Finding Connection in the Highlands

In 2023, The Big Hoof organised the first ever FareWays journey. Walking, running, riding and cycling along  St Columba’s Way. Some joined for a morning, a day, or for as long as they could whilst making our way from St Andrews to Iona.

Fareways is a mental health project which focuses on wellbeing by undertaking journeys on foot and horse-back. This summer, in collaboration with The British Pilgrimage Trust and The Big Hoof, over 40 participants from 8-69 years old travelled the St Columba’s Way on foot, by bike, or on horseback from St Andrews in Scotland to Iona. They kept a stash of Firepot meals with them for the nights they were wild camping.

In brief, the project aims to inspire connection to each other, ourselves and to the world around us, using ancient pilgrimage routes as our guide. The idea is to break down assumptions of what a runner, rider or hiker should look like and to open conversations around the benefits of the outdoors and mindful travel for our mental and physical health.

They were interviewed by the BBC.