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El Camino
  • Stewart Warrilow

El Camino

A 67-day adventure by Stewart Read more
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  • Trip start
    August 12, 2023
  • Stewart WarrilowEl CaminoTraveler

    Tewkesbury

    August 14, 2023 in England ⋅ ☁️ 17 °C

    Tewkesbury - a very pretty market town with enough history to keep you amused for an afternoon. It also has a very industrial looking footpath which was a bit odd.

    Last night I managed to find a quiet place for my camp, next to the path. It was getting dark but I managed to set up in time when I saw, what I thought was, a dog. My heart sank. I couldn't face the 'you're trespassing ' conversation. Then I realised it was a young deer! I was mesmerised as this wee thing pranced about, stopping to investigate something and sometimes leaping back in surprise.

    I broke camp in the pouring rain which was grim. A lot of my stuff is wet . I hope I get to dry it in my room tonight.

    I encountered an electric fence across the path this morning. I know it was electric because I touched it. Twice. It didn't hurt but I can see how the term 'electric shock' arose.    Read more

  • Stewart WarrilowEl CaminoTraveler

    Cirencester

    August 15, 2023 in England ⋅ ⛅ 21 °C

    Today just clicked. The south Cotswolds is beautiful. I kept my phone in my pocket so you'll have to take my word for it. Walking in the sun without nettles was a delight.

    Highlight of the day was talking to two teenage lads from Sussex. One latched on to my accent and asked me if I knew the Crooked House pub. This is a pub that is only a few miles from me and one that he'd never visited but he'd read that it burnt down just over a week ago. I was amazed he nailed my accent and linked it to a pub so close. Apparently 'accents' is his thing and he does characters on TikTok with his mate. He demo'd the Dudley and Birmingham accents which were just great.

    I'm staying in a field on an organic farm who make super polenta cake. What's not to like?    Read more

  • Stewart WarrilowEl CaminoTraveler

    Swindon

    August 16, 2023 in England ⋅ ⛅ 23 °C

    It started well (except for another electric fence) but the last six miles were generally housing and industrial estates. Hot pavement, loud music in passing cars, lads on electric bikes wearing face masks.

    The photo with the houses on the lake is taken south of South Cerney. It looked lovely on the map, walking through a mini lakeland. The reality was a path with greenery and fences either side, CCTV and 'Private signs'. I had to ignore a few 'Keep Out's to get a photo. I wonder how pretty it all was before gentrification.

    I didn't take a photo of a Cotswold street yesterday so I took one today. It is a super pretty area. Obviously it is also very white and Range Rover but I'll definitely be back.

    I woke up before sunrise. The last photo is pretty much what I saw when I opened my eyes. It was cold and the meadow flowers are still asleep. I thought they looked a bit like a crowd at a gig but maybe I've been walking too much.

    The penultimate photo is the sunrise. If you want to feel any positive emotion from the full range available then just sit and watch this event. It is humbling. Immense. And it's available daily, at a venue near you and free of charge.

    Highlights of today were dancing butterflies, the sunrise (obvs) and a bloke just came up and shook my hand after overhearing me asking for a signature for my pilgrim record.    Read more

  • Stewart WarrilowEl CaminoTraveler

    Burbage

    August 17, 2023 in England ⋅ ⛅ 21 °C

    I made a detour to pass through Marlborough, purely because I liked the name. It was Range Rovers, Waitrose and jodhpurs. I won't be rushing back.

    The highlight of the day was the walk from Swindon to Marlborough which was pretty much all pathways, following the National Cycle Route 45.

    The main photo is Bumblebee Cottage in Burbage, about 8 miles from Marlborough. The photos are route 45 and the River Kennet.    Read more

  • Stewart WarrilowEl CaminoTraveler

    Hampshire

    August 18, 2023 in England ⋅ 🌧 18 °C

    I set off before sunrise to make some ground before the rain arrived. Unfortunately it hit around 6am. I was walking on a busy A road with heavy traffic and I was having to jump on to the little verge there was to avoid wing mirrors or worse. So I stopped and caught a bus. The bus took me to Tidworth which wasn't nearer to my destination but it did allow to walk on paths, at least.

