Another early start at 6am, however this time in a municipal accomodation there is no breakfast. In fact there were no lights at all on the floor the showers were. Trying to shower and get changed using the flashlight on your phone is a new experience. Plus they were communal! Setting out was another start leaving the outskirts of the city of Estella, before passing back into the fields and rolling hills. Our first stop, at 7.30 was at Irache Monastery. Where they have the in

Monday was a day of trudging. Today is the start of the Plodding. The paths we are walking aren't as strenuous but the long days walks require physical and mental strength to keep walking. Everything aches. The soles of our feet, knees, backs, hips and heads (that last one is probably the wine!). The bustle of the morning starts each day around 6am when everyone wakes up, gingerly rising from bed onto sore legs, get washed and changed for the day, basic breakfast and we are u

The best thing each day has to be the shower. I cannot explain how something so simple as hot water can change everything about how you are feeling. Tiredness, sweat and aches of the body and mind can be washed away by hot water. This morning started with us leaving our apartment happy and content after some excellent burgers and an amazing shower last night. The first few kilometres followed roads leading out of the city before we hit rolling hills of green and fields of yel

Today was a shorter day travelling out of the Pyrenees and into our first major town - Pamplona - famous for the running of the bulls. We were up as seems to be the norm around 6a.m. with breakfast (toast, coffee and orange juice) before hitting the trail. Despite how much it hurt last night we were glad to not have those few kilometres of hell to start our day! We made a better pace following a lovely track along the river with a few steep and treachourous downhills. The we

The Camino is a journey of interwoven paths. yesterday as we struggled up the hills we met a German chap stood next to his car. We had a good chat and asked how come he was so high up the mountain (around 10km into the walk). He said he had just dropped off his girlfriend as she was walking the camino. He said if we happened to bump into her to tell her that he loves her, is very proud of her and that she can do it! Last night at dinner she was sat next to us! She got emotion

5.45 the alarm went off. The excitement and the dread set in at the same time. We are beginning our Camino with a 24.7km hike over the Pyrenees. The total ascent is similar to climbing Ben Nevis and we will both be carrying a pack. At 7a.m. we had made our way into SJPDP loaded up and ready to go. We took a few steps. And stopped for Mum to take some photos. We took a few more steps and I stopped at the bakery for a pastry. Another few steps. More photos. Nik sighed! We waved

We are at the start of the Camino in a picturesque French town in the foot of the Pyrenees called Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port. Today is the final preparations, getting the rucksacks packed and ready to go, and heading into SJPDP to pick up Camino passports and a scallop shell. The passport is stamped at pilgrim sites along the route such as restaurants and accomodations and proves the pilgrim has completed the journey. The scallop shell is the symbol of the Camino as it shows all

Yesterday was my last day at work. Out of office on and BBQ with friends until the early hours to celebrate. Today is a rough one but at least I can relax for a few days before the flight. Here we go!!

Today the countdown hits 4 weeks to go. This means a bit more of an uplift in the amount of walking, aiming to get at least 3 10-12 mile walks in the next three weeks. The final week before starting will be spent in Barcelona, relaxing. Time to get the boots on and stretch my legs....

At the end of the 60 day workout, with all the effort of organisation done, it is time to give the full load out a test. The weather is not looking too bad, so at 10.30 A.M. I meet my friend Justin in Huddersfield. He is crazy enough to agree to a test walk with me to Leeds, on the promise of burgers and beers on arrival. The first few miles takes us along the Huddersfield canal, passing by Huddersfield centre and heading out towards Leeds. 90 minutes or so in and we reach co

So this last few weeks have been a focus on the packing list and packing. Thanks to the Camino Forum and its members in helping challenge what I'm carrying. I have really pulled the sticky plaster off a lot of what I had planned to take and I now have all the items here and organised. Check out the tips page and the Full Pack list to see what im taking. Check out https://www.caminodesantiago.me/ fo5r more advice, tips and support on pack lists!

So one of the big things I have been thinking about in the approach to the Camino is the amount of weight I am carrying in my pack. Loads of thought has gone into what im carrying, how much it weighs, shave a few grams of the backpack. But then my spare tyre around the belly weighs more than my entire pack.... So New Year, New Me and all that - its time to start a diet plan. I have chosen "insanity" a 60 day HIIT programme, with a calorie controlled diet. And Dry January. Wh