The views on this Camino don’t stop! Everywhere you look is a photo op!! I don’t have enough adjectives in my vocabulary to describe what we see, and of course, the photos don’t do it justice.
Today we met a ton of pilgrims from all over the world. We met pilgrims from America, Australia, Italy, Switzerland, England, Finland, and lots of Canadians. It was great to engage with so many people. It – almost – made me think less about the climbs.
I love it when the horses pose
This elevation gain, loss, and gain again is tough and we’re just getting started. My knees ache and the walking is slow. Hopefully our bodies will adjust to what we’re doing soon.
But, oh my gosh, the villages are beautiful. The ocean is a massive delight to look at all day, sometimes up close and other times from a distance. The mountains are lush and bright green. And of course, there are plenty of animals to distract us. I swear Camino cattle are the most photographed in the world. 😆
The weather is improving but it’s still raining at least part of every day and it’s chilly. The cold doesn’t bother me but I could do without the rain. Fortunately the rain just adds to the vibrant colors around us.
Only a couple of days until our next big city, Bilbao where we are taking two full rest days. Can I get a hallelujah?! 🙌🏼
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Have you ever gone on a walk or hike for views but been disappointed? This almost happened to us during our walk from Irún, Spain to San Sebastián. But when I’m on the Camino, nothing can kill my mood.
Views from day 1 leaving Irún
We usually prefer not to cover a lot of ground on the first day of the Camino, as it’s important to pace ourselves since we have 36 more days of walking ahead. However, we walked 14.5 miles for two reasons. First, we didn’t experience jet lag as we had already been in Europe for a week. Second, we knew we were going to have a rest day in San Sebastián, which is what we’re doing now as I lay here typing this blog. As much as I enjoy our adventures, I also love a good rest day with zero miles walked. 🥰
The weather tried hard to kill my mood yesterday. We decided to take the high road which was much steeper but the payoff was supposed to be the views. And we did have some amazing views…until the fog, wind, rain, and for a short time, hail moved in. Oh my gosh, we couldn’t see 10 feet in front of us.
The fog before it rolled in even more
This happened to us in 2017 on the Camino Francés where the fog rolled in terribly as we climbed the Pyrenees hoping for views. It happens. We can’t let it get us down, we’re going to have plenty of days with amazing views.
But what we did see was breathtaking! From the sea to the mountains, then there were horses, colts, cows, and of course wildflowers!
An easy part of the trail
“They” say the Camino doesn’t give you what you want, rather it gives you what you need. I didn’t need the rain and hail but what it forced me to do was focus on my feet and I did need to watch every step because the terrain was treacherous. The trail was rocky and muddy, fortunately, it wasn’t too slippery but if I hadn’t been watching my step, I’d be dealing with another head injury (read more about that here).
Dinner (with gluten free bread) and Netflix
We made it to San Sebastián tired and sore. It was 6 pm before we got into our room! For reference, we like to arrive at our hotel by 1-2 pm to shower and grab lunch before siesta. Instead, we stopped at a market for this delicious spread. It was our version of “Netflix and chill” and we never left the room. We were exhausted!
The Village of Pasaia Gipuzkoa before the ferry ride
It’s a new day and we are in beautiful San Sebastián so it’s time to explore. Bye for now!
If you haven’t had enough and you want to see our walk, check out our video from today’s walk.
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We’ve arrived in Irún, Spain, in the northeast tip of Spain. It’s gorgeous here! I can feel the Camino energy all around me. We’re excited to start our Camino but what an adventure thus far. I’m starting the Camino a bit broken but don’t we all start that way?
We’d tried something new this year which was to enjoy a bit of holiday (vacation) time before we started our Camino. I’m not sure it was the best idea. You can read about that in a previous blog. In short, I cut my head open on a set of marble stairs. I have staples in my head and I had a terrible – just awful – hospital experience.
What should we do?
What does that mean for our Camino? I’m not completely sure. I’ve been resting a lot the past couple of days. My head still hurts, there’s still bleeding. Tomorrow is a very challenging day with multiple, big climbs. The plan is to walk 5 kilometers to our first town, then assess again. I may decide to taxi to the next town, I may decide to try the climb. I’m tuned into my body and I’ll do my best to listen.
The Camino is busy!! We’ve heard some pilgrims are struggling because they haven’t made advance reservations. If you’re walking the Camino del Norte, there are lots of options around here to stay but you would be wise to book in advance. We use the Wise Pilgrim app and the Cicerone guide book to make our decisions for lodging and route planning. We book everything in advance, don’t judge, it’s our Camino our way.
I’m glad we decided to start in Irún. It’s got everything we need, including tapas (fresh, warm appetizer bites) and café con leche (Spanish coffee). Of course there are grocery stores, pharmacies, bakeries, sporting goods stores, and even a gluten free bakery!!! 🙌🏼 These are all essentials on our Camino.
We’ve hand washed our clothes, rested the afternoon away, and now it’s time to find an evening meal before we drift off for the night and our Camino truly begins.
Warm goat cheese salad with bacon and pine nuts
When we entered our hotel in Irún, my daypack fell over and my shell broke. I’m truly starting this Camino broken in so many way. I pray for healing as we walk.
If you have questions about the Camino, this is our 6th one so we’ll be happy to answer them below.
Who would have guessed the blog I would write in Paris would be explaining why I would never go to a French hospital? But here are talking about it.
Warning: graphic images!!!
In case you missed it, let me catch you up…
At the top of the dome at the Basilique du Sacré-Cœur
On our first full day exploring Paris, we were at the top of the dome of the Basilique du Sacré-Cœur de Montmartre. We were enjoying great views, taking beautiful photos, and about ready to walk back down the dome when I took a terrible fall. My head was bleeding something terrible. The paramedics were called and I was taken to the closest French hospital.
I’ve been to a hospital before while traveling in Europe so I didn’t think much about it. However, I didn’t know anything about the French healthcare system. The most important thing to know is it’s free but free doesn’t equal good.
I should have been clued in when the paramedics didn’t have a basic first aid kit with them. One paramedic borrowed tissues from a bystander, poured water on the tissue, and attempted to clean my head wound. Borrowed tissues and a used water bottle on my open head!!
Then I should have been clued in when I saw the ambulance waiting room. The smell was horrendous, like vomit on top of more vomit.
Let me pause here and say we firmly believe in accessible and affordable health care. I’m thankful people in France can go to a hospital, get treated, and not be in financial distress because of an accident or illness. However, there must be some better basic standards of care. Paramedics should carry a first aid kit and be trained well to manage an emergency in the field. Then there’s the hospital staff, they need more training before they touch a patient.
When I was taken back to a room I was greeted by a student doctor who only went by his first name. He was terribly unorganized, continuously losing and dropping things. His English was better than my French but that’s not saying a lot.
Back up for a just a moment, in 2019 when I was in a Spanish hospital I had an interpreter with me at all times. I shouldn’t have taken that for granted. By the way, from my experience the Spanish know how to manage an affordable healthcare system and have a well-trained staff.
Back to my student doctor, who wasn’t going to let my husband come back to the room with me. Boy, he didn’t see me coming because nobody was going to touch my head until my Brian was there to support me. The student doctor said patients weren’t allowed to have anyone with them was because of overcrowding. Well, the only place that was overcrowded was the waiting room so letting Brian come back just freed up room in that area. Sometimes I don’t understand the logic of others.
At this point he’s attempting to clean my head wound. We realized after we got home how poor of a job he did cleaning my head because I should have had at least 2 more staples and he missed connecting the skin on one staple. So now I have a head wound without a proper closure.
The photo on the left is what the student doctor saw based on how he cleaned my head. The photo on the right is what we saw when we cleaned my head when we got home!
Oh, but I missed the most important part! At no point was I offered pain medicine, nor was I checked for internal damage in my head or any other part of my body. I have a huge bruise on my backside but nobody checked my spine or neck.
