The Dusty Roads of History and Rome Alone

The time of the pilgrimage is the present age in which we are always like pilgrims in battle

Jacopo da Varazze (13th Century)

I am Phil McCarthy. For many years I was a GP in Bristol. In December 2015 I took up a new role as CEO of Caritas Social Action Network (CSAN).

In 2015 I travelled from Rome to Istanbul along the Via Appia and Via Traiana to Bari and then the Via Egnatia across Albania, Macedonia and Greece to Thessaloniki. I met up with three friends and spent Easter on Mount Athos then cycled on from Alexandropoulos to Gallipoli in the centenary of the World War One landings and finally to Istanbul. My book about this journey is called The Dusty Roads of History.

This journey followed my pilgrimage alone from Canterbury to Rome in 2008 when I followed the ancient Via Francigena. My book about this pilgrimage is called Rome Alone.

The proceeds of both books will be donated to Saint Joseph's Hospice, which provides compassionate, specialist palliative care to people living in East London with life-limiting illness.

I am happy to do talks about my walks and about pilgrimage in the 21st Century. Please see my contacts page.

Thank you for your interest and support.

The time of the pilgrimage is the present age in which we are always like pilgrims in battleJacopo da Varazze (13th Century)

The time of the pilgrimage is the present age in which we are always like pilgrims in battle

Jacopo da Varazze (13th Century)