Postcript

Colourful pumpkins on the last morning near Santiago

It's been 14 days since my arrival into Santiago: time to absorb the benefits of the walk from a distance, time to settle back into home routines,  and look forward to babysitting duties ahead. There has been time to marvel at the donations received and to offer thanks for the trust and generosity of people I know and those I don't know.
A huge donation of almost €8,000 has brought the total benefit to Breakthrough Cancer Research to over €11,000 - a sum I would never have thought possible from a simple walk along the Camino Portuguese.  Thank you from the bottom of my heart to all who have given so generously.  Thanks to my wonderful daughter Sarah for inspiring us all, and thanks to Breakthrough for the revolutionary cancer research they continue to promote and encourage.

A sunny break by the river - Day 12

My backpack is safely stowed on board Tango and is spending the winter in Vigo.  The boots have come back with me and will bring me through autumn and winter walks nearer home.  The lure of other caminos is still strong - who knows where to next?

Tango's winter quarters in Vigo near Santiago

Journey's End

The journey is over - the goal has been reached!
On Thursday afternoon I arrived at the great cathedral of Santiago de Compostela in glorious sunshine.  It had been a very wet night and rain-gear was donned on setting out from the modern albergue at Milladoiro, an easy 6km walk from Santiago.  But after an hour the rain cleared and the clouds blew away, and I was able to appreciate the newly cleaned facade of the cathedral from a vantage point in the Alameda, a green space at the edge of the old town.  A kindly stranger took my picture there, as did another right at the end of my walk. 

Arriving alone was strange.  Friends I had made on the way,  being so much faster,  were already en route to their respective homes.  However, the Camino office has a welcoming service which proved to be a godsend, and next morning having obtained my certificate of completion I attended an intimate mass in English in a side chapel of the cathedral, followed by a relaxed session at the Camino centre.  It was a fitting end to what has been a wonderful experience.  The Breakthrough Cancer Research tee-shirt carried the message "Hope lives here".

The significant bit is near the end!

 152 kms over 13 days gives a pretty poor daily average,  but I found this probably the best camino experience ever, and savoured every moment.  Some days were tougher than others, some nights didn't offer a lot of sleep, but overall the magic of simple pleasures, shared stories, and warm companionship cheered the heart and made it all worthwhile

Thank you all who have contributed to the charity, either through the Everydayhero site or directly to me.  Please let others know and spread the word.

Almost there!

It's 6.00 am on the 13th and final morning of my Camino.  The rain has been pouring down most of the night and my wet gear is in readiness by my bunk.  It has spent all this time deep in the bottom of my backpack, adding to my weight, but now its day has come.  Galicia, like Ireland, isn't green by chance.  12 days of glorious sunshine have finally yielded to the inevitable!

I am in a sparkling new albergue in the dormitory town of Milladoiro  7 km from Santiago.  As my daily average is a puny 12km, this will allow me reach journey's end by early afternoon, not in time for the packed midday mass when pilgrims' nationalities and points of departure are announced, but rather for the more intimate evening services.  I still don't have a confirmed bed for tonight, but no doubt one will be provided!

Here are some more photos from the last few days,  when Frank came to join me and get a taste of the adventure!

Sunny smiles

Ten days on the road

It's hard to believe I am into my 10th day of this amazing walk!  There have been wonderful encounters with very special people, aged from 19 to 82, some on their way back from Santiago, others heading there for the first time.  Most are carrying their packs, but many are opting for the excellent delivery service and walk relatively unencumbered.

Glorious swathes of countryside lead onto shady woodland paths, ancient villages and tiny churches delight the eye, and there are mercifully short stretches along busy roads.

The Camino Portuguese has improved hugely since we were last here in 2009, and has become very popular. As Friday was a bank holiday in Portugal hundreds of cyclists used the opportunity to get to Santiago and back, so the paths were very busy: today all is once again tranquil as I head for a Franciscan monastery a couple of hours away.  Santiago awaits!

Thank you all for the wonderful support: if you want to spread the word the Breakthrough Cancer Research donation site link is to the right!

En camino!

I am in a lovely liittle village near Vigo enjoying a lay day after a hot and unintended 22 kms yesterday! Having originally planned to start the walk on October 1, this is in fact my 4th day on the road, and the miles were beginning to count.  So far I have mostly stayed in public hostels run for pilgrims by voluntary bodies, but yesterday a new-found friend booked me into a posh private place in Porrino, and for the extra 4 euro we had sheets and pillowcases and relative privacy which was delightful.  Tonight though I am back with the plebs in this lovely place only 5.6 kms walk, with time to catch up on my washing and recover my strength.

