Postcards from a Pilgrim

Your Postcard from a Pilgrim (me) might look something like this!

This summer, as you may know I’m going on a bit of an adventure following roughly in the footsteps of the 5th century Saint Morwenna. A journey of some 177 miles. I’ll be cycling, boating and walking aiming to arrive in Morwenstow on the 5th July. St. Morwenna’s Feast Day. You can read about the full journey HERE.

On this Creative Adventure, I will be creating a daily artwork inspired by something I see, hear or feel. I'm expecting the trip to take 21 days - so there will be 21 art postcards. Each unique and capturing a moment on that particular day. So I am the pilgrim!

Would YOU like to be one of the lucky 21 to be sent one of these special artwork postcards? 

You can by being a Postcard from a Pilgrim sponsor. These unique mini artworks which I will create each day of my journey are £10 each plus £1.50 to cover the postage and paypal fees. 

The postcards will be sent out in order of when they were 'sponsored' so the first person to sponsor one would be the first to get a card. I’m not going to share which day you've sponsored so it will be a surprise as to when you’ll receive it!

Each card will be created and posted on the same day to anywhere in the world. 
All being well! ;-)

Just like the example shown - there might be words too. Either the sounds of the place, words that come to mind as I create or snippets of conversation I over hear. I won’t know how it’s going to look until I’m creating it so each will be completely unique and will capture a moment during the trip from Brecon to Morwenstow.

If you’d like to be one of the lucky 21 people to have a special miniature artwork created and sent to you during this Creative Adventure – please sponsor one below!

You can choose to have the Artwork sent to yourself or a friend anywhere in the world – please be clear in the notes section and please make sure I have the complete address. 

£10
+ £1.50 to cover fees & postage. Thank you x

ALL SOLD! Thank you! I'll be adding photos of the Postcards from A Pilgrim to my site once I've downloaded all my photos form this epic adventure!

The postcards will be strong watercolour card and the materials used could vary from watercolour, pencil, ink to pen. Your postcard will be sent as a Postcard so it will get franked by the post office and will go on it's own journey to reach you!  The image shown is just an example and to give you an inkling of what kind of thing might end up in your letterbox! 

Training for B2M. A Walk of Contrasts

On Saturday the plan had been to walk some of the South West Coast Path as part of my training for my Brecon 2 Morwenstow trip in the summer. However, a wet and grey start to the day caused me to reconsider, so I changed my mind and decided to do a local walk instead. When I was at Blagdon Lake last week, I saw some stiles that led through different fields but I didn't know where they went, so thought I’d rather like to find out. Mr CA and puppy came too and it was really lovely having the company. 

Bird footprints or arrows pointing the way?

We didn't set off until the afternoon, by which time it had stopped raining, but the ground was VERY muddy and I nearly got stuck on a few occasions! 

As usual I had my eyes peeled for treasures and we found lots!

1. Bird footprints in the mud that looked like arrows
2. The orange and purple contrast of crocuses
3. Moss – I love the colour and the texture
4. Rain drops on the water and the patterns they create
5. How full the lake was compared to my last visit
6. The bright yellow of some daffodils against the grey backdrop
7. The old train station at Blagdon and the original gas lamps
8. Finding a hoard of King Alfred's Cakes!
9. The factories where Yeo Valley Yogurt is made. MASSIVE – but well hidden behind trees and mounds of earth.
10. Five wild deer, which when they ran you could see their white bob tails!

Those were just a few.  

The orange and purple contrast of some crocuses

Once at the lake we decided to walk a different way home so in fact walked a loop - via the local village shop where we could stock up on some chocolate – for energy of course! 

This meant seeing other aspects of the village that I've never seen before. Usually I am on the highroad driving though. It was a real treat and I was pleased I’d changed my mind and we'd done a local walk instead of some of the coast path this time. 

Rain drops on the water and the patterns they create

Training wise we ended up walking 7.61 miles and it took 4hrs and 25 minutes. We stopped a few times but not for very long. Using the MapMyWalk app (brilliant) we could see that as a result we’d burnt a total of 1059 kCal (I reckon the chocolate cancelled out any benefits of that!) and taken 16309 steps. Not bad! 

I'm a bit of a lover of moss!

This helps me to figure out how long it will take me to walk each stretch of coast path, which bits of my body hurt during and afterwards and how much rest time I’m going to need. 

When we got home I didn't feel too tired but I did have some sore points. My right leg (the good one) the muscle at the top was rather painful and I had some pain in my left foot (weak foot) – namely my toe and the area at the base of the toes – not sure what the term is for that! I had an Epsom salts foot bath, a rest and a cup of coffee! 

Even on a grey day the bright daffodils stand out

I did have some difficulty getting over one of the stiles on the route. It was rather high and I just couldn't get my leg over it! So I had to climb over the gate instead.  I was glad Mr CA was there to help me, so I'm going to need to work on my agility in terms of stiles! 

Going on this training walk has made me question how much of the Brecons 2 Morwenstow trip I actually want to do on my own. Originally I thought I would be doing most of it solo and maybe being joined for some of it. I enjoyed doing the walk with Mr CA and sharing the discoveries as well as working out the route. So I think I'd actually prefer some companions to join me for most of the trip. 

Have you realised you actually enjoy the opposite of what you think you might? What have you done that has surprised you? Even a small thing? Love to heard from you.

