Author Archives: Martin Moorman

Chapter 25 Yesterday, Wednesday 15th April, I crossed the bridge that spans the River Douro, and entered the northern district of Baixa. My timing was aspirational, not deliberate. As I fumbled to secure a selfie on the bridge, my watch showed 11.11 and my ‘Gratitude Alarm’ sounded. Amazing! I was thankful. I feel it hasContinue reading ““The Day Before You Came” 🎵 – Blancmange”

Chapter 24 It’s 04.10 on Wednesday 15 April and I’m struggling to sleep! I’m ’Home Alone’ in a hostel some 16km due south of Porto, Portugal’s second city and one of Western Europe’s most popular city break destinations. In a few hours time, I will have walked into the city, a short journey by recentContinue reading ““Girl Like You” 🎵 – Edwin Collins”

Chapter 23 Hola Peregrinos, Welcome to more ‘Tales from the Trail.’ I’m now holed up in a hostel on the outskirts of Sore-toe (😜) , sorry, I mean Porto, having walked 26 miles/41 km today. I’m just 16km from Porto Cathedral: a 3.5 hour walk in the morning. I’m super chuffed. But boy I’m bushed!Continue reading ““Raindrops keep falling on my head” 🎵 – B J Thomas”

Chapter 22 Well I’ve just finished for the day! It is Monday afternoon 6pm. And I’m absolutely bushed! Nice symmetry: 50K steps, 24,miles, 40 km. Yep: that’s bang on 40km. Wow! Annoyingly Porto is still around 55-57km away. But I’m getting closer! And fresh as a daisy after 38 km! 🙄 I tried to findContinue reading ““The Long and Winding Road” 🎵 – The Beatles”

Chapter 21 All good things have to end. Just like most bad things eventually end. It’s particularly sad when really good things have to end. On Saturday morning, Camino Steve and I burst our ‘Camino Bubble’ of 10 pilgrims, as we broke off as a ‘mini bubble’ of 5, to walk to Coimbra. ‘I’m foreverContinue reading ““Brothers in Arms” 🎵- Dire Straits”

Chapter 20 Hola Peregrinos, Welcome to the latest episode of ‘My Tales from the Trail’ – a daily update of the journey Camino Steve and I started 18 days ago, on the most southerly tip of Portugal: Cape St Vincent. We are trying to walk around 600 miles/1000 km to Santiago de Compostella, a historicContinue reading ““Running up that Hill“ 🎵 – Kate Bush”

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 300thContinue reading ““I still haven’t found what I’m looking for” 🎵 – U2”

Chapter 18 Hola Peregrinos, Welcome to more ‘Tales from my Trail.” A daily update on the 600 mile trek (‘oop Portugal’) that Camino Steve and I started 15 days ago. It is 12.30 in the afternoon and I’m taking a well deserved break after completing the first 12 miles of today’s 20 miler. Well deservedContinue reading ““The Scientist” 🎵 ‘Nobody said it was easy’ – Coldplay”

Chapter 17 In the 1992 film, ‘A River Runs Through It’, directed by Robert Redford, a young Brad Pitt stars as 1 of the 2 Maclean brothers, Paul and Norman, who live a relatively idyllic life in rural Montana, spending much of their time fly-fishing. The sons of a Presbyterian minister, the boys eventually partContinue reading ““Big River” 🎵 Jimmy Nail ‧ 1995”

Chapter 16 Yesterday, on my 14th day on the trail, I met my first Camino Angel of 2026. Her name was Paola. Her angelic appearance can be independently verified by at least 12 of my fellow travellers. More about Paola in a moment. First some context. My walking buddy, Camino Steve and I, have beenContinue reading ““Angels” 🎵 – Robbie Williams”