Paul Currie was interviewed by Andrew Davies when he arrived near Winchcombe in the Cotswolds on day 33 of his 1000 mile walk to raise funds for an interfaith youth hostel in Scotland.

South London FFWPU community on a great day out (click to enlarge)

On the 24th of May over 120 people from South London Community (young & old) gathered at Richmond Park. After setting up base camp and taking a group picture, the majority set off around the park (some never left base camp).

Their brief was to go around the park 8 miles (12km) in a creative way in order to raise money for chairs (£25 each) for the South London Peace Embassy.

Some ran – others walked, some went on bikes – others on tandem bikes, some went by scooter – others by roller skates. We even had some go on stilts and three legged.

Walking out of Newry

19 May. Woke up, showered, fresh clothes, cornflakes, toast, mug of tea, sat at breakfast table sorting out football cards and talking about Cyber men with 6 year old Patrick…..is that not how days are surpose to start….
Thank you again to Rev Simon, Moyra, and young Patrick (Paddy) not forgetting big sister Erin (thank you for the chocolate chickens….).
The only real way to head south was to pick up the dual carrigeway (not easy walking on a never ending road). A thank you to the ‘Friar Tucks’ in Banbridge and to Shauna at the ‘Fort-Side’ restaurant. (when days are tough to be given a tea a bite to eat… a smile makes the world of difference)
Arrived in Newry about 5:30. No luck in finding a place to stay. Decided to move on (knock a few miles of tomorrows walk). Back on to the dual carrigeway (whaa..), with a heavy sky (that’ll be another whaa..). When almost dark found a patch of ground away from the road, and rolled out the sleeping bag, under a grim sky……

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Paul's Progress

On the first of May 2009, Paul Currie set out to walk the length and breadth of the UK from near Thurso to Southampton via Ireland, around 1000 miles. His intention is to raise funds and awareness to establish an Interfaith Youth Hostel. He is taking NO money with him and no support. Apart from a sleeping bag and a copy of World Scriptures, Paul will rely on the kindness of the British people and his trust in God to keep him going in this endeavour.

Paul says, “Through showing respect, we gain understanding, through understanding, we gain friendship, and friendship changes everything.”

The blue line is Paul’s progress so far…. (click picture to enlarge)

Please support Paul by making a donation towards the Interfaith Youth Hostel.

Rev. Simon and Moyra.

Outside view of Hillside Pub.

Inside the Hillside Pub.

18 May. …what if ?… I guess there would be no need of religion… (is not the purpose of a religion to bring us back to God… and if we had never fell away from God… would we not already be one family under God)….what if indeed !!
But what of today. I was walking the streets of Belfast, more streets than I should have been, was a little lost… but was found again.. by a guy called Eddie (from Laganside Haulage) he put me back on the right road. Eddie is the kind guy we should all meet up with once in a while, he was full of enthusiasm for life, I was glad to have been lost. Thank you Eddie.

The day ended in Hillsborough, I met Rev Simon Richardson (from The Church of Ireland) he allowed me to stay at his home, needed to wait a few hours (he was in a meeting). Gave me the chance to catch up on the blog (this seems to be the hardest part of the walk for me, staying on top of the blog). Found the ‘Hill Side’ pub to sit in, a thank you to the waitress who kept the tea pot full. Was made to feel very much at home in Rev Simon and Moyra’s home. The day finished with rhubarb crumble and ice cream… …Do days end better than this !!

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Paul's Progress

On the first of May 2009, Paul Currie set out to walk the length and breadth of the UK from near Thurso to Southampton via Ireland, around 1000 miles. His intention is to raise funds and awareness to establish an Interfaith Youth Hostel. He is taking NO money with him and no support. Apart from a sleeping bag and a copy of World Scriptures, Paul will rely on the kindness of the British people and his trust in God to keep him going in this endeavour.

Paul says, “Through showing respect, we gain understanding, through understanding, we gain friendship, and friendship changes everything.”

The blue line is Paul’s progress so far…. (click picture to enlarge)

Please support Paul by making a donation towards the Interfaith Youth Hostel.

