About

In April 2010, I leave for Europe to attempt a walk that has been at the back of my mind for the past 8 years. I intend to undertake a pilgrimage from Assisi in the footsteps of St Francis of Assisi who walked to Santiago de Compostella in 1214. See the route page for a map and details.

My daughter having been diagnosed with Chronic Myeloid Leukaemia in 2005, I decided to combine my pilgrimage with fund raising, and to seek sponsors to support the fight against leukaemia. I will cover all my own expenses, so all funds raised will go directly to the Leukaemia Foundation without deduction.

When walking across three countries, it's a good idea to have a plan. Although the route may change slightly and adjustments will be made en route, here is my outline. I will walk from Assisi to Santiago, averaging 30kms a day. The rough distance between Assisi and Santiago is approx 2500kms, give or take a few. At a minimum, if I average 30km a day, and allowing some rest days, I should reach Santiago in 90 days. If I take any longer, I risk being thrown out of the E.U. for overstaying my visa! The main constraint on achieving the whole walk within 3 months, is the distance between the villages where I will stop overnight. In Spain, which is well set up for pilgrims, there are many opportunities to break your walk at whatever distance you feel comfortable, but in Italy and France, my day’s travel may be dictated by where the villages fall on my route.