    The rain continued for five hours and made a right mess of my cheese sandwiches but I ate them anyway. I didn't even need to chew.

    I must admit, when I was walking around Andover's retail parks and industrial estates in driving rain, I did question myself as to why I was doing this. But now I'm sitting with a glass of London Pride pondering on the mystery of the pop up barber and it all seems worthwhile (you'll have to ask me about the barber if you're interested).    Read more

  • Stewart WarrilowEl CaminoTraveler

    Nearly at Portsmouth

    August 19, 2023 in England ⋅ ⛅ 21 °C

    The reality of walking...I booked into a Days Inn last night to avoid another Storm Betty soaking. What I didn't realise was that there are two in the area, seven miles apart. I booked in to one and walked to the other. I was just too tired so there were two rooms with my name on them last night.

    Today was a super long one walking across the Hampshire downs and it was all beautiful. The highlight was Winchester. The Cathedral is exquisitely decorated and houses the remains of King Canute and Jane Austen (I only learned that yesterday). The streets are pretty and the town is set in the loveliest countryside. I'm already looking forward to returning.

    Photos... Winchester Cathedral, Jane Austen's tomb, the crystal clear River Itchen, the Hospital of the Cross    Read more

  • Stewart WarrilowEl CaminoTraveler

    Flippin eck!

    August 20, 2023 in England ⋅ ☀️ 22 °C

    As a child, did you ever break anything that was not yours (including skin, bones and spirit)? Do you remember that feeling when you realised your mom would find out? That wide eyed paralysis? The heavy weight of doom pressing your chest? Well I had that feeling a couple of nights ago. I started reading Olly Richards' 'French Foundations: Master the Basics in two weeks'. Two weeks??? I have two days! I'm about to walk across a country and not be able to ask if I can charge my phone, or where the toilet is, or if I can have access to a lawyer. Even if I could ask I wouldn't understand the response. For me, this is so far removed from the norm that I need Google maps to find my comfort zone again. I'll let you know how it goes.

    In the mean time I'm trying to find the best pub to have my last proper pint for a few weeks. The one I just had was disappointing so I need to get on the move again.

    See you in France!    Read more

  • Stewart WarrilowEl CaminoTraveler

    Port Dinan

    August 21, 2023 in France ⋅ ☀️ 18 °C

    As a foot passenger, I couldn't book a cabin on the ferry so sleep alternated between a reclining chair and the floor. In spite of that, I loved the ferry. It was great to be able to wander around such a massive vessel and the views this morning as we approached St Malo were captivating. I had to stand next to an exhaust vent to keep warm though. I definitely want to do this again.

    After getting lost a couple of times in St Malo, I managed to find and follow the Voie Verte to Port Dinan. It is a dead straight gravel path for cyclists and pedestrians only so it was nice to have a hassle free walk. People did try to talk to me now and then but I can say 'Je ne parle pas français' like a local and that generally put them off. One guy persisted and we did have a bit of a chat. I tried to speak French but he kept laughing and reverting to English which put me off a bit. Yo be fair to him, I did slip into Spanish a couple of times, and I also said 'Des Moines' when I meant three months.

    Anyway, Dinan is a very steep and old fortified town with the River Rance at its base. There are tons of photogenic streets and buildings, and plenty of bars. Everyone is wandering around glowing and dolled up for the evening so it has a genuine holiday vibe. Unfortunately all the accommodation is booked up, including camping, so I need to get walking again.

    Photos - St Malo from the ferry, Voie Verte, two pics of Dinan from low and high towns.    Read more

  • Stewart WarrilowEl CaminoTraveler

    Hédé-Bazouges

    August 22, 2023 in France ⋅ ☀️ 24 °C

    I've spent the whole day walking on the Canal d'Ille-et-Rance. It was so hot I took a lie down after lunch in a picnic area. I soon dozed off only to wake up to the sound of my own snoring. Luckily the picnic area was emptied by then. Part of the reason I was so tired was that I could see the Milky Way last night so I stayed awake until the wee hours star gazing.

