Chapter 19
Hola Peregrinos,
So here we are again.
Welcome to more ‘Tales from the Trail,’ as Camino Steve and I try to work our way up through Portugal on our 600 mile/1,000 km walk.
It is 05.15 on Friday 10th April: our 16th full day of walking.
2 days ago we walked our 300th mile, Yesterday we cleared our 500th kilometre.
We are over half way to Santiago.
That’s where I met Jesus in 2024.
He had walked multiple Camino’s and even at the age of 87, he was still going on the Santiago trails.
His 18th Camino, from memory.
Sadly Jesus died in 2025.
Such a lovely man.
We certainly provided some visual comedy in front of the cathedral in Santiago.
Hopefully, that will be Camino Steve, celebrating in front of the same Cathedral in around 17 days time and my sister Lizzie and I hope to do the same around 5 days later on 1/2May.
Between now and then I have to start being tactical again.
Our next long haul target destination is Portugal’s second largest city: Porto.
It is a beautiful place apparently.
I’m really excited about it.
Especially because in that beautiful place I’m meeting up with my beautiful wife!
Nicky lands at Porto airport on Wednesday 25th April at 1.50pm.
I want to be there to meet her.
I can see the headline now:
“Porto Perfection: Together Again”🤣
I will then knock off the trail for 5 days, spending 15-19 April with Nicky in Porto, where we will both enjoy the city together, and I will be giving my clapped out feet a much needed break.
Nicky flies home on 19th April.
I then twiddle my thumbs in Porto for 24 hours.
Lizzie my sister, Hannah’s mum, flies into Porto on 20th and she and I will then attempt the 240 km walk from Porto to Santiago.
So I’m lying in bed trying to work out the logistics: here are some of the parameters.
According to my much maligned distance estimator; Google Maps, Porto is 170 kilometres or 90 miles away as I type.
That will reduce to 140 km by the time you read this tonight.
I have 5.5 days to walk it.
Porto airport is another 12 kilometres (7 miles) north of the city.
And I have 2 feet that are still quite sore.
Can you remember the key mantra of long distance Camino walking, that I mentioned at the outset of this trip, in late April?
“You have to look after your feet!”
That’s now the number 1 priority.
Plus:
Travel almost 100 miles, in 5 days without becoming a foot wreck!
So it’s ‘30 a day’ then for me for the short term.
Damnit!
My soles silently shout ‘STOP’
I was hoping for slightly less in distance if I’m honest.
To quote Camino Steve:
“It is what it is!”
Lid really like 18km a day please!
I wish!
In Porto, I will bid ‘adios’ to my loyal walking buddy, Camino Steve.
He will continue to Santiago as he to aims to return to his lovely wife Maria, back home in London.
He will aim to finish his walk and then fly straight back home from Spain.
It will be very strange for us to split in Porto.
Sad too.
We’ve done this whole trip together and always got on well.
To use an athletics analogy:
Camino Steve was probably always in part, a ‘pacesetter’ for me.
He has been so much more than that of course.
But I think he has tried to assume that role to support me with this crazy ‘Santiago Dash’, in anyway and every way that he can.
So gracious.
So generous.
I salute you Camino Steve.
Thank you.
So it is one last push now.
Can Camino Steve help get me to Porto by the 15th?
He’s done a fantastic job of it so far.
We are in the ball park and that is all we could ask for at this stage.
So a lot is going on.
One things is for sure, the dash to meet Nicky is still on.
And just like they said in the ‘Bounty‘ chocolate bar TV adverts of yesteryear:
“She’s worth it!”
Another surety:
Our ‘Camino Bubble’ of 9 C’Amigos is about to burst.
Today.
Already.
It actually did.
Sad!
But all part of the experience.
Most of my fellow travellers, don’t have the immediate urgency, that is now occupying my thinking.
I set out yesterday, with a little trepidation.
My feet were craving a smoother 20 miles after they had suffered badly on Wednesday.
I had resorted to Croc walking most of the trail on that day.
My daily 11.11 ‘Gratitude Alarm’ often has a ‘Thank you for those Crocs.”
Our walk yesterday had one of the best starts of this journey.
Mike, Camino Steve and I were out on the trail before dawn.
Within 20 minutes we were following a riverside path that would keep us close to the water for the next 2 hours.
The wispy sun rise reflected off the water.
Not the greatest sun rise of this trip, but the coming together of light and running water, made it very pretty.
The river runs big here.
Recent evidence of significant flooding was all around us.
Lichen on a fallen tree, gleamed ethereally.
Beautiful.
We crossed a medieval bridge.
Camino Steve was ahead of us.
Mike and his bulging rucsack barely cleared the support walls.
I couldn’t actually see his head when he walked ahead of me.
20 kg minimum.
(Editor’s note, later on after the walk, he did the sensible thing and packed up 6kg of gear and had it sent forward to Santiago by courier.)
Progress of sorts!
But it still weighs 16kg minimum!
Fast forward a day, you can look how reduced his rucksack has become.
It must make a huge difference!
Amazing!
Forget the ‘Day of the Triffids’.
This was the day of the orchids.
Naked men orchids apparently.
