Engadine grandparents Jerard and Enda Barry are about to walk more than 700km along the famous Camino trial through France to Spain to raise money for Vinnies.
They already have one Camino trail walk under their belt following in the footsteps of pilgrims who have walked the path for thousands of years.
“We walked from Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port to Santiago de Compostela, 800km from France into Spain, crossing over the Pyrennes where the highest point was 1700 metres,” Enda said.
Their efforts raised funds for a small village in East Timor.
Jerard and Edna found the walk so beneficial they decided to do it again and also making their journey beneficial for others by raising funds for those in need.
“It’s a life-changing experience when you walk the Camino,” Enda said. “It really is soul-changing.”
When they first walked the Camino they saw it as challenging physical activity and to enjoy the scenery.
“But as we discovered more about this ancient pilgrimage route our motivation changed to being spiritual and faith-oriented,” Gerard said.
Their new route will take them along the Chemins de Saint-Jacques, from Le Puy in France to the Spanish border.
Along the way they will keep a keep a daily blog of their journey.
“It’s a spiritual blog as well as photos of how we are going,” Jerard said.
“We publish our journey online every day. If people feel they are getting some benefit from reading about our journey we ask them to donate to Vinnies.”
The hope to begin their journey on March 28 from Le Puy, depending how deep the snow is.
“The first few days will be in snow,” Enda said. “We walk every day and we don’t take a rest.”
Each night they will stay in an albergue, one of the many hostels for pilgrims along the Camino that has been set aside for pilgrims.
Enda said the pilgrimage provides much fun and laughter, great opportunities for meeting fellow pilgrims, interacting with the local inhabitants, sampling local foods and cultures.
“We will mix with walkers whose motivations range from the sacred to the earthly,” she said.
Once they have returned, their efforts to help others won’t stop.
Jerard and Enda are opening up their own albergue in the Blue Mountains for people to go and stay.
“If they can’t do the real Camino, people will be able to go and stay and do their own little Camino walk through the Blue Mountains,” she said.
Jerared and Enda’s blod can be followed on http://caminoreflections.weebly.com/
People can support Enda and Jerard on their pilgrimage by donating to Vinnies here: