“Another one bites the dust” 🎵 – Queen

Chapter 42

Hola Peregrinos,

Welcome to the last chapter of my epic trip up the length of Portugal and a decent slice of north western Spain.

I left home 41 days ago and managed to reach my goal of Santiago de Compostella after walking for 23 full days of that total.

I’m now sat at Porto airport, ‘treating’ myself to an overnighter on Saturday evening, 2nd May, and desperately trying to get comfortable in the rather functional departures lounge seats.

Here’s my bed!

I’m a proper, ‘medieval type’ pilgrim tonight.

Bedless!

This seating configuration was not the best mattress, by any stretch of the imagination, but all my other sleeping options were even worse.

So I’m definitely shipping out of Iberia with a bang then. 🙄

Worry not!

I can tough it out.

I’ve learned on this trip, that it is possible to get yourself through quite a bit of discomfort.

I have to check in for my flight at 04.00, for an 06.00 flight on Sunday morning.

Why do Ryanair always fly so early?

Is it company policy to inconvenience their passengers as often as possible?

And totally wreck their sleep?

It is easily an hour’s journey on public transport to the airport, from Porto city centre.

But public transport stops at 01.00 and doesn’t restart till 05.00.

Too late for me.

If I had booked some accommodation I’d have to leave it by 03.00, at the latest and take an airport taxi.

I’ve already ticked off Uber-ing from my bucket list, even though it was actually a ‘Bolt’.

So ‘wherever I lay my hat” (tonight), “that’s my home.” 🎵

I arrived in Santiago de Compostella at 11.11 on Friday morning, 1 May.

I was really disappointed that I couldn’t walk in to the cathedral square finish with my sister Lizzie.

Sadly her knee injury, had curtailed her Camino:

For now.

She plans to return as soon as she can, to complete what we started on 20 April.

After the satisfaction of arriving in Santiago on Friday, I had a couple of things I still wanted to fit in before I left Santiago mid afternoon on Saturday.

Obviously I had to say goodbye to my C’Amigos.

The Aussie girls were great fun.

A final flower photo, this time with hardly any flowers, had pinged into my phone late last night.

They still have a week in Spain before flying back to restart their school based jobs, in mid May.

Barcelona and its ‘La Sagrada Familia’ are next on their agenda.

That’s still one for us to do on Nicky’s and my collective bucket lists.

Donna and Lisa are both fielding chest infections: a grim ending after such a physical challenge.

Donna was back in bed, coughing and spluttering.

No more ‘blitzing’ the trail for her.

Lisa has had a raking cough for a week. She walked really well and still glided like the ’lightweight’ she is. But it must have taken its toll!

A long distance Camino, is a very tough walk.

‘Mary Poppins’ (Jenni) had her umbrella back out on Saturday: it was raining in Santiago.

It always rains in Santiago.

I wish them all well.

We had some magical times together.

Marcos left Santiago on Saturday morning as he headed to Porto for a few days recovery and chill time. He seems to be really enjoying Portugal’s second city.

He returns to the Camino in June, when he starts the iconic 500 mile long, Camino Frances.

Head home to the frozen north and it’s chucking it down.

He has the bug for sure.

Walking the Portuguese Camino has helped him, but I suspect there is still more work for him to do, both in dealing with some of the trauma of his 25 year career as a senior petty officer in the US military, and in finding a new purpose after retiring, at the tender age of 46, following 25 years of active service.

He and I had both shared our challenges with retirement and our mutual need to discover our new identities.

Camino Steve got home last Tuesday and even went walking with Nigel and the Wanstead Boys later in the week.

You should might remember Nigel:

‘Always making plans!’ 🎵

Camino Steve’s beloved Arsenal still scrap for the English Premier League title.

But have they given Manchester City the initiative?

In 3 games time, we will know.

Michael, the ‘Yank with the Tank’ heads out to walk the 80 km Camino Ingles, (The English Way) in reverse, on Sunday morning.

It’s a 3 day hike: quiet and gentle.

I think the time away from the glitz of Santiago will do him some good.

He has plenty to ponder.

He will find a good ‘Way’ I’m sure.

There is much for the King of Google to google.

Then he flies to the UK and pops up to stay with us in Yorkshire for a few days later in May.

My sister Lizzie has been home for a week now.

Her knee injury is still causing her a lot of pain. Hopefully, the medics will help her to start to recover.

She sees her doctor again this week.

It will take time.

Luckily her husband Dave retires this month.

He can hopefully take on the role of chief bottle washer whilst she recovers.

Nicky went home last Sunday.

She has the very exciting bonus of getting her husband back on Sunday morning, 3 May, at around 09.00 at Leeds Bradford airport.

In total, that makes 8 figures of influence, in my Camino of 2026.

My own Tolkien-like ‘Fellowship of the Trail’ for the last 6 weeks.

Not as many pilgrims were in my bubble , as previously in my Camino’s of 2017, 2023 and 2024: but no Camino should never be about quantity.

Only quality.

And on a practical note, the route I chose to take, had a far less pilgrims.

I suspect that everyone of us will face some readjustment.

For some it will be reasonably easy: me most of all I think.

After all, I’ve now walked 4 of these big hitting Camino trails.

For some it may be quite hard.

I hope not.

The big return is definitely an uncertain time, especially in the immediate aftermath, post-Camino.

A pilgrim often wants to keep walking.

I salute every one of them.

Life is for living.

All 9 of us have lived in these sun filled and fun filled days, on abc along the trail.

I was up and out early on Saturday morning.

Some things don’t seem to change.

Early starts!

I had an interesting opportunity which I wanted to test out.

The historic ‘Parador de Santiago de Compostela’ is also known as the Hostal dos Reis Católicos) in Spain.

This establishment is renowned for being the oldest hotel in the world, combining deep historical roots with a long-standing tradition of serving pilgrims.

The building was established in 1499 by King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella (the “Catholic Monarchs”).

Originally a royal hospital, its primary purpose was to provide free food, lodging, and medical care to pilgrims arriving in Santiago de Compostela at the end of the Camino de Santiago.

It is located in the Plaza del Obradoiro next to the Cathedral.

The building, which is currently undergoing renovation, is a masterpiece featuring Gothic, Renaissance, and Baroque elements, including four beautiful cloisters.

In keeping with its tradition of supporting pilgrims with free hospitality, the Parador of Santiago (Hostal dos Reis Católicos) offers free meals to the first ten pilgrims who arrive and present their stamped Compostela accreditation daily.

This tradition, dating back to 1499, offers a free lunch—usually at the Restaurante Enxebre—consisting of a starter, main course, and dessert.

I was keen to prove an old English saying wrong:

So at 07.20 on Saturday morning I joined the queue of peregrinos, waiting patiently outside the Pilgrim Office’s front doors.

‘Come in number 4, your time is up‘.

I was in,

‘The Chosen Child’.

I passed the next 90+ minute wait by chatting to Trevor from Canada.

Trevor was born and brought up in Goa, India before moving to Vancouver, Canada 15 years ago.

He really is the original ‘Clever Trevor’.

Bright as a button.

We posed beside the Camino Marker stone that lies across the street from the Pilgrim Office.

It says ‘0 km’ left for us to walk.

We had a really uplifting chat about life, culture, family, travel, faith, the Camino.

It was the first time in all 4 of my long Camino’s, that I had been able to chat in depth, with a pilgrim from the Indian sub continent.

That community is massively underrepresented on the Camino routes.

Such a lovely guy, and such an uplifting conversation in the early hours, as Santiago was freshened up by light drizzle.

2 Italian Pilgrims occupied position 2 and 3 in the queue.

Football inevitably got a mention: former England star Paul Gascogne specifically.

They were showing their age.

They made no response when I said ‘Harry Kane’.

There’s a significant happening next month.

Poor old Marcos will miss it!

The football World Cup.

“It’s coming home” 🎵

In June I think.

