I was looking at the calender on Friday and noticed how much of the year had been eaten away. Is it really 2 months to 2023? I remember wishing in the New Year with the tones of Carlos Nuñez in the background. But that was January and today is October 30th. Got to keep on... Continue Reading →
Camino Portugués 2022 – Day 4 – Anha to Vila Praia de Ancora
May 10th 2022 – Day 4 Anha to Vila Praia de AncoraDistance: 23.6km on Gronze.com / 30.59km according to FitbitAlbergue: Albergue D'Avenida Another morning on the Camino Portugués. The sun is breaking through as we woke up. There is another pilgrim in the kitchen availing of some of the buffet breakfast left by our kind hosts. I leave... Continue Reading →
Camino Portugués 2022 – Day 1 – Porto to Vila do Conde
May 7th 2022 - Day 1 Porto to Vila do CondeDistance: 25km from Foz do DouroAlbergue: Balada dos Mares Vila Day One starts...Getting up was the easy part. I was awake at 3am with excitement. My pack was ready on the ground below me as I lay on the top bunk. My pilgrim companions were... Continue Reading →
A few last thoughts before Porto….
It is late on Wednesday in Dublin and in any other day of the week, it is a work evening. I would probably be asleep with an early rise ahead of me for work. It's different this week and it has been for quite some time as the clock has been slowly ticking down. I... Continue Reading →
It’s getting closer…
It's only 7 months since I was on the Camino last (Camino Francés). I look back fondly on that week however it was organised quickly after a long lay-off from travel. I wish I had longer to walk at the time but it was what it was! This Camino from Porto is very much different... Continue Reading →
Weekend Watch #83 – Camino Time Lapse
I stumbled across another great YouTube channel a few weeks ago. This pilgrim provides a time lapse of the first étape of the Camino Francés from St Jean to Roncesvalles. He has been uploading each stage each week and I suggest that you subscribe to his channel. The first stage is a challenging one and... Continue Reading →
A first step on the Camino from 2011
A few days ago, one of those memories popped up in my Facebook feed. It was from 11 years ago - 2011. I was instantly transported back to that time and place. Let me show you the screengrab first of all and I can talk to you about it.. After 4 months of fundraising for... Continue Reading →
Planning for the Next Camino
With only a few months away, it's very difficult to not look forward to the next Camino. I was back volunteering with Camino Society Ireland last Saturday and it felt great to chat to pilgrims either planning their Caminos or who have just returned. During the pandemic, I had been conversing with friends over email,... Continue Reading →
Camino Francés 2021 – Day 4 – Boadilla to Carrion de los Condés
September 4th 2021 - Day 4 Boadilla to Carrion de los CondésDistance: 24.5 kmAlbergue: Hostel Santiago From Boadilla to Carrion de los Condés, the Camino is relatively straight and flat however we are introduced to the monotone Senda del Peregrino - the walkway beside the main road. The temperatures were predicted to be close to... Continue Reading →
Camino Francés 2021 – a Meseta Camino – Burgos
August 30th 2021 - Day 0Dublin to Burgos via Madrid From the 30th of August until the 9th of September 2021, I travelled to Spain to walk along a Meseta Camino from Burgos. It would be the first time I had been abroad since September 2019 and I was eager to throw on my pack... Continue Reading →