John Journal

Lourenzá to Abedín – 12.5 Miles/30,145 Steps (Total 281.2/650,465) We had a choice again today and choose the route that was listed as “more strenuous” but a few kilometers shorter. We made our way out in the dark and got to Mondeñedo by mid morning. It was a another town tucked into the hills centered […]

Cadavedo to Luarca – 11.5 Miles/26,934 Steps (Total 215.4/500,252) Today was one of the shortest planned walks of the pilgrimage. We were feeling great after mountain climbing yesterday. We slept in a bit, had a great breakfast at the hotel and started on our way. Then the effects of the mountains became real. We are

Soto de Luiña to Cadavedo – 14.1 Miles/33,488 Steps (Total 203.9/473,352) Today started off with a decision about which way to go – the mountain route or the more coastal route. The mountain route was supposed to be the more beautiful, but is now the less used route for various reasons. We took the route

Oviedo/Aviles to Soto del Barco 13.5 Miles/30,479 Steps – (Total 174.2/401,616) God is great at new beginnings and today we began again. We were back on the official pilgrimage route with 16 days ahead of us to cover almost 200 miles. As I write this I am am reminded again that it is about the

Avila to Aviles/Oviedo 6 Miles/10,999 Steps – (Total 160/370,900) I don’t usually wake up Sunday mornings with a marching band outside my window. I don’t usually sleep in until 9am either. After a late dinner on our balcony overlooking the town, we slept until the St. Teresa festivities called our attention. Gigantic puppet like figures, dignitaries, banners

Oviedo to Avila 6.2 Miles/15,019 Steps – (Total 156.0/359,696) We continued our pilgrimage within a pilgrimage as we traveled to Avila to celebrate the feast of St. Teresa – one of Sonia’s favorites. We left by train early in the morning and arrived in Avila about 1pm. The train ride took us over the rugged mountains

Llanes to Oviedo 6.3 Miles/14,912 Steps – (Total 149.8/344,682) Today we began the pilgrimage within the pilgrimage. Tomorrow we will travel to Avila to celebrate the Feast of St. Teresa in the town of her birth. We needed to get to Oviedo to take the train to Avila. This provided an opportunity to rest our

Soto del Barco to Soto de Luña 14.6 Miles/34,127 Steps – (Total 188.7/435,375) It was a very pleasant day, despite the light rain that accompanied us for most of the morning. We arrived at the hotel fairly early, showered, lunched – and then went for a walk to the beach – because we hadn’t walked

Unquera to Llanes 15.2 Miles/33,668 Steps – (Total 143.4/329,770) As we walked along the dirt path it sounded like heavy breathing. Very heavy breathing. I made Sonia stop and listen. We looked up at the hill that separated us from the sea. About 100 yards up we saw the breath coming out from between the

Comillas to Unquera 16.6 Miles/37,206 Steps (Total 128.2/296,102) I love hills. I love what you can see. I love the challenge of the climb. We have a lot of hills. In the picture with this entry you can zoom down on the right and see a bridge over the water that we had crossed earlier