Pilgrim's Progress - latest update - 10th July
Arrival in Santiago!
Our pilgrims have completed their journey and arrived in Santiago on the morning of 2nd July.
Thanks be to God.
News and progress reports on Marianne and Ann's pilgrimage to Santiago de Compostela
- Monday 14th April - Bournemouth Coach Station
- Tuesaday 15th April - Sussex
- Wednesday 16 th April - Flight out
- Thursday 17th April - St-Jean Pied-de-Port
- Sunday 20th April - Viscarret, 38 Km covered. Coping ok but having pretty bad weather – wind, rain and mud!
- Thursday 24th April - on the western side of Pamplona, near Urtega - 84 Km covered.. Next stop will be Fuenta de la Reina. They are now out of the Pyrenées, it was up and then down to Pamplona but now a bit flatter. It has got very warm but also muddy so hard going.
- Sunday 27th April - at Lorca - inverviewed live on BBC Radio Solent! About 100Km covered.
- Thursday 1st May at Logrono - 150 Km covered. Still warm, but with cooler winds. The going is good to fair and our pilgrims are enjoying the local produce (this is Rioja contry!).
- Saturday 3rd May - at Najera. Everywhere is busy with the Bank Holiday, so they are having to join the queue for a matress at the local sports hall. Distance so far is 180 Km.- that's 25% done.
Friday 9th May - at Villa Franca de Montas de Ocha and has done 230 km, ie about 1/3 of the way! The hot weather they had has changed so it is now cold and raining. The landscape has been changing as they go, from the Navarra which was wet but full of spring flowers including poppies gave way to the Rioja with its vineyards, and then mixed arable land with great curving swathes in the landscape resembing golf courses from a distance! They are now is in the Castille and Leon region, about 35km from Burgos. They have been enjoying the scenery and doing short hops, but reckon they are now walking at between 3-4km per hour! They now have a longer, hilly and wooded tract to do with less facilities and have to take food etc with them before they get to Burgos. Click here for map - Wednesday 15th May - at Hontanas, a little village, and has covered 294 Km - 419 km to go.Marianne bought new boots in Burgos, wore them straight away and at under £40 is delighted with them! Click here for map
- Saturday 17th May - They are at Boadilla del Camino, just east of Formista. 318Km covered - that's almost half way. The weather can be quite hot in the day but cold winds and so it is about regulating the temperature. Click here for map
- Tuesday 20th May - Our Pilgrims are now in Calzadilla de la Cueza = half way! = 360 Km. They have had 17Km of pebbly straight path across the meseta (plain). Click here for map
- Friday 23rd May - In Sahagun, There were many pilgrims which makes getting accommodation more interesting, but they were now settling into a pattern of up at 6.30 am, leaving at 8 am, and walk for about 4 hours, with a break at the halfway mark which may be an omelette, or sausage and cheese etc. They have found doing about 13 km a day is best. They are getting on fine - the weather has been wet, but fresh so good for walking. Click here for map
- Thursday 29th May - staying at Puente deVillarente for a few days whilst Ann recovers from tendonitis. About 420 Km covered so far. Click here for map
- Monday 2nd June - Will be off again tomorrow (Tuesday), as Ann's foot is thankfully a lot better. They have had agreat day in Leon enjoying the sites, sunshine and a leisurely lunch. Next stop is 7.5K beyond Leon. Have enjoyed the break, and will be sorry to leave having been so spoiled.
- Sunday 8th June - Astorga - 475 m covered. Second live interview on Radio Solent. Click here to for map
- Wednesday 11th June - At the monastery at St Salvador del Monte Irago and have been there for 2 days. 8 weeks of the procedures of re-packing and the daily schedules etc, have been tiring, but the 5 services a day at the monastery are giving some spiritual comfort and peace. They are at 1100 ft above sea level and now have 2 days of climbing, and should shortly be near Cruz de Ferro to lay their pilgrim's stones on the mound, with some 240 km to go.
- Thursady 12th June - reached the 'Cruz de Ferro' and placed their stones on the mound.
- Tuesday 17th June - Have had 2 days going up the Leon mountains which was ok as it was sunny. At Cacabelos with some 197K to go. Heading for Villafranca del Bierzo, and then had a steep climb to Cebreio. Click here to for map
Thursday 19th June - At he highest point on the Camino at Cebreira! The views are lovely; they had a 5hr 30 min climb that had both steep and gentle areas, climbing in the sunshine, with reduced pack weight as the non-essentials were taken up by the last refugio for a small fee – and allowed for a more enjoyable trek! They are now in the Galicia province, the last which also includes Santiago. They have now 150km to go, and estimate that they will be in Santiago about 3rd or 4th of July.- Monday 23rd June - at Sarria, making good progress and within the next few days will be under 100 Km from Santiago. Click here to for map
- Sunday 29th June - They are at Arzua and have about 42 km to go, and hope to make Santiago about 2nd July! They are very tired but keeping injuries and exhaustion at bay even though it is pretty hot and the going is over tough ground. It is still undulating topography and each segment is quite long. But the end is in sight.
- Wednesady 2nd July - Arrival in Santiago
- Wednesday 9yh July - Back in the UK
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The Camino de Santiago is an ancient route
that has been walked by pilgrims for over a thousand years. Devout Spaniards believe that St James the apostle, and close friend of Jesus,
is buried beneath the cathedral in the city called by his name in the north west of their country. Realistically, this is improbable -
but the testimony of pilgrims is that after walking many hundreds of kilometers and arriving in Santiago the ancient tradition seems more
believable! At any rate, for everyone undertaking the pilgrimage, from whatever Christian (or doubting) perspective, the Camino is both an
amazing walk but also a profoundly inward and spiritual journey...
Marianne, in her mid 70s, is accompanied by an old friend Ann. She invites sponsorship that will be directed to work promoting women's health in one of the poorest African countries, Lesotho, through the Christian Mission society USPG.
Before Marianne set off we gave her a pilgrim's blessing and sang:
May the love of St James surround you,
May the strength of St James uphold you,
for the way of St James can change you.
When you walk, may you walk in prayer,
When you rest, may you rest in hope,
That when you return you may be transformed.
