A VOICE ON THE ROAD

Wandering, Wondering, Writing

And so it begins

By Barbara Lyghtel Rohrer “To be whole. To be complete. Wildness reminds us what it means to be human, what we are connected to rather than what we are separate from.” — Terry Tempest Williams “What do you carry?” That was the question that Cheryl, our guide, asked before beginning the pilgrimage along Scotland’s St. Cuthbert’s Way. I had no answer. Instead, I had a lump of clay. Cheryl had given clay to each of us –– Andrea, Fiona and me, three older women joining Cheryl

cherylmurfin

Dec 3, 20255 min read

Arriving at the end is just a beginning

By Fiona Ball In Australian Indigenous culture people are sung in and out of life….and so it was I was sung into the next part of mine. Walking barefoot through tidal sand, mud, seaweed, shells and shallow cold clean sea water, the seals sang. The sound was otherworldly, like the call of dogs to each other, carried by the wind. The sound carried me for the the mile journey on a brightly overcast day to Lindisfarne, the Holy Island in north east England. My arrival to this pla

cherylmurfin

Dec 2, 20253 min read

Random acts of food and service

By Cheryl Murfin Food made with heart and served with joy—the small gifts of pilgrimage. I was tired. Walking 10 miles, the 14 miles, then 10 again. After two months of walking seven, then 10, then 12 at least once a week. It wasn't hard walking; this path has its ups and downs, but we don't scramble or hoist ourselves over large rocks. But add in the steep-ish ascents, a few intense downhill rolls, rocks underfoot, unfamiliar beds every night, the energy of deep listening, m

cherylmurfin

Dec 1, 20258 min read

Reframe: What if fleeting was also full?

By Cheryl Murfin Day one of watching We used many different prompts to get to the writing on these journeys. Some come from the things we see on the path, others we bring with us—small art exercises that lead us to questions that lead us to words. One of my favorites on this walk came from my longtime friend, Andrea. Near the beginning of the walk, she invited each of us to find a single, simple item, look closely at it for 10 minutes, and describe in full detail exactly what

cherylmurfin

Nov 30, 20253 min read

Standing at the edge of the wood

By Cheryl Murfin There's a whole world in there. People as me how I "story find" while I'm walking? How do I write and walk at the same time? Or, even when I'm not walking to write, how do I start any piece of writing when I feel stuck or worried I won't get it right? First, let me tell you, while I am not a complete luddite, I am not a huge fan of technology (she says as she blogs from her self-built website, on her expensive computer). But some technologies are better than

cherylmurfin

Nov 29, 20258 min read

Truth Thomas under the hills

By Cheryl Murfin Eildon Hills Photo by Tom Chisholm St. Cuthbert's rambles up, over, and through the Eildons, a cluster of three distinctive dome-shaped hills formed by volcanic activity around 350 million years ago, rising over the Scottish borderlands like sentinels. Of course, like any good, large natural landmark, they feature in the region's folklore. My favorite story is that of Thomas the Rhymer. After hearing the story for the first time about five years ago, I crane

cherylmurfin

Nov 28, 20257 min read

A pile of rocks

By Cheryl Murfin Eccles Cairn (Photo by Andrew Curtis) On the fifth day of the walk, we climb over the wall that separates the Scottish side of the dirt path from the English side. Just beyond this point, a rounded knoll rises to the left, at the top a pile of rocks that you'd miss if you weren't looking. I am always looking for this pile, and I never skip pulling off to climb the steep hill and pause at the pile. Even if the skies are crying and my fellow walkers would rathe

cherylmurfin

Nov 27, 20254 min read

The body is the pen

By Cheryl Murfin Why do I start these long, long walks with the same two to three invitations, dispersed over the first two to three days of walking: Day one: See. Day two: Hear. Sometimes on day three: Smell. In the right circumstance: Taste And, always, there is the invitation to touch the world that exposes itself on a long walk—the peeling tree bark, the heart rock underfoot, the tall grasses, ferns, gate fences, and any socially amenable cattle. The reason is simple: to

cherylmurfin

Nov 26, 20253 min read

Walking me home to myself

By Fiona Ball Scotland, home of my ancestors, is where my wild heart lives. I had planned a trip into bloodlines, exploration, community and writing over a four month time frame, traveling from one end of Scotland to the other. When I came across a link to a walk and write retreat along St Cuthbert's Way(after googling Scotland and Writing), I felt goosebumps rise on my spine. Reading about the walk was like opening presents at Christmas. Setting my sights on the Holy Isle…..

cherylmurfin

Nov 26, 20253 min read

There's always more to write

By Cheryl Murfin These forests are a fairyland. If you've been following my walking writing adventures on this blog, you've been with me along St. Cuthbert's Way before, perhaps several times. I've taken five groups on this 70ish-mile pilgrimage between Melrose, Scotland, and Holy Island, England. By this fall's walk, even I was wondering if there was anything new for me to write about it. It was, of course, a silly question. There is always more to write on a road, no matte

cherylmurfin

Nov 23, 20254 min read