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’ll be walking the final 100km of the Portuguese Coastal Route of the Camino de Santiago, running from Vigo to Santiago de Compostela. It’s 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'll be turning 60 on the day we arrive into Santiago de Compostela.
Sponsor me on my Give As You Live - Fundraising page
My wife and I started volunteering at The Choir With No Name [Sheffield] in January 2025 after hearing about it at the Archer Project carol service. I was nervous at first, not knowing whether I had anything to offer of value and whether I'd fit in, but I soon got involved and began to feel part of the family.
I began photographing the choir at our first gig and other events. Often when I come to edit and process the photos I find it very emotional to see the sheer joy, energy and enthusiasm on the faces of the choir members. You can see some of these on my website, where I have a whole section dedicated to the choir members. So please have a look, particularly at the ‘individuals' pages where you can see the joy and energy on the members faces.
Singing has many proven links with benefits to physical and psychological health reducing stress and anxiety. Group singing further enhances well-being through social bonding and a sense of community, which can 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 two weeks with hot meals and music-filled rehearsals at The Choir with No Name, plus two weeks of 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 and see us live!
You can sponsor me on my Give As You Live - Fundraising page
A BIG THANK YOU TO MY SPONSORS
Richard & Clare 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 £1000 sponsership target. It is really appreciated and will help to keep these fantastic charities running.
31
Training Days Remaining
Camino 14 Mar 2026
Itinerary
Our first day walking.
23 km from Vigo to Arcade. This is the second longest day of walking.
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.
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 (12km).
This is our shortest day of walking.
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 (22km).
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 (18km).
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 (25km).
This is our longest 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).
