Walk to Santiago - Diary of a Pilgrim   

Introduction by Doug Lowe Dear All Some of you may know that I am going to do a sponsored walk from the 25th April and will be away for three weeks but walking for two weeks from Shaugrin to Santiago de Compostela that is part of the Camino France's; we will walk in total 240 miles my son James is walking with me. So why? Well CAFOD is doing something called Today, Tomorrow, Together - which is about helping people in East Africa, and the countries are Uganda, Kenya and Tanzania. One of the biggest things in all these countries is they are suffering with HIV and AIDS so CAFOD is providing medical care, counselling and home based care for people living with AIDS and HIV. It is also providing piped water and health education for villagers and as well as generating income from improved farming methods. For more information click here HCPT, the Pilgrimage Trust takes 2000 children with disabilities for a weeks holiday to Lourdes in France where they stay in hotels. The children are aged from 7 to 18 .The children fly in from all over the United Kingdom, Ireland, and they also come from some European countries and U.S.A. During the week the children go on outings to villages in the French Pyrenees amidst great beauty where sometimes there is snow and they can play in it. They go to the grotto and have parties and fun nights in their hotels, visit cafes and lots of singing and of course lots and lots of being spoiled. It costs £500 for each child to go and it all has to be raised. One person who will always stay in my prayers is Sam Playll. He came with us in 2002, but died last year. I gave a six talks in two days that same year to raise money for a HCPT group and part of the talk was "for some children it will be their first holiday to Lourdes, others their last". How true those words seem to me now, so that is one of the reasons for the walk so other children like Sam can go on holiday to Lourdes with HCPT the pilgrimage trust. For more information click here The last 20 years have seen an extraordinary revival of interest in the pilgrimage to Santiago. The route was declared the first European Cultural Route by the Council of Europe in October 1987, and inscribed as one of UNESCO's World Heritage Sites in 1993. Many thousands of people each year now make their way, on foot or by bicycle - sometimes also on horseback - along the ancient ways. There are as many reasons for this revival as there are pilgrims. It is noticeable, however, that many people make the pilgrimage at a turning point in their lives and that many are helped to come to terms with personal crisis by a period of separation from all that is familiar, and the shared hardship of the road. The cathedral authorities in Santiago require that pilgrims must 1) carry the credential or pilgrim passport, and produce it, stamped and dated; 2) have walked or ridden on horseback the last 100 km to Santiago, or cycled the last 200 km, and 3) declare a spiritual or religious motivation, to qualify for the Compostela, the traditional Latin certificate of pilgrimage. There is a certificate, also in Latin, for those making the journey for other reasons. There are no other "rules" about how you should make your pilgrimage but you will find a clearly defined ethos among pilgrims to Santiago and those who support them . If you can help in any way it would be great, including some sponsorship. If you are unable to get any sponsors then just pray for us as we will be praying for all we know while we walk God Bless Doug Doug Lowe - Report 1 Have just arrived in Leon after our third day of walking. Our first day was quite easy with only a 11 km walk, but in the main days sun it was hard going for our first day.(24 oC). Our second day's walk was to cover just over 29km and this was a challenge in itself. We left our L“auberge (refuge) at 7.30 am and walked until 1.30pm. A hard days walk in the hot sun again, but helped by seeing storks and many other animals on our way. During our walk we only saw 4 other people the whole route. Our refuge was very busy with many people from all over the world, and only one person who speaks English, so you can imagine some of the looks with the Doug Lowe version of Spanish! Day three and we walk the small distance of 15km to Leon, although almost at the very end of our Journey we have to climb three very steep hills, but it is worth it as this was the half way point of the day. We arrive at our L“Auberge just before midday. The L“Auberge is run by Nuns and is very full, with about 30 people per domitory. We are both suffering a bit with the feet, but as always God will guide us both to our destination, Santaigo de Compostela. Its only 330km to go so think of us both. Doug Lowe - Report 2 Left Leon