One step at a time
Hi, I'm 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.
Mid 2022, I stopped working and my wife meant that I needed a project. After some thought, I decided to walk from Sagres on the Algarve in Portugal, to Rome in Italy. Therefore, I have walked various, often not so popular, but always fabulous paths in Portugal, Spain, France, Italy, Austria, Germany and Switzerland.
After reaching Rome in September 2025, I'm now walking north, from Rome to my home in Copenhagen.
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.
Visit the blogSagres to Rome to Home
Latest posts
Day 199: Meilingen to Füssen
September 20, 2026 After a great breakfast I was on my way on a short 12km trip to Füssen, on the Austrian-German border. Today marks the end of my autumn journey where I have walked ca. 600km in Italy, Switzerland, Austria, Liechtenstein and Germany. Five countries on one trip, I don't think that I ever walked in more… Read more >
Day 198: Rettenberg to Meilingen
September 19, 2026 The church bells rang all night. Once at quarter past, twice at half past, three times at quarter to and four times on the hour. On the hour the four chimes were followed by the time of day, twice - so at 5am the bell rang 14 times. But it got worse, at 6am, beyond… Read more >
Day 197: Oberstaufen to Rettenberg September 18, 2026 A day that didn't live up to the very high standards set by yesterday's hike, but enjoyable non the less. 26km and the only noticeable climb was at the end, climbing into Rettenberg. I had a good nights sleep and an enjoyable breakfast. The man managing the breakfast room knew everybody, many giving him a… Read more >
Day 196: Bregenz to Oberstaufen September 17, 2026 What a beautiful day. A beautiful stage through the green and rolling hills of the lower Alps. Beautiful weather, sunny with mostly blue skies, no wind and temperatures in the lower 20’s. The Bergenz JUFA offer a very nice and varied breakfast and I was down to enjoy it just after 7 o’clock. I would… Read more >
Day 195: Lustenau to Bregenz
September 16, 2026 Day 18 of this trip and my 195th walking day since leaving Sagres. Today I reached Bregenz which marks the end of the Via Francisca del Lucomagno for me. As I mentioned in an earlier post, the official route ends in Constance in Switzerland, elsewhere on the Lake Constance. Today is a two part walk.… Read more >
Day 194: Ruggel to Lustenau
September 15, 2026 The most noteworthy thing from today's walk was that I visited three countries. I started in Liechtenstein, walked through Switzerland and ended up in Austria. A first for me. I have never walked in three countries in one day before. Otherwise it was a very uneventful day. I walked 24km and there was 100m of… Read more >Walking trails
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.