The trek of some 2,000 miles from Granada, in the southern province of Andalusia in Spain, to Penzance in Cornwall might in itself be considered to be epic. But for Stevenson O’Connor, it was also a feat of endurance and a leap of faith.
The mental health issues that had beleaguered Steve from childhood, finally led to the loss of his job and the collapse of his marriage. It was time for a break. A long time fan of American Westerns, watching a spaghetti Western filmed in Spain gave him the idea of taking a riding holiday in the country. The short break in Granada sowed the seeds for a much grander idea: to trek from Spain to Cornwall with a horse. But it would be four long years before the idea would become reality.
Within two years of that first trip, Steve would stand on the edge of a cliff, contemplating suicide, and shortly afterwards he was diagnosed with bipolar affective disorder. His dream of travelling with a horse resurfaced while he was working with a mental health charity and started to coalesce after reading Robin Hanbury-Tenison’s book in which the author rode the pilgrim trail in Spain. Maybe he could do the same, ride off into the sunset, raise awareness of mental health issues and, in turn, help himself. Many people thought that he was hardly a fit person to undertake such a journey with only a horse for company – but he did.
In 2002, Steve returned to Andalusia, bought a horse called Colina and renamed him, Murphy. When the pair set off from the meeting point for the Rocio Pilgrimage in May, Steve was full of trepidation; his mind was filled with mixed emotions that ran the gamut from terror to adrenalin pumped excitement. Would he be able to cope? And what would happen if he couldn’t? There was only one way to go – forward. So began a trek that took them through Spain into Portugal, back into Spain and across the Pyrenees into France. From there, the pair made their way to Brittany and across the Channel to England.
Their path took them through towns and villages, along metaled roads, rough tracks and the famed Camino de Santiago. Sometimes they camped by the roadside, at other times by a lake, a river or in the lee of towering mountains and occasionally, more luxuriously but separately, stayed in stables and a bed and breakfast, respectively. There were people that helped and those who hindered, a few who were companions for short periods and many who were simply curious. But above all, Steve and Murphy formed a deep and interdependent relationship that was vital to them both.
Not only was the trek cathartic for Steve in the wake of all the trials and tribulations that had gone before, it helped him deal with his mental issues, embedding a firm belief that there is no problem that can’t be surmounted.
“You can survive,” he said. “I never felt alone when I was with Murphy and, perhaps, became too reliant on him; he was my prop. But because I was responsible for him and his wellbeing, I had a clearly defined focus which stopped me thinking about myself.”
Frequently funny, occasionally sad but invariably interesting, the tale of their trek cannot fail to be inspirational. Not only did Steve dare to dream, he dared to take action and hopes that others may follow his example in their minds, hearts and, perhaps, even on the trail.
The mental health issues that had beleaguered Steve from childhood, finally led to the loss of his job and the collapse of his marriage. It was time for a break. A long time fan of American Westerns, watching a spaghetti Western filmed in Spain gave him the idea of taking a riding holiday in the country. The short break in Granada sowed the seeds for a much grander idea: to trek from Spain to Cornwall with a horse. But it would be four long years before the idea would become reality.
Within two years of that first trip, Steve would stand on the edge of a cliff, contemplating suicide, and shortly afterwards he was diagnosed with bipolar affective disorder. His dream of travelling with a horse resurfaced while he was working with a mental health charity and started to coalesce after reading Robin Hanbury-Tenison’s book in which the author rode the pilgrim trail in Spain. Maybe he could do the same, ride off into the sunset, raise awareness of mental health issues and, in turn, help himself. Many people thought that he was hardly a fit person to undertake such a journey with only a horse for company – but he did.
In 2002, Steve returned to Andalusia, bought a horse called Colina and renamed him, Murphy. When the pair set off from the meeting point for the Rocio Pilgrimage in May, Steve was full of trepidation; his mind was filled with mixed emotions that ran the gamut from terror to adrenalin pumped excitement. Would he be able to cope? And what would happen if he couldn’t? There was only one way to go – forward. So began a trek that took them through Spain into Portugal, back into Spain and across the Pyrenees into France. From there, the pair made their way to Brittany and across the Channel to England.
Their path took them through towns and villages, along metaled roads, rough tracks and the famed Camino de Santiago. Sometimes they camped by the roadside, at other times by a lake, a river or in the lee of towering mountains and occasionally, more luxuriously but separately, stayed in stables and a bed and breakfast, respectively. There were people that helped and those who hindered, a few who were companions for short periods and many who were simply curious. But above all, Steve and Murphy formed a deep and interdependent relationship that was vital to them both.
Not only was the trek cathartic for Steve in the wake of all the trials and tribulations that had gone before, it helped him deal with his mental issues, embedding a firm belief that there is no problem that can’t be surmounted.
“You can survive,” he said. “I never felt alone when I was with Murphy and, perhaps, became too reliant on him; he was my prop. But because I was responsible for him and his wellbeing, I had a clearly defined focus which stopped me thinking about myself.”
Frequently funny, occasionally sad but invariably interesting, the tale of their trek cannot fail to be inspirational. Not only did Steve dare to dream, he dared to take action and hopes that others may follow his example in their minds, hearts and, perhaps, even on the trail.
