Month:

Distance: 14.4 km – Elevation +50 m -40 m Weather: Sunny. Temperature: High 27 degrees Despite the unusual sleeping arrangements I enjoyed a good night’s sleep. After breakfast, we walked past Aigle Castle and its surrounding vineyards into Aigle town centre where I needed to visit the post office to send home the items I had removed from my rucksack last night. Today was going to be a relatively easy walk of around 18 kilometres

Distance: 19.3 km – Elevation +100 m -50 m Weather: Sunny. Temperature: High 31 degrees We were met this morning by the same regular canon and he escorted us to the dining room within the Abbey quarters. We shared breakfast in silence with the other canons and brothers of the Abbey. Staying at the Abbey was for me a special moment in my pilgrimage, in the first instance it reminded me of my uncle Maurice

Distance: 19.7 km – Elevation +640 m -240 m Weather: Sunny. Temperature: High 29 degrees I woke this morning with a feeling of excitement tinged with a little trepidation at the thought of the day ahead. This was the beginning of the climb to the Great Saint Bernard Pass and I had read that this first day of the climb was difficult and a little scary. I have never been a great climber so I

Distance: 12.3 km – Elevation +830 m -70 m Weather: Sunny. Temperature: High 30 degrees I am not a great one for sleeping close to the floor and as we were the only pilgrims I was able to use a spare mattress, one on top of the other, and consequently, I slept surprisingly well. After leaving our donations of 15 euros in the provided box we left at just past 7.30 a.m. The church was

Distance: 11.6 km – Elevation +910 m -100 m Weather: Sunny. Temperature: High 25/10 degrees It is difficult to explain my feelings when I woke this morning. Today I would reach the Col du Grand-Saint-Bernard, the highest point at 2470 metres on my pilgrimage. It is also close to halfway on my journey to Rome and I will be staying in the hospice that has been welcoming pilgrims for over 1000 years. It is a