Timmy’s Camino Blog

A delivery arrived and I was intrigued and excited to open it! Thank you Giant Bikes UK  for the fabulous…

Do I look nervous? Rev Nick Plant sent me off from Cookham church on the way to Santiago. I also…

A mile into the adventure my chain snapped. Thanks Paul from Flat Harry's Cyclery in Cookham who came and fixed…

I was delighted to be invited to meet Right Reverend Tim Dakin bishop of Winchester at his palace next to…

Is that Mallett or the postman cycling into the village? You decide!

It's one of our biggest counties and had such variety and riches to appreciate. On a cycle, you see it,…

Martin's name tags... We sew them onto clothes.  So they won't be lost.  So we know where they belong. Among…

Listen to Timmy's interview on BBC Radio Berkshire, where he discusses his huge 2,000km cycle trip to Camino de Santiago…

Standing on the huge ramparts of Mont St-Michel I was reminded how dangerous the sands are around this island. The…

We all do this when we get somewhere impressive. First thing we do is get out the camera, or in…

The Camino de Santiago or Chemin De Saint Jacques has many routes across Europe..... From Mont St Michel I chose…

Inspiration is everywhere.  It's not hard to see it or to register it.  It is hard to do and do…

An air traffic controllers strike in France. No flights, trains full, busy roads, I'm on my bike. Why would this…

I was saddened by what I saw.  Along a pleasant country lane I came to a crossroads with a bus…

It was brilliant cycling into the ancient medieval city of Vitre in Brittany. The streets look like something out of the…

Geoffrey of Anjou was a colourful character in the early 12th century. He was married to Matilda the empress, grand…

It was a young sapling when Henry VIII met Francis of France in the field of the cloth of gold.…

Well these are Street entertainers from another era, another century.. I saw them standing at the organ grinding machine that…

The Loire valley is famous for its ornate Louis XIV style chateaux. I am surprised to round every corner and…

In the middle ages you need the blessing of your lord of the manor before setting of across Europe on…

I've been through parts of France before, never on a bike, or like this. Last time I was in Angers…

I found a Good place for Martin, my brother, today. Next to King Henry 11 and Richard the Lionheart and alongside…

It's been open a matter of days and it's a dream come true.  Investment in leisure is the mark of a…

We lose an hour as the clocks spring forward.  No time to lose. Up with the dawn and get out…

Coming over the brow of the hill into a new region - Haute Poitou - I noticed the big skies,…

That's all most know about the Cardinal. Except he was also a town planner! He also knew how to get…

What a welcome!  800Kms from home I rode into my twin town of St Benoit to be met by Dominique…

"Where will you stay?"  That is a question I've been asked a lot and I ask myself each day.... I have…

It's the mightiest river in France and flows through a valley of chateaux after chateaux.  At Angers it meets the…

How would you feel if didn't go and see your hero 20km away?  Never have regrets in life.  Always pursue…

Navigation is always an issue in a strange place.  I like maps.  There's a logic to them and browsing over them…

Theresa May came to my home to hear about the Camino and reasons for cycling and painting it. In my…

It's only another 45 mins away.  But it's in the wrong direction.  Of course I went! I'm standing across the…

Daniel came to interview me for the regional paper.  He arrived bringing macaroons and when asked what he'd like to…

Each day I look for somewhere special to leave a Martin Mallett name tag. Actually that's not strictly true. Each…

There are four reasons for my Camino de Santiago: Historical. This pilgrimage route to the tomb of St James the…

"We have a friend who owns a castle, do you want to visit it?"  "Of course I do!" Avantan Castle…

I came across this impressive building in a tiny village.  It looks like one of those scary horror homes in…

The gendarme volunteered his own life for the hostage.  In last week's terrorist attack in the south of France this…

My friends Joan and John are getting married at the church of St James in Dorney. I am delighted to…

It sounds like a military figure - the vicar general - turns out he's the Archbishop's fixer. It was a…

It's a strange thing to wear at any time but cycling?  Are you nuts Timmy?  Of course I am. When…

It seemed fitting to find myself at Fenioux - the lantern of the dead.  This is a huge church with spire…

I was having a cuppa in Saintes in a rare moment of sunshine when who should come up and tap…

In the village of St Leger I came across an extraordinary piece of new infrastructure. A pilgrim resting place, a shelter,…

They were ahead of me on the muddy track. Plenty of rain in recent weeks... I knew they were pilgrims…

Saintes is a dream city on the Charente half way between Poitiers and Bordeaux. The Romans liked it and built…

Pons is a good place to stop and ponder. Fabulous castle. I could paint that! On the way out of…

The Bordeaux region is wine country. The best red wines in the world come from here and every field is…

Great bridges inspire us.  Down on the Dordogne at the entrance to Bordeaux there at four great bridges in less…

Lorraine Kelly surprises fellow TV star Timmy Mallett on charity cycle challenge, as reported by Scotland's Sunday Post. Click here…

All around France are ancient fortresses like this.  Citadels they call them and they all have a similar look.  Designed…

She’s my favourite heroine of history, Eleanor of Aquitaine.  She married twice, to two kings! First the King of France at…

Thanks to the French press for their support of my Chemin De St Jacques. I see the Bishop of Winchester…

The ride through the uniform lines of trees is extraordinary.  All the pine trees in all the world appear to…

Along the chemin de St Jacques there are Alberge for pilgrims.  Inside is a kitchen, bathroom, great shower, and a…

