Rostrevor’s Hens a-Hiking are ditching the hills for Camino trail thrills as they prepare to take on the mammoth 115km French Way.
The Hiking Hens have long explored the Mourne Mountains on their twice-monthly weekend hikes and weekly mid-week walks, designed to bring women together for exercise and socialisation.
Over the years, the walking initiative, with community at its heart, has raised thousands of pounds for charities and local causes, including Southern Area Hospice, Life and Time, Mourne First Responders, and a Loop for Luke fundraiser, which raised over £14,000 for the terminally ill son of one of their members.
Their endeavours also saw the plucky band awarded Armagh I‘s Community Impact Award in the 2022 People of the Year Awards.
Now, Hiking Hens’ group leaders Maria and Biddy have set their sights on a new challenge, saying quite simply that “life is too short”.
The challenge set for July 2026 will see a hoard of approximately 50 hens descend on the Camino’s famous French Way.
Together, over seven days, with five days of walking, beginning on July 6, the hens will walk a total of 115km from Sarria to Santiago before returning home on July 11.
Speaking to Armagh I, Maria – who lost her beloved sister Evelyn in June of last year – explained: “Life is short, and I lost my sister, and I just know she would be saying, ‘Go for it, go for it’, so why not?”
Maria said: “I think it’s a time to reflect. We are all caught up in daily distractions and personal obligations.
“Everyone will have the chance to just focus on eating, sleeping and repeating, and of course, doing the walk.
“They will have a chance to be alone with their own thoughts and feelings and self-reflection.
“We all need time for ourselves. I don’t know what I would do without my hiking and time to switch off.
“Girls shouldn’t be afraid of going on it alone. We are all on the Camino on that pilgrimage and journey. There will be a chance to meet new people and a chance to walk with friends.
“That will be the fun bit. It’s important that we all enjoy everything and take those moments.”
Biddy added: “We might not be on the mountains, but you still need your magic lippy for the grassy fields and rolling hills!”
The Camino trail will be facilitated in conjunction with uwalk, a team of committed travel professionals who specialise in booking group Camino walks with pre-booked accommodation in selected properties, walking notes, tailor-made itineraries, daily luggage transfer and emergency assistance from their support office in Santiago de Compostela.
The trip includes seven nights of hotel accommodation with daily breakfast, and a uwalk representative will accompany. However, it is a self-guided trip with walking notes provided to help ramblers on their way.
It also includes airport transfers, a 20kg bag transferred daily, and a Pilgrim Passport, which will be received on arrival at the first hotel. Travellers need to collect two stamps in their passport each day in order to receive a Compostela Certificate upon the walk’s completion in Santiago.
Maria notes that the trip has been outlined for 50 participants, but this could be increased to 80 if the interest is there.
The package will not include the cost of flights, but Maria and Biddy will advise the suggested flight details at the time of booking.
A £100 deposit secures all places and will be deducted from the overall price of the trip.
Due to the volume of interest, the hens have now complied a waiting list and plan to issue updates via an exclusive mailing list which can be signed up to here.