The student came at me with a staple gun without numbing my head, properly cleaning it, or offering me pain medication. When I wouldn’t let him touch me until I got something for the pain, the best he offered me was the equivalent of 500 mg of Tylenol. Then he finished his paperwork before coming back to staple my head.
France is a first world country, though it is a civil liberties country, they can do better. They can be affordable and still do so much better. I have never been so disappointed. A licensed doctor never even came in to follow up or check the work of the student doctor.
When he was done stapling my head I received a prescription for basically Tylenol and was sent on my way. My head was never cleaned or wrapped. I received no gauze for the bleeding that was still happening. They were done with me. I gathered up my blood soaked sweater, took my bloody mess of self, we called a taxi, and went back to our apartment to use our own first aid kit to finish cleaning me up. Thank goodness we were traveling with a first aid kit. 🤦🏻♀️
The bottom line: If you’re in Paris (which is all I can speak to), there is an American hospital. Go to that hospital! Do not ever go to a French hospital, ever! Oh, and maybe travel with a first aid kit.
We arrive in Spain next week just in time to get my staples removed. I’ll let you know how that experience goes. It can’t be worse, right?
Why are we enjoying dinner tonight in our Paris apartment? Well, it’s been a rough first day. 😔 I can’t believe it happened but I (Michelle) took a terrible fall. Unfortunately, I saw the inside of a Paris hospital within the first 24 hours of being in Europe. 🤦🏻♀️
A late breakfast
We had a leisurely morning, slept in and recuperated from our jet lag a bit. We enjoyed the most delicious café and gluten free treats (more on the gluten free food in Paris in another blog). We took the metro to Montmartre, wandered up to the Basilique du Sacré-Coeur, and then decided to walk the 300 steps to the top of the dome of the basilica.
From the top of the basilica
So far so good, then I landed on one step wrong as we were walking back down the tower. I slipped backwards and slammed my head on 100 year old stone. There was a lot of blood, as there usually is with head trauma.
So much blood even I was startled, not to mention Brian. The look on his face was pure shock and fear. Immediately I was mad at myself. I should have looked better, I should have walked more carefully, I should have worn better shoes, and then I realized I had to get back down those stupid spiral stairs.
By the time I was ready to walk, security had made its way up because they heard about the fall and an ambulance was on its way. They said it was protocol and I had to go to the hospital. It was a good thing I went as I ended up with 4 staples in my head. I only went to the hospital because they insisted and I wasn’t going willingly.
Escorted down the dome by paramedics
Yep, my first full day in Paris and I end up at a hospital to get staples in my head. The experience at a Parisian hospital is another story entirely. However, in short, if you have a medical emergency in Paris please go to the local American hospital. You will thank me. Seriously, write that down and don’t forget.
My poor blood soaked sweater and my impractical (yet cute) shoes
Now it’s time to move on from this experience and salvage the rest of our time in Paris. Fortunately we were able to rearrange our schedule so nothing was a total loss. Unfortunately in 7-10 days I have to find a clinic to remove my staples. 🤦🏻♀️ Wish me luck.
As for Paris, I pray this was our only meal indoors.
As I lounge in my comfy recliner thinking about the summer adventure we are embarking on today, I can’t believe this is my life. Maybe I am dreaming; if I am, I pray I don’t wake up. I always wanted to be a world traveler but didn’t think it was realistic. 26 years ago this August I was a young, single mom barely holding it together. I moved to Ohio with my 7-year-old son and our dog. I didn’t know anyone. I planned to be the best college professor I could be and when my son graduated from high school I would travel the world and teach abroad.
I had lived in Ohio for 7 years when I met Brian on e-Harmony. Fortunately, he loved to travel and had taken a lot of choir trips with students to fulfill his wanderlust. I am thankful we have figured out how to continue our mutual love for travel and turned it into something meaningful for us both.
Every year I think, “We can’t top that trip!” yet somehow we do. This year it’s all about multiple destinations, flying around Europe exploring 3 countries. We will start in Paris, the city of love. I am sure I have over-romanticized it like every other American woman. I don’t care. We will see Paris as it prepares for the Olympics and then be back for a couple days during the Olympics. It’s going to be fantastic to watch the city show the world how good she can look.