Wednesday as planned and set out on our 32k walk of the day. After finding our way out of the City we stopped at a church run by Dominican Monks called the Our Lady of the Camino. On the outside entrance there were statues of Our Lady and the twelve Apostles. We went inside for a prayer and were asked if we would like our Compostella passes stamped. We had a little direction conflict (i.e we did not know which way to go ) but after reading the book we found our directions and headed out onto the main route to Argorga. This was not our destination for the day as we were stopping at a refuge in Hospital de Oporto (Dad says something like that). A parish refuge quite full and very basic. Met our first Americans of our Camino, and still have not meet any English pilgrims !!!!!!! Friday Left at 7.40am on a shorter journey only 15k today to get to Astorgo. Famous for its gaudy bishops house and of course the chocolate factory. The walk was a bit cold and very windy and only one large hill to climb. Found good refuge, hot showers, walked around City and resting for our long walk over the mountains, the first of many. Dad says can you ask Father John to mention the walk and web site (extra donations now for Doug Lowes blister fund!!!) Doug Lowe - Report 3 Argustra to Rabannal. - left at 7am - rain, wind and snow up the side of the mountain. Very exciting. James wanted to stop and make snowmen, but we had to continue. Stayed night with an English run refuge, night prayers with German monks. Early start again next day to highest peak of our journey, over 1500 metres. The main highlight was a famous cross where pilgims leave a rock or something special. This was our hardest day so far. All the paths were downhill from the top, all loose stone small paths. Seeing no one in the silence, 7 hours of walking today. Arrived in Ponteferra church run refuge. We stayed there as it had Mass at 8pm. The priest asked us all where we were from and at the Our Father was said each in our own language. The church roof had a fresco of the Camino. Next day Villafranca. Walked out of town past passed winery, without stopping!!!!!!! press wine and bread for pilgrims, but we were not tempted. A hot day walking amongst the vines for miles and miles. Arrived very tired, starting the climb for the next mountain. Stayed at private refuge with shared meal. Had some songs provided by a famous Spanish songwriter. He wrote last year's Spanish Eurovision song no less, a very enetertaining afternoon. Next daż to O“Cobrero - our worst day so far. Not only do we have a very long uphill walk but we managed to get lost and ended up doing another 8k on our daily total. Weather very bad with mountain mist, very strong winds and a lot of rain. We eventually arrived at the top of the mountain very tired and very fed up. There is only a Government run refuge at the top and it's not the best facilities. Dad not feeling too good and we decide after some prayers in the church to sleep early and prepare for the next day. Not much sleep as the wind was so strong, in fact we thought that the roof would come off at one point. Next day to Tria Castella (three castles), all down hill and very muddy. Woke up to a complete covering of snow. about 30 metre visibilty and very cold - just had to walk with your head down all day as if it was not the snow or rain it was the face pounding hail stones. Stopped for a coffee to get warm and found many other pilgrims in there also. Our walk continued down until we found our village to stay in. We both hope you can understand our messages. Both well but tired, and despite all still enjoying the Camino. How is Doug's Blister Fund doing ? Keep it going as there may be more. Doug Lowe - Report 4 Dad just found out about Father Johns mother. We both pass our prayers on to all concerned. Today we are in Portamarina, a small town that is 27k past Siarra. A good walk mostly down hill for once, and this is a welcome change. We left our hostel at 7.15am and started to walk through the old town, and quickly moved onto the Camino route. This as usual is either a dirt track often used for moving cattle etc and has so far been very muddy because of the rain and snow, and some of our journey was on camino track on the side of the roads. We are now in our last 100k to Santiago and this is the time when we see more and more pilgrims walking, some we have not seen before. This brings the camino closer to use as you realise just how many people are going to or preparing to walk the many miles to the end destination. We have had good weather today with only a little rain, and the sun is out for the first time in 5 days, a welcome relief. We finally arrive at our new destination and see some eagles (we think) circling over the river. Our refuge for