Dzogchen Beara Temple opened in July 2024 but still requires thousands of euros in funding to complete the painting and gilding. Last month, Matt Padwick (Dzogchen Beara centre director from 2003 to 2013) embarked on an epic fundraising cycling trip from Dzogchen Beara Temple to Lerab Ling Temple in France, a pilgrimage connecting two temples he had envisioned many years ago, long before construction had even started.

On his way back to Ireland, Matt brought a sacred stupa from Lerab Ling. Rigpa Ireland donated the stupa to Dzogchen Beara Temple on behalf of the Irish Sangha for the benefit of all.

Matt shares his adventurous cycling journey and shares some impressions of his pilgrimage there and back.

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Calling a cycle trip a “pilgrimage”

— might be the best way to invite adventure upon yourself.

Because my journey was from Dzogchen Beara Temple to Lerab Ling Temple, to attend a retreat with Orgyen Tobgyal Rinpoche, it automatically qualified as a pilgrimage—and adventure is what I got!

Having no experience with cycle touring in France and not allowing enough days to realistically pedal the 1,500 kilometers just added a bit of an edge to everything. Not taking the time (literally and metaphorically) to read the signs meant I went in a few extra circles too.

I loved it, and I struggled. I was drenched by showers and dried by the sun, ate a lot of baguettes and mille-feuille but still lost weight. I was on the road for nine days, but it felt like nine years’ worth of experience.

One evening, mapless, with no phone signal, battery almost dead, and the sun already below the horizon, I stopped at the gate of the last house on the road out of a small village. A lady was in the driveway, getting something out of her car.

My French is bad, and when I’m exhausted and a little desperate, it comes out as pigeon German. Her husband came out and spoke some English.

“Could I please fill my water bottles? Please.”

In the end, they fed me, and I slept in their spare room—until I woke up in the middle of the night.

Reality hit: some days I had done 160 kilometers or more, but it still wouldn’t be enough. When my wife heard, she showed great understanding.

“I know getting on a train would have been harder for you than cycling day and night for a week.”

That made it easier.

The retreat at Lerab Ling was amazing. While I was there, I was asked to fly back with a stupa for Dzogchen Beara Temple—another unexpected turn. Which means the bike is still in France, waiting for the return journey in 2025.

Another year older, another year wiser—me hopes.

You can see a video diary of Matt’s wee tour on the Dzogchen Beara YouTube page.

If you would like to donate to Matt’s Temple2Temple fundraiser