Camino de Santiago - March 2026
My pilgrimage to Santiago de Compostela, raising funds for
The Choir With No Name (Sheffield) & The Archer Project.
To mark my 60th birthday I walked the final 102km of the Portuguese Coastal Route of the Camino de Santiago, running from Vigo to Santiago de Compostela. It was a personal challenge for me and also a way for me to raise funds for two Sheffield-based charities, both supporting people experiencing homelessness: The Choir with No Name (Sheffield) and The Archer Project. I turned 60 on the day we arrived into Santiago de Compostela.
You can still donate to these charities on my Give As You Live - Fundraising page
Joanne (my wife) and I started volunteering at The Choir With No Name [Sheffield] in January 2025. I was nervous at first, but I soon got involved and began to feel part of the family.
Since then I've been photographing the choir whenever we sing at our gigs. When it comes to editing and processing the photos, I often find it very emotional seeing the joy, energy and enthusiasm on the faces of the choir members. You can see some of these on this website. Please have a look, particularly at the ‘individuals' pages where you can see the joy and energy on the members faces.
Singing has many benefits with physical and psychological health and is proven to reduce stress and anxiety. Group singing further enhances well-being through social bonding and a sense of community, which can help to combat loneliness and isolation, and we really do see this in the feedback from our members, where they describe the choir as a family.
A typical choir rehearsal will begin informally where we chat with the choir members. Then we'll sing together, getting songs ready for our next gig, and we'll finish the evening with a hot meal prepared by the volunteers using the Archer Project facilities. £1000 will keep these projects running for about a week with hot meals and music-filled rehearsals at The Choir with No Name and running the kitchen at The Archer Project.
Please support this as generously as you can, and, if you can come along to one of our gigs to see us live!
You can support these charities on my Give As You Live - Fundraising page
Daily itinery
Our arrival in Vigo.
The team rendezvous point after all travelling our own routes to the starting blocks.
Vigo
Vigo is a major port city located in the Galicia region of northwest Spain, known for its vibrant maritime history, excellent seafood, and as the gateway to the stunning Cíes Islands. It is the most populous municipality in Galicia.
Our first day walking from Vigo to Arcade.
27.4 km and with an elevation gain of 519m. This is the longest days of walking through the countryside to Arcade.
Arcade
Arcade is a town in the province of Pontevedra, Galicia, Spain, known for being a popular stop on the Portuguese Way of St. James. It is famous for its production of oysters, which it celebrates with a large annual festival in April, and for the historic Ponte Sampaio bridge.
Walking from Arcade to Pontevedra.
12.9 km and an elevation gain of 242m. This is our shortest day of walking. Winding down cobbled streets, through villages and onto woodland paths from Arcade to Pontevedra
Pontevedra
Pontevedra is a historic city and the provincial capital located in the autonomous community of Galicia, in northwestern Spain. Known as "The Good City" (Boa Vila) or "The City of the Lérez", it is particularly famous for its well-preserved, almost entirely pedestrianized medieval old town, which has won numerous international awards for its urban planning and high quality of life.
Walking from Pontevedra to Calas de Reis.
23.8 km and an elevation gain of 288m. Leaving the historic streets of Pontevedra we'll quickly move onto quiet rural roads, shaded woodland trails, and fields, with gentle ups and downs rather than steep climbs. Along the way we’ll pass through small Galician villages. The day culminates in Caldas de Reis, a charming spa town known for its thermal springs, medieval bridges and churches, offering a perfect place to rest after this long day of walking
Caldas de Reis
Caldas de Reis is a historic town and a popular stop on the Portuguese Way route of the Camino de Santiago pilgrimage trail, located in the province of Pontevedra, in the autonomous community of Galicia, Spain. It is famous for its therapeutic thermal hot springs and Roman heritage.
Walking from Calas de Reis to Padron.
23.3 kn wth an elevation gain of 315m. Walking through the countryside, past beautiful churches and across the bridge into Padrón – famous for Padrón Peppers!
Padrón
Padrón is a small town in Galicia, Spain, with significant historical and cultural ties to the Camino de Santiago (Way of St. James).
Jacobean Legend: According to tradition, Padrón (ancient Iria Flavia) is where the stone boat carrying the remains of St. James the Great (Santiago) first landed in Spain. The "Pedrón" (a large stone believed to be the mooring post) is housed in the Church of Santiago.
Famous for Peppers: The town is nationally famous for its specific type of small, green, fried peppers, known as pimientos de Padrón. A common saying about them is that some are spicy and some are not.
Notable Residents: It was the birthplace or home of several famous Spanish writers, including the poet Rosalía de Castro and Nobel literature laureate Camilo José Cela. Their house-museums are local attractions.
Walking from Padron to Santiago
24.7 km with some long climbs giving an elevation gain of 486m
The walk from Padrón to Santiago de Compostela is the last and most emotive stage of our Portuguese Camino. We’ll walk almost 25km today.
One of the most memorable moments of this journey comes at Monte do Gozo, where the towers of the Cathedral of Santiago can be seen on the horizon - a symbolic and emotional milestone before we descend into the city.
This is our toughest day of walking, but there’s a great prize at the end!
Santiago
Santiago refers to Santiago de Compostela.
Santiago, the capital of the autonomous community of Galicia in northwestern Spain. It is a city of major historical and religious significance, famous as the final destination of the ancient pilgrimage route, the Camino de Santiago (Way of St. James).
A BIG THANK YOU TO MY SPONSORS
Wendy North Anonymous Julian & Debbie Hillman Tracey Beaumont Kate O'Meara Anonymous Sue & John Gough LDH Matt E Dyfrig Hughes Derek and Christine Whiteside Richard Yarrow Anonymous Adrian James Terri Thorpe Richard & Clare Exact Ali Burke Hannah West Paul Simmonds Angela Henshall Paul Cartwright Chloe Wray Penelope Baddeley Carole Smith Justin Georgie Anon Simon Long Dave C Kate and Paul DM Richard P Julie Ellis Myra Little Anon Anon
Thank you for contributing towards my £1200 sponsership target. It is really appreciated and will help to keep these fantastic charities running.
