"There is gold at the end of the rainbow..."

As a child Karin Jarman loved to gaze into the distance, longing to reach the horizon. She had an urge to travel - the very word seeming to have an enchanting effect. This, together with a deep connection to fairy tales, inspired her to set foot on her own magical journey to discover a mysterious castle by a far off Golden City.

Karin's opportunity came in her 49th year, her children having grown up and left home. After entertaining many doubts, she eventually set aside work and family and began a pilgrimage to the 14th century Gothic castle of Karlstein (Karlstejn), built by Charles IV near Prague in the Czech republic. Unlike many modern day pilgrims, however, she made the entire journey on foot, gratefully accepting the hospitality of strangers. Her aim was not to match the feats of endurance and sporting prowess that some undertake; rather, she strove to create the mood of a true pilgrimage - to encounter the sacred through outer journeying and inner transformation. Her eventful travels covered over 1,200 miles and took some 22 weeks, during which time she stayed with over 100 different hosts. Having confronted many issues arising out of her biography, she returned a changed person with new resolves and initiatives.

Touching the Horizon is Karin Jarman's remarkable story, from her first inklings that such a journey might be possible, to the arrival at the beautiful fairy tale castle of Karlstein. She also describes the aftermath of her pilgrimage and its effects on her and her family. This is a rare and gripping narrative of possibility, realization and metamorphosis.

KARIN JARMAN was born in 1953 in Baden-Baden, Germany. She studied Waldorf Pedagogy at the Goetheanum, Switzerland, after which she settled in Great Britain where she worked in a Camphill centre for adults with special needs. In 1985, together with her husband and three children, she moved to Gloucestershire and studied Art Therapy. From 1990 she worked as an art therapist at St Luke's Medical Centre in Stroud. Karin helped establish the Hibernia College of Art Therapy, and has run courses both in this country and abroad. She is currently facilitating spiritual support groups for people with chronic health issues and life crises via the organization she established called Oasis.