    Photos...one of the eleven locks at Hédé-Bazouges, the canal, last night's view from my sleeping bag, and my washing line last night. I had to redo the laundry because slugs crawled over it during the night.    Read more

  • Stewart WarrilowEl CaminoTraveler

    I met my first pilgrim!

    August 23, 2023 in France ⋅ ☁️ 19 °C

    I was walking along the towpath this morning and there was a guy coming towards me wearing a scallop shell on the chest strap of his rucksack. 'Peregrino?' I asked. He ignored that I'd just spoken Spanish, smiled and replied in French. Realising I wasn't the brightest, he spoke slowly and used basic words. He told me he was walking from St Jean Pied-a-port to Mont St Michel. St Jean is on the French side of the northern Pyrenees, so he was basically doing the French leg of my route, but in reverse. He expected it to take almost sixty days. I'm hoping to do it in half that time but I didn't say. I didn't want him to think I was totally stupid. I just wished by him 'Buen Camino', shook his hand and carried on my way beaming from ear to ear after that touch of camaraderie.

    I have been walking this canal for two days now and I have only seen two boats moving on it, and one of those was a maintenance vehicle. Yet each lock has a lock keeper with their lock keeper's house. It must be a lonely occupation or maybe I'm just here at the wrong time.

    I slept on the canal bank last night. As I unpacked my bivvy bag I realised I must have packed a slug in it the previous night because it looked like a used hankie. It was gross. Then this morning I put my glasses on and discovered a slug had crawled across them! I love sleeping outside but the slugs are doing a great job of persuading me otherwise, especially after crawling over my laundry yesterday. That said, I'm indoors tonight. I have hit the suburbs of Rennes and I don't fancy towpaths in the town at night. I'm probably safe to try but I just don't think I'll sleep.

    Photos - lock (ecluse in French) and boat, the other boat, lunch, my bathroom and utility room this morning    Read more

  • Stewart WarrilowEl CaminoTraveler

    Rennes

    August 24, 2023 in France ⋅ ☁️ 23 °C

    So I made it to my first French city. The route I am following doesn't go through the centre (and I was told I wasn't missing much) but it does pass quite a few high-rise buildings. The main photo is Les Horizons which was built in 1970 and has 480 apartments. I think it beats your bog standard block of flats. There are a couple of photos are just views as I walked along the river La Vilaine. The river bank has wide, open paths either side and there were lots of people taking advantage of it; walking, running, cycling, fishing. It had a nice vibe in spite of its urban backdrop.

    Last night I had blister problems. The ball of my right foot was so bad that I was tending to use the outside of my foot instead of the sole. I took advice and finally managed to sort it last night. I'm not going to do many miles today. I want to rest the foot and keep it clean as tomorrow is the start of the path to Nantes. The last photo is my feet getting TLC by one of the lakes to the south west of Rennes.    Read more

  • Stewart WarrilowEl CaminoTraveler

    A day of firsts

    August 25, 2023 in France ⋅ ⛅ 18 °C

    Most of today was walking along the beautiful river valley of La Vilaine.

    It was also a day of firsts....

    I saw my first ever live snake in the wild (it was small and dark brown an hid itself away before I could take a photo);

    I saw my first gecko of the trip and as soon as you see one you see lots;

    I saw my first grotto of the walk in a lovely village called Saint Senoux;

    I got done for shoplifting for the first time in my life. I bought some food from the supermarket, ate some of it outside and then went back in to get water. As I paid for the water the assistant spotted I had a bag with food in. I tried to explain I had already paid but she was having none of it and called for assistance. I told the guy that turned up that the lady who first served me would remember me as I had made a hash of using the self service. When he asked me what she looked like I could only remember she was old like me. He disappeared for a few mins and returned with the lady, thank god. She vouched for me but the original assistant insisted I empty my rucksack. It was a bit humiliating getting all my stuff out in the middle of the checkouts but after she was satisfied I hadn't stolen anything I was warned to not come to the shop with a rucksack again. The worst thing about it was I didn't need the water because I found a tap soon afterwards. On the plus said it was amazing how much French I remembered all of a sudden.

