PCT_2027

USA.

Pacific Crest Trail  IV
(Tehachapi Pass to Kennedy Meadows South).

25/Mar/2027 to 08/Apr/2027. 

Tehachapi Pass to Kennedy Meadows...

It was early June 1995 when Cheryl Strayed first set foot on the Pacific Crest Trail at Tehachapi Pass  Anyone who has read "Wild" or seen the movie (2014) will remember Cheryl’s initial struggles to lift her heavy backpack and her first arduous hike north from Tehachapi Pass.

She reached Kennedy Meadows as her first major resupply and turning point on the PCT: Cheryl decided to skip the dangerous, snow-packed High Sierra by taking a bus to Reno and re-joining the trail further north in Sierra City.

A fourth year hiking on the PCT, adding 220km for
a total of 1131km/4274km (27% of the entire PCT).

CLICK HERE for our 1st PCT hike (2022, Northbound Tuolumne Meadows - Donner Pass)

CLICK HERE for our 2nd PCT hike (2023, Southbound Tuolumne Meadows - Kennedy Meadows South).

CLICK HERE for our 3rd PCT hike (2025), Northbound Donner Pass - Quincy & Northbound Cottonwood Pass - Bishop Pass).

---

Thursday 25/Mar/2027.
Home to to USA and Tehachapi journey.


Transportation:

---- Flight from Brussels (BRU) to London-Heathrow (LHR).

---- Transit ~2h.

---- Flight from London-Heathrow (HTR) to Los-Angeles (LAX).

---- Rental car from the airport to Tehachapi.

|---| Holiday Inn hotel, Tehachapi.

---

Friday 26/Mar/2027.

Logistics and HIKE 0.


|---| Tent setup.

---

Saturday 27/Mar/2027.

HIKE 1.


|---| Tent setup.

---

Sunday 28/Mar/2027.

HIKE 2.


|---| Tent setup.

---

Monday 29/Mar/2027.

HIKE 3.


|---| Tent setup.

---

Tuesday 30/Mar/2027.

HIKE 4.


|---| Tent setup.

---

Wednesday 31/Mar/2027.

HIKE 5.


|---| Tent setup.

---

Thursday 01/Apr/2027.

HIKE 6.


|---| Tent setup.

---

Friday 02/Apr/2027.

HIKE 7.


|---| Tent setup.

---

Saturday 03/Apr/2027.

HIKE 8.


|---| Tent setup.

---

Sunday 04/Apr/2027.

HIKE 9.


|---| Tent setup.

---

Monday 05/Apr/2027.

HIKE 10


|---| Tent setup.

---

Tuesday 06/Apr/2027.

HIKE 11.


|---| Tent setup.

---

Wednesday 07/Apr/2027.

HIKE12


|---| Ridgecrest.

---

Thursday 08/Apr/2027.

Return Home journey.

Transportation:

---- Rental car from Ridgecrest to San-Francisco airport (LAX). 

---- Flight from San-Francisco airport to London-Heathrow (LHR), 17:05-

---- Transit at the airport.

---- Flight from London-Heathrow (LHR) to Brussels (BRU).

|---| Airplane seat.

---

Friday 08/Apr/2027.
Return Home journey (cntd).

---

Santo_Antao_2026

CAPE VERDE.

Santo-Antão island.


19/Nov/2026 to 27/Nov/2026. 

Cape Verde is a country off the coast of West Africa,
an archiplago of volcanic islands 570 km west of Senegal.

Santo-Antão.

Santo-Antão is the second biggest of the Cape Verde islands and is very different from its barren neighbor, São-Vicente.

Santo-Antão has an area of 779 km², maximum length of 43 km and maximum width of 24 km. 

The highest point is Topo de Coroa, 1979 m high.

1€ = 110 Escudo (or "Cifrão", CVE).

---

Thursday 19/Nov/2026.
Home to Cabo Verde journey.


Transportation:
---- TAP flight TP647 from Brussels (BRU) to Lisbon (LIS), 6:00-7:55, 580€ incl backpack (all flights).

---- Transit at Lisbon airport, 2h20.

---- TAP flight TP1557 from Lisbon (LIS) to São-Vicente airport (VXE), 9:15-12:40, 4h25.
---- Taxi ride from the airport to the hotel, 10.6km, 0h15, 1100ECE (10€).

|---| Royal Mindelo hotel, hotel suite, 6203CVE (55€/2p).

---

Friday 20/Nov/2026.
HIKE 1 

Paul Valley (descent from Cova-de-Paul crater to Vila das Pombas), 12km, +250m -1500m).