Mr Omar

17 May. Woke up in the South Sea Hotel this morning, a big thank you to a Mr Andy Fell (the Session Clerk for the Church of Scotland in Troon) as I said I was struggling to find a place to stay (the beach was becoming a possibility), Andy who I had phoned early, phoned back asking how things were going…not good.. We met up, he booked me in to the hotel (evening meal, bed and breakfast)…have I yet said there are incredible people out there….
Was getting off the boat at Larne by 12:30, took a little over 4 hours to walk to Carrickfergus. (Most of that in rain.. ) Was met by Omar Escalon and daugther Amalia. Was really nice to spend a night at Omar and Sumie’s home (not forgetting Amalia and Victor.. oh yeah and our visitor George), Omar put the question to George, of what if the fall had not happened… couldn’t get this question out of my head that night…..What if ?… how different the story of man would have been…
Thankyou to Omar’s family, I felt very much at home.
 

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Across the Irish Sea

On the first of May 2009, Paul Currie set out to walk the length and breadth of the UK from near Thurso to Southampton via Ireland, around 1000 miles. His intention is to raise funds and awareness to establish an Interfaith Youth Hostel. He is taking NO money with him and no support. Apart from a sleeping bag and a copy of World Scriptures, Paul will rely on the kindness of the British people and his trust in God to keep him going in this endeavour.

Paul says, “Through showing respect, we gain understanding, through understanding, we gain friendship, and friendship changes everything.”

The blue line is Paul’s progress so far…. (click picture to enlarge)

Please support Paul by making a donation towards the Interfaith Youth Hostel.

Thank you Louise, best of luck.

Thank you.

16 May. I forgot to say a thank you yesterday, and that was to ‘The Village…. Tea for Two’ at Thornliebank, after giving me tea and scone, they allowed me to sit for over an hour. Thank you. I’m guessing all these thank yous I put in to the blog maybe don’t mean so much to the reader, but in truth this walk is about these people… not me… How many times have I given a presentation at interfaith meetings, and talked of ‘One Family Under God’… hmm.. are these just pretty words that don’t mean anything at all… I guess a part of this walk was to get a feel for how real or not real that statement is. With not taking money on this walk I have put myself in the hands of the people, the success or failure of this adventure will not just depend on whether my feet can go the distance, but much more on whether people will feed and give me a place of rest. So what of those hands I gave myself to, from the Rev Goskirk in the north of Scotland.   to the waitress who has just given me a pot of tea, in a Pub south of Belfast (Hillsborough). It has felt that I am being passed down this island from one set of safe hands to the next. (… hmm.. I don’t think my feet and legs liked that analogy). ‘One Family Under God’ …yeah I think we are closer than maybe we give ourselves credit for.
And so back to the thank yous. Thankyou to the ‘Brunchies’ cafe in Kilmaurs, and a big Thankyou to Louise at the ‘Bartling Tea Room’ who gave me breakfast, tea and sent me away with a packed lunch….wow. (Louise lost a good friend to cancer, this coming weekend, she with a hundred other friends are raising money for the ‘Macmillan cancer support’ if you get the chance check her web site out (brestwayround.com).   That night was in Troon (on the boat tomorrow) Arthur came in the afternoon to film the last day in Scotland……also to have a tea. I was struggling to find a place to stay…help came, will explian tomorrow.    

Paul about to cross over to Ireland of the 1,000 mile no money interfaith walk.

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Paul's Progress

On the first of May 2009, Paul Currie set out to walk the length and breadth of the UK from near Thurso to Southampton via Ireland, around 1000 miles. His intention is to raise funds and awareness to establish an Interfaith Youth Hostel. He is taking NO money with him and no support. Apart from a sleeping bag and a copy of World Scriptures, Paul will rely on the kindness of the British people and his trust in God to keep him going in this endeavour.

Paul says, “Through showing respect, we gain understanding, through understanding, we gain friendship, and friendship changes everything.”

The blue line is Paul’s progress so far…. (click picture to enlarge)

Please support Paul by making a donation towards the Interfaith Youth Hostel.

30 April, stayed at Tongue Youth Hostel

1st May.  started with the sound of tyres on gravel, this was about 4 in the morning (Arthur and Irina had driven up over night ) Arthur had had the idea of filming the start of the walk……something I didn’t care for. Irina cooked a full breakfast for the three of us……filming the start of the walk suddenly didn’t seem such a bad idea.
Started to walk at about 7:30 walked for about 7 hours today. Stopped in an old church for about an hour, at Altnaharra (a church that is in need of some TLC). Thought of staying the night there, but decided to push on a little more.
If this Island has a wilderness, it is in these parts. There are many deer here and if you stand still you can hear many different kinds of birds, from geese, swallows, swifts  …. the loudest of these little flying miracles, of which I saw today was a fighter plane flying at a million (or there about) miles per hour at a height not much higher than a block of flats …… Wow.

The Old Church

Enjoying a drink