The Camino del Norte route map
Next, we will spend about a month and a half walking the Camino del Norte. This will be an epic hike! We are walking along the northern coast of Spain but it won’t be an easy walk on the beach. Every day we will climb the Spanish rolling hills (some days it will feel like mountains). Daily epic views, yes, but a challenging walk.
After about 40-ish days of walking, we will travel to the Netherlands to explore this small country. The Netherlands is a special place because I am part Dutch; my maternal grandfather was born in the Netherlands. We are keeping the itinerary flexible so we can just relax and enjoy! As long as I see the Anne Frank house, the windmills, and the canals, I am happy! But did I mention they will also be having Carnival? Maybe it won’t be quiet but we’ll try to take it easy.
This epic adventure will wrap up back in Paris where the Olympics will be in full swing! It’s been 100 years since Paris hosted the Olympics. I can’t believe we will be there. I can’t believe this is my life. We are blessed and I don’t take that for granted. This trip may break the bank, so when we’re looking for second jobs you know why. Haha! Teachers for hire, anyone?
I plan to blog while we’re there. I want you to feel like you’re in Europe with us. It’s certainly easier to take you than it is my comfy recliner. I will sacrifice the chair to enjoy the rich history and romance of Europe. In the meantime, leave a comment below to tell me what you want to hear, see, etc. This is our trip. I am excited you’re going to take an adventure with us!
In the midst of the COVID virus pandemic, we purchased a 21-pound turkey for two and it’s a good thing we love turkey leftovers! Now don’t get me wrong, I can only eat Thanksgiving (or Christmas) dinner with all of the trimmings twice at most but take that holiday turkey and divide it into dinner-sized portions and freeze it for later and you’ve got easy meal prep for multiple meals. Keep reading for some of our creative ideas and suggestions from some of our subscribers about how to use up all of the leftovers from your holiday dinner.
In the YouTube video that accompanies this post, we’re giving some quick walkthroughs of several recipe ideas. All of them are linked here with a quick description and some tips to turn your leftovers into new favorites. Plus all of these recipes can be made year-round by substituting chicken when you just can’t handle that big bird more than once a year.
Turkey Stock
The first must-do for our leftovers is making a big batch of turkey stock. Stock is can be very simple. Take the bones and trimming from your turkey, add aromatics such as celery, carrots, onion, garlic, and any herbs you have in the spice rack, and cook on the stovetop or in a crockpot for as long as you can handle the aromas wafting from your kitchen! Here’s our basic recipe:
Most casseroles use some sort of “cream of something” soup as a base. If someone in your household can’t eat gluten, you know that this can be a challenge since most brands include wheat as a thickener. Have no fear, this scratch recipe is quick and easy… plus it’s delicious! By the way, substitute any leftover veggies in place of the peas. Broccoli and even leftover green bean casserole taste great here.
I know, everyone makes turkey sandwiches, where is the creative idea? But have you made one with a dressing waffle bun? Inspired by chicken and waffles, we take leftover dressing and press it into a DASH waffle iron. To make the sandwich, layer the waffles with gouda cheese, melted cranberry sauce, and turkey for a delicious sweet and savory sandwich that pleases.
Photo of Dressing Waffle Bun sandwich
How about Turkey Bacon Pinwheels. Made with wraps, cream cheese, bacon, turkey, and your choice of cheese, it’s another quick way to get out of the turkey sandwich rut. This recipe is inspired by a keto version from Ruled.me.
How about side dishes! Potato Pancakes
Michelle’s grandma’s Holiday Mashed Potatoes are fantastic the first time around. I’m not a big fan of them leftover because they always seem a little dry. To turn your leftover mashed into potato pancakes, follow these simple directions:
2 cups mashed potatoes
1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese (or parmesan)
1 egg
1/4 to 1/2 cup milk
flour (if needed)
Mix everything together except the milk. Add milk as needed to get a spoonable consistency. If the mixture is too runny (or you started with wet mashed potatoes) add a little flour.