Light starting to fade. Wild deer in a distance

Morwhenna

xxx

P.S the next Connect To Nature Starts 04 April. Will you be joining us for some creative adventures into nature? 

What can Snowdrops Teach Us?

I am currently working my way through The Artist’s Way by Julia Cameron. (I am on week 3). One of the things Julia suggests is going on a weekly Artist’s Date. For my ‘Date’ this week I decided to hunt for Snowdrops. 

Once I'd decided to do this I thought – where shall I go? Where is the best place to see them? Where in the UK are the most varieties and carpets of them? Onto the internet I went and came up with a whole host of options. Most were either too far away from where I live or were on a National Trust property. Now I do love visiting National Trust places, but seeing as I am budgeting so I can complete my 40/40 list, I threw visiting any of those out of the window. 

In that moment it hit me that actually it wasn't about the big swathes of snowdrops as far as the eye could see. It was about the small details that unless you actually get down on your hands and knees you don’t see as snowdrops heads are facing the ground. Rather like a shy child, not looking up at you but inviting you to step closer and get down on their level. 

I remembered then I had seen some during my dog walks. Just down the lane. Armed with my camera and donning my wellies I went out to explore. 

I found the snowdrops – but they were in the shade at that time of day and on the edge of someone’s garden. Hmmm where else can I go? I thought popped into my head – ‘try the church,’ So off I went. And yes – there they were. Nodding their heads and clustered together in groups like a group of nuns trying to keep warm.

Taking out my camera I got down on my knees and started to take some photos. 

How much detail could I capture? Could I capture something I’d not really noticed before?

Yes

I did

I got the Fairies View.

And what a different view it was.

So much more to see. This is just what I was looking for…

Changing your perspective can make all the difference

Is there something you've been looking at from the same angle and need a new perspective? Think of the snowdrop. How can you change your view?

Love to hear from you

Morwhenna
xx 

[Plug No. 1] Connect to Nature – A series of Creative Adventures start on 04 April. 

[Plug No.2] In fact I was so pleased with my photographs that I have set up a little experiment shop on Zazzle where you can purchase copies of these snowdrops (along with other artworks) made into cards and other delightful items. Yes, I will earn a small commission from any sales (hurrah!) which I’ll be putting towards my Brecons 2 Morwenstow trip this summer. 

My *NEW* Zazzle Shop Experiment! Love to know what you think!
Morwhenna

The 40/40 Project. No.1 Brecons to Morwenstow

Very accurate map planning of my route

OK It's time to put this 'officially' out there. 

This summer I'm going on a modern pilgrimage by journeying from the Brecon Beacons to Morwenstow following (roughly) in the footsteps of the 5th century Saint Morwenna. 

This is a 177 mile adventure (not including the seamiles) that I will complete by bike, boat, foot & donkey!? This is a journey I've wanted to do since August 2011 when I became reacquainted with St.Morwenna.

I need to COMMIT to this here as to be honest I am struggling with the planning of it and just want to GET OUT THERE and DO IT!! 

So what does this Trip entail?

Starting in the magical Brecon Beacons - where St.Morwenna, the daughter of a Welsh King, came from, I'll cycle the 55 mile Taff Trail arriving in Cardiff. 

Then to find a boat to take me across the Bristol channel to Minehead to start the walk along the South West Coast Path. I did consider trying to cross the channel in a coracle but quickly reaslied that was a foolish idea...

From Minehead I will follow the coastal path and walk all the way to Morwenstow aiming to arrive on the 5th July. St. Morwenna's Feast Day.  I'm planning to do this over 21 days. It's not a race after all!

That's the idea anyway!

In my heart I really want to do this journey and can't quite put into words the full reasons behind it. Since 2011 this adventure keeps calling me, and yet something has been holding me back. It will be a big physical challenge for me as I do have some walking difficulties as a result of having a Stroke when I was 12, well as one of determination and perseverance (planning it for a start which is my current block!) I did first plan to do this in 2012, but things didn't quite work out that way. So this is why it is No.1 on my 40/40 project list. 

I'm going to need your help. Can you cheer me on please and encourage me, wave some virtual pom poms? Can you suggest any good places to stay on-route? Could you help me in some other way? Thank you ;-)

Here's my rough plan so far. Needs some tweaks as I'd like to factor in some rest days...!


Cycling
Cycle Taff Trail (55 miles)

Boat (hopefully!)
Boat from Cardiff to Minehead

Walking
Minehead to Porlock Weir (9.5 miles)
Porlock Weir to Lynmouth harbour (12 miles)
Lynmouth Harbour to Combe Martin (14 miles)
Combe Martin to Mortehoe and Woolacombe (13 miles)
Mortehoe and Woolacombe to Braunton (15 miles)
Braunton to Instow (12.8 miles)
Instow to Westward Ho! (11 miles)
Westward Ho! to Clovelly (11 miles)
Clovelly to Hartland Quay (Donkey?) (10.5 miles)
Hartland Quay to Morwenstow (8 miles)

CELEBRATE! 

On this Creative Adventure, I will be creating a daily artwork inspired by something I see, hear or feel. I'm expecting the trip to take 21 days - so there will be 21 art postcards. Each unique and capturing a moment on that particular day. Would you like to recieve a Postcard from a Pilgrim? See the full details HERE

I will also be raising funds for The Stroke Association.

How about you? Is there a trip that you've been thinking about taking but things have gotten in your way? 

What personal pilgrimage would you like to take? Love to hear from you.

Morwhenna
xx