the night is an old school building, again very basic with only cold running water and very basic beds. They are promising a new refuge for this time in two weeks, we can see it being built, but it would have been wonderful if it was complete now, as a hot shower would be on the list of nice things we would like. I hope you have enjoyed our journey so far and again ask for you to continue to pray for us. We only have a further 4 days to Santiago so we are nearing our journey end. Thanks again James and Doug (who again is asleep having a siesta) Doug Lowe - Report 5 Our update to our final destination of Santiago. We arrived yesterday morning so now we are fully refreshed. Potomairin to Cassanova - After and early start we move onto our days walk, mainly through lanes and forest, that you could quite easily mistake as England, so we felt a bit at home for a while. Not really a very exciting day, just a long walk to our next resting place. Walked over many small rivers with stone bridges for the pilgrims to cross over. Refuge in middle of countryside with hot showers and well kept dorms. Not much else in the village, in fact the nearest bar was a 1k walk back, but we still made it for a drink. Tea was emergency packet pasta with some local Chorizo shared with a Japanese girl also doing the Camino, called Mioki, who works in an American hospice. We will do another update later in the day, our minds seem to be a bit blank. James and Doug Lowe Doug Lowe - Report 6 The last update. Cassanova - Azua Left Cassanova early in the morning, pouring with rain and very wet under foot. Walked for an hour and half and found our best breakfast yet, coffee and toast, the bread freshly delivered and the coffee hot. It was heaven to us as we were wet and cold. Walk into Melsia, which is famous for its octopus, found some fellow walkers waiting to have their share of the speciality, and this was only 10am. Walked on through the Sunday market in the heavy rain. We intended to walk 42k today walked through many streams and rivers that were starting to overflow by this time. We arrived at Azua after passing through refuge full of “day tripper pilgrims“. Stopped and had a good lunch before finding our refuge for the night and some friendly faces. Mass in local church started with evening prayer and the Rosary (all in Spanish of course).Run by two young bossy nuns. Azua - Monte Gozzo Another long day with 42k to nearly complete our walk. Walking for the first time in a few days without rain. Along dirt tracks and long stretches of eucalyptus forests, some very long climbs that never seemed to end and arrived at edge of Santiago and had our first Spanish meal of our trip (very spoilt we were). Arrived at Monte Gozzo after many hours of walking at about 5pm, camp holding upto 2000 people but mainly now is a tourist sight as the Pope visited in 1993 (?). With many of the older generation using the camp as a conference facility, quick cold shower, Dougs ankle swelling up badly, had a chance to meat more pilgrims, some Spanish doing only a short walk, late meal and bed. Monte Gozzo - SANTIAGO Only a short walk today as we want to arrive in time for Pilgrims Mass with the bishop. We leave early and walk the 5k and arrived in the city to go to pilgrims office to get our Compostella stamped for the final time, and recieve our certificate (all in Latin) a translation job for Father John when we get back. Found lodging in hostel, clean fresh sheets, towels, and endless hot water!!!!!!! you may think this is childish, but you would feel the same if you had done the Camino too. Mass, standing room only and not a lot of that either, was e very emotional experience. Seeing many of our fellow pilgrims at Mass, greeting us with smiles, hugs and lots of hand shaking. Archbishop greeted pilgrims in their own language, thanking them for completing the Camino and staying in Santiago. We were mentioned during Mass as the two English pilgrims who started from Shaugin?, (as were all the other days pilgrims). Mass finished at 1.30 with the swinging of the massive incense burner. This was swung by 7 men almost to the roof with lots of laughter from some children and the Archbishop (seeming to be enjoying himself) After Mass lots of photos and hugs from other pilgrims, and a joint meal with 8 other pilgrims. After our usual siesta, we met other pilgrims outside cathedral in square (outside Parador) about 25 of us, and we had our last pilgrims meal of our camino. We would like to thank everyone who has read, or tried to read our diary. We both apologise for any spelling mistakes that have appeared, but, as most of you know, dad can“t spell,so what hope has his son. Thanks again, see you all soon. God Bless Doug and James Lowe To return to the main Page Click here