Ben Nimmo walks to Compostela

Walking From Canterbury to Compostela

Mechelen, 7th April 1999.

While I was cycling along St. Rombouts Cathedral, I remarked a man sitting with a huge rucksack. Seeing him again a few moments later, I decided to talk to him. And yes... Ben Nimmo is on his way to Compostela on foot. He hopes to arrive there this year around Christmas.

This Scottish man departed from Canterbury (England) om Palm Sunday. He crossed over the Channel and via Ostend he arrived in Bruges on Easter Day. Then he continued via Ghent, Willebroek and Mechelen.
I invited Ben to stay in my flat and he stayed one night.

Collecting money on his way to Compostela.

During his journey Ben collects money for projects in the third world. Last year Ben worked for Raleigh in Belize. He met there Anna Lightfoot. They became close friends and made plans to travel and work together. That didn't happen: Anna was robbed and murdered in Belize. The shock was terrible for Ben and, after having seriously thought about it, an idea crossed his mind ... In memory of Anna and to sponsor the projects supported by Anna, he decided to set of for a long pilgrimage. As Ben is a good trombone player, he performs as a street musician in th historical cities he traverses. He contacted beforehand all these cities to get a permit.

Ben plays the trombone near the cathedral.

On the 8th. of April Ben played on his trombone for about one hour, close to the cathedral in Mechelen. He continued then along the canal, direction Louvain, where Ben intended to stay a few days. Then he'll continue through Tienen, Liège, Luxembourg, Basel, Grenoble, Arles and so across the Camino Frances via Pamplona, Burgos and Leon to Compostela.

Take a look at the site concerning his journey: http://www.netplaycafe.co.uk/bonewalk/index.htm

April the 24th 1999:

Finally I could call Ben on his GSM. He passed Liège and stays for the night in the neighbourhood of La-Roche in the Belgian Ardennes. He will continue now in the direction of Luxembourg.

May the 5th 1999: E-mail from Ben

It took me so long to get back to you - this is the first net access I've had for a month! Im now in Luxembourg city, which is a great place, full of really friendly and generous people, most of them Belgian. Im going to stay here for another day or so, looking around and getting to know the place, since I really love it here. It also gives me the chance to get some new soles put on my boots the old ones are already so smooth that I cant walk up hills with them any more - nightmare! After that I head south into France, following GR5 towards the Alps. Wish me luck! Its going to be great.

July the 9th 1999: news from Ben

Ben has arrived meanwhile in Paray-le-Monial, at about 100 km south of Dijon. He had to change his itinerary because he has hurt his foot. So, Ben is not going to the French Alps (Chamonix and Grenoble) but will cross Clermont Ferrand and Le Puy. Look at the new itinerary at http://www.netplaycafe.co.uk/bonewalk/map.htm
Ben has to walk more relaxed now because it 's difficult to climb the hills. At the end of August he hopes to be in Le vigan, back to the original planned route.
Ben crosses now the Burgundy vineyards and enjoys the Burgundy wines.

September the 1st: Ben in the south of France

Because I stayed about four weeks in the south of France, I tried to visit Ben on his pilgrimpath. I could call him and on Tuesday the 31st of August he started in the morning at Lamalou-les-Bains, a little town about 30 km north of Béziers. I couldn't contact Ben anymore after that and on Wednesday September the 1st I started searching for him. He would follow the GR7 to Carcassonne. So I asked many tourist offices but couldn'd find a trace of Ben. I drove along little winding roads through the forests in the neighbourhood of Labastide-Rouairoux: beautiful colours but I didn't see our pilgrim.
Meanwhile I could find out on his internetsite that Ben had passed Carcassonne on September the 9 th.

Where can I find Ben in this scenery of the GR7 ?

September the 28th: Ben in the Pyrenees

Today I could call Ben on his gsm. He is trekking now along the GR10 through the Pyrenees. He is in the neighbourhood of Bagnères-de-Luchon. All is well but Ben has some tough days now as he climbs and descends about 1500 meters each day. All this with a very heavy rucksack and on difficult mountaintracks.
Ben is now on his way to St-Jean-Pied-de-Port and Roncesvalles. Later on he will continue the old pilgrimpath the "Camino Frances" in Spain.

October the 4th E-mail from Ben

greetings from the Pyrenees! I'm now in Loudenvielle, between Luchon and Barèges, on the GR10, which is incredibly hard work. Climbing 1900m sometimes - my legs hurt! Ben Nimmo

November the 16th Call from Ben

Ben is now on the real "Camino Frances". Tonight he sleeps in the refugio of Grañon, about six km after Santo Domingo de la Calzada. The weather is very bad with rain and cold winds. Ben feels like in Scotland!
There seems to be many pilgrims on the road. Sometimes there are 20 to 30 people in the refugios.
Ben is still playing on his trombone in the cities. He is in no hurry and walks each day about 20kms. Ben hopes to arrive in Santiago de Compostela on December the 30th or 31st. He will celebrate the millennium festivities in Galicia!

December 6th Ben passed Astorga

This evening I could call Ben again. Last night he slept in the refugio of Astorga. He told me that there was quite a lot of people. Most of these refugios have no heating because normally there aren't many pilgrims during this season. In northern Spain there are now temperatures of about -3°centigrades, freezing and too cold to play the trombone.
Ben will probably celebrate Christmas somewhere on the camino. As he has still 250km to walk, he hopes to arrive in Compostela on New-Year's eve.

December 7th E-mail from Ben

Dear all,

writing this in a pilgrim hostel in Astorga, with freezing fog crawling up the windows and excitable pilgrims climbing up the walls (an Italian group just arrived). It's less than 200 miles to Santiago and I've got three weeks to do it in, so the pace has slackened to a comfortable crawl and I'm really earning my nickname, the Pilgrim Snail. In fact the slowly-slowly style is catching on among the nutters who're on the camino at this time of year, and a Snail Club is slowly forming. Most people have walked 300 miles to get here, so they've got over the first kilometre-bagging frenzy, and are gradually realising the attractive aspect of not being in constant pain for a month. The most dedicated snails are already planning a Christmas party somewhere along the camino, complete with cake and presents, although probably not with Blackadder and Mister Bean... This also means a communal New Year's Eve arrival in Santiago, and very nice, too. Nobody's actually looking forward to getting there much. For the last few weeks we've been following the legendary yellow arrows of the camino (painted on every possible surface - walls, trees, the road, parked cars...) with sheep-like confidence, and the thought of a life led without those comforting guides is a traumatic and bewildering one. One founder-member of the Snail Club is so distraught at the thought of leaving the camino that she's contemplating walking back home along it - to Germany. Arrow addiction. A scary thought. .... © Ben Nimmo (Ben will write a book about his pilgrimage)

December 27th Ben already in Arca

Rain, rain in Galicia! Ben has arrived wet, completely wet, in Arca. His long journey is coming to an end. Within two days Ben will be at his goal: Santiago de Compostela.

Januari 8th 2000 Ben Nimmo has arrived in Santiago

Today I could call Ben on his mobile. He stays now for a few days in London. Yes, Ben has arrived as planned in Compostela on the last day of the year. There were many, many people (pilgrims and tourists) in Santiago as it was the end of the Holy Year. It is a Holy Year in Compostela each year when July 25th (celebration of St James the Great) is a Sunday. The Holy Door has been closed.

Congratulations Ben !! We hope to hear from you again.

Ben NIMMO wrote his book,

PILGRIM SNAIL

ISBN 0007104731

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