Transportation:

---- CV Interilhas ferry from Mindelo (São-Vicente island) to Porto Novo (Santo-Antão island), 08:00-09:00, 1h.

---- Aluguer (shared taxi) to the volcano crater Cova de Paul, 0h50.

|---|

---

Saturday 21/Nov/2026.
HIKE 2 
Vila das Pombas to Xoxo to Ribeira Grande, 10km, +300m -350m.


|---|

---

Sunday 22/Nov/2026.
HIKE 3 


|---|

---

Monday 23/Nov/2026.
HIKE 4 


|---|

---

Tuesday 24/Nov/2026.
HIKE 5 


|---|

---

Wednesday 25/Nov/2026.
HIKE 6 


|---|

---

Thursday 26/Nov/2026.
HIKE 7


Transportation: 

---- CV Interilhas ferry from Porto Novo to Mindelo, twice daily, 16:00-17:00, 1h. OR NEXT MORNING !!!

|---| Porto Novo.

---

Friday 27/Nov/2026.
Return Home journey.


Transportation:

---- CV Interilhas ferry from Porto Novo to Mindelo, twice daily, 09:00-10:00, 1h.

---- TAP flight TP1558 from São Vicente airport (VXE) to Lisbon (LIS), 13:30-18:30, 4h.

---- Transit at Lisbon airport, 1h30.

---- TAP flight TP646 from Lisbon (LIS) to Brussels (BRU), 20:00-23:50, 2h50.

|---| Home (Gent).

---

Camino_Catalan_2026

SPAIN.
Camino Catalan
(Barcelona to Zaragoza).

12/Jun/2020 to 19/jun/2020. 

---

Sunday 13/Sep/2026.
Home to Barcelona journey.

Flight announcement 
Brussels to Barcelona.

With Philippe and Lara
in Barcelona's metropolitan.

In front of Barcelona's Cathedral
where we obtained the credentials.

Sant-Cugat-del-Vallès.

Monastery of Sant-Cugat.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Monastery_of_Sant_Cugat

Monastery of Sant-Cugat.

Diner at Bodega Tomàs.

A last drink near to the hotel,
at music bar Cafè Belgrado.

Transportation:

---- NMBS train from Gent-Sint-Pieters to Brussels Airport, 6:39-8:03, 14.80€.

---- Vueling flight VY8981 from Brussels (BRU) to Barcelona (BCN), 10:15-12:25, 2h10, 118.99€ incl checked bag.

---- Metro ride to Barcelona.

---- Train to Sant-Cugat-del-Vallès.

|---| Hotel Venture Sant Cugat, 3-bed hotel room, Sant-Cugat-del-Vallès, Barcelona.

---

Monday 14/Sep/2026.
HIKE 1.
From Sant-Cugat-del-Vallès to Ullastrell, 20.1km.

Leaving the hotel,
after an extensive breakfast.

Start of our 10-days trekking.

The 1960 neo-neo castel
Castell des Records de les Fonts.

Reaching Ullastrell.

Ullastrell.

Another drink in the village.

Sunset.

Diner at the local restaurant Cal Taiet.

|---| Hostalatge Jordi Sans, pilgrim dorm, Ullastrell, 39€/3p.

---

Tuesday 15/Sep/2026.
HIKE 2.
From Ullastrell to Montserrat, 23km.

Leaving Ullastrell.

Rivera de Gaïa canyon.

Signpost.

The "Rambla" of Olesa-de-Montserrat.

Taking the Aeri de Montserrat
cable car to avoid a 400m climb.

Reaching Montserrat.

Montserrat.

Montserrat.

Montserrat.

Burning a candle.

Sunset, as observed from the hotel room.

|---| Alberg Abat Oliba, 3-bed hotel room, Montserrat, 66.64€/3p.

---

Wednesday 16/Sep/2026.
HIKE 3.
From Montserrat to Igualada, 26.4km.

Sunrise.

Leaving Montserrat.

Santa-Cecília-de-Montserrat.

Taking a "shortcut" GR 172.

The Dolomites-looking massif of Montserrat.

Older waymarking.

"La Cadireta" rock, seen from below.

La Cadireta (under another angle)
& la Roca Foradada (hole in the rock).

Coll de San-Maçana.

Sant-Paul-de-la-Guàrdia.

Lunch at Cal-Betes restaurant, Castellolí.

Igualada.

Excellent 2025 La Dansada wine.

|---| Alberg Cal Mato, 3-bed room, Igualada, 61.80/3p.

---

Thursday 17/Sep/2026.
HIKE 4.
From Igualada to La-Panadella, 22.5km.

Leaving the luxury pilgrim albergue.

Sant-Jaume Sesoliveres,
 XII century.

Sant