Tough Girl Podcast Ursula Martin - Walked 5,500+ miles across Europe from the Ukraine to the most westerly point of Spain before turning around to head home to Wales!
Aug 17, 2021
50:43
Ursula Martin has spent the last two years walking alone from Kiev, Ukraine across Europe, over the Alps, to start on the Camino which would take her all the way to Santiago de Compostela, before heading on to the most westerly point of Spain, Finisterre and reaching the Atlantic Ocean. It was then time to turn around and head home, just 1,000 miles to get back to Wales. Ursula finished her epic solo journey on June 6th 2021 in Llanidloes, where she was joined by friends and family for the final 10 miles. Throughout her walk, Ursula had to deal with the covid pandemic, and having to decide whether or not to carry on and how to carry on safely. Ursula handled lockdowns in France, loneliness on the Camino St James and being on a tight budget. Ursula didn’t get sponsorship and funded the trip through savings, and supporters via Patreon. Now back at home, Ursula can rest her feet, stretch her body and take the time needed to recover, while reconnect with her family. Ursula is already planning another walk, this time starting from Land’s End and heading 874 miles to John O’Groats. Ursula plan to start her walk in January 2022, which will also mark the 10th anniversary of her ovarian cancer diagnosis. New episodes of the Tough Girl Podcast go live every Tuesday and Thursday at 7am UK time - Make sure you hit the subscribe button so you don’t miss out. The Tough Girl Podcast is sponsorship and ad free thanks to the monthly financial support of patrons. To find out more about supporting your favourite podcast and becoming a patron please check out www.patreon.com/toughgirlpodcast. Show notes
- Who is Ursula?
- Being based back in mid wales with her brother
- Spending time with family and meeting her new nephew
- Being ready to stop walking
- Missing the feeling of open outdoor space
- First speaking with Ursula in May 2020
- Making the decision to continue on with her journey
- Thinking short time and focusing on where to stay
- Going through lockdowns in France and Spain
- Walking the HRP - Pyrenean Haute Route
- Not being able to access indoor space due to restrictions
- Having to make the decision between going into France or Spain
- Making the decision to enter Spain to continue her journey to Santiago
- The egotism of adventuring
- Spending Christmas in Pamplona with 2 takeaway pizzas and movies
- Being accepted and welcomed while walking on the camino
- Only seeing a few other walkers
- Making connections and friends on the Camino
- Reaching Santiago and feeling sad
- 2021 - A Holy Year on the Camino
- Processing her feeling of the journey
- Reaching Finisterre and seeing the sea
- Going bed for 9 day rest and feeling broken
- Losing all her energy and needing time to recover
- Climbing a spiritual/holy mountain
- Knowing it was time to get back walking
- Not allowing herself to relax
- Why it is about the journey
- Making the transition from walker to writer
- Getting organised and the first step with writing
- Getting home and what the final section of the journey was like
- Deciding to do a mini challenge in January 2022
- Final words of advice and key lessons from this challenge/experience.