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Click on thumbnail for the Big Picture Steven arrives in Penzance!!! - might take a minute to load though.

  Weekly Diary  Not complete by any means.  Steven is working on his own diary of the journey (November 2003). If you wish  to follow the Diary chronologically, scroll to the bottom and work your way upwards. At some stage we will marry the two accounts and probably make the whole available online.

19th September 2002 The south-west's most widely read weekly newspaper, The Cornishman, has a front page feature and photo today of Steven's arrival in Penzance. Colina - for that is the horse's official name on its papers, as Steven has just discovered - is now grazing a paddock near Newlyn (not Mousehole) and seems to be putting on a bit of weight. Steven is getting back to normal too - he was giving out about his bank fecking up his direct debits whilst he was away. He has been asked to give a presentation about his journey at a future Lyonesse Trading event. He is also now reconnected to his old land line number - 01 736 361820 (from Ireland 0041 736 361820).

14th September. Steven is enjoying his apartment, the company of his daughter and grandson and the luxuries of hot baths. 
Colie is again ensconced by a rugby pitch where he shares with two Shetland ponies. He will be moved to fresh grass next week near Mousehole.
Steven is online again, so if you want to contact him his email address is Oconnor156@aol.com.

10th September. 2.30 pm.
Arrives in Penzance!!! 
To a heroe's welcome.
Sprayed with Champagne. 
Colleagues from Pentreath Industries and many other friends turn out to welcome him home
I am going to phone him now and toast his homecoming. 
Sabina has just been on, giving me her feelings and some impression of the welcome that awaits him. 
I've had many emails of congratulations for him.Tell you about it Friday. 

9th September. Penzance now only a day away. Good friends, Topsy and Linda, from Penzance, accidently met Steven on the road this afternoon. 
He had some difficulty finding conventional  accomodation near Truro but was finally directed into the grounds of St Day's Rugby Club where he pitched under a tree whilst Colie did the groundsman's job on the grass. 
We had a long chat on the phone from there. 
Tomorrow, Penzance, home, friends, family and a deep hot bath with a bottle of wine!

7th September. Arrives in England. This email, from the horsebox driver, Yorkie Malone, best describes the situation before, during and after the evacuation (!) 
Saturday 19.54 
Jim, I told Steve that I would get in touch so here it is. I went over on the ferry from Plymouth to Roscoff on Friday and was met by Steve and a "crowd" namely, Oliver and Ann Seite (don't ask me how to pronouce it). He was a Johnny Onion Seller, going up to Newcastle and she was a Geordie lass. They met and now spend time in both Roscoff and Newcastle.
With them was one of their children and 3 grandchildren.
We had a quiet night at O & A's house and got up at 0600 to load the horse and the belongings. Everything stowed, we eventually set sail and 6 hrs later landed in Plymouth.
As we were coming out of the gates Steve got all excited saying, 'That's my daughter'. She had just popped down to see him arrive. 
I took him as far as Saltash, got him loaded and they set off together. I went home and washed out the horse box, as Coli had s-h-one-t-eed for England, Ireland, France, Spain and the rest of the world!
See ya
Yorkie.

Incredibly he was waved through Customs at Plymouth, an official just taking a photocopy of the Frech veterinary documents. Sabina and Jack were waiting outside to greet him. It was a very emotional homecoming.
Soon however he was again on his way hoping to arrive in Penzance sometime on Tuesday.
At a shop in Saltash, he was posed for a photograph for the Cornish Tribune with the local mayor. He was continuously beeped along the roads and some stopped to talk, take photographs and give donations. He's big news in Cornwall these last weeks due to wide press coverage, and particularly the several interviews wth Chris Blount on BBC Radio Cornwall. 
He booked into a guesthouse in the evening tying Colie to a tree in the garden.
Around 7.30 he was jumped on by Catherine, her husband Graham, their son Chris and Sabina and little Jack again. They had brought dinner and gifts and well-wishers cardswith them. Catherine and Graham were leaving on a long-prebooked holiday and had to see him before they left. 
Another emotional installment of the homecoming! There will be more.

