2025 03Nympton News Autumn final with bleed - Flipbook - Page 30
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With Eric Puffett
The Portuguese Camino
Having had to abandon plans to walk the Portuguese Camino last year due
to Sue9s failing health, Eric has just completed the route himself - to raise
money for Cancer Research UK. The Portuguese route
is one of several that lead from all parts of Europe to
the shrine to St James (Santiago) in Spain. Eric and Sue
did the French version several years ago. Our own
church is reputedly named after St James as it was a
starting point for Pilgrims many years ago.
It all appeared to go wrong at Kings Nympton station
when the scheduled-to-stop train didn't! A dash to
Eggesford meant I could board - explanation another
time! I new from Bristol to Lisbon on the 30th of
August. Lisbon is stunning I sprinkled some of Sue9s ashes on the steps of
the Cathedral. The picture of the poncho-clad soaking wet Eric - taken on
the 27th of September - is a repeat - ashes being sprinkled
at journey9s end in Santiago di Compostella. As I set off on
the 1st of September, nearly 400 miles ahead of me, the
weather was very hot. I thought walking 25 miles on Day 1
would be too much for an old man, but thanks to the
training regime on the Tiverton canal it was no problem.
The orst week saw endless days of walking through acres
and acres of tomato plants, then articulated lorries loaded
with tomatoes speeding past and spilling them on bends and junctions.
There are ove ways of doing the Camino 3 walking,
cycling (there were lots of bikes), on horse-back, sailing,
or in a wheelchair. Doing the French Camino, Sue and I
did see a blind Englishman with long white stick walking
unaided. This time, there was a Portuguese couple - she
walked, he rode his bike laden with panniers, front
basket, backpack with solar panel on the top to power
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