked, chattered, enjoyed stretches of silence and sometimes shared a bottle of wine in the garden after a good 20-miler.

Now the two of them are walking the Camino de Santiago - a 500-mile pilgrimage in the north of Spain which leads to the shrine of St James. It should take around six weeks. For mum, this trip is a break from reality, a huge challenge and a chance to connect with her spiritual life. It's also one of the first things she has done purely for herself in quite some time and I really hope she finds what she is looking for.

In her absence, she has asked me to do some fundraising and has chosen Children's Hospices Across Scotland (CHAS) as her chosen charity. Any donations are gratefully received and I'll keep people posted on her journey via social media.

Buen Camino!