6th September. Arrangements were finally made, mostly by Catherine, for a truck to come over from England to collect the horse on Saturday. Cost, £450 for the return trip. This apparently was the discounted price. Then Steven was charged €65 to travel as a foot passenger!
He had been stranded in Roscoff for almost two weeks!  But, as usual, he fell amongst good Samaritans. This time in the guise of a 'Johnny Onion' and his wife who made his last stretch on the Continent very enjoyable. I had two calls from him last week, both as he wended his way home, leading Colie (although with the amounts of wine taken I wondered who was leading whom?) from yet another lovely dinner with Breton 'Johnny Onion', Oliver and his English wife Ann.

3rd September. Thursday next should be the evacuation date for both Steven and Colie from Roscoff to Plymouth. The lobbying continues with John Moxon and our sister Catherine in particular using their contacts not only to get the travellers back to Britain but at minimun or no cost. Meanwhile the two are ensconced in a 'Manoir' campsite where they are enjoying some pampering by the owners. 

31st August. It has now developed that no vaccination in France is necessary so paperwork has been cleared and he and Colie can travel to England. We are trying to find out from DEFRA what happens veterinary-wise in Plymouth. 
Brittany Ferries now say (it was Sunday originally) that they can't book him on now until next Thursday. And then only if Colie is in a horsebox! 
There is much activity going on in the background to help the travellers. Our good sister, Catherine, from Penzance, has got someone willing to cross over in a truck and bring the horse back - for just the ferry costs. She is also lobbying Brittany Ferries energetically to bring forward the booking and bring down the cost. She has got some reduction in the £500+cost - and she is still trying. 
In the meantime, Steven is watching for a spare place in a horsebox boarding at Roscoff - this would be the ideal solution.
John Coxon - see 'Manchester couple' below - is also working hard on the publicity side (TV coverage possible) and sending encouraging emails to Steven via myself and text messages direct. Scott, back at Pentreath Industries in Penzance, is also extremely supportive. Avril and Ken Williams (Pirates Rugby Club),whom he remet in Concarneau, have sent their best wishes. 
Steven's daughter Sabina, awaits news of his homecoming anxiously. 
 
28th August. Big upset yesterday when Steven discovered that to satisfy British veterinary import regulations Colie has to be vaccinated and then quarantined in France for 30 days before he can be brought into Britain. He is debating his position but it looks as if he will look for a place for the horse and travel to England without him. Possibly then, he will  continue his trek on foot to Cornwall and return later for Colie.
This has not been an easy decision. It is a huge emotional moment for Steve as he is loathe to leave the horse in France, however temporarily.
Roscoff is some consolation at least and he is enjoying the town where, again he is experiencing the wonderful Breton hospitality and helpfullness. BBC Radio Cornwall's Chris Blount interviewed Steven on a live afternoon show yesterday. 
If anybody has any suggestions or offers of help in any way we will be glad to hear from them. 
Contact the traveller himself direct on his mobile; from Britain, 078 666 122 33. From Ireland or France or elsewhere, 0044 78 666 122 33. 

27th August. Restless rider (correction; leader of horse - at least since Portugal) and horse are in Roscoff since yesterday, awaiting a ferry to Portsmouth. 
They will have to be patient however; it will be next Monday before they can get a place on the boat! Aching to see his daughter Sabina and her baby Jack again, and to feel the terra of home beneath his feet after four months, the poor brother is chafing at the bit at this unanticipated holdup. 
(although he's just told me he's doing 'research, for me in an organic shop and passing on my web details).

23rd August. Friday. The horse and himself, having had some wonderful days of R &R in the vicinity of Concarneau, set off today northwards towards the ferry. His morning mobile call to me was punctuated by the solid clip-clop of Colie's new footwear as they trudged the open road again. As Steven was talking, the horse shied at a passing vehicle for the first time in weeks. 'The fecker had too much oats and carrots' was the owner's growled diagnosis.
The lone traveller did not stay for the weekend in Concarneau - thus missing the meeting with the friends from Castletownbere. 
 