There is a big hill to be tackled in the morning which will be in the cool before the 28 degrees expected (as today) so I feel well up to it:  last night I didnt arrive til 8.30 pm which is not ideal.

My walk began in Ponte de Lima and I had a relatively easy day to Rubiaes as a kindly local wine grower/taxi driver transported me over the mountain pass which would have been impossible for my first outing.  Sunday was an easy 15km to the border town of Valenca with its fortified old town overlooking the river, and then across the bridge into Tui in Galiciafor a change of hour and long long hike through gorgeous countryside.

Below some borrowed pics which I hope will transport.   Valenca on the top, Tui Cathedral opposite which we had breakfast yesterday, and my abode in the hills near Vigo









So far the camino has been all I had hoped for: glorious countryside, great weather and a wide range of people to befriend and with whom to share experiences.  The spirit of cooperation is very strong and there are many instances of generosity.  Because of the long day yesterday I didnt think about my cash situation, but discoverd on arriving here that I barely had enough to cover the hostel, and there is no ATM for miles! However, I have been able to run up a tab at the excellent taperia across the road and the owner and staff have become new friends!  I will dine there tonight on pimientos de padron and chipirrones, two of my favourite Galician specialities.

I have taken masses of photos but sadly lack the techincal know-how to transfer them from my phone to this municipal computer which allows me ease of typing, but we will have to wait until a techie comes to hand to get over that hurdle!

Tomorrow will probably be a simple 15 km or I could push an extra little bit and be beside the sea.  We wait and see!  Buen camino to one and all, and many thanks for the continuing donations

Hasta la proxima!

Light load!

All packed and a lot lighter than I previously posted.  Total load comes to a very reasonable 6 lbs, 2.7 kg.  In fact we have always managed to come in at less than 7 lbs, and not the 7 kg which some people would feel was very manageable.  This should make the going relatively easy, particularly over hilly ground.

 

I've brought forward the start day and will be heading for Ponte de Lima tomorrow and hiking from there.  Meanwhile my offshore support team will also be heading northwards and are bound to pass me out before long.  

Next episode en route!  Buen camino to all!

Packing the bag

Way back in April 2010 I posted a photo of what I was packing for the 20-day, 360km section of the Camino Frances from Sahagun to Santiago de Compostela.

 
It seems surprisingly little for a journey of almost three weeks, but the good washing facilities at most hostels keep the load light.  I feel nostalgic about my little clam-shell phone and separate camera - this time a smartphone will cover both functions and replace a computer!  My trusty backpack, hidden behind the Friends of Londiani tee-shirt in the picture, will be with me again this trip, as it has been for all my wanderings, though my boots are newer and I have graduated to a smarter pair of Crocs!  I found my poncho, but it needs resealing at the seams and I am awaiting some magic tape from Amazon to put it right.

This time my goal is a much humbler one of 128 kms of the Camino Portugues over 10 days, but given the  intervening years and less co-operative hips and knees, it seems to make more sense. I will start at an albergue in Pacos, 9kms south of Valenca, which is the last Portuguese town on the Camino before the river Minho/Mino, and the border with Spain.  Run by a Canadian couple,  this hostel gets good reviews and will provide dinner as well as bunk and breakfast, so it will be a social opportunity to get to know other pilgrims, whom I probably won't meet again as they will be doing much longer days than I am aiming for.  It will be good to spend two nights on Portuguese soil before I cross the river into Galicia, and change time zones.

Map John Brierley ©

Starting on Monday October first I hope to be in Santiago by Oct 11.  Most of the territory will be familiar, as Frank and I walked from Porto in October 2009, but there have been improvements in the infrastructure since then and some welcome diversions off busy roads.  I will find it difficult to update the blog via my phone and clumsy fingers,  so please bear with me!

Hasta la proxima!

I

Following example

On this lovely sunny Sunday when daughter Sarah and 11-year-old grand daughter Ellen have completed the Cork Mini-Marathon for the Mercy Hospital, and my better half has scaled the peak of Ireland's highest mountain on behalf of Brighter Communities Worldwide, it's time to follow their example and look ahead at the next challenge.

The response to my appeal for Breakthrough Cancer Research has been absolutely amazing and I am hugely heartened and encouraged by it.  Thank you for donations and messages of encouragement so gratefully received.

Flights are booked to Porto for September 26th, and fingers are crossed that European-based Ryanair cabin crew won't escalate their strike planned for Friday 28th.  I will start the walk a few days later from a little north of Porto, and head towards Santiago as best I can over 14 days.  There may have to be resort to the odd bus, or even (whisper it!) a taxi, depending how the flagging body holds up, but I will keep in touch with the blog via smartphone (if I can manage to type on the tiny keypad) and hopefully not indulge in too much "cheating"en route.

