
A delivery arrived and I was intrigued and excited to open it! Thank you Giant Bikes UK for the fabulous…
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Do I look nervous? Rev Nick Plant sent me off from Cookham church on the way to Santiago. I also…
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A mile into the adventure my chain snapped. Thanks Paul from Flat Harry's Cyclery in Cookham who came and fixed…
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I was delighted to be invited to meet Right Reverend Tim Dakin bishop of Winchester at his palace next to…
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Is that Mallett or the postman cycling into the village? You decide!
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It's one of our biggest counties and had such variety and riches to appreciate. On a cycle, you see it,…
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Listen to Timmy's interview on BBC Radio Berkshire, where he discusses his huge 2,000km cycle trip to Camino de Santiago…
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Standing on the huge ramparts of Mont St-Michel I was reminded how dangerous the sands are around this island. The…
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We all do this when we get somewhere impressive. First thing we do is get out the camera, or in…
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The Camino de Santiago or Chemin De Saint Jacques has many routes across Europe..... From Mont St Michel I chose…
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Inspiration is everywhere. It's not hard to see it or to register it. It is hard to do and do…
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An air traffic controllers strike in France. No flights, trains full, busy roads, I'm on my bike. Why would this…
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I was saddened by what I saw. Along a pleasant country lane I came to a crossroads with a bus…
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It was brilliant cycling into the ancient medieval city of Vitre in Brittany. The streets look like something out of the…
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Geoffrey of Anjou was a colourful character in the early 12th century. He was married to Matilda the empress, grand…
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It was a young sapling when Henry VIII met Francis of France in the field of the cloth of gold.…
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Well these are Street entertainers from another era, another century.. I saw them standing at the organ grinding machine that…
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The Loire valley is famous for its ornate Louis XIV style chateaux. I am surprised to round every corner and…
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In the middle ages you need the blessing of your lord of the manor before setting of across Europe on…
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I've been through parts of France before, never on a bike, or like this. Last time I was in Angers…
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I found a Good place for Martin, my brother, today. Next to King Henry 11 and Richard the Lionheart and alongside…
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It's been open a matter of days and it's a dream come true. Investment in leisure is the mark of a…
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We lose an hour as the clocks spring forward. No time to lose. Up with the dawn and get out…
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Coming over the brow of the hill into a new region - Haute Poitou - I noticed the big skies,…
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That's all most know about the Cardinal. Except he was also a town planner! He also knew how to get…
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What a welcome! 800Kms from home I rode into my twin town of St Benoit to be met by Dominique…
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It's the mightiest river in France and flows through a valley of chateaux after chateaux. At Angers it meets the…
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How would you feel if didn't go and see your hero 20km away? Never have regrets in life. Always pursue…
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Navigation is always an issue in a strange place. I like maps. There's a logic to them and browsing over them…
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Theresa May came to my home to hear about the Camino and reasons for cycling and painting it. In my…
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It's only another 45 mins away. But it's in the wrong direction. Of course I went! I'm standing across the…
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Daniel came to interview me for the regional paper. He arrived bringing macaroons and when asked what he'd like to…
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Each day I look for somewhere special to leave a Martin Mallett name tag. Actually that's not strictly true. Each…
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There are four reasons for my Camino de Santiago: Historical. This pilgrimage route to the tomb of St James the…
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"We have a friend who owns a castle, do you want to visit it?" "Of course I do!" Avantan Castle…
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I came across this impressive building in a tiny village. It looks like one of those scary horror homes in…
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The gendarme volunteered his own life for the hostage. In last week's terrorist attack in the south of France this…
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My friends Joan and John are getting married at the church of St James in Dorney. I am delighted to…
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It sounds like a military figure - the vicar general - turns out he's the Archbishop's fixer. It was a…
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It's a strange thing to wear at any time but cycling? Are you nuts Timmy? Of course I am. When…
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It seemed fitting to find myself at Fenioux - the lantern of the dead. This is a huge church with spire…
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I was having a cuppa in Saintes in a rare moment of sunshine when who should come up and tap…
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In the village of St Leger I came across an extraordinary piece of new infrastructure. A pilgrim resting place, a shelter,…
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They were ahead of me on the muddy track. Plenty of rain in recent weeks... I knew they were pilgrims…
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Saintes is a dream city on the Charente half way between Poitiers and Bordeaux. The Romans liked it and built…
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Pons is a good place to stop and ponder. Fabulous castle. I could paint that! On the way out of…
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The Bordeaux region is wine country. The best red wines in the world come from here and every field is…
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Great bridges inspire us. Down on the Dordogne at the entrance to Bordeaux there at four great bridges in less…
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Lorraine Kelly surprises fellow TV star Timmy Mallett on charity cycle challenge, as reported by Scotland's Sunday Post. Click here…
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All around France are ancient fortresses like this. Citadels they call them and they all have a similar look. Designed…
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She’s my favourite heroine of history, Eleanor of Aquitaine. She married twice, to two kings! First the King of France at…
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Thanks to the French press for their support of my Chemin De St Jacques. I see the Bishop of Winchester…
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The ride through the uniform lines of trees is extraordinary. All the pine trees in all the world appear to…
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Along the chemin de St Jacques there are Alberge for pilgrims. Inside is a kitchen, bathroom, great shower, and a…
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It's a city that dates back to Roman times when they discovered the healing power of the thermal waters. Today…
