Camino Frances - the route we trod

The pilgrim caminos converge on Santiago de Compostela from many directions. We chose to walk the Camino Frances starting from St Jean Pied de Port in the French Pyrenees, crossing to Roncevalles in Spain, and then walking west through Pamplona, Burgos and Leon into Galicia. Each day we walked between 20 and 30 kilometres, taking 33 days in all and sleeping at the pilgrim hostels, or albergues, along the way.

Los peregrinos A wet and muddy one.

In the Plaza san Marcos, Leon.

Writing postcards in the albergue.

Checking out the next stage.

Top or bottom bunk?

One hundred kilometres to Santiago.

Settling into an albergue for the night.

We took their picture, they took ours.

And when we arrived in Santiago we checked into a nice hotel.

They say that Santiago is the wettest place in Spain.

Sixty-first birthday. Sixty one kilometres to Santiago. Well-bitten by fleas in the albergue the previous night. Face, neck and arm swollen. Blinked for the photo.

Pilgrim dinner in the albergue at San Juan.

Filling the water bottles at a fuente.

Modern day pilgrim.

Enjoying the view.

Resting at the top of the hill.

Just checking the route again.

Camino Frances - the path Rodney and I walked the Camino Frances from St Jean Pied de Port in France to Santiago de Compostella. From hundreds of photos, we share just a few - a flavour of our experiences walking this very ancient path trodden by millions before us. Rather than being chronological, I'll group them into various themes. Here's the first, some photos of the path we followed (there are many alternatives) for 800 kilometres starting the week after Easter and arriving in Santiago at the end of April. From St Jean Pied de Port, up through the Pyrenees via Valcarlos and the Puerto de Ibaneta - the Route de Napoleon was closed by snow. And into the snow. The top of the pass. Through snowy woods from Roncevalles to Larrasoana. Crossing the boundary from Navarra into Castille and Leon. Through Riojan vineyards. Always heading west. Early starts meant towns and villages were still asleep. Sunrises were behind us in the East. Crossing the border into Galicia. The highest point on the Camino, Punta Alto, 1,515 m. Following signposts along the way. Under maize stores in Galician villages. Amazing wild flowers. April showers. Galician chestnut woods. To the cathedral in Santiago de Compostela.