One of the standout challenges The Camino Via Francigena is one of the oldest walked routes in history, over 1,000 years old, stretching 1,512 miles from Canterbury to Rome.
The route and Linzi’s time has been recognised and published by Fastest Known Time making Linzi the FKT solo self-supported female in history to thru-hike the Camino Via Francigina in 66 days, 3 hours & 16 mins.
Linzi is awaiting Guinness World Record recognition
Camino Via Francigena: What a journey of discovery you are…
If you’ve never heard of a Camino, which I hadn’t back in 2019, it wasn’t until I asked my mum, “What’s on your bucket list, something you’d love to do when the pandemic ends?” Her reply was, “I would love to trek the Camino.” At that moment, I never would have guessed how significant and life-changing that word ‘Camino’ would become.The very word itself means ‘the way,’ and whether you set out consciously seeking ‘your way’ or not, the Camino has a way of revealing the path that’s right for you.
Our modern, fast-paced lives often teach us to want more, to be more, to create more. Yet, with every step on the Camino, I discover something radically different: that the deepest joy comes not from striving, but from simply being.Being present with nature, with myself, with people, communities, with my feelings, with everything. It is like living at your fullest potential. I’ve fallen deeply in love with the pure feeling of presence that Camino journeys gift you in abundance.
The way this Camino breathed love, joy, connection, and direction with every step I shared with it is such a profoundly WHOLE feeling of BEING. On this, my fourth Camino journey, I met all the pain I’ve ever felt in my life on my terms. I hadn’t known this moment needed to arrive, much like I hadn’t fully understood why I carried such an undeniable drive to keep pushing, striving, and challenging myself again and again, gaining strength and weakness in equal measure.
But now I see.The pain I felt on the trail and all those before—this pain I chose to meet head-on—was mine. It was born from my will, my path, my strength. And it collided powerfully and unexpectedly with the pain I never chose, the pain I had no control over. On this Camino, the powerless pain of my past met the empowered pain of my present and became ONE!
In those moments of realization, held by nature, it felt as if the wisdom of the beginning of time was flowing through my veins, while the infinity of all time expanded outward from every part of my being. I always knew this energy of infinite presence existed, and with this Camino, I lived it.The Camino Via Francigena is my fourth Camino, and it will not be my last.
My hope is that my walk inspires you to find your own Way too.And what a Way it has been. A trek of 1,512 miles across five countries, each step shaped not only by my inner journey, but also by the landscapes, architecture, cultures, communities, and climates (I can confirm tarmac melts at 35 Celsius because my size boot is now imprinted on an old road in France… I’ve quite literally become part of history!).
The Via Francigena holds you in its arms of history, inviting you to explore all of its wonder. Starting in Canterbury, U.K., at Canterbury Cathedral, leading along farmers’ fields to the industrial energy of Dover. Learning how to walk was mastered with the help of a ferry.
This and the bus that took me from the Port to Calais centre was the only form of transport other than my feet for the entirety of this incredible trek.From Calais, France gently nurtured me with its flat farmland fields of vast, soft earthy colors into my daily rhythm of averaging 23 miles a day over 66 days, 3 hours, and 15 minutes.The French canals flowed seamlessly, as did I along them, with a stream of smiling cyclists, trekkers, dog walkers, and couples of all ages.
I did smile a lot when an older couple, consumed with young love, took to the bushes to fondle the fruit—only it wasn’t on the bushes! He he. France has a very warm, welcoming, trusting energy that I absolutely loved!Three days before reaching the France-Switzerland border, the landscape began to change with cascading mountains beginning to rise with lush green, diverse forestry. The air felt cooler with each rise, and the sound of flowing water became constant; even if I could not see it, I could hear it… I love the sound of streams, waterfalls, and rivers.
It’s natural energy in motion that flows and passes, nurturing nature like blood in veins.There is something about standing at the peak of a mountain when your gaze can drift for miles into your future and reflect upon your past. They compress time into something tangible: the path trekked being the past, the horizon ahead the future, and your breath, heartbeat, and footsteps rooted firmly in the present. The vastness of seeing our natural world from its peaks grounds a deep sense of belonging that I’ve yet to feel anywhere else.
Switzerland made me feel calm, at peace, and vibrantly alive all at once. Time seemed to soften there; nothing was hurried, nothing strained. Everything around me carried a quiet sense of purpose and presence, as though it simply knew its place in the world. There was no need for loudness, no demand for attention or proof of worth. Even the architecture reflected this truth: clean, uncluttered lines that felt steady and assured, echoing the stillness of the mountains themselves.
Lake Geneva drew me into its mirrored waters, where mountains danced in the reflections of the lake. Communities from every culture gathered along the shore. I had only ever felt this kind of human togetherness at festivals, yet here it unfolded with ease and abundance. Babies being cuddled, teenagers giggled in clusters, parents battling their barbecue smoke with smiles, friends tapped out rhythms, and lovers splashing playfully in the waters.
It was a tapestry of humanity in its purest form, people from all walks of life, simply loving life together under the warmth of the sun. I stood for fifteen minutes, smiling, letting their joy wash over me, content to stand still and witness the happiness of humanity around me.Snow sits on Swiss mountains, as did my bum when I tried to ski down a small section. I couldn’t resist sharing some time with the snow…
There’s something magical about how its intricate particles cuddle together to create blankets of pure beauty, frozen in form! Reaching the Great St Bernard Pass was a phenomenal feeling, surrounded by gigantic, unapologetic mountains! It’s magnificent! So magnificent that I trekked into Italy without realizing until a group of smiling, focused faces said ‘Ciao’!Italy’s villages and towns are blended into its landscapes, complementing nature’s shapes, colors, and energy.
The Italian streets flow with history and creative intention. Every detail reflects a deep care and compassion, a reverence for beauty that pulses through the stone and structure. These buildings, these streets, weren’t just built; they were crafted. Designed with soul, they radiate a timeless essence no modern architecture can replicate. There is a living poetry here, etched in arches, whispered in courtyards, sung through cobbled lanes.Rome and Vatican City explode with architectural awe!
My creative spirit was in a state of constant curiosity and admiration, and yet my human heart felt in conflict knowing the cruelty and sacrifice that took place to achieve and amongst it. I adored Italy so much I am returning to a place I named the ‘unicorn’ to sit and write the beginnings of a book that is now screaming to play onto pages, to dance into people’s ideas of freedom, hope, and connection.
After 67 days trekking from Canterbury to Rome, nature has taught me. Nature is the one place where truth still lives. Not curated. Not performative. Not bought or sold. Just the truth.The modern world teaches us to rush, to compare, to chase worth. But nature?It invites. It reflects. It holds us exactly as we are.We can’t manufacture truth. We can’t download peace. But we can return to it. And when we do… We stop performing.
We start remembering. We come home to ourselves. Let nature in. Let it refuel you, reshape you, remind you. Let it rewild the freedom you were born with. You don’t need to find yourself. You only need to return.
