Day 18: Sernadelo to Mourisca do Vouga I’ll remember today for how an 8 minute train journey lasted for over 2 hours. There was no breakfast at the hotel and when I left, my Camino friends had already left. I walked down to the supermarket for a coffee and croissant and bought some bread for todays stage to Agueda. It is a…
Day 17: Coimbra to Sernadelo I had a lie in until 8 o’clock showered and packed my stuff before an OK breakfast. Today’s stage to Sernadelo was relatively short, 26kms. The stages after Lisbon haven’t been great, not particularly scenic, partly because of the time of year where there is little life in the fields, so everything is a bit…
Day 16: Condeixa-a-Nova to Coimbra Despite ten hours sleep, I was tired and just as importantly my legs were tired. Today was a short stage, 18 kms to Coimbra, but it was a hard to get through them. It wasn’t helped by being the most boring stage so far, walking along roads. The stage picked up a bit towards the…
Day 15: Ansaio to Condeixa-a-Nova Another 30 kilometer plus day ahead and I woke up feeling a bit rough – not sure whether it is the wine or all the food. Breakfast didn’t live up to the high standard set by the room and I was on the road just before 9 o’clock, feet and legs not in total agreement…
Day 14: Fatima – Freixiande to Ansaio After the rest day yesterday exploring Fatima, I hoped the my feet and right calf would hold up to 26km. I skipped the first 20 km of Rota Carmelita (between Fatima and Coimbra), when I took a rest day yesterday and today I added 6 more kilometers by taking a taxi to Freixiande. After the…
Day 13: Fatima Today was supposed to be a short stage, 20 kilometers, and for the first 5 kilometers, a repetition of yesterdays stage. Following yesterday’s tough stage I decided that I would instead, stay in Fatima and visit the Sanctuary of Fátima. The city is the site of a world-renowned Catholic miracle and is visited by more…
Day 12: Tomar to Fatima I was looking forward to today, but the blister on the sole of my foot was a concern given that the stage was probably the most strenuous I would walk this time around, with lots of climbs and descents, and many rocky paths. This stage is also called the Camino Nascente, and covers 31 kms…
Day 11: Tomar Today was a planned day off from walking. Tomar was famous for it’s knights, and the Knights Templar Castle, as well as the convent, Convento de Cristo. However there were also more pressing things to do, wash my clothes and pick up something to help the blister under my foot. I slept until 8 o’clock,…
Day 10: Golega to Tomar I’m not exactly sure why, but I slept badly. I woke to see that the swelling on my ankle had subsided, and could feel that the muscle I strained yesterday was stiff but OK. I felt that there was a good chance to walk. I woke at 8 o’clock, and as there wasn’t breakfast, I…
Day 9: Santarem to Golega Today’s destination is Golega, famous for its Lucitano horses, its equestrian center and a twice annual horse show that attracts tens of thousands of people. Horse trading has taken place in Golega since the 18th century and although I was only there for a few hours, one feels that it is a wealthy town. Breakfast…
Day 8: Azambuja to Santarem It was difficult to get out of bed – the bed was nice and warm, the room cold. The hostel didn’t serve breakfast, so when I finally made it out of bed and after a quick wash, I was on my way by 8.30. As I left the hostel, I noticed a stork sitting on…
Day 7: Porto Covo to Azambuja Today I was supposed to walk the 19kms to the next town, take a bus to Lisbon and a train to Azambuja, north of Lisbon, where I would start walking towards Porto. I ended the day in Azambuja, but a combination of a train strike and my broken shoes changed my plans. Today’s pictures are…
Day 38: Hirtshals to Børglum Seven months after the previous leg of my Danish pilgrimage, I start out on the final five legs that will take me along the west coast of Jutland from Hirtshals and back to Aars. I’d taken the Monday evening train from Copenhagen to Hirtshals, changing in Aalborg, arriving just before midnight. I managed to get…
Day 37: Byrsted to Aars Theoretically I would today complete my walk along the Ox road, Hærvejen, as with the 22km from Bysted to Aars, I will have walked from Frederikshavn in the north, to Padborg in the south. However, there is an arm of the Ox road to the west, from Hirtshals to Aars, which I need to walk…
Day 36: Aalborg to Byrsted Yet another 30km day, as I left Aalborg and walked south towards Aars. I left Aalborg passing the hospital and Zoo as well as the suburbs of Hasseris and Sofiendal, with great views towards Limfjorden. I passed Drastrup forest, which was fairly hilly, and also with nice views. I continued onwards to Svenstrup church and…
Day 35: Aalborg to Klokkerholm It was a beautiful sunny day when I left the hotel at 7.30 to walk across Aalborg to Vesterbro (West bridge) to catch bus 73 at 8.00. It didn’t come. I waited 20 minutes, slightly frustrated, and had no choice but to walk from Aalborg to Klokkerholm, rather than Klokkerholm to Aalborg. Seen as walking…
Day 34: Thorshøj to Klokkerholm I was up early for an 8.03 bus back to Thorshøj, where I had ended yesterdays walk. The weather was fresh, but sunny. Today I head a deadline, 16.42 in Klokkerholm, 30km away, for a bus towards Aalborg. I had plenty of time, so I managed to take a picture of Frederikshavn Church and Krudttårnet,…
Day 33: Frederikshavn to Thorshøj It is almost 3 weeks since I arrived at the German border. Today I am at the northern end of Jutland in the fishing port of Frederikshavn, ready to walk towards Aars, where I also visited on day 21, when I started my walk along the Ox road (Hærvejen). I expect to walk for 5…
Day 32: SønderJyllands Golf to Rønsdam Day 32 on my Danish pilgrimage took me 21kms to Padborg. My wife and I had stayed in Vedsted and she drove me to the spot she picked me up yesterday and I continued south. The sun was shining and it was perfect walking weather for the short walk to the German border. I’d barely…
Day 31: Vedsted to SønderJyllands Golf Club Today I walked pretty much direct south after spending the night at Slukefter Kroen i Vedsted. It was a grey start to the day as I walked along country paths towards the first attraction of the day. With 800 to 1000 cattle passing along the Ox road daily, it was important that there were bridge…