    Photos - La Vilaine with Weir and lock, lake with clouds, the wonderful church of Saint Senoux, grotto, church at St Malo de Philly

    St Malo de Philly is dead. For some reason my route passes through there, and it is one hell of a climb, but there is nothing there except a few houses, a church and a bar. The bar was locked with a sign outside saying "This is no longer a bar"!    Read more

  • Stewart WarrilowEl CaminoTraveler

    The day ended well

    August 26, 2023 in France ⋅ ⛅ 19 °C

    Oh dear! It's my own fault. I should have thought this through. I wake up and it's freezing cold. I had gained quite a bit of height since leaving the river and higher means colder. I found a place to sleep in a forest so it is dark as well as cold. I motivate myself out of my sleeping bag by promising myself a treat at the boulangerie. A warm croissant or two. That gets me walking. However, on reaching the nearest village (after three hours!) it farms on me that it's Sunday. Everything is closed. I've seen three churches and even they were closed! The only thing I could find open were the public toilets. So at least I had water, thank god. I rehydrated my sachets of Ainsley's roasted vegetables cous cous for breakfast and lunch. Yum yum.
    Super fortunately, I have since found a bar that serves beer, coffee and ice cream only. I gave the ice cream a miss but I recommend the other two!

    Photos - pilgrim statue in Blain, austere church in Blain, funky Le Gave church tower, first 'official' sign post to Santiago, 1,567km to go!

    St James is St Jacques in French and Santiago in Spanish. I'm (hopefully) heading to Fisterra, the most westerly point in Spain, but on the way I pass through Santiago de Compostela (Sp), or St Jacques de Compestelle(Fr). Fisterra is approximately three days from Santiago.    Read more

  • Stewart WarrilowEl CaminoTraveler

    Au revoir La Vilaine

    August 26, 2023 in France ⋅ ☁️ 21 °C

    So after two days or so I have to say goodbye to the imposing majesty of La Vilaine. This river has a view at every bend. It is beautiful and it is massive. You can sense the force of the volume of water it holds when you walk past the cliffs it has carved out. They are sheer. It's a shame I can't spend more time on it.

    I met two pilgrims walking the same route as me. They started at Mont St Michel and were heading to Bordeaux. From Bordeaux they were catching a train to somewhere in Spain depending on how they felt at Bordeaux. The walk between Bordeaux and Spain is notorious for being a hard slog so I can understand their logic. I would feel as though I had missed out if I didn't walk pretty much the whole way so I'll enjoy the slog. I hope .

    I passed the 1,600km to go sign! I thought 'that can't be right! I had to be closer than that.' But then I did a bit of mental arithmetic and realised it is right. It's much easier to do the walk when you stop thinking about where you're going and just enjoy where you are!

    Photos - rainclouds ahead, chapel and bench, La Vilaine in the morning, 1,600 km to go    Read more

  • Stewart WarrilowEl CaminoTraveler

    Nantes

    August 28, 2023 in France ⋅ ⛅ 24 °C

    I was shattered yesterday. I had walked 46 miles in two days with an 10 or 12kg pack and I just needed a rest.
    So I treated myself to a day in Nantes! I love a continental city; always vibrant, cultured and well dressed.

    The sixth largest city in France, Nantes used to be the capital of Brittany when the two countries were separate. It was a commercial port and responsible for nearly half of the French Atlantic slave trade. Instead of downplaying this, the city believes that we need to be reminded how much of the wealth of the city was derived, and to reflect on that when we enjoy its riches.