19th August. Colie finally got his hooves attended to this evening. 'The best shoeing of the trip' Steven said of the work of  the Breton farrier who used the 'hot-shoe' method. There is no sign of tenderness in the hrose's problem leg now.

21st August. A few days ago, north of St Nazaire, Colie threw a half shoe and was very tender on his front right hoof. Despite being anxious to reach Concarneau and meet up with the Cottons, a farrier had to be sought and the horse rested before they could go on.
The alternative was to get transport to Concarneau, which was about 120 kilometres away.
It proved impossible to get a farrier there - so few around and it's the height of the holiday season anyway - so a horsebox was finally arranged, with the generous help of a young woman (over 20 calls and no charge! Steven takes  full details of these lovely  people who help him on the way) in the office of a Municipal campsite (I'm much happier now to see the hospitality of the Municipal campsites, which I had told him about, kicking in).
The journey went smoothly - the only rough part was the cost - € 250! 

19th August. They arrived in Concarneau last night and are back in the lap of luxury, staying with the Cottons in a comfortable farm guest-house. A farrier was much more easily found here and is expected at five this evening. Meanwhile, Colie is munching luxurious grass in the adjacent orchard, occasionally whinnying for attention from Steven. He, on the other hand, is munching his way through generous farm-meals and slugging back some of the excellent local wine. He will undoubtedly be whirled around socially by Doreen and Mike and their friends. I am also encouraging him to do some sightseeing in this part of France that I like so well and where the Irish and other Celtic groups get an especial welcome.
And, if he stays over next weekend, he may even get to meet, again, my friend and neighbour, Dorothy Brophy who will be travelling over to Brittany on Saturday next with a Castletownbere twinning group.
Money is very tight for the adventurer at the moment and the cost of the 'lift' was a bit of a shock. The other day, a  couple from Manchester were terribly decent to him, giving a substantial donation, a good bottle of wine and then texting a message of goodwill to him the following morning (which I think he appreciated even more than the other offerings). 
I am transferring a few hundred Euros today from the Castletownbere Fund to ease him on his way. 
But now is your chance to really help them out - 

All will be acknowledged later.

Stephen calls me regularly on his mobile and I have many pages of notes. I will get around to writing these up fully soon and will include them here chronologically. 
But for the moment I will start with the end of June. Scroll down through June and July.

30th June. 
Steven in Santiago! The wandering pilgrim arrived in Santiago de Compostela after an adventurous four weeks.This leg of his 3,000 km journey to Ireland was very much a rugged one from the south, not following the well-established pilgrim roads of the northern route.
Both he and his horse, Colie, are taking a well-earned rest before continuing east towards Bilbao and Biarritz.
(Sadly, although he has been keeping a weather-eye and ear open for organic affairs, he has nothing to report so far). 

18th July.
Having reached Burgos he is now on his way to Vitoria just
south east of Bibao. He is perhaps just a week away from crossing into France. He has roughly covered about 1,500 kms - half way - to Cornwall anyway.

25th July.
In Ranchos Villas - that's what it sounded like - just south of the French border. Colie needed shoeing and Steven was not optimistic of getting the job done at all before he left Spain. But he got a first class farrier in the end who also produced some feed for the horse. He says the Spanish finally redeemed themselves! He will have to explain all this himself at a later stage.

26th July.
Vive la France! He crossed the border last evening. He is staying in the village of St Etienne de Buggery (thats what he said!) about 10 kms southwest of Bayonne. He says there is an immediate improvement in peoples' demeanour - friendly faces and greetings, politeness and charm everywhere.