Heat a pan on medium-high heat with some olive oil and spoon out about 1/2 cup of potatoes for each pancake. Press them to about 1/2-3/4 inch thick. Cook on each side for 3-5 minutes or until lightly browned and crispy. Serve with sour cream, apple sauce (like latkes), or just as is.
Thanks Cathy22 for the inspiration!
Turkey Fajita Soup
We love making anything with Mexican and Tex-Mex flavors! This soup is a quick and easy addition to our regular menu.
Not many dishes say comfort food like a pot pie. This really is a dish where you can add just about anything, including leftovers! This recipe comes from the New York Times Food Lab and it is one of our favorite versions of pot pie and it is classy enough to serve for company. Notice the wine pairings at the end of the recipe in the link below. Road to Shambala reminded us that we love pot pie!
We mentioned that we love Mexican food right? Nachos are like ambrosia and we could eat them every week. Here is an interesting take inspired by pulled pork nachos that are popular on many bar menus now.
We have a bunch of favorites that we couldn’t include in the video but wanted to give you the recipe anyway. Here they are: Chicken with Pancetta Cream and Peas is a Cooking Light Magazine take on Chicken Alfredo. We use leftover turkey breast and mix it in at the end of cooking. This is another great way of incorporating leftover veggies because you can mix in virtually any cooked veggies (think pasta primavera).
Ground Turkey Sweet Potato Skillet from Primavera Kitchen calls for ground turkey at the beginning of the recipe. We’ve found that skipping that direction and adding pieces of leftover turkey towards the end of cooking is equally tasty.
One final family recipe is for Grandma Baker’s Chicken and Dumpling Soup. Michelle’s grandma’s traditional chicken and dumplings recipe works equally well with turkey and produces dense dumplings that are another great comfort food staple on a cold winter’s night.
What are your favorite ways to use up those holiday leftovers? Leave us a comment below and let us know and if you try out one of our recipes, send a picture or tag us on Instagram. Maybe we’ll post up ham recipes after Christmas or Easter!
We haven’t been blogging this summer but we’ve been posting about two videos a week about our Camino adventures. Have you checked them out? We’d love to share our Camino with you! Go to YouTube.com/CruisinwiththeColemans to catch up on our videos.
We walked about 300 kilometers on the Camino Frances from León to Santiago in June. Then we flew down to Lisbon, Portugal to complete the Camino Portuguese. We rode bikes from Lisbon to Porto, walked the coastal route from Porto to Caminha, took a boat over to Tui, then finished by walking Tui to Santiago. We arrived in Santiago on July 24th to enjoy the beginnings of the Feast of St. James.
We have one more adventure before we say goodbye to the Camino. We will leave on July 27 to walk to Muxia and then walk on to Finisterre.
You can follow the remainder of our journey on Instagram and Facebook. Our YouYube channel is a few weeks behind where we are now but they are worth the wait for sure!
For now we say, “Buen Camino,” and we will see you when we’re blogging again this fall.
As the school year winds to a close, we are getting very excited about our upcoming trek on the Camino de Santiago. As you probably already know, in 2017 we hiked the 550 mile Camino Frances from Saint Jean-Pied-de-Port to Santiago and then on to Finisterre. This summer we will be repeating part of that trek, walking from Leon to Santiago but also walking the Camino Portuguese from Lisbon to Santiago and the Camino Fisterre, walking from Santiago to Muxia to Finisterre and back to Santiago for a total of 1,162 km (722 miles) over a two month period. Today we bring you “his” thoughts and “her” thoughts about our upcoming adventure as we answer the top five questions that we hear most often.
What are you most excited about?
Brian: Revisiting some of our favorite cities (such as Astorga and O’Cebreiro) along the Camino Frances is really exciting but I am most looking forward to being back in Santiago on Feast Day. Seeing the fiesta from a pilgrim’s perspective was a great experience and getting to participate again now that the exterior of the Cathedral is finished is going to be awesome.
