New Milton town councillor Neil Tungate’s Camino trek in Spain helps raise thousands for Oakhaven Hospice

A NEW Milton town councillor completed an enduring but rewarding 80-mile Spanish trek, raising thousands for the hospice which cared for his late wife.

Neil Tungate thanked those who sponsored him and told how covering one of the Caminos in aid of Lymington’s Oakhaven Hospice had given him the bug for long-distance walking.

As reported in the A&T, Neil decided to take on the challenge in April, a month before then taking part in the Oakhaven Walk back home.

He announced at a recent council meeting that he raised more than £5,500, which went towards a total of over £90,000 raised by Oakhaven’s main event.

He undertook both walks in memory of his wife Betty, who died in November 2022 after a four-year battle with cancer.

Neil wanted to give something back to Oakhaven, which had supported the couple, first through home care and then hospice care.

After training walks with his and Betty’s friend Jane Loveless, who lost her husband to cancer, he flew out to Spain.

Over a number of days, he covered a total distance of 128km along the Inglés, from Ferrol to Santiago de Compostela.

“The Camino walk in Spain was the hardest physical activity I've undertaken, but I now know I can do much more than I ever thought possible,” Neil told the A&T.

“Of course, we know that getting outdoors is good for mental health, and that walk has had a profoundly positive effect on me.

“I now feel I have closed a door on my grieving for Betty, although I still think of her every morning and every night. I feel I can move forward in my life and make plans for my own future.”

Every day was different, he said, as the route took in “beautiful” villages, open countryside, eucalyptus forests, and woodlands.

Although shorter distances were covered on a couple of days, Neil found himself tested to the limit on the penultimate day, when he covered nearly 20 miles.

“I seriously considered calling a cab toward the end, but knew that I would have failed myself and all my supporters so battled on,” he continued.

“It was such a pleasure to see such beauty along the way, and to meet other people making the same great effort to complete the walk.

“I experienced a lot of emotion along the way, and especially when I arrived in the cathedral square in Santiago.”

Enriched by the experience, he now hopes to complete another Camino route next year.

In May, Neil joined Jane and hundreds of others on a 14-mile trek from Mudeford to Oakhaven’s Pennington base.

“That was a fantastic day with much fun and laughter along the way,” he said.

“It was, of course, an easy walk for me after Spain! My friend Jane and I completed the walk in good time, and enjoyed the party atmosphere in the Oakhaven gardens after our arrival.

“The later news that we have collectively raised over £90,000 was astonishing.”