Blog – Page 8 – Following your feet

Day 56: Nueva to Colunga

Yesterday I was sitting in the sunshine, today it is cold and cloudy, and just now I am doing my favourite activity whilst travelling, washing clothes at the local laundromat. I carry clothes for 5-6 days – I’d rather carry more clothes than wash more frequently – some people only carry clothes for 2 days…

Day 55: Puertas to Nueva

A beautiful days walking in the sun, a dramatic nose bleed, inland beach and stone arch at the end of a gorge. I’m writing this sitting on a bench in the small town of Nueva. It’s late but warm, as it has been all day. I was on the road by 9.00 after a nice…

Day 60: San Vicente de la Barquera to Puertas

Another great day walking. Beautiful sunny weather, but windy, so it didn’t feel too hot, but hot enough to walk in shorts and a t-shirt. After an early breakfast, I was leaving San Vicente by 8.30. When I arrived yesterday the town was packed, now Sunday morning, I only met a few young who had…

Day 54: Santillana del Mar to San Vicente de la Barquera

It was a long day where I was off track to see Gaudi’s summer cottage and Santana helped me through the last 7 or so kms. A planned 33km with 800m elevation, ended up as 36kms and a couple of tired feet at the end of the day. To make it worse, the whole day…

Day 53: Boo de Pielagos to Santillana del Mar

If it’s going to rain, it should rain on days like today, the next shortest stage, lots of industry and lots of road walking. That wasn’t the case – glorious sunshine all day. After breakfast I took the train to Mogro, as did 10 or so other pilgrims. I did not realise that Santander has…

Day 52: Santander to Boo de Pielagos

The weather could have been better for a first day walking, a mix of pretty much everything – wind, rain, sun, cold and warm. But the walking was fantastic. It is difficult to understand that the majority of pilgrims walk through the outskirts of the city, all road and a mix of housing, commercial businesses…

Copenhagen to Santander

Today I embark on the 4th stage of my walk between Sagres on the Algarve coast of Portugal and the Italian capital, Rome. My three previous stages took me from Sagres to Porto, Porto to A Coruna in northern Spain, and Roquefort on the Cote d’Azur to La Spezia in the Cinque Terre National Park…

Via della Costa – Conclusion

Spectacular villages nested on mountains or clinging to the coast, pastel coloured house, rugged coastlines, sandy beaches, high mounts and great food on top. What more could anybody setting off on a hike want? Starting March 5th 2024, I walked for 16 days, 3 in France along the Via Aurelia and 13 in Italy along…

Pictures from Cinque Terre

Cinque Terre, the five towns, is a string of five ancient fishing villages clinging to the coastline, surrounded by mountains (up to ca. 800m). The tiny villages were until recently linked only by mule tracks and accessible only by rail or water. Beyond the five villages, Cinque Terre is also a National Park and a…

Day 51: Levanto to La Spezia

Changed plans, a thousand or more steps, the sun above but cloud below and the highest elevation profile of the whole trip. The original plan was to walk from Levanto, to the first of the five villages in Cinque Terre and then walk along the coast from village to village. Unfortunately, the paths along the…

Day 50: Sestri Levante to Levanto

30km on another beautiful day for walking, 1300m elevation, 40% inclines and walking through a 5km long tunnel. I suppose it is a sign of just how fabulous the views have been throughout this trip, that one eventually can hardly be bothered to take my camera out of its clip on my daypack, to take…

Day 49: Camogli to Sestri Levante

A great day in the sun, lots of ups and downs, beautiful towns and a night in a historic home, and not to forget, burnt cream and sugar for dessert. Today was a long day, 33kms and 1166m elevation. I took the train from Genova station, conveniently close by, to Camogli. The train was delayed,…

Day 48: Genova to Camogli

Short 21km walk to Camolgli. Mostly road walking in rain, but wow, the towns I passed and visited were fantastic. When I planned the trip, I had built up an expectation that today it would be sunny. Every picture of Camogli I have seen, the sun was shining. I’d planned a short day, so Lene…

Pictures of Genova

Today I should have walked 20km from the Genova neighbourhood Voltri, where I finished yesterday, to the centre of the city. The walk would have taken me along the coast past the container docks, the airport and the massive cruise ship terminal. Instead, I decided to walk the 19km, but sightseeing in Genova. The owner…

Day 47: Celle Ligure to Genova (Voltri)

A closed tunnel causses a 3km detour and an unexpected Milan-San Remo cycle classic. Today should have been an easy 20km trip along the coast with next to no ascent. Thanks to a closed tunnel, I had a more than 3km detour, including a number of climbs, so I ended up with over 400m ascent.…

Day 46: Spotorno to Celle Ligure

Don’t trust the weather forecast. I did 🙁 . Wild boar, Danish art by Asger Jorn and Olmo bicycles. A shorter walk today, 23 km and a mere 538m in ascent. The day started in the forest before reaching the coast and staying there through Savona and onto Celle Ligure. The weather forecast said cloudy,…

Day 45: Alassio to Andora/Finale Ligure to Spotorno

The Italian wall of fame, miniature cakes and new baked biscuits in the middle of nowhere. A sunny day, walking 28kms and an ascent of 890m. On day 6 I finished walking in Andora, but started day 7 in Alassio (where we are were staying). Today I walked the 12kms from Alassio to Andora, whereafter…

Day 44: Alassio to Finale Ligure

Today I could really feel the breath of history underfoot during the 30km with 794m ascent walk to Finale Ligure. Yesterday I finished in Andora and spent the night ca. 10km further along the trail outside Alassio. So today I started just 50m from where we were staying, and will walk the missing kilometers between…

Day 43: Torrazza to Andora

A long day with long climbs, closed churches, wet feet and a black pizza. After a good nights sleep and fine breakfast, I left Lene in Torrazza and set off down the hill from the village, passing the villages other church (even the smallest village seems to have two churches) and crossing the Prino River…

Day 42: San Remo to Torrazza

Today I suffered for my breakfast choice, found a packed church at 11am on a Monday, got wet feet despite no rain, walked through 5 hill top villages and missed Lene by 200m. All in all, a pleasant days walking in primarily cloudy conditions, no rain, 32km and 1080m ascent. I had taken a croissant for…

Day 41: Menton to San Remo

My first day walking in Italy, and a missed opportunity which could have made a not particularly inspiring walk more interesting! In France I was walking the GR653A, also known as Via Aurelia, whilst in Italy, the path continues as the Via della Costa. It will be interesting to see the difference – if any.…