Since spring, Carol Knott, from Bayble, Lewis, and her newly acquired donkey, Rodeo, have enjoyed the “most amazing experience” of taking the slow route home from the south west of France.
Trekking a few miles each day, following historic picturesque countryside pilgrimage trails of France and south east England, with Carol walking with, rather than riding on, the donkey, was a pure peaceful delight during the warm bright days of summer.
Fortunately, Rodeo is gentle and sweet natured, an ideal travel companion on the between medieval villages from Correze to the ferry crossing at Calais where a month long stay was required for him to clear quarantine.
With weary legs and the approach of winter the initial plan was to hunker down in the English countryside until longer days and better weather of next spring arrived.
“But we are making very slow progress, so I think the time is coming near to draw this particular adventure to a close, and make our way directly home,” said Carol.
Hitching a ride northward to Ullapool has been arranged to arrive off the lunchtime ferry into Stornoway on Wednesday, and then walking the last leg of the journey to Point.
Well-
Once on the island, it is hoped Rodeo will become a well-
Posting on her Walking with Donkeys Facebook page, Carol said: Rodeo has made a heroic effort since May, walking many hundreds of kilometres and carrying saddlebags over all sorts of terrain, but it would be unfair to ask him to carry on indefinitely. A new, fresh donkey would be required if I was to do that. So homeward we go.”
She added: “Rodeo is in excellent health and his feet are holding up quite well, but to keep it that way we have really had to slow down.
“And the thought of leaving him alone in livery for weeks or months over the winter has been becoming increasingly hard to contemplate.
“Our adventure has been, and continues to be, the most wonderful experience.”
She added: “I am grateful to all the brilliant people we have met and are continuing to meet, who have made our journey so memorable.
“My intention always was to set off in good hope and with a vague plan and to see how far we could get, but always putting Rodeo’s welfare before all other considerations.
“I never had any rigid expectations of what we could achieve, but the reality of the experience has far exceeded my expectations.”
Homeward bound from epic adventure with a donkey in tow
3 October 2023