The opening of the Festival at the Cathedral in Santiago
Michelle: I agree that seeing the Fiesta in Santiago again will be fantastic, especially since the Cathedral is complete on the outside so I hope the projections will be on the Cathedral this year. But, ultimately, I am most excited about walking every day with friends! Walking next to my best friend, meeting new friends, meeting up with an old friend in Portugal, and sharing this incredible moment in time with so many other pilgrims.
What are you most nervous about?
Brian: On the Camino Frances we were averaging about 13 miles a day with frequent stops every 5-8 km. In Portugal, the villages are further apart and our days will be significantly longer with an average of 16 miles a day. Add to that the fact that we are further south and the summer heat can be brutal, I think there is plenty to be nervous about!
Michelle: Yes, what he said! I am nervous about how early we will have to get up in the morning to beat the heat. Also, the last time we walked the Camino, we were so lucky with the rain. It only rained twice while we were walking the entire summer. I am hoping for cooler temperatures and the rain is tolerable. But, what I am most nervous about, and it’s something I haven’t shared with people who don’t see me in person. I injured my foot when we were in Gatlinburg in March. I have been walking with a boot because of two stress fractures on the top of my foot. The doctor said I will be healed by the end of May and can do light walking until we leave on June 10th. Unfortunately, I fear re-injury. However, we have accepted that we may need to taxi ahead and accommodate as needed. There is magic on the Camino and I am praying some healing magic comes my way. Brian is quite patient and we always have each others back in tough situations like this one. Safety is always goal number one.
Along the trail
What village are you most looking forward to?
Brian: Duh, Porto, the home of Port wine! We plan to do plenty of Port tasting while we are there. I’m also really excited about Tomar. While we are there, the Fiesta de los Tabuleiros will be happening. The Festival of Trays only takes place every four years and just happens to coincide with our layover. For me, one of the primary reasons for hiking the Camino is to experience the local culture and big festivals are a great way to meet locals.
Michelle: Mmmmm port, tinto, cheese, pastries, festivals. Let me dream about all of that for a moment! I don’t have one particular village in mind but I am excited that the first and last legs of our trip will be a repeat of some of our favorite spots. I love Foncebadón because it’s this super tiny village that many pilgrims stay at in order to hike to Cruz de Ferro at sunrise. O Cebreiro is another tiny village that we couldn’t stay at last time because they didn’t have any rooms, I am looking forward to staying there this time. If the village is tiny, I am looking forward to it. The big cities overwhelm me because Brian wants to walk them! Haha
What are you doing differently this time?
Brian: My packing list is a little different this time. I’m taking less clothing and getting rid of some of the same extras that Michelle mentions below. I’ve decided to take a dice game (Farkle) for evenings in the albergue (but to save weight, I’ve created an online score sheet on Google Drive). I also have some new camera gear that you can read more about in the next question.
Michelle: I am taking a smaller pack going from 48 liters to 36 liters. I am not taking a sleeping liner or towel because we will be in private rooms and they are provided for you. The biggest thing I am doing differently, beyond the “stuff,” is a shift in attitude. I was overwhelmed last time. This is a big adventure, far from home, where nobody speaks your language (or so I thought). I didn’t know if we could do it. This time, I know we can. I am more open to the relationships that form on the Camino. I am open to whatever food we eat as a pilgrim. I am open to the entire experience, in a way that I was not before. What a blessing.
Pilgrim’s dinner at Orrison
What is the most essential piece of gear you are taking?
Brian: Because we are documenting this trip more actively on YouTube and our blog (we hope), my gear is probably the most essential equipment. I’ve found new trekking poles that can double as a monopod and I have a gimbal to help with better video quality. I’ll also be bringing a boom mic for voice-overs. All of the videos will be shot on a new iPhone X that I’ll be upgrading to in the coming weeks.
Michelle: I am adding extra shoe insoles because mine were quite beaten up last time. Finally, as of this moment and this could change, I am taking 3 pairs of shoes to help manage my foot problems. I am taking my Merrell Moab 2 hiking shoes and my New Balance 880 tennis shoes which I will switch between during the day, and then my Chacos for evenings and rest days. Again, we’ll see but I have to figure out how to manage my foot problems.
