This post is an unabashed plug and well deserved praise for ‘1000 Mile’ SmartWool socks. When I bought them on the sales promise that they guaranteed no blisters for 1000 miles. With three quarters of the route from Le Puy to St-Jean-Pied-de-Port completed, not a single blister to date (I hope writing this does not jinx me!)

I have met people within who within the first few days had feet that looked like mincemeat. Jurg, a Swiss guy in Aubrac, had to lie up for a couple of days unable to go on because of the condition of his feet. He had an envious eye on my socks and tried to buy one of the 3 pairs I was carrying off me. No chance. And I double-checked I still had all three pairs when I left the following morning. Ditto for Ray, the Canadian, who managed to lose a good portion of skin off his feet, starting the Camino very poorly prepared with thin cotton socks. Manuella from Austria has her feet so taped up with plaster as to be barely recognisable as feet. The two blistered Germans just eyed my blister-clear intact feet and say one word “Respekt!”

None of that respect down to tough feet – all the work of my socks. I bought them at Snow & Rock and worth every penny of the £15 per pair I paid for them. You can also pick them up off Amazon. If you are planning a long distance walk, don’t leave home without them J