29th July. 
Not having a large scale map myself and not understanding the sibling's halting French, I'm not sure exactly where he is now.  The best I can say is that he is  somewhere northeast  of Biarritz and heading north along the low-lying coastal plane of Gascony. I'm going to find out about ferries across the Garonne estuary.
Brittany by mid August is the general plan. He hopes to rendezvous there with friends from Penzance, over for a twinning ceremony. 
He had his second Blair Witch-like incident in a coastal forest last night. Energetic rustlings in the undergrowth just after dark had him out flashing the torch and settling and further securing Colie. Hardened campaigner that he now is, he then had the best night's sleep for a month!  
A sign next day on the roadway - Faune Sauvage - may be an explanation for the nocturnal noises. 
He thinks he is now following the ancient pilgrim road, the Camino Francais. The horse isn't the only one having leg problems. Steven is suffering a recurrence of an old shin problem which, although he assures me won't stop him, is causing some discomfort. 
For those who have expressed sympathy for the horse, let me remind you that he is a much cared for, even pampered creature. And, as evidenced by three worn-out sets of boots and his foot and leg problems, Steven has done most of the journey, all of it from Portugal! - so far on Shank's Mare! 

1st August. 
Horse and walker are now travelling northwards, just inland from the coast. They are 30 kms south of Arachan where it is hoped there will be a ferry to get them across the inlet, Bassin de Arachon. Steven complains that prices are much higher in France than in Spain. He gives as an example an 'excellent' four-course meal and two jugs of wine costing
€15. All things are relative of course - that would be bargain basement value here in Ireland! 

3rd August.
I was greeted to a croaking rendering of Happy Birtday (to myself) from the once-reasonable voice of my wandering brother - accompanied by the background clip-clop of his equine companion!
'No ferry across the Mersey' was the complaint upon reaching Arachon; the ferries only took foot passengers. So, substantial detour, about 30kms, east around Facture and then off up into the Medoc, trusting that there will be no problems with the ferry there. If there is, the detour down to Bordeaux would be 150 kms! 

4th August.
They ran into a nudist traffic jam! Walking on a road parallel to the beach, he had to stop to allow legions of nudists cross from their campsite to the sea for their morning constitutional. Horse stunned! Steven disappointedthat there wasn't even one attractive female in the buff bunch. 
He met a 'hobo' - a fresh looking, middle-aged French man pushing a bicycle (he had his clothes on). The bicycle had broken down some years previously but he had still managed to travel through many countries, including Ireland and Australia, supported by a monthly pension of €400 from the Gov. 

11th August. 
The travellers are now north of the Garonne estuary. Here there was a large vehicle and passenger ferry and the worry was, 'Would Colie board quietly?'. The horse clattered into the steel bowels of the boat without a hitch, much to Steven's relief. Tying him to a ladder on  the car-deck, he sat with him for the 30 min. crossing. This bodes well for the later big crossing from Roskoff to Plymouth. He feels that the horse trusts him completely at this stage. 'Wonderful creature' he says of Colie. Those guys have bonded big time! 
The campsites are invariably full now in the height of the tourist season and he has been having problems finding places to stay overnight. He was turned away from five one evening, with a Municipal site manager refusing to have him because of the horse! I feel angry about that as I had recommended him to try this unique French institution with which I had some good experiences back in '94.
Having pitched camp in a forest a few nights ago he was roused by the gendarmes at one o'clock in the morning and forced to move on. He went to the beach and later camped amongst huge WW II coastal defences.
Although a 'bit tired', Steven is pushing on to try and make a redezvous with his good friends, Mike and Doreen Cotton from Penzance, in Concarneau, on the 18th August.
We estimate that at his current rate of 35 kms per day he should just about make it.
The Cottons, formerly Mayors of Penzance,  each separately (I think Mike is currently Mayor again), will however be there for two weeks but the 18th is the opening of twinning celebrations between Penzance and Concarneau and Steven would really like to be there for then. He will stay about a week to party and rest and perhaps also meet with Dorothy Brophy and her family and some friends from Castletownbere; they are going over on the 24th for another twinning ceremony.
After all that R&R in Brittany he will start on the home stretch for England and Ireland.