by Paty | Aug 1, 2025 | France, Italy, Switzerland, Tour du Mont Blanc
Have you ever dreamt of somewhere that you desperately wanted to visit, but kept putting off the trip? This was my situation with the Tour du Mont Blanc (or TMB) – the 105-mile route around Mont Blanc in France, Italy, and Switzerland. I had a list of reasons...
by Paty | Jun 1, 2025 | Camino Primitivo, Gear, Spain
I hiked the Camino Primitivo immediately after my Italian Via Francigena pilgrimage in Spring 2025. In fact, I flew directly from Rome to Oviedo and began my fifth Camino route with almost all the same gear that I used in Italy. There were a few minor changes between...
by Paty | May 26, 2025 | Italy, Via Francigena
In February, I publicly announced my plans to walk 400+ kilometers on the Via Francigena. Soon afterward, several friends began referring to this upcoming trek as my “Italian Camino.” I can see their point of view. This new pilgrimage resembled my other...
by Paty | May 13, 2025 | Camino Primitivo, Spain, Trail Journals
Monday & Tuesday – May 12-13, 2025Start: Santiago de Compostela, SpainEnd: Eugene, Oregon (USA)Distance by train: 600 km Distance flown: 8,855 km (5,500 miles) After each Camino, I usually have time for a bit of sightseeing before boarding my flight back to the...
by Paty | May 12, 2025 | Camino Primitivo, Spain, Trail Journals
Sunday – May 11, 2025 Start: Lavacolla, Spain End: Santiago de Compostela Distance: 10.3 km (6.4 miles) Lodging: KM-0 Albergue My final day on the Camino Primitivo was super short. I only had 10 kilometers to go. The rain of the past few days was...
by Paty | May 11, 2025 | Camino Primitivo, Spain, Trail Journals
Saturday – May 10, 2025 Start: Arzúa, Spain End: Lavacolla Distance: 29 km (18 miles) Lodging: Albergue a Fabrica Today was my next-to-last day on the Camino Primitivo. I woke up 39 kilometers from Santiago, and I could have absolutely walked the...
by Paty | May 10, 2025 | Camino Primitivo, Spain, Trail Journals
Friday – May 9, 2025 Start: As Seixas, Spain End: Arzúa Distance: 29.6 km (18.5 miles) Lodging: Albergue San Francisco Today was my hardest day mentally on the Camino Primitivo, even though it was neither the longest distance day nor the hilliest...
by Paty | May 9, 2025 | Camino Primitivo, Spain, Trail Journals
Thursday – May 8, 2025 Start: Lugo, Spain End: As Seixas Distance: 33.3 km (20.8 miles) Lodging: A Toqueria Albergue I’ve been hiking around the same cluster of pilgrims for more than a week now. There’s Alexandra (from Poland), Lily,...
by Paty | May 8, 2025 | Camino Primitivo, Spain, Trail Journals
Wednesday – May 7, 2025 Start: Castroverde, Spain End: Lugo Distance: 22.3 km (13.9 miles) Lodging: Hostel Porton I pushed a 22-mile walk yesterday in an effort to make today’s walk into Lugo shorter. I wanted a full afternoon to enjoy...
by Paty | May 7, 2025 | Camino Primitivo, Spain, Trail Journals
Tuesday – May 6, 2025 Start: A Fonsagrada, Spain End: Castroverde Distance: 35 km (21.9 miles) Lodging: Casa Roma After two shorter hiking days, I was back to hiking big miles on day 7 of the Camino Primitivo. The morning started out with a brisk...