Now, where did I leave my poncho?  Packing list to follow, once I've found everything!

Training continues

There has been such a huge and heartening response to my appeal for donations for Breakthrough Cancer Research that I am determined to be ready for the big walk in a little over two week's time.
This weekend Frank and I were in Mayo and did a short scramble up the lower slopes of Croagh Patrick - initially in the rain but then beneath clearing skies.  The views were wonderful, and our delicious BandB breakfast afterwards tasted like heaven!

The Reek cloud capped

 

Sunshine on the way down

View of the Reek from the lovely Elmgrove BandB, Murrisk

Donation page open

At last the donation page for Breakthrough Cancer Research is up and running.  Click here to read about the charity and my planned walk.  There has already been a huge response and I am so grateful to family, friends, and friends of friends!  Go raibh mile maith agaibh go leir!

Training continues, and on Sunday morning we hope to be on the lower slopes of Croagh Patrick.  Flights to Porto have been booked and there are three weeks left before the walk begins. It's beginning to get exciting!

Sorrows and Joy

The loss of my niece Jess's baby daughter has saddened us all. Little Heidi didn't get a chance at life, and has left an immeasurable hole in the hearts of her parents, grand parents, and all the family.  It is at times like this that Australia is a long long way from Ireland. 


Unaware of the sadness ahead, grandaughter Kate and I had a great few days in Paris.  Admittedly we only walked to the second level of the Eiffel Tower, but at 704 steps up and 704 steps back down in top 20s temperatures, it was not a paltry achievement.  Afterwards we treated ourselves to a long and leisurely round trip on the river bus to recuperate before cooling down the delightful aquarium nearby.

Cooling the sore feet after the Eiffel Tower

We also climbed the tower of Notre Dame cathedral - a first for me, as was the aquarium visit.  Letting the grandchild choose the itinerary has great benefits!  While there were only a mere 240 steps to the first level, they were more difficult as they spiraled up and were worn and smooth, unlike Eiffel's cast iron steps.  However, the views from the gallery more than made up for loss of breath and creaky knees.

From Notre Dame to the Eiffel Tower

Camino training is well underway, and the walk still planned for the end of September, so please watch this space for updates.  Sarah continues to make great progress and ongoing cancer research needs our support.

Buen camino!

The Beara Way

It is high time I updated the blog!  Plans change and summer has its pleasant demands with visitors to entertain and grandchildren to care for - not that we would qualify for Mr Shane Ross's grand grant!

A recent chance to visit the UK's South Downs in the company of old college friends was greatly relished, and the sun shone for a full week. Early morning was the best time to sample the glorious undulating paths there before the heat became overpowering.

We have managed only a single day of the lovely Beara Way, and intend to do more, but meanwhile have been busy with shorter local walks and a daily swim in the amazingly warm Atlantic.

Sandstone boulders, Beara Way near Glengarriff

The Healy Pass

The Healy Pass : Glanmore Lake and Kenmare Bay

I have pushed back the Camino date to the end of September, and will set up the donation site before then.  The actual venue remains to be decided, depending on my capability nearer the time.  Meanwhile I am heading to Paris next week for a few days with grandchild No 4 : it has been a ritual to introduce them singly to the wonders of my favourite city, with the itinerary left in the hands of each one in their turn: this requires research and planning on their part, and I get to visit places I might not otherwise see.  The trip will demand a good bit of exercise and so qualifies for the current training plan!

Au revoir until next time!

Beginning near home

Not having done any serious walking since October 2014 there is a definite need for some sort of fitness regime to be underway.  With a dodgy hip causing a limp, and need for a stick, my normal daily trek of an hour has stretched by 30 minutes, with perhaps a 3 minute rest half way.  Blessed as we are to be living on the coast, this walk encompasses seashore and woodland, and is filled with interest and delight.  What a joy it has been to welcome the spring and witness the early leaves and pungent wild garlic, and then the sweep of bluebells enchanted the eye.  Sea pinks seem better than ever this year, and for the first time I have spotted the white variety down near our swimming spot.
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The beach at Fountainstown

Sea pinks and pebbles with samphire

Near Shell Hole May 2018

Definitely white

Beech trees and bluebells near Crosshaven

Besides these daily rambles to or from Crosshaven, we have decided to pick up the pace a little and try some of the great Irish walks on our doorstep.  The first planned for is a part of the beautiful Beara Way which lies astride the Cork and Kerry border.  The wild Beara peninsula was a favourite destination for my sister Sue, another early cancer victim who died  far too young at 45, but it is an area we know hardly at all, so our walk will be by way of a pilgrimage in itself as we explore an area she loved.

