GO YOUR OWN WAY

A rooster crows in the misty morning air and somewhere in a distant village its call is answered. Silence follows, except for the steady tramp of our boots on the cobblestones worn smooth by those whose path we follow. We jump when a bell clangs loudly as we pass a church and enter a medieval square where water dribbles from an ornate fountain. Except for the sleek black cat stalking across the cobblestones, the square is empty. We stop briefly to admire the fountain before striding on. We are in Portugal and we are on ‘The Way’.

For many serious hikers, the Way of Saint James features high on their bucket list of ‘must-do’ hikes. Commonly referred to as the Camino de Santiago, it is a network of routes traversing Europe; routes that have been followed by pilgrims since the beginning of the 9th century, when the tomb of the Apostle James (Santiago) was discovered.