Sir David Attenborough: "Good luck with your marathon walk"
On 21st April 2016 I started walking from the west of Ireland to the coast of Lincolnshire to raise money and awareness for curlews, one of the most charismatic yet threatened birds in Britain. In Ireland, they have declined by over 90%, in Wales by 80% and an average of 50% throughout England and Scotland over the last 30 years. They are threatened by changes in land use, draining of wetlands, increased predation and some farming practices - especially on their breeding grounds.
I took Wordsworth's words with me:
“Therefore let the moon
Shine on thee in thy solitary walk;
And let the misty mountain-winds be free
To blow against thee.”
I undertook this walk alone and unpaid, as I am passionate about saving these birds. It was a life changing experience and I met extraordinary people and saw Britain and Ireland through different eyes. Curlews are in need of so much help. In one generation they have disappeared from many places and are particularly endangered in the west and south of the British isles.
To donate directly to curlew specific recovery projects, please click the links below:
Curlews are in crisis in Southern Ireland - there has been a 97% crash in numbers. BirdWatch Ireland desperately needs funds to help secure the future of curlew on the Emerald Isle. It really is urgent. Please help them by donating to their wonderful work.
The British Trust for Ornithology Appeal for Curlews
The BTO are a superb research organisation focussed on birds and their environments. Their collection of data through surveys and ringing has helped us understand the details of the lives and movements of the birds we live alongside. This is their appeal for funds to focus directly on curlews, it will investigate the reasons for their decline so that effective projects can be put in place to help them.
The RSPB have a curlew recovery programme, a targeted, long-term plan aimed at finding out why the birds are declining in many different habitats and to work alongside farmers, moorland managers and land owners to secure their future. This Just Giving site will direct any donations to this fund.
Game and Wildlife Conservation Trust
GWCT is a research based conservation organisation specialising in working with the farming, shooting and fishing communities. Curlews undoubtedly benefit from land management and control of predators on some areas. This is their appeal specifically for curlews.
HERE ARE THE DETAILS OF MY WALK:
Lots of things changed as I went along - but this is a good rough guide.
Northern Ireland
Day 1 - Thursday 21st April
Enniskillen, Lough Erne – to Swanlinbar (11.7 miles). Picked up by Michael Bell and driven to Sligo for a talk.
Giving talk at Sligo Park Hotel at 8.00 pm. Organised by BirdWatch - Ireland Sligo branch and Sligo Tidy Towns
O/N Tommy Early in Lough Allen - Thanks Tommy.
Southern Ireland
Day 2 – Friday 22nd April
Visit Leitrim Flower Farm to see breeding curlews, then walk to Lough Rynn castle (13 miles)
Lough Rynn B&B
Lough Rynn B&B
O/N Lough Rynn - Thank you Lough Rynn Bed and Breakfast
Day 3 – Saturday 23rd April
Lough Rynn to Longford (15 miles)
O/N Longford - Thanks Nathy Gilligan
Day 4 – Sunday 24th April
Rest Day O/N Longford - Thanks Nathy Gilligan
Day 5 – Monday 25th April
Longford – Cloonsheerin Bridge (Royal Blue Way) pick up the Royal Canal Way to Ballymahon (9 miles)
O/N Ballymahon - Thanks to Noel and Tilla Kiernan
Day 6 – Tuesday 26th April
Ballymahon – Ballynacarrigy (14 miles)
O/N Ballynacarrigy - Thanks to Sean McDonagh and friend.
Day 7 – Wednesday 27th April
Ballynacarrigy – Mullingar (13 miles)
Picked up by Birdwatch Ireland and taken to visit Shannon Callows.
O/N Banagher with BirdWatch Ireland - Thank you
Day 8 – Thursday 28th April
Shannon Callows
O/N Banagher with BWI - Thank you
Day 9 – Friday 29th April
Shannon Harbour– Tullamore on Grand Canal Way (21 miles).
O/N Tullamore - Jean McMahon - Thank you.
Day 10 – Saturday 30th April
Tullamore – Edenderry (16 miles)
O/N relatives
Day 11 – Sunday 1st May
Visit Bog of Allen
O/N relatives
Day 12 – Monday 2nd May
Edenderry to Tara - mixture of walk and lifts
O/N Tara - thanks to Fiona Smith Darragh, sculptor, for the offer of a night.
Day 13 – Tuesday 3rd May
Recroding with RTE1 Mooney Goes Wild then walk to Swords
O/N Relatives
Day 14 – Wednesday 4th May
Swords rest day
O/N Relatives
Wales
Day 15 – Thursday 5th May
Ferry from Dublin - Holyhead then train from Holyhead - Bodorgan (Via one of the St Beuno’s churches?)
O/N Being organised by Philip Snow - Thank you.
Day 16 – Friday 6th May
Visit Malltraeth marshes.
