Il Cammino Di San Tommaso: My Personal Solo Self-Supported Footrace through a spiritual, historical, cultural and natural landscape crossing Italy from west to east, my way home.

"Cammino di San Tommaso" translates to "Way of St. Thomas" in English. It refers to a pilgrimage route in Italy, starting in Rome at St Peter’s Basilica and ending at the Cathedral of St. Thomas in Ortona, which houses the relics of St. Thomas the Apostle.

This route was also followed by Saint Bridget of Sweden in the 14th century. This is a west to east crossing of central Italy across its majestic Apennine mountain ranges and historic villages spanning 320 km and 12000 metres of elevation gain and loss. 

Why did I choose to make the journey? Was there something special about the Cammino that appealed?

I felt a deep desire to be a modern day pilgrim and a profound sense of rediscovering my origins (I come from the Abruzzo region!). I also wanted to reflect about how to face future life challenges through the lens of a journey offering spirituality, history, culture and nature.

At first I was undecided between a Pilgrimage in the UK or the Camino de Compostela. Then I thought I might complete one of the UK based running challenges like the Wainwright Coast-to-Coast route. However, I had a desire to “walk home”. I am an ultra distance runner and a few years ago a runner friend, Alex Tucci, from a town near mine, ran the Cammino di San Tommaso with the support of some of his friends.

This was an inspirational feat with its 320km and around 12000m of elevation. I realised that I could do this Pilgrimage which combined three aspects which appealed to me: a) a historic pilgrimage route; b) moving fast to cover the distance in the style of a solo self-supported “Fastest Known Time” attempt on this route and c) re-connect with my roots both physically, culturally and spiritually. I suppose crossing Italy from west to east, taking me home, appealed to me in the spirit of John Denver’s song “Country Roads, Take me home”.

How did I prepare? What did it require in order to undertake the journey?

Firstly I decided that this pilgrimage was to be an opportunity to “open up and listen” to God/Universe. I chose to prepare only the essentials. I contacted the organisation (Associazione Cammino San Tommaso) and they were incredibly helpful.

They provided me with the electronic routes and descriptions as well as the infrastructure information. I identified a suitable time frame for me to attempt this adventure and thought about how much time I had available. I only had a week!

So I checked that this would be enough based on my fitness and completion style I had chosen (Hike/Run). I put aside 7 days during the last week of Lent which felt spiritually appropriate (I am a Christian). I made simple arrangements of where to stay the night before I started and I left the rest to God who provides (La Provvidenza/Providence).

I also chose to set a maximum limit on what I would spent daily at 20 euros. I looked at the weather and the trails/roads I would be crossing and made a list of what I needed. Then I tried to reduce it as much as possible to lower the weight I would carry on my back for the duration.

I carried a tent, sleeping bag (4 season as temperatures would reach -2 to -4 at night), sleeping mat, a change of clothes including a warm coat, waterproofs and a light windproof jacket, some dehydrated food - in case I did not find any along the route -, a head torch, gloves, hat, buff, sunglasses, suitable trail shoes (as I would be running sections of the route), an appropriate rucksack, water, a thermos with hot water, coffee and breakfast, a first aid kit, a multi tool and hiking poles. I had a smart phone with the “Cammini D’Italia” app and a battery pack/cables.

What was the trip like? What was a typical day?

The trip was incredible, an experience which I will never forget.

Typical day:

• Get up early 5:30am
• Wash, breakfast, repack, study the route
• Start hiking and running depending on the terrain
• Stop at special sights and take in the views
• Find coffee stops for refilling hot water or get a coffee (coke at the end of the day)
• Stop for lunch, shoes off, look after the feet
• Restart and aim to finish around 7pm

As I got going and I reduced the size of my pack at Tagliacozzo, I managed to go for longer and the last day I chose to complete the section between Crecchio and Ortona in the dark to finish just before midnight.

Were there unexpected surprises or difficulties? What were some of the most fascinating things about the trip?