    To this end it has built the Memorial to the Abolition of Slavery. I haven't taken photos because they could not convey the power of the piece which is very large and on two levels. The effect is visceral. One part of the installation is a walkway along the Loire, a bit like a section of the Embankment in London. Inset in the walkway are small glass bricks, like fallen confetti after a wedding. At first sight it is a wonder to see the light reflecting from the many, scattered glass pieces. Then you look at the bricks close up and you notice it is engraved with a name. The name of a ship. A slave ship. And there are so many ships. And it's a walkway so people are just walking over them. Just watching and taking this in is extremely moving.

    In total, it is estimated that twelve million people were enslaved in the Atlantic slave trade, and one and a half million died onboard the boat.

    Naturally this gets you thinking. Of course, I can't change history but I can be aware of the danger of perceiving differences and attaching negative values to those perceived differences. Seeing the difference and not the whole. Slavery was built upon differentiation. In fact, when I think about it, differentiation is at the root of many evils.

    Photos - giant mechanical elephant!, elegant shopping at Passage de Pommeraye, castle, man rolling back tarmac    Read more

  • Stewart WarrilowEl CaminoTraveler

    Clisson

    August 30, 2023 in France ⋅ ⛅ 19 °C

    I'm in Clisson but I've only seen the campsite and the supermarket so I'll take photos tomorrow.

    I felt a little sad as I walked out of the hotel this morning. Nantes was lovely and I do enjoy cities. I won't see another city until I reach Vitoria Gasteiz in the heart of the Basque country some time in October. There will be towns but they don't have anywhere near the same quality of 'people watching' and Nantes had some great watching to be done. From bag ladies to poseurs, Nantes had the full range.

    That sadness soon evaporated when I was back in the countryside, walking along the Sèvre and exchanging Bonjour! with every passing stranger. I'd missed that.

    I'm in the Loire region so I've walked through acres of vineyards and it's lovely. Specifically I'm in Sèvre et Maine. I've seen that name on bottles in Sainsbury's and now I know what it is! It's been great walking as the path alternated between vineyards and the gentle Sèvre. And I haven't pinched a single grape! Yet.

    When I crossed into the Loire region a couple of days ago, I noticed that it is not unusual to see a crucifix on a street corner. I don't know if this is a deeply religious area but it certainly feels like it. I've included some examples in the photos.

    Near the end of the walk I became a little lost in some woods. I heard a voice call out 'St Jacques?' and I replied 'Oui'. I looked around and saw an old guy beckoning me. He knew I was lost and asked me where I was going and said he would walk me back to the track. As we walked he asked me about what I was doing, if it was lonely and that sort of thing. He then told me about his holiday in the Alps and even showed me photos. When we reached the point to go our separate ways, we shook hands and he wished me all the best. It was a lovely little chat and all in French. Of course, he did most of the talking and my sentences had gaping holes that he filled for me but it was still a very dear moment.

    Photos - the slow flowing Sèvre, a grotto associated with Lourdes, a roadside statue, crucifix, grapes!, berries from pathway bramble - favourite walking snack!    Read more

  • Stewart WarrilowEl CaminoTraveler

    Saint Fulgent

    August 31, 2023 in France ⋅ ☁️ 20 °C

    It was 3am when the rain woke me up. I didn't make a shelter the previous night as it was a beautiful evening and the forecast was good. I pulled the bivvy up to cover my face. Claustrophobic but dry. I woke again at four and remembered my rucksack and some of my kit were exposed, but I was just too tired. At five I mustered the resolve to ferry my gear to the toilet block. I was soaked and so was a lot of my stuff. Thankfully my quilt was relatively dry; it doesn't insulate when wet so if that's wet then I don't get to sleep. Normally I would hang stuff on my pack to dry but it has just been continual rain today up until early evening. It's raining as I write this and the forecast isn't looking great. But it's all part of the deal. I'm sure I'll learn something from it. Something other than don't do stupid things I hope.

    I met a lady called Muriel today who told me she and her husband walked from Du Puy-en-Velay to Roncesvalles over the course of a month. This is the French section of a pilgrimage that runs across the south of France and continues to Santiago de Compostela. She asked me when I started mine and I replied August. She thought I had got my French months mixed up and recited June, July August in French accompanied by her unique sign language. I had to show her this website before she believed me. She told me I need to slow down before I hurt my legs!

