In 2006 I joined my friend Tony and walked 220 km of the Camino Frances and I raised £1200 for Prostate Cancer Charity.  I am a member of Rotary Club of Hitchin Tilehouse which has raised over £30,000 for the charity since Charter.   

Tony and I have just walked 370 km of the Via de la Plata (a pilgrimage route of 1000 km from Seville to Santiago de Compostela) in 15 days.  We walked from Merida to Zamora staying mainly in hostels, sleeping in dormitories with bunk beds and carrying everything we needed in rucksacks weighing about 13 kg.    

Only 10,000 people walk the route each year as opposed to 140,000 on the Camino Frances.  How far we walked each day was determined by where the hostels were and on some days it was over 30km.  Food was not always available when needed. 

The first five days were physically tough, walking through semi-desert with no shelter in temperatures of over 30C but it became easier as we walked further north.  Some days we saw up to four walkers and some days, none.

Some of those we met had incredible stories. It was a wonderful experience and I am trying to raise more money for the charity.