I hope.🙏

‘I have a feeling!’🎵

🏆🎉🙏🏆🎉🙏

The Pilgrim Office ffice opened at 09.00.

Pilgrims 1,2,3 and 4 carefully clutched their ‘Golden Tickets’ for the paparazzi to shoot, (me!), before heading inside to receive their certificates of completion: the much talked about ‘Compostella’.

My distance certificate acknowledges the 634 km I have walked on ‘The Camino Portuguese’.

The Pilgrim Office does not certificate distances travelled on other non Camino, walking routes!

So, my 400 km of ‘extras’ on the Fisherman’s Trail in the Algarve, was a complete waste of time then?

Haha!

It’s never about the certificate!

From there, I headed out for breakfast, where I enjoyed 2 fantastic flat white coffees and scrambled eggs on sourdough toast for €10.

Delicious!

I’m not sure of I’ve mentioned my penchant for eggs before?

My second priority for Tuesday, was to revisit the Museum of the Galician People, some 500 metres down the street.

Michael met me outside.

I passed some more magnificent old buildings on route.

And typically narrow Spanish streets and alleyways.

The streets in these parts are literally paved with gold:

Scallop shells.

The symbol of St James and the Camino’s of Santiago.

I’d like one for our patio at home but the cost is eye watering!

The museum contains my favourite exhibit in all of Santiago.

A spectacular 3 stranded spiral staircase: ‘The Santiago Streps’.

The famous triple spiral staircase was designed by Domingo de Andrade in the 17th-18th century It is a unique granite masterpiece featuring three intertwined spirals, with one leading up to the viewpoint.

It’s the second time I’ve visited them.

They are unbelievable.

I’m no mathematician, but the mathematical precision with which those steps have been designed and made, is simply breathtaking.

I got Michael to lean over the top rail.

I know someone who would absolutely purr over those curves!

Harry Moorman, my oldest son is an industrial designer.

He loves a curving structure.

It was time for my free lunch.

We sipped a celebratory beer in the lounge of the Paradore.

Me in my shorts, with my rucsac and crocs dangling off its side.

There was no snobbery.

I was a pilgrim and I was welcome.

It was a classy experience.

Michael paid for his own meal, whilst the other 7 pilgrims received their complementary meal.

It was delicious.

A meat pie of sorts to start, a pasta with chick peas, chorizo, garlic and mushrooms and a Galician soup, followed for desert: the legendary Santiago Cake.

Washed down with 2 bottles of wine.

The 2 Italians and Trevor were nowhere to be seen.

“Pwwwtht“.

Another bubble bursts.

That is such a ‘Pilgrim of Santiago’ thing.

One minute they are there, the next they are gone!

The other 7 ‘Golden ticket’ holders included 2 couples from Belarus, my first ever Belarusians on the Camino, and an older couple from France, who had walked the gruelling 800 km long Camino del Norte.

I walked half of that Camino in 2024, when I zig zagged across northern Spain and brutalised my feet.

It is a hard route.

The French spoke too quickly: as usual!

The Belarusians spoke no English, but we made ourselves understood.

One of the 2 men was carrying a double pack, making his combo even bigger than Michael’s.

Apparently it was his wife’s rucksack on top!

Wow: that’s the way to Camino: if you are the wife! 😜

It was huge.

They had camped their way along part of the Camino Frances.

Hardcore.

Especially as it can be chilly overnight.

Which sort of explains the size of his pack.

Don’t get any ideas Nicky Moorman!

It was time to say goodbye to my walking C’Amigo, the ‘Googling Tank Man’.

“See ya in Yorkshire lad: Buen Camino”.

“Pwwwtht“ (Part 8)

‘Another one bites the dust!’ 🎵

For the 4th time in 2 weeks, I found myself back in Porto airport: this time with a 10 hour wait.

I bought an easy picnic when we changed from train to bus in Vigo.

And eventually I constructed my bed for the night.

“Oh for the life of a pilgrim” – I hear you say.

