It’s a whole lot easier this time back on the road to Rome.
I’m taking a watching brief following the pilgrimage of eight celebrities tracking my old stomping ground, the Via Francigena into Rome.
The celebs, include comic actors Les Dennis and Lesley Joseph, Strictly dancer Brendan Cole, comedian Stephen K Amos and Olympic long jumper Greg Rutherford.
A couple of ‘celebs’ I’ve never heard of and Eurovision legend Dana…
Who no doubt has brought all kinds of everything in her rucksack and certainly, as a practising Irish Catholic rosary beads.
Border force
The Road to Rome pilgrims unlike me set out from Switzerland and tackle stretches of the 1000km route to La Citta Eterna.
Although they only do walk whole route, the 100km from Viterbo into Rome, bussing some of the rest.
Although I’m not scoffing as that’s as much as I covered, well more actually as I went off piste.
Speaking of which our Treksome Eight first get going on the 2,500m St Bernard Pass crossing into Italy.
God with you
Now we won’t spoil the BBC stars trek programme, Pilgrimage: The Road to Rome for you.
We will say that only a select few made it up the pass.
And share that atheist Brendan struggles on his own.
And I know the feeling having done my Via Francigena on my own although I did have God with me.
As did original pilgrim Archbishop of Sigeric who took a solo trek from the southern English town to RC HQ.
Dana mirabilis
Now pilgrims will find the Via Francigena isn’t the social whirl of the Camino and every passing pilgrim is a Godsend.
Even if you do find like myself and Brendan does that your new friend has been on the road a lot longer than you.
In Brendan’s case, it’s Tom who is doing a Segeric and coming all the way from Canterbury.
Now, one thing I have learned on group trips around the globe is that people quickly take on roles.
Greg would seem to be the action man, Brendan the know-it-all, Stephen the comic (like me) and Dana the matriarch.
I’m reminded too of the sage words of my old pal, the doyen of the Irish Travel scene Travel Extra’s Eoghan Corry.
That there’s always ONE on every trip and if you can’t identify who that is then it’s you.
We’ll tune into the next episode and enjoy vicariously being back on the road to Rome.. without the blisters.
Do it your Way
Camino Ways will host you in hotels along the way, transfer your luggage and provide you with maps and info.
Six nights, all from €610.