Published:
-
-
Author: Our Reporter
~ 3 minutes read
Lifestyle – Breandan Ó Scanaill returned to Clifden last month after a six-month pilgrimage on foot from his home on Beach Road to Santiago de Compostela – a journey of some 3,500km that took him across Ireland, Wales, England, France and Northern Spain. In his final column for The Connacht Tribune, he reflects on his experiences and the people he met.
Having travelled through Ireland Wales and England, by the time I reached central France in mid-Summer, the temperature was getting hotter by the day.
I’d say it topped 40 degrees on several occasions, but was in the high 30s almost every day. I managed to keep walking, and found myself thinking of the old song, which I changed one word of, “Mad dogs and Irishmen go out in the mid-day sun”. I probably was mad to be doing this but I was being very careful. I was drinking around six or seven litres of water each day and anywhere I found water I would pour it over my head. I also had a light towel around my neck which I kept wet at all times, while my wide-brimmed hat kept the worst of the sun off my head and face. I would shelter from the heat for an hour or so in the mid-afternoon.
This heat the fires which were raging just ahead of me in France were constant worries and on a number of days the paths were closed and I had to take to small roads to move forward.
One of the hottest and strangest days was just north of Bordeaux. I was walking in a forest which was not closed but which had warnings about the risk of fire. It had all the feeling of a Hitchcock film. Nothing stirred, there was no breeze, no insects, no animals and the heat radiated up from the ground. The grass and leaves below my feet cracked and broke, they were so dry. I was completely alone and I was fully expecting someone to come emerge from the bushes armed with a large knife.
I finally arrived in Bordeaux to be given the expected bad news, all the trails south were closed and it was against the law for anyone to be found crossing that part of the country. There were a number of reasons for this. One was the obvious risk to life, another was that anyone embarking on these trails was putting the fire fighters’ lives at risk and also taking them away from their main task, which was trying to control the blaze. A further reason was that as thousands of people had been evacuated, homes were at risk of being looted.
For more, read this week’s Connacht Tribune.
Connacht Tribune Digital Edition App
Download the Connacht Tribune Digital Edition App to access to Galway’s best-selling newspaper.
Click HERE to download it for iPhone and iPad from Apple’s App Store, or HERE to get the Android Version from Google Play.
Or purchase the Digital Edition for PC, Mac or Laptop from Pagesuite HERE.
Get the Connacht Tribune Live app
The Connacht Tribune Live app is the home of everything that is happening in Galway City and county. It’s completely FREE and features all the latest news, sport and information on what’s on in your area. Click HERE to download it for iPhone and iPad from Apple’s App Store, or HERE to get the Android Version from Google Play.
For more, read this week’s Connacht Tribune:
Connacht Tribune Digital Edition App
Download the Connacht Tribune Digital Edition App to access to Galway’s best-selling newspaper. Click HERE to download it for iPhone and iPad from Apple’s App Store, or HERE to get the Android Version from Google Play.
Or purchase the Digital Edition for PC, Mac or Laptop from Pagesuite HERE.
Get the Connacht Tribune Live app
The Connacht Tribune Live app is the home of everything that is happening in Galway City and county. It’s completely FREE and features all the latest news, sport and information on what’s on in your area. Click HERE to download it for iPhone and iPad from Apple’s App Store, or HERE to get the Android Version from Google Play.
More like this:
Dáil hears Galway road safety groups have “lost faith” in the Road Safety Authority
The Dáil that heard that road safety and active travel community groups across Galway have lost f...
Public meeting on disability access to take place in Portumna tomorrow
A public meeting on disability access will take place in Portumna tomorrow. Physical Impairment I...
MEP for this area ‘Ming’ Flanagan says he’s now less of a eurosceptic
Independent MEP for this area Luke ‘Ming’ Flanagan says his time in the European Parl...
Fresh plans for high-rise hotel near Galway Docks
Fresh plans have been lodged to build a high-rise hotel near Galway Docks. The 189-bedroom hotel ...
Over half a million in funding for migrant inclusion project in Galway City
Over half a million euro in funding has been announced for a migrant inclusion project based in G...
Shop thefts up 20% in city compared to last year
Shop thefts are up 20% in Galway compared to this time last year. This was heard during a report ...
Urgent call for community centred facility in Galway city
There are calls for the urgent development of a community centred facility in Galway city. City W...
Half a million in funding approved for new mobile library vehicles in Galway
Half a million euro in funding has been approved for new two mobile library vehicles for Galway. ...
University of Galway to reduce repeat exam fee by a third
University of Galway is reducing the fee for repeat examinations by a third. The joint proposal w...