Work it out for yourselves! 🤣
Within 3 hours, we had cleared 13 km.
Our second breakfast called us.
Eggs were calling.
But those 3 Aussie girls played a blinder.
All the eggs were snaffled before I could say:
“Hola”.
I introduced you to Mike from California yesterday.
On Thursday’s walk I managed to get to know the 3 ladies from Cairns, Australia, much better.
Lisa is quieter and more reflective than the others, with a very mischievous sense of humour.
Lisa ‘Lightfoot’:
She has the best walking technique on the Camino.
She glides!
Effortlessly.
Such a lovely lady: kind and classy.
She was the egg ‘poacher!’
She got the last one!
I could forgive her though.
She is a vegetarian after all.
Jenni or ‘Mary Poppins’ is the matriarch of the group.
She keeps them on time, on point, even though she doesn’t want to.
It goes with her work territory probably.
She is a school admin manager.
She reminded me of the lovely Trish at my old school, who kept our school in order and kept me sane during my Headship.
Jenni is kind, fun, dry humored.
Her little legs scurry along the trail.
She is a ‘Camino Purist’.
At the mention of ‘Camino Shortcuts’ – principally my speciality – she looks over her glasses at me with a look of disgust!
Her Camino: Her way.👌
‘Mary Poppins’ is the perfect nickname, especially when she gets her sun brolly out!
Donna is a force majeure.
Fun, feisty and determined.
She’s my sort of walker, fast and strong.
We have plenty in common.
We both have extensive school leadership experience.
Nicknaming her took some time.
‘Don Don’ and ‘Donner Kebab‘ were weak.
Cheap!
‘Blitzen’ worked better.
She’s fast, a ‘doer of deeds’.
I bet the kids in her school love her.
She solves problems, and doesn’t wait for others to do so.
Donna’s sister Marica (Mika), is also here.
She is fielding an injury at the moment.
The lure of Santiago carries no guarantees of arrival unfortunately.
The Aussie Girl’s, make the hard times on the Camino; just that bit easier.
Fantastic.
My feet were struggling again, and I really didn’t want to walk more than necessary.
So I broke away after breakfast and started planning and actioning my shortcut protocols.
I shaved 5 km off by following other walking trails and occasionally trudging along that tarmac.
Even roadside, there was plenty to marvel at.
So many properties around here look derelict.
With some love and commitment, they could be spectacular.
They are cheap as chips too.
I stopped for a snack.
Tomato, nuts, satsuma and olives.
With trail shoes off, even better!
They tasted so good!
I walked past a local signpost.
It summed up those Aussie Girls perfectly!
I let the group know of my location, once I reached a cafe at the 22km mark.
Cold drinks definitely helped the prose flow more easily!
They drifted in one by one.
I’d half written my blog from yesterday, by the time ‘The Yank with the Tank’ arrived.
I deliberately waited for Mike.
Trudging in last, on a tough stage, in baking hot weather, can be pretty miserable.
Mike had borrowed Jake’s crocs to walk those 22 km.
His feet were very sore.
A brilliant effort.
He made the sensible decision to forego the last 7km.
He booked a taxi.
I rang him 10 minutes after leaving him in the cafe, waiting for his taxi.
I needed those Crocs badly.
No problem.
The ‘Googlemeister’ arranged for the driver to stop, so he could hand them over through the window.
All Croc-ed up and ready to go, I took on the ‘Road to Hell!’ 🎵
So long.
So hot.
So dull!
It went on and on!
All tough things will eventually end!
Became my mantra!
This trudge did so: 90 minutes later.
The hostel was fantastic.
Welcoming.
The stamp in my ‘Pilgrim Passport’ was the best I’ve ever seen.
Melted wax and a Camino shell stamp.
We ate together with a take away meal from a restaurant just round a corner.
Superb!
Another long day, but shorter than expected.
My soles celebrated!
I’m very fortunate to be enjoying such a fantastic experience.
I’m grateful to so many.
Especially the 80+ supporters who have sponsored me and so ensured that Hannah’s legacy goes on.
It is a walk that carries sadness and poignancy too.
If you want to sponsored the charity her family have set up, please click the link below.
Thank you so much.
Hannah was lovely.
A bright girl with a bright future.
Photographed here with her youngest brother Patrick.
Behind this wonderful walk, there is a tragic story.
It shouldn’t have to be like this.
Thanks for the read.
Buen Camino
Martin x
Porto is now 139 km away.
Photo below: me dripping in 28 degrees today!
Martin Moorman is a 61 year old retired Headteacher who lives with his wife Nicky, daughter and her family in North Yorkshire, UK.
Happily married for 36 years, Martin and Nicky have 3 grown up children, all happily married too. In his spare time Martin loves walking, photography, football, renovating cooking and talking rubbish to anyone who will listen!
Yesterday’s question and answer:
Which Camino is the oldest?
Primitivo, Portuguese, Via De La Plata or Frances?
Answer:
The Primitivo
Today’s question:
Name 2 of the 3 most popular nationalities in The Camino trails.
Martin Moorman 
My guess for most popular nationalites is going to be Spanish and from reading your blogs the USA also represented well on the caminos but maybe the Portugese seeing as thats where you are right now 🙂
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