Surprises

• The beauty and the isolation
• The art and culture
• The varied terrain 
• The local food especially in Artena, Bominiaco, Crecchio
• The Spiritual places - The San Biagio House of Prayer in Subiaco, The Shrine of Nunzio Sulprizio at Pescosansonesco, The Holy Shroud Shrine in Manoppello and the Tours of the Ortona Cathedral and the Miracolo Eucaristico, finishing with a visit to the Santuario Madonna del Carmine in Tornareccio.
• The fact that I managed - I had always shied away from solo expeditions

Difficulties

• The size and weight of my pack
• The cold during the nights
• The solitude

How long did it take?

It took me 5d 15h 32m. I chose to do this as a Multi-Day experience rather than a non-stop walk/run.

Who were some memorable people I met along the way? What made them memorable?

• The nuns at Casa di Preghiera San Biagio - Subiaco.
• The parishioners and fellow pilgrims from the Parish of Rocca di Mezzo.
• The parish priest at the Shrine of S. Nunzio Sulprizio.
• Don Massimo Di Lullo, parish priest of Torre de Passeri, whom I had studied with many years ago! (Absolutely not planned!)
• Franciscans in Tagliacozzo and Manoppello
• Kind people at bars like Artena, Bominiaco and Crecchio

Have I done other similar trails and, if so, how does this one compare to them?

I have done many other long distance trails. Some examples are Dragon’s Back Race crossing the Welsh Mountains from North to South, Offas Dyke which follows the ancient border between England and Wales from South to North, The Norfolk Coastal Path (Fastest Known Time self-supported) and the Spine Challenger North winter race which follows the Pennine Way for 160 miles.

The greatest similarity to any of my long outdoor adventures was that I always aim to find out more about who I am. Other similarities were the length, elevation, complexity of the trails and the planning. However, the differences were many.

This was the first time that I planned and completed a multi day adventure solo and self-supported away from where I live and abroad (this may sound strange as I am originally from Abruzzo, but I did not know many of the areas I crossed and I have lived in the UK for more than 30 years).

The desire not to live this experience as a footrace also made it different. I set out for a Pilgrimage with the aim to live the spiritual, cultural and natural opportunities which the Cammino di San Tommaso would offer as “turismo esperienziale” (experiential tourism).  This journey really delivered in every respect… I am still reflecting on the lessons the Cammino di San Tommaso provided.

Some of the golden nuggets:

• Contemplating the beauty of the world through wild nature
• Experiencing the kindness of strangers
• Hearing how loud silence can be
• Seesawing between feeling small, yet having a role to play in the big scheme of things - having a place and a purpose in the world -
• Thinking about working on my resilience and the importance of a healthy body and a healthy mind for a happy life
• Realising that when I am in genuine need, someone will be there to help me! So I need to be that person to others in need
• Materialism is the curse of our world
• I must value people and places with their history, traditions, religion and more
• Feeling God’s presence in the beauty of creation - God is beautiful! - I can find God in the beauty and majesty of the Natural world
• Finally, I need espresso coffee to keep moving

Essential Kit I could not have completed the journey without and what to avoid

Essential Kit

• Trail Shoes: Scarpa Spin Planet - My feet throughout and at the end were in perfect condition and I could have kept going.
• Rucksack: Instinct Alpi 40L - Brilliant bag with lots of pockets and clever features. Only suggestion would be to add a waist strap.
• Shorts and T-Shirt: Ultimate Direction - the low Odour tech really worked.
• Windproof - Scarpa windproof really was essential as light weight, but took the wind chill away.
• Hiking Poles
• Coros Vertix 2 watch with maps - only navigation tool I used
• Phone for camera and in case of emergency
• Warm and packable sleeping bag: Sea to Summit Spark Pro (-9)
• Lightweight tent
• Energy bars: VOOM Nutrition and NAAK bars
• Dry bags
• Multi tool with pen knife (careful as I was not allowed to carry it back to the UK at the Italian Airport)
• Some cash
• Small thermos flask for hot water to save carrying a stove

Avoid carrying

• Too much - be safe, but be minimalist. Every gram becomes quite heavy over a long way and time
• Do not carry ear phones - so you can listen to nature and your own thoughts

Official Link to the Association Cammino di San Tommaso

Official Link to the Fastest Known Time Cammino di San Tommaso

Official Link to donate to Climbers Against Cancer through Mountain Accordion Man Just Giving