You Raise Me Up

CAMINO INGLÉS – Day 3: Wednesday 26 August 2026 – WORTING to UPPER WIELD (10.5 miles)

Band on the run: the four of us wayfarers, close to the Camino Inglés’ high point near the village of Upper Wield

Our third day on the Camino Inglés proved to be the most rural, as we left town and motorway to cross the undulating fields and forests of some of the more remote parts of Hampshire. Our path this afternoon took us up to the watershed above the headwaters of the River Itchen catchment to the south, where we are due to walk in the days to come. And our end-point for the day, the small village of Upper Wield, is the highest settlement on the English section of the Way, standing at around 170 metres above sea level – hardly high enough to cause any degree of altitude sickness, but nonetheless a topographic milestone on our journey. Indeed, one of our number was moved to say that it is all downhill from here!

Our morning walk (once we had re-traced our steps of yesterday back to Worting), followed a part of the course of the old Roman Road from Silchester to Winchester – a straight line on the boundary of Old Down that now forms the effective south-western flank of Basingstoke

At midday, after crossing the M3 Motorway, we reached the sanctuary of upmarket Dummer for a coffee stop, before embarking on an afternoon of fabulous walking over the fields and lanes of north-east Hampshire, taking in the views, birdlife and quiet of this super corner of the county

Today felt like the hottest day so far, and although (in terms of Camino miles) it was the shortest to date, there was significant additional distance to be covered – firstly in walking back to Worting to resume our trek this morning, then a (voluntary) diversion to the village of Preston Candover (for tea), and finally an evening excursion for dinner. Not to mention of course the climb up to Upper Wield! Here are some memories of our day.

Our first pause for breath – back at Worting first thing this morning, where our walk terminated yesterday

This wood-cutter’s sign appealed to me for some reason . . .

. . . as did this old pair of pumps . . .

. . . in South Down and (later) in Preston Candover respectively

Eventually we crossed the M3 Motorway . . .

. . . and took our aforementioned ‘coffee’ break outside The Queen Inn at Dummer (well, after all, the clock had just struck noon)

I followed Karen into All Saints Church in the village . . .

. . . to marvel at the unusual stone and timber interior

On the trail again, as we emerged from Dummer Grange

. . . but, with the help of a sign . . .

A slight detour took us past the Church of St Mary the Virgin, in Preston Candover . . .

. . . for a hard-earned tea and cake at the village’s Candover Café

Not far now, as we climbed gently through the fields . . .

. . . to our final church (and final Pilgrim Passport stamp) of the day, at the Norman Church of St James’s in Upper Wield, – where we hung up our boots for the night

After today’s exertions we took a taxi back to Karen and George’s home in Winchester, and walked out for dinner in the city, reflecting on a marvellous day’s walk and on the achievement of reaching our halfway point. Usually my practice is to produce a daily Blog on the evening of the walking day, but with such busy walking days and the opportunity of camaraderie each evening I am sure that all involved will appreciate why this did not prove practical on this Camino Inglés hike. But there is something to be savoured for me in sitting down to write these accounts a week or so later, as I go through my notes and photos, and in re-living our pilgrimage. I will return again shortly with the next instalment!

I have chosen today’s Blog heading for reasons of attitude as well as altitude – the song whose title I have borrowed is as uplifting as the day’s walk has been for us four pilgrims, as we rest up after the day’s exertions. The music for ‘You Raise Me Up’ was written by Norwegian composer Rolf Løvland to which lyrics were added by Irishman Brendan Graham, and the song was first recorded by Løvland’s band, Secret Garden, on their 2001 album ‘Once in a Red Moon’, featuring Brian Kennedy on lead vocals to a bridge by Tracey Campbell-Nation. The number was covered by American artist Josh Groban two years later (and performed by him at NASA’s commemoration for the crew of the Columbia space shuttle disaster), though for many this side of The Pond the better-known version of the song is Westlife’s rendition that hit the top of the UK Singles Chart in 2005. As for my Camino playlist I am going with the original from Secret Garden – a quite enthralling piece of music.

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