CAMINO INGLÉS – Day 2: Tuesday 25 August 2026 – MORTIMER to WORTING (14.0 miles)
Today, the second stage of our Camino, did indeed start with a sapphire sky. But before my full account of our daily walk perhaps a few words on our pilgrimage route are in order. The 68.5-mile path from Reading to Southampton forms the first section of the Camino Inglés, with the remaining second stage picking up from the port of A Coruña in northern Spain, onward to the Cathedral at Santiago de Compostela. The English section of the path, also known as the Way of St James, is a relatively straightforward ramble across the pleasant countryside of southern England, taking in the Kennet valley, parts of the Roman road through Silchester, before crossing the watershed to join the River Itchen as it flows from the watercress beds of New Alresford, down to the ancient city of Winchester, and on to its south coast destination at Southampton. Whilst significantly less trafficked than the Iberian Caminos, the path has recently been way-marked and visitor numbers are increasing (we were numbers 404 to 407 in this year’s Visitor’s Book at St Mary’s in Sulhamstead Abbots yesterday). Along the way pilgrims such as us have the opportunity of visiting the churches and other historic buildings, as well as the various cafés and hostelries in the towns, cities and villages that punctuate the path, in search of nourishment for mind, body and soul. We have decided to attempt the walk in six days, collecting stamps on our pilgrim passport from these various establishments, in order to evidence our journey on foot and so to attain the Pilgrim Certificate in Southampton. A fun few days beckons.
We awoke this morning back in Reading, having taken a bus return from Mortimer after yesterday’s walk and, following a full breakfast (courtesy of the Premier Inn buffet), our lift arrived – in the form of Rachel’s sister Naomi – to take us back to Mortimer village for the resumption of our southward ramble. So a big thank-you to Naomi for getting our walking day off to a flying start!
Today’s walk was to be our longest on the path, and we certainly felt the heat – so it was good to rest up after walking the additional mile into the western outskirts of Basingstoke to another Premier Inn. Pilgrim numbers on the English part of the Camino Inglés are currently quite limited, so there are no auberges nor the facilities for walkers that I had become accustomed to in Spain and Portugal. Nonetheless, we were able to eat well tonight, having taken a taxi into the town centre to a South Indian restaurant, as we reflected on our second day and contemplated another long day’s hike tomorrow. More, of course, to follow shortly.
Whilst today dawned bright, it ended under somewhat of a cloud with news of the passing of US singer-songwriter, actress, entrepreneur and philanthropist Dolly Parton. And so it seems fitting that I should take the title of one of Dolly’s songs as my Blog heading for today, and ‘Light Of A Clear Blue Morning’ fits the bill nicely. The number was written and first recorded by the artist in 1977, and released on her album ‘New Harvest . . . First Gathering’, and it was described by Dolly as ‘a song of deliverance’ after her break-up from longtime musical and business collaborator Porter Waggoner, as she felt ‘the figurative clouds lifting’ over her journey towards a more mainstream country-pop direction. Dolly recorded the song three more times over the decades, lastly in January of this year alongside fellow artists Lainey Wilson, Miley Cyrus, Queen Latifah and Reba McEntire, in order to raise awareness and funds for paediatric cancer research – one of the many causes that Dolly supported, particularly around children. The world is tonight the poorer for the loss of her prolific songwriting, her outstanding musical talent, and her humanity to so many.
Walking for Fun, Challenge and Charity! 