I am walking the Camino de Santiago as a pilgrim for a few reasons. One being to look within, as Marcus Aurelius said "Within is the fountain of good, and it will ever bubble up, if thou wilt ever dig.”

Another is that my grandfather, Christopher Airy, cycled the Camino de Santiago from his home - Whitefield, Somerset - when he retired over 30 years ago. He and my grandmother both died in the last year so I am doing it in their honour (with the same scallop shell that my grandfather took). Also, to resonate with him and the many people who have travelled the route over the centuries.

The included photo is of my grandfather at the Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela after completing his journey.

I will walk from the Church of St James the Great, Fitzhead, Somerset to the Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela, Santiago, Spain. Via France. A total of a bit more than 1,200 miles. I will be mostly camping along the way but staying in hostels/hotels every so often. I have three months in Europe to complete my journey for visa reasons.

I have had many people ask if I am raising money for charity so it seems like a missed opportunity if I don’t. I have chosen three charities that are close to my heart, one being -

Somerset Wildlife Trust - Over half of UK species have declined since 1970, while more than one in ten are under threat and at risk of disappearing altogether. This is why I am raising funds for the Somerset Wildlife Trust who are working hard to change this. By sponsoring me, you'll help the Trust build on their huge conservation success stories in Somerset.