It is with great sadness that I inform you of the passing of my boots.

My boots – a pair of Asolos – walked my first Camino, the Camino Frances. They are three years old, and I estimate they’ve tramped about 4,000kms.

Finally though, they’ve carked it.

They’ve been sturdy, robust, and trusted friends.
They have taken me wonderful places.
They have done so largely blister free.

And tonight, I will reverentially place them in their final resting place –

– the garbage bin.

Today I received their replacement – a pair of Meindl, from Germany. I have a pair of full leather Meindls for when I walk my Caminos, but these are lighter and better for training, particularly on roads and hard surfaces.

I got them from Cotswolds Outdoors, a UK based online hiking company that does good prices, with fast and cheap freight.

So I am about to begin a new friendship with my new boots. They are a little stand-offish at the moment. A little stiff, a little reserved, not ebulliently friendly like the Asolos.

But that’s the difference between Germans and Italians, I guess.