One step at a time
My name is Steven Bloom. I started this blog when I was about to embark on the journey of a lifetime, visiting 88 temples on the island of Shikoku in Japan. It was fantastic, so in 2019 I went back and followed several of the beautiful Kumano Kodo routes on the Kii Peninsula.
During the Corona years I walked 1200km through Denmark following the Danish Pilgrimage.
In 2023 I stopped working and my meant that I needed a project. So I decided to walk from Sagres on the Algarve in Portugal, to Rome in Italy. Therefore, I have walked various, often not so popular, fabulous paths in Portugal, Spain, France and Italy.
This blog is written for me to enjoy in later life, but feel free. I hope you enjoy it, and that it perhaps can motivate somebody to walk, or walk a less trodden path.
Go to the blogSagres to Rome
When I stopped working in June 2022, my wife said that I needed a project! Whilst walking the Fisherman’s Trail, Camino Portuguese and Lighthouse Way during 2023, an idea developed that I should continue to Rome. That should take a few years! At the end of 2024, I have now walked 5 of an expected 8 stages to cover the more than 5.000 kms between Sagres and Rome. In 2025 I plan to continue from Toulouse to Vence in France, La Spezia to Rome in Italy, and fill in the missing bits in Spain and Portugal that I didn’t walk.
The eight stages
Latest posts
Day 26: Noja to Santander 
September 22, 2024 My last day on the road as I return to Santander, where I started stage 4 in the spring. "Only" 29km and 600 elevation gain, so a fairly relaxing end to Stage 5 of my walk to Rome. Two ladies at dinner last night told me that their weather apps predicted rain all day. Mine… Read more >
Day 25: Castro-Urdiales to Noja September 21, 2024 It was a long day. The planned route was 40+ km and an elevation of almost 1.000m. Setting off, I hoped to make it to Laredo, 25km away, by 13.00, from where a boat sails to a lighthouse and drops me off at the next town, saving 5km. It was a good plan, but didn't… Read more >
Day 24: Getxo to Castro-Urdiales September 20, 2024 What was supposed to be a 24km day turned out to be much more, partly thanks to lack of signs, missed signs and a closed path, which lead to longer detours. So instead of 24km, I ended up walking 30km. The day started sunny and bright, and lasted until early evening, As I write this,… Read more >
Day 23: Guernica to Lezama September 19, 2024 A short walk, 21km with 630m elevation, but a busy day. Lene flew back to Copenhagen, so we walked to the airport bus, said our goodbye’s and I walked 500m further to the bus stop for Guernica, where I had ended up on Sunday (day 21) before meeting Lene. It was 10.30 by the time… Read more >
Day 22: Lezama to Getxo, via Bilbao September 17, 2024 Yesterday I had a rest day, spent in Bilbao with my wife, Lene, visiting the Guggenheim Museum, walking around town and taking the Funicular up into the hills above Bilbao for great views of the city. This morning I took a bus to Lezama and walked 13km back into into Bilbao. The first kilometers were… Read more >
Day 21: Markina Xemien to Guernica September 15, 2024 A quiet day on generally dry paths, only some mud, so a big improvement on the previous days. Pretty hilly, with a cold start (below 10 degrees), but it was sunny all day, so it soon warmed up. I met a lot of follow walkers including a Dane who now lives on Vancouver island in… Read more >My walking adventures
Explore
Temples and Shrines
Vajra and Ema, Tori gates and Shitenno, Jizo and Omikuji. There's a lot to learn about Japanese Temples and Shrines. Read some of the things I've learnt when in Japan, many that I'd wished I'd known the first time I visited.
Japan is just different
Plastic food, white gloves, love of trains, pachinoko, toilets, manholes, social distance and futons. Japan is just different in so many different ways. Read about some of the differences I've experienced in Japan during my visits.
About me
That I was just following my feet, was something I often thought about during my pilgrimage to Shikoku, Japan, in 2018. I walked for 38 days, and at times it felt like my feet were walking, and the rest of my body just following.