    Photos - the rain curtailed my photo opportunities but here's the medieval market hall in Clisson, Clisson chateau, the impressive walls of Montaigu, the river Maine as in 'Sèvre et Maine', sunflowers looking how I felt in the rain.    Read more

  • Stewart WarrilowEl CaminoTraveler

    Chantonnay

    September 1, 2023 in France ⋅ ☁️ 20 °C

    I camped in a bloke's garden last night (he did know) but I seriously wished I hadn't. Accommodation is really sparse around here and I found this guy on a site called Homecamper, couch surfing on grass in effect. The guy looked like a wide eyed Jeff Goldblum with a goatie. He acted surprised that I had turned up that day. I wasn't sure if it was a joke and explained that I spoke very little French. He replied "No problem" in English and proceeded to talk in very fast French. When he pointed the garden I thought "hoarder!". Old plastic swimming pool (which had no water in but it appeared to have a layer of rice pudding at the bottom), decrepit caravan, numerous old kids toys, geese (yes, live geese),several ladders. I could go on. He pointed to where I should camp. As I got my shelter set up he watched me from the house and he did the same when I took it down in the morning. The guy just freaked me out with his fixed stare. I found myself fabricating a narrative about how his broken marriage sent him off the rails. And then his suggested pitch was awful. It continued raining in the night and part of the pitch developed a puddle so I had to move my stuff around. That has been the worst night I've had on this trip by a long way. Fortunately tonight's looks a whole lot better!

    The path I am following at the moment isn't the best. It is very bitty so I have to keep checking if I'm going the right way, and I seem to have to walk two kilometers to advance by one. Added to that there are very few shops over the next few days which just adds more diversions. So, over the next couple of days, I am going walk across to another route which looks more favourable. Fingers crossed.

    Photos - I didn't take many photos because I left my cable at freaky man's house and didn't wante to waste my battery, but first up is Parc-Soubise. During the wars of the Republic in 1794, 200 people were shot at point blank range by Republican soldiers. The last to be shot was an eight year old boy but the General said "That's enough!" and the boy was the only survivor. He watched as they stripped and searched the corpses which included his friends and relatives. I watched a documentary about Northern Ireland recently and one of the interviewees said good people were doing bad things. That was ringing in my head as I looked at Parc-Soubise.

    My only other photo was a baguette vending machine. Only in France!    Read more

  • Stewart WarrilowEl CaminoTraveler

    Saint Juire

    September 2, 2023 in France ⋅ 🌧 16 °C

    I don't know what came first, the storm or the dog, but I do know it was three in the morning. The lightning was almost constant. It was like someone was having trouble with a giant florescent lightbulb. I remember hearing the dog bark before I saw him. He came and sat with me and we watched the storm together. Well he did a fair bit of fidgeting too! The storm lasted an hour but the dog stayed afterwards and did his best to get on my mattress. I fought him off until I fell asleep. I woke again at 6.30 to see that he'd won and my legs were on the grass. I've since been told his name is Benco. He doesn't like storms so he escaped from the pen he shares at night with two other dogs and would've been glad of my company.

    I camped in someone else's garden last night but this experience was the complete opposite of the previous one. Jerome is a real character. A wall of muscle with blonde curly hair and an ear to ear smile. His kids gave him a ribbing about his attempts at English. I didn't know he tried. I only knew there were bits that I couldn't understand at all. I think he was just making up his own words. He is so nice he invited me to eat with his family but I was too tired unfortunately. The funniest thing about Jerome is his work. He runs a fleet of ambulances (I guess ambulances are private in France) and a funeral parlour! How is that for diversifying along the supply chain?

    Today has been lovely. A little bit of rain but enough sun to dry my stuff and the walking has been good.

    Photos - Saint Juire, my mate at 3am, and again at 6.30 am having taken the mattress, my shelter in Jerome's garden, Jerome's business (headstones on the right, ambulances at the back),drying my stuff at the side of the path during a dry spell.    Read more

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