There you have it, another edition of He Said, She Said. We are just counting down the days, practicing our tinto arm, making sure we have all of our gear, purging as much as possible, and most importantly wrapping up the school year so when we return we will be ready to start another year. Do you still have a lingering question about the Camino? Leave a comment below! Your question may just show up in our next He Said, She Said blog post.
Outside the Templar castle in Ponferrada
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Know before you go
Activity Level.
Every Cruisin' with the Colemans trip comes with an activity level so you know, before you lace up, roughly how hard the walking will be. Think of it as the overall rhythm of the trip — a few days might push a little past it and a few will feel gentler, but it's an honest read on what your legs are signing up for.
Nobody knows your body better than you do. We're all for a good challenge, but pick a level that matches your current fitness and trail experience and the whole walk gets more fun. Not sure where you land? Reach out — we've walked every one of these ourselves and we're always happy to talk it through.
Grades
EasyEasy0–8 km (0–5 miles)
Gentle, mostly flat days on well-kept, easy-to-follow paths. Ideal if you're new to multi-day walking or simply want a relaxed pace with plenty of time to soak it all in.
Easy – ModerateEasy–Moderate8–16 km (5–10 miles)
A little more distance over mixed ground — mostly maintained trails, quiet lanes, and the occasional gentle climb. A good fit if you're reasonably active and ready for a few longer stretches.
ModerateModerate16–20 km (10–12 miles)
Fuller days on varied, sometimes rugged terrain with regular ups and downs. Great for steady hikers in good shape, or determined first-timers chasing a real sense of accomplishment.
Moderate – StrenuousModerate–Strenuous20–24 km (12–15 miles)
Long days with sustained, often steep climbs and descents on rough trail. You'll want solid fitness; a few exposed spots call for a head for heights, and navigation can get trickier when the weather turns.
StrenuousStrenuous24–28 km (15–17 miles)
Big days on demanding, often remote mountain terrain — serious distance and elevation for experienced, fit hikers. Expect rough footing, the odd exposed or aided section, and higher altitude on some routes.
ExtremeExtreme+28 km (+17 miles)
Our toughest walking, built for very fit, very experienced hikers. Rugged, sometimes remote mountain terrain with scrambling, exposure, and aided sections — plus altitude, weather, and navigation that all add to the challenge.
Where you rest
Accommodations Levels.
Where you sleep is part of the story, so we hand-pick locally run places that welcome you like an old friend. The level shifts a little from trip to trip depending on the route, but the goal never does: a clean, comfortable, genuinely local stay at the end of every walking day.
Most nights you'll land in friendly, independent or family-run hotels, guest houses, and B&Bs chosen for their charm and the little touches that feel like home. Some trips lean a touch more luxurious; others, especially in the remote stretches, mean simpler refuges or huts. Either way, we've picked each one to help you rest up and wake ready for the trail.
Basic – A Place to Rest Your HeadBasic
Mountain huts, refuges, and simple B&Bs. Ensuite rooms aren't a given, and you may share a dorm with fellow walkers — but what you trade in polish you more than gain back in camaraderie and a big, rustic welcome.
Classic – Charming Without the FrillsClassic
Locally owned B&Bs, guest houses, and small inns that feel like a home away from home — usually family-run, cozy or freshly kept, and well placed for the next day's walk. A warm welcome comes as standard.
Comfort – A Little More...ComfortableComfort
Characterful, locally owned hotels and B&Bs with the little extras that make a stay feel special — décor rooted in the region, the occasional spot to unwind, and sometimes a kitchen worth lingering over.
In Style – For Those who Want to Treat ThemselvesIn Style
First-class stays in boutique hotels, vineyards, and country manors — often in the best seats in the house, from hilltop towns to the water's edge, with standout service and, now and then, a truly memorable table.
Mixed – Boutique Hotels to Mountain Huts, all in One TripMixed
One trip, a bit of everything. You might bed down in Classic or Comfort rooms through the towns and villages, then a refuge or other Basic spot up in the mountains where that's all there is — an honest, memorable mix that matches the journey.