And so ends my superb trip up most of the height of Portugal and Spain had concluded.

I saw stunning scenery, magnificent buildings, hard working people, ‘angels on the Camino’, outrageous acts of kindness, breathtaking views, roaring waves, dancing madness on a river boat, hordes of peregrinos and then none, pain, resilience, sadness, joy, golden beaches, beautiful trees, wonderful sunrises, tasty food …….

My list could run and run.

This is almost certainly my last Camino.

I feel that they have now run their course for me.

I’ve loved them: even the tough ones.

But there are more paths that I want to walk and more places I want to visit: with my wife.

2 caveats to my Camino retirement remain though.

If Lizzie returns to finish what she started on 20 April 2026, I will join her, should she wish me to,

When my granddaughter is old enough to make a decision, with the support of her mum and dad, Rosie and Will, I would love to walk a Camino with her: a short one.

Providing I’m not in my dotage!

That really would be such an honour! 😜

2 of my Camino’s have been walked in a time of personal pain. 2 others as a personal celebration.

This one was simply spectacular.

But even in its beauty there was sorrow.

I didn’t walk this just for myself.

I walked it for the people I love.

I walked it for a family that grieves, a charity that strives, a mum who misses and a niece who lives on in the hearts of the people who loved her most.

I walked it for Hannah and Lizzie and the Jones family.

My fundraising page is open for just 2 more days.

We would so appreciate any financial support that you might want to contribute.

Please click the link below if you want to find out more about Hannah’s story, and the charity that bears her name.

https://whydonate.com/fundraising/celebrating-the-life-of-my-niece-hannah-24-tragically-taken-in-2025

Thank you so much for all the encouragement and support you have provided me over the past 6 weeks.

When my feet have hurt it has been so nice to read a timely message of encouragement.

The last word rests with my sister and walking buddy Lizzie.

Thanks once again for the read.

Buen Camino,

Martin x

Lizzie writes:

“On Friday, Martin reached Santiago at 11:11 — a time he calls gratitude hour.

After more than a thousand kilometers on foot, it felt a beautifully fitting moment to complete such an extraordinary journey.

This morning he travelled home to Yorkshire, back to familiar surroundings, his own comforts, and the people who know and love him best. There is something lovely about that moment when a long journey ends not only in celebration, but in returning home.

These last few days, in particular, have left me thinking about gratitude.

Gratitude for Martin, who chose to take on this challenge in support of Les Histoires d’Hannah, carrying her memory with him every step of the way. Gratitude for the determination it took, for the generosity behind it, and for the love that inspired it.

Gratitude, too, for every person who sponsored him, encouraged him, followed his progress, and helped turn one man’s walk into something that will do so much good for others. Their generosity will allow us to buy so many books to place into the hands of children, helping to promote and encourage a love of reading.

Grief can make the world feel smaller. It can draw our eyes so sharply to what is missing that we struggle to see what remains. But I have learned that gratitude and grief are not opposites. They often sit quietly side by side.

So today, even with loss still painfully present, I feel deeply grateful.

Grateful for family — for David, and for our six remaining children, who have been incredible through the darkest of days. For the love they continue to show one another. For the strength, humour, patience and grace with which they keep putting one foot in front of the other.

Grateful for people who care. And for every opportunity to keep Hannah’s name alive in ways that bring light to others.

Martin’s Camino may be over, but the goodness it created is only just beginning its journey — in the books Les Histoires d’Hannah will place into the hands of children. And for that, I am deeply grateful.

Lots of love.”

Lizzie
💛🌻

And finally;

2 more basic observations from me.

Ps I’m still striving for that elusive ‘typo free day’.

I’ve been close. Could this ‘lady post’ be it? 🙏

PPS, I’ve just landed!

What’s all this rain? Typical.☔️

I walked up the whole of Portugal and a decent slice of northern Spain for 6 weeks without wearing my waterproof; except for one 20 minute shower where Camino Steve and I hid under a tree.

It’s flipping freezing too! 🥶