The full walk takes up to 9 days but we will initially attempt a 2-day journey and see how it goes. The relevant guide book has been purchased,  the boots are polished, the knapsack readied and rain gear uppermost  - though now that we are into the third week of glorious sunshine are we being too practical?  Ireland is looking like never before,  and we hope and pray the good weather will last!

Ar Aghaidh Linn !

Going west - Camino Frances

It took me 4 years to complete the 790 kms of The French Way  

It did not follow a fluid start-to-finish course, but rather was broken into three distinct attempts. I initially began alone, on the eve of my 65th birthday in May 2010, at the walled town of Manzilla de las Mulas near Leon.  Frank joined me twelve days later at Sarria, which has become an increasingly popular launch pad for Santiago, being the required 100+km from the cathedral (120 km).  Five days later we proudly collected our certificates of completion - the compostelas - and added them to those gained after our Camino Ingles in May 2007 and Camino Portugues in September 2009.  I had walked about 340km and was grateful to receive wonderful sponsorship towards a Cork based African charity.  This walk in covered earlier in my blog  check here

Monument to pilgrims at Manzilla de las Mulas

 

At Leon Cathedral after rain - May 2010

Maker of sturdy pilgrim staffs  (bordon in Spanish)

Church at Vilar de Mazarife - with protection for storks' nests!

In September 2013 Frank and I tackled the very start of the Spanish Camino Frances from the French Pyrenean village of St Jean Pied de Port and made the demanding ascent to Orisson and Roncesvalles.  I never thought I would be able to manage such a sustained mountain climb, but we sensibly made our first day a short one of only 8 km and were thus more able to manage the continuing ascent next morning, covering a climb of 1280 m!  There was a huge sense of achievement when we finally reached the Col de Lepoeder and could coast down the remaining 5 km to Roncesvalles where the large Dutch-run albergue Orreaga, originally founded in 1127, provided spotless accommodation.  We were blessed with fine weather and the views were breathtaking, though altitude sickness made the going an extra bit tough.  Three days later we were in the famed city of Pamplona.

The evening before departing St Jean Pied de Port - Frank cut staves for us both

View from the hostel at Orisson

 

Day 2 begins and the climb rewards

Hostel at Roscesvalles: one has been in existence here since 1127

 

Gate in the city walls at Pamplona

In October 2014 I decided again to walk for charity, this time ironically for the Cork-based Breakthrough Cancer Research  (not knowing that our youngest daughter was to be diagnosed with Stage VI bowel cancer shortly after my return home).  The final 340km section of my Camino Frances awaited, from Pamplona to Manzilla.  Frank accompanied me for the initial 10 days until Burgos and nine days later I completed my camino at Manzilla and walked on the additional 18km to revisit Leon. Having already tackled the tough mountain stages this was a relatively easy and varied walk.  Occasional blisters and aching bodies are soon cured and one becomes hardened after a few days on the march.  The terrain was mixed and beautiful : huge undulating fields of dying sunflowers, acres of grazing for herds of sheep, vineyards and villages and magnificent cathedrals and sections of Roman roads.   Alone I made good friends along the way, and was heartened by the generosity and kindness extended by young and old alike.   In celebration at having finally completed my Camino Frances I spent the final night of luxury at Leon's beautiful  Hotel Real Colegiata 

An account of that walk is here

Cloister, Pamplona Cathedral 2014

One of Spain's few canals - Canal de Castilla

Sheep and Shepherd near Estella

XII century Templar church at Villacazar

Full circle: back at Leon Cathedral - this time in sunshine  Oct 2014

I came home to the reality of our youngest daughter's cancer:  how fitting that a charity based on cancer research had been the beneficiary of my final section of the Camino Frances.   I plan to walk again for Breakthrough Cancer Research, this time with more determination as Sarah's continuing path towards good health depends so much on quality research for newer and better ways to combat metastatic cancer.  Check out Sarah's uplifting blog here.

 And to answer my initial question - which camino is the best?  Each of the four I have sampled has its highs and lows, but I feel more and more drawn towards the path less traveled.  The last 120 km of the Camino Frances are in my view over busy with chartered groups, and as a solitary pilgrim I seek quieter routes to Santiago.  Now actively in training I look forward to walking in September,  and depending on fitness level will spend one or two weeks on the road - on which path I am not yet sure!   The glorious weather we are currently enjoying in Ireland is a big help in getting fit. 

Over the summer a donation site will be set up and notification given.  Thanks so much for your continuing interest and support!  

Go n-éirí an bóthar linn