Wandering this fall

Since I plan to walk the Camino once again in the Spring of 2014 with my friend Wendy, I need to step up the training. I now lead walk 3 days a week. Monday and Tuesday are usually in the neighbourhood, for about an hour, and Friday is a day-long walk with pilgrims - about the length of my definition of a short day on the Camino - about 4 and a half hours of walking, ending with a lunch somewhere on the route.

On the shorter walks, I have explored Corktown Common, the Distillery, Cherry Beach, the new Rouge Park, the Necropolis, Craigleith Gardens, Chorley Park, the Brickworks, the abandoned CPR rail route up the Don Valley, Governor's Bridge and Rosedale. On all but one of these hikes, I have had friends with me.

On the longer walks with Pilgrims Practice/Progress, we have walked the Eastern Beaches, Grenadier Pond in High Park and the Humber River, the waterfront to High Park, the Toronto Islands, and the Don Valley trail to Edwards Gardens. This week we return to the Humber and walk north from Bloor.

This is a picture taken by Julie, of our walk near Wilkett Creek.

Toronto is so beautiful, and provides so many opportunities to get away from the bustle and the pavement, and so many challenges and adventures in preparation for the pilgrimage.

Ultreia! 

PILGRIMS PRACTICE HIKES FALL 2013

 PILGRIMS PRACTICE HIKES FOR THE FALL, 2013

I've been hiking outside Toronto for the summer.

July I was in  Fenelon Falls, hiking with assorted pilgrims and friends, and 2 regular groups in the town. There is a lovely trail along the lake, so it was comfortable even in the heat.

August I was in Kelowna with my daughter and her family, as you can see above. One day we hiked at the top of Knox Mountain. The views were spectaclar. Another day we walked the bird sanctuary along Lake Okanagan, where we saw and climbed Ogopogo.

Pilgrims Practice - the regular weekly long hikes, will start again on Sept 27.
Contact me at darmckeeatyahoodotcom for more information.

I am looking forward to long hikes, as I prepare for my next Camino in the spring.

Pilgrims' Practice

I have decided to rename the Friday group for hikers, as we will only be walking for 3 more Fridays, then switch  to Thursdays. So from now on the group will be called "Pilgrims' Practice".
 I like the alliteration, and the reference to the Canadian Company of Pilgrims.

Angela has set up her blog and is leaving at the end of the month. Here is her blog address.

http://angelalarsen.blogspot.ca/2013/04/camino-club.html





This is a photo she took on our Pilgrims' Practice last Friday in Cedarvale Park - I know her photos of the Camino will be amazing and I am looking forward to following along with her adventures.
The website for her other photos is www.angelalarsen.ca

Mike has been walking with us since January, but usually he is seated on a bike, which is how he did the Camino. He is part of a yahoo group for cyclists on the camino. Here is the link.
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Santiago_Bicicleta/

Here is one more blog for you, in case you were wondering what there is to do in Santiago.
Johnnie Walker, who moved to Santiago from England, blogs regularly on the Camino - he works at the Pilgrims office, and his latest post is Ten things to do in Santiago.

http://johnniewalker-santiago.blogspot.ca/

Enjoy!