Once the idea of a pilgrimage to Assisi was planted in my head - it wouldn't shift. I invested in a guidebook and amongst the varied routes I could choose Florence to Assisi via La Verna was the one I kept coming back to.

How do you begin a journey? When you have the initial idea, when you begin preparations, when you start travelling or perhaps when you actually start walking?
I chose to begin at my home church, St Alban's, Windy Nook.

Day 2 on the Via di Francesco The day began with final, final packing making sure I had everything I needed packed away in my trusty backpack. Of course there is always something like the realisation that I had left…

Day 3 on the Via di Francesco It wasn’t the best night’s sleep, the bed was comfortable butmy brain was far too active. In the end I was up by 04:30. My first train wasn’t until 05:52 so I had…

Day 4 on the Via di Francesco Today was a day to pause, prepare and relax. As I lay waking up I decided that all I ‘had’ to do that day was to go to the Basilica de Santa Croce,…

Day 5 on the Via di Francesco. I was out of the hostel round about 6 o’clock. I think I just wanted to leave Florence. Nice as it was it wasn’t where I wanted to be, I wanted to be…

Day 6 on the Via di Francesco This is the day which had loomed large in my thoughts as I planned my journey and it loomed just as large as I woke up that morning, One of the take aways…

Day 7 on the Via di Francesco Today was a day spent almost entirely walking through forest. I was reminded of the idea of ‘Forest Bathing’; a definition being ” the practice of intentionally immersing oneself in a forest atmosphere…

Day 8 on the Via di Francesco This was not a ‘Rest Day’ as I walked 12km but looking back this was one of the most wonderful experiences of my journey so far. It started out a bit flat to…

Day 9 on the Via di Francesco I woke up and looked out of the window. It looked about the same as when I had arrived the day before, misty and raining. To compound it I read in one of…

Day 10 on the Via di Francesco It may have been a short walk but it started with a steep climb. Maybe walking uphill matches my mood. I had received an email last night to tell me my train from…

Day 11 (Morning) on the Via di Francesco One of the American ladies was getting a lift to La Verna so over breakfast I arranged to walk with Mary. Without giving too much away we are of a similar age.…

Day 11 (Afternoon & Evening) on the Via di Francesco I always felt that spending time at the Sanctuary of La Verna was going to be a pivotal moment in my journey. I am sure I have not yet worked…

Day 12 on the Via di Francesco The.day started at something past 4am with the certainty of the overwhelming grace of God in his completed work of atonement in the Ascension and His continual work of intercession. I must have…

Day 13 on the Via di Francesco I started.today feeling much more positive. I had packed the night before and after a quick breakfast I was off. I walked down into town and it started raining. So I stopped put…