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I caught a glimpse as I cycled past... Blue shutters, wisteria in full bloom. As I took a photo, the owners…
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The tiny old town of St Jean at the foot of the pass over the Pyrenees is small enough to…
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The undulating rolling foothills of one of Europe's great mountain ranges.... It's a joy... Until it rains biblical rain. This is…
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It is, as I keep telling people, not a jolly.... There is always weather you contend with, to begin with…
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I always ask the nice people at the tourist office what their favourite view of their city might be. In…
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It began with rain which lasted all day.... The Alberge team in St Jean Pied De Port gave me an…
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Every village has a church and on an adventure like this I find I can't go past without taking a…
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High up on the mountain is a string of wind turbines. You know you are in a windy spot when…
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This is a city famous for a mad week every July when the foolhardy take on the famous bulls to…
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Just out of Estella is a famous monastery with vineyard attached. I was reminded of the first miracle at the…
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I was cycling the Camino track and enjoying the constantly changing landscape. One of the highlights is the Van Gogh…
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I am constantly thrilled to see the changing landscapes each day and over each hill. How could the world vary…
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This is my favourite story along the way of St James. In Santa Domingo Cathedral is an ornate hen house…
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I stopped and painted when I saw the distance church. It was a relief to know I was about to see…
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I came across a famous St Martin's church in a place called Fromista. Looks just the place for a Martin Mallett…
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The plains of Spain... That should be a song... Oh it is. And the rain in Spain falls mainly on where? So…
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There's a lot of pleasure in having your hair cut somewhere new. How about a different country where we don't…
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It's half way along the Camino, but only if you start at Roncesvalles in Spain. As I started at home…
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Today I met a pilgrim with four hooves, ‘Salome’ the donkey. She woke me up this morning braying and I…
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I needed a cuppa and a piece of tortilla. I stopped at the bar and sat down to refresh. And…
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Every person you pass calls out: "Buen Camino!" Which translates as 'good trip.' It's a really encouraging greeting and makes you…
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This route passes through lots of rural Europe so you can expect to see animals along the way. I've seen…
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It's 1500 metres up to the iron cross in the mountains of Leon. Higher than Ben Nevis. I cycled up it…
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There are lots of different routes to Santiago de Compostela. I've been on the way of the Plantagenets, the way…
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There are lots of different routes to Santiago de Compostela. I've been on the way of the Plantagenets, the way…
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I stopped because of the carved figures in this glorious memorial. With clasped hands in prayer I am reminded of brother…
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"Make sure you follow the road right down to the bottom....." Said my hostel host. Bellasar is worth a visit. …
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Along the way pilgrims are supposed to get their pilgrim passport stamped to prove they've actually done what they claim…
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A great monument deserves a great story. The longest bridge on the Camino is at Hospital D’Orbigo and the story…
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He was sharpening a blade. A massive blade. Done sort of machete. And he was sitting there in his slippers! …
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I’ve cycled 2430 kilometres (1500 miles) from home to Santiago de Compostela. The target is the Great Baroque Cathedral where…
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It’s the bit at the top end of Spain that is utterly different from the rest of the country. It…
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The Romans called it finis Terra the end of the earth. To them it was clear there was nothing out…
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It’s the other end of the earth. They are 20 miles apart. And pilgrims tend to have a favourite. Finisterre for…
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Visited Lugo FC stadium Forza Lugo. Very welcoming club in league two. The pitch and stadium look terrific and the…
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In the middle ages something like a quart of a million people walked the Camino from their homes. They would…
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I want to do a message in a bottle. Send a Martin Mallett name tag out into the sea. I…
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I was on a quiet winding road through the hills. No traffic. Around every corner and hair pin bend there…
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Most pilgrims first glimpse of Santiago is from Mont Gosso where the status of two grateful pilgrims point to the…
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I got a puncture. No surprise there. Bikes are always getting punctures. Except this bike. In seven weeks of cycling across…
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In the middle ages every church or monastery of any importance had a relic. A fragment of the true cross. A…
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I can hear brother Martin saying: "nice church!" as we stare at the altarpiece. Indeed it's one of the gems…
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We all love a field of cows, munching, mooing, pooing, and grinding those teeth on the grass. I stopped at…
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I enjoy people watching. Especially in other countries where they do weird stuff. Like scything the grass. What's wrong with…
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It was an odd sort of place and I wasn't entirely convinced I'd made a wise choice. But I arrived…
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You don’t always need the local language. I know it helps but... I met the local herdsman and his herd…
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There's nothing like it for realising the distance travelled. Weeks ago coming out of Burgos I stood and stared at…
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The track led through the village. There was a stile and a footpath. I followed it carefully over rocks and…
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The general rule of thumb is take less. Whatever you think is essential cut it in half. You are going…
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Half way along Spain’s North coast is the port of Santander. Famous for its beaches and it’s bank, it’s an…
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It’s been in my mind for some time. I’ve been pondering it for a number of years. It was only…
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Coast lines always deliver secrets. I was following the narrow gauge railway line and it went alongside the beach. There…
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Titanic was my Downs Syndrome brother Martin's favourite film (along with the Sound of Music and Crocodile Dundee.) Every Christmas…
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My friend Terry joined me at Reading. We met at St James church where father John stamped my pilgrim passport and…
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