It's a city that dates back to Roman times when they discovered the healing power of the thermal waters. Today…

I caught a glimpse as I cycled past... Blue shutters, wisteria in full bloom. As I took a photo, the owners…

The tiny old town of St Jean at the foot of the pass over the Pyrenees is small enough to…

The undulating rolling foothills of one of Europe's great mountain ranges....  It's a joy...  Until it rains biblical rain.  This is…

It is, as I keep telling people, not a jolly.... There is always weather you contend with, to begin with…

I always ask the nice people at the tourist office what their favourite view of their city might be.  In…

It began with rain which lasted all day.... The Alberge team in St Jean Pied De Port gave me an…

Every village has a church and on an adventure like this I find I can't go past without taking a…

High up on the mountain is a string of wind turbines.  You know you are in a windy spot when…

This is a city famous for a mad week every July when the foolhardy take on the famous bulls to…

Just out of Estella is a famous monastery with vineyard attached.  I was reminded of the first miracle at the…

I was cycling the Camino track and enjoying the constantly changing landscape.  One of the highlights is the Van Gogh…

I am constantly thrilled to see the changing landscapes each day and over each hill.  How could the world vary…

This is my favourite story along the way of St James. In Santa Domingo Cathedral is an ornate hen house…

I stopped and painted when I saw the distance church.  It was a relief to know I was about to see…

I came across a famous St Martin's church in a place called Fromista.  Looks just the place for a Martin Mallett…

The plains of Spain...  That should be a song...  Oh it is.  And the rain in Spain falls mainly on where?  So…

There's a lot of pleasure in having your hair cut somewhere new.  How about a different country where we don't…

It's half way along the Camino, but only if you start at Roncesvalles in Spain.  As I started at home…

Today I met a pilgrim with four hooves, ‘Salome’ the donkey.  She woke me up this morning braying and I…

I needed a cuppa and a piece of tortilla.  I stopped at the bar and sat down to refresh.  And…

Every person you pass calls out: "Buen Camino!"  Which translates as 'good trip.'  It's a really encouraging greeting and makes you…

This route passes through lots of rural Europe so you can expect to see animals along the way.  I've seen…

It's 1500 metres up to the iron cross in the mountains of Leon.  Higher than Ben Nevis.  I cycled up it…

There are lots of different routes to Santiago de Compostela.  I've been on the way of the Plantagenets, the way…

There are lots of different routes to Santiago de Compostela.  I've been on the way of the Plantagenets, the way…

I stopped because of the carved figures in this glorious memorial.  With clasped hands in prayer I am reminded of brother…

"Make sure you follow the road right down to the bottom....." Said my hostel host.  Bellasar is worth a visit. …

Along the way pilgrims are supposed to get their pilgrim passport stamped to prove they've actually done what they claim…

A great monument deserves a great story.  The longest bridge on the Camino is at Hospital D’Orbigo and the story…

He was sharpening a blade.  A massive blade.  Done sort of machete.  And he was sitting there in his slippers! …

I’ve cycled 2430 kilometres (1500 miles) from home to Santiago de Compostela. The target is the Great Baroque Cathedral where…

It’s the bit at the top end of Spain that is utterly different from the rest of the country.  It…

The Romans called it finis Terra the end of the earth.  To them it was clear there was nothing out…

It’s the other end of the earth.  They are 20 miles apart.  And pilgrims tend to have a favourite.  Finisterre for…

Visited Lugo FC stadium Forza Lugo. Very welcoming club in league two.  The pitch and stadium look terrific and the…

In the middle ages something like a quart of a million people walked the Camino from their homes.  They would…

I want to do a message in a bottle.  Send a Martin Mallett name tag out into the sea.  I…

I was on a quiet winding road through the hills.  No traffic.  Around every corner and hair pin bend there…

Most pilgrims first glimpse of Santiago is from Mont Gosso where the status of two grateful pilgrims point to the…

I got a puncture.  No surprise there.  Bikes are always getting punctures.  Except this bike. In seven weeks of cycling across…

In the middle ages every church or monastery of any importance had a relic.  A fragment of the true cross.  A…

I can hear brother Martin saying: "nice church!" as we stare at the altarpiece.  Indeed it's one of the gems…

We all love a field of cows, munching, mooing, pooing, and grinding those teeth on the grass.  I stopped at…

I enjoy people watching.  Especially in other countries where they do weird stuff.  Like scything the grass.  What's wrong with…

It was an odd sort of place and I wasn't entirely convinced I'd made a wise choice.  But I arrived…

You don’t always need the local language. I know it helps but... I met the local herdsman and his herd…

There's nothing like it for realising the distance travelled.  Weeks ago coming out of Burgos I stood and stared at…

The track led through the village. There was a stile and a footpath.  I followed it carefully over rocks and…

The general rule of thumb is take less.  Whatever you think is essential cut it in half. You are going…

Half way along Spain’s North coast is the port of Santander. Famous for its beaches and it’s bank, it’s an…

It’s been in my mind for some time. I’ve been pondering it for a number of years.  It was only…

Coast lines always deliver secrets.  I was following the narrow gauge railway line and it went alongside the beach.  There…

Titanic was my Downs Syndrome brother Martin's favourite film (along with the Sound of Music and Crocodile Dundee.)  Every Christmas…

My friend Terry joined me at Reading.  We met at St James church where father John stamped my pilgrim passport and…

Footage courtesy of ITV.