Great Adventures & Legendary Journeys - Travel Essays & Descriptions

Great Donkey Walk - from Spain to GR

Name: Great Donkey Walk - from Spain to GR
Author: Susan Chitty
ISBN: 9781590482155

by Susan Chitty, Thomas Hinde

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Overview

When biographer Susan Chitty and her novelist husband, Thomas Hinde, decided it was time to embark on a family adventure, they did it in style. Arriving in Spain in time for the Ascension Day fair at Santiago, they bought two donkeys whom they named Hannibal and Hamilcar. Their two small daughters, Miranda (7) and Jessica (3) were to ride Hamilcar. Hannibal, meanwhile, carried the baggage. Travelling on foot were Thomas and Susan, son Andrew, and the family dog, Iago. The walk they planned to undertake was nothing short of the breadth of southern Europe, and would take them along the mediaeval pilgrim trails to the shrines of northern Spain, the route of Sir John Moore to Corunna, of Roland in the Pyrenees, and of Hannibal and his elephants through the Alps. They would winter in Italy above Lake Trasimeno and set out again in the spring across the Adriatic to Greece where they would mingle tracks with Edward Lear before reaching Salonica. It was not all plain sailing. There were bogs to flounder into and elusive donkey smiths to pursue, not to mention the river which arrived in the night and calamities for both little girls. Yet during the journey Jessica Chitty qualified to become the youngest Member of The Long Riders' Guild. The story of the Chitty family travels—funny, perceptive, fresh and highly individual—offers a completely new perspective of four countries which the car-bound tourist sees with different eyes. Travelling with Susan Chitty and Thomas Hinde on “The Great Donkey Walk” is a leisurely and continuing pleasure, enriching for all lovers of southern Europe.