O/N Mary Stevenson - Anglesey - Thanks Mary
Day 17 – Saturday 7th May
Malltreath – Bangor (16 miles)
Travel to Pwllheli
O/N Tim Higgins - thanks for the offer
Day 18 – Sunday 8th May
Talk at St Beuno’s church at Clynogg Fwar - Details to come
O/N Tim Higgins - thanks Tim.
Day 19 – Monday 9th May
Walk Pwllheli to Llanberis
O/N Steve Dodd and Rachel Taylor - Thank you.
Day 20 – Tuesday 10th May
Llanberis to Betws y Coed
Talk: Snowdonia Society
O/N with Nettie Collister - thank you
Day 21 – Wednesday 11th May
Visit Hiraethog area and the work the RSPB is doing to help curlews
Visit Migneint upland bog and the joint RSPB/National Trust/National Resources Wales project to restore it, which will benefit breeding waders like curlews.
O/N Thanks Nettie
Day 22 – Thursday 12th May
Meet Julian Hughes, RSPB and journalist to drive to Bala Lake then walk to Lake Vwynry
O/N Lake Vyrnwyn - O/N with RSPB, thank you.
Day 23 – Friday 13th May
Lake Vyrnwyn – Llangollen via Berwyn Mountains. Advice and route guidance needed.
O/N Llangollen - thanks to Nick and Celia Jenkins
Day 24 – Saturday 14th May
Visit Ruabon upland recovery project
Ruabon to Stiperstones
Afternoon visit to "Curlew Country" arts projects - Facebook page coming soon.
Evening talk - venue to be confirmed.
O/N Stiperstones - Alyson Small - thank you
England
Day 25 – Sunday 15th May
Visit Stiperstones/Long Mynd
O/N Stiperstones - Alyson Small - thanks very much.
Day 26 – Monday 16th May
Shrewsbury – Market Drayton (20 miles)
(Thanks to Martin Poulsom for walking with me for the next couple of days)
O/N Market Drayton - Thank you to Randle and Sarah Sparrow
Day 27 – Tuesday 17th May
Market Drayton – Stoke-on-Trent (16 miles)
O/N Stockton Brook - Thanks Maggie and Mark
Day 28 - Wednesday 18th May
Rest day/talks
O/N Leek - Thanks to Staffs Wildlife Trust
Day 29 – Thursday 19th May
Visit Roaches in the morning – to Longnor in the afternoon (12 miles)
O/N Longnor - Thanks to Dennis at High Ash Farm Outdoor Centre
Day 30 – Friday 20th May
Longnor to Baslow (14 miles)
O/N Baslow Thanks to Jean Gollner for putting me up.
Day 31 – Saturday 21st May
Visit Eastern Moors Partnership project
O/N Baslow Thanks to Jean Gollner.
Day 31 – Sunday 22nd May
Delighted to be keynote speaker for Staffs Wildlife Trust AGM
O/N Bonsall - thanks to Mark Eddowes
Day 32 – Monday 23nd May
Bonsall to Bolsover (15 miles)
Meeting Derbyshire Wildlife Trust and their new Centre.
O/N Bolsover - Help with accommodation please?
Day 33 – Tuesday 24th May
Bolsover to Tuxford (19 miles)
O/N Tuxford - Help with accommodation please?
Day 34 – Wednesday 25th May
Tuxford to Lincoln (16 miles)
O/N Lincoln - Help with accommodation please?
Day 35 – Thursday 26th May
Visit Allerton Project
O/N Lincoln - Help with accommodation please?
Day 36 – Friday 27th May
Lincoln to Woodhall Spa (17miles)
O/N Woodhall Spa - Thanks to Melanie Fisher
Day 37 – Saturday 28th May
Visit Woodhall Spa with Lincolnshire WT
O/N Woodhall Spa - Thanks to Melanie Fisher
Day 38 – Sunday 29th May
Woodhall Spa -Boston (18 miles)
O/N Boston END
Here are some comments I received from people who have already donated to help with the costs of launching the walk - thank you everyone, it really does made a difference to what I can do. I hope to meet some of you along the way.
“Wonderful that you’re doing this for such an iconic bird.
Good luck... A great act for a beautiful bird.
Thank you, Mary for undertaking this project on behalf of everyone who has been captivated by this wonderful bird.
Good luck with the project. This has made me far more aware of their plight. I hope to hear a curlew one day.
All the best Mary. Curlews are incredible birds and we must not loose them.
Good luck Mary. I absolutely love curlews and have a curlew call as the ring-tone on my mobile phone.
Can’t imagine a world without these iconic birds. Best wishes for your fantastic attempt to reverse the decline. Hope the weather is kind.
Hope your awareness campaign succeeds in improving nesting sites and curlew habitat..This makes better world for everyone. Good luck
Hello Mary, it’s massively important to save the curlew and your efforts are heroic! I cannot imagine our estuaries and moorland without the call of this beautiful bird, they are the essence of wild places.”