John Ng, Andy Walsh, Sarah Davies, Fr Josep Lluis Iriberri SJ and Gillian McIlwain at Manresa. The Jesuit Retreat House is the large building to the right of Gillian. It is built over the cave where Saint Ignatius had some of his mystical visions.

Gillian McIlwain writes:

Dear Michael,
We have finally made it to Manresa! Thank you for your encouragement. 
We are thrilled, as a group, to have completed the Ignatian Camino, as you would understand.

Fr Iriberri SJ has been a wonderful leader and guide. And Slow Walking have been excellent in their support and planning. We have much to share with you when we return to Australia.

Warmest Wishes, 
The Five Ignatian Pilgrims. 

Fr Iriberri’s handiwork on Sarah’s boot on the last leg just before Manresa. The bailing twine kept the sole from coming away from the upper.

Sarah writes:

“Day 24: Montserrat to Manresa. Our final full day walking, completing the Ignatian Camino.  My boots only just made it.  A temporary glue fix in Zaragoza came unstuck, so for the last 10 km they were held together with a piece of string!”

The curious cow

Sarah writes:

“Day 16: Fraga to Lleida. Crossed the border today into Catalunya and back into more fertile farming land along the River Segre. This curious cow seemed to be raising and eyebrow and asking, ‘What are you doing here?’ A good question to ask on the Camino!”

Local farmland

Sarah writes:

“Day 17: Lleida to El Palau d’Anglesola. Continuing through farming country. Plenty of fruit trees, wheat, alfalfa and piggeries to add to the country sounds and smells.”

Wheat and poppies

Sarah writes:

“Day 18: Palau d’Anglesola to Verdu. Wheat, oceans of green and gold wheat with some occasional poppies also sneaking in on the act.”

Mosaic of Saint Peter Claver in Verdu

Sarah writes:

“Day 19: Rest Day in Verdu, a pretty little town of 1,00 people known for its pottery and for being the birth place of Saint Peter Claver, an inspiring Jesuit priest who dedicated his life to ministering to Africans taken to Colombia as part of the inhuman slave trade of the early 17th Century.”

Cervera up ahead (see the tower on the right)

Sarah writes:

“Day 20: Verdu to Cervera.  Here we are with our target in sight.”

A snail on the trail

Sarah writes:

“Day 21: Cervera to Jorba. Some of the small things on the way.”

A view of Montserrat (the serrated mountains)

Sarah writes:

“Day 22: Jorba to Montserrat. On the ascent to the Benedictine monastery where Saint Ignatius made his final decision to change his life. Our physical pilgrimage is nearing its end, but the interior journey will last for some time yet I think.”

Goats which live on or about Montserrat

Sarah writes:

“Day 23: A full day’s rest at Montserrat, though I still felt like an early morning walk. Coming around a corner I had a feeling someone was watching me….”

A panoramic view of Montserrat L to R, Fr Josep Lluis Iriberri SJ, Andy Walsh and Sarah Davies (photo taken by John Ng)

Fr Josep Lluis Iriberri SJ

John Ng writes: “A cool smile of Fr Josep after walking 31.2 km today.”

John Ng, Fr Josep Lluis Iriberri SJ, Sarah Davies and Gillian McIlwain with cyclists

Gillian McIlwain writes:

“Here we are with a group of cycling Ignatian pilgrims who had left Loyola only 1 week ago and had been watching out for us along the way. They are a group of cyclists from Manresa who drove their cars and bikes to Loyola and started from there. 

They had written to Fr Iriberri SJ before they left and were expecting to see us along the way — of course they were thrilled when they found us at lunch just outside La Panadella! They passed us a few times between our lunch stop and Jorba. 

We are setting out for Montserrat tomorrow and are ready to change our clothes and become the true pilgrims walking to Jerusalem!”

Sancho Panza

Sarah writes:

“Gailur to Alagon. If you know Don Quixite, we came across his sidekick Sancho Panza today. He looked like he was with us on our pilgrimage journey.”

Basilica of Our Lady of the Pillar in Zaragoza

Sarah writes:

“Day 12 — Rest Day in Zaragoza. We visited the patroness of Spain here at the Basilica of Our Lady of the Pillar on the bank of the Ebro Rover. For the rowing girls, if you look carefully you can see a boat on racks in the foreground. I didn’t see anyone actually on the river though, despite the good weather.”

Flowers by the roadside

Fields that have been bailed

One small dandelion

Fellow pilgrim with Fr Josep Lluis Iriberri SJ

Gillian McIlwain writes:

“Just after leaving Logrono this morning we met this fellow pilgrim doing the Ignatian Camino on his own. He was averaging 40 kms each day and had left Loyola only 5 days earlier!! Wonderful.  We are foot sore but enjoying both our inner and outer challenging journeys.”

Storks guarding their young

Sarah Davies writes:

“From Alfara, the place of many storks, to Tudela.  Storks guarding their young on church spires and any other high spot they could find.”

Wine country

Sarah writes:

“Still in wine country today, walking beside rocky hills with many vultures circling above. Thankfully all made it without providing them a meal!”

Leaving Laguardia behind

Sarah writes:

“Leaving Laguardia behind we head through wine country to Navarrete where we encounter pilgrims on the Camino de Santiago.”

Time to smell the roses

A Basque farm house

Andy Walsh on the road from Loyola to Zumarraga on Day 1

The scene from the top of the mountain on Day 2 (that’s Fr Josep Lluis Iriberri SJ taking in the view)

Wild flowers on the mountain

Sarah Davies writes:

“Magnificent views again today, but there was also great beauty at our feet.”

Sarah Davies having a rest on the Ignatian Camino

Sarah writes:

“When we are not on the top of the mountains we are walking though beautiful forests. Here I am in all my walking gear.”

Wheat fields

The door to the church of Santa Maria de los Reyes

Altarpiece at the church of Santa Maria de los Reyes showing scenes from the Gospel

Sarah Davies writes:

“On our rest day in Laguardia we had some tourist time visiting the old city including the church of Santa Maria de los Reyes.”

Gillian McIlwain writes:

“After a long, long, walk the pilgrims raced for their food, while Fr Iriberri, coming along behind encouraged them to gather for thanks and prayer for the pilgrimage BEFORE lunch.”

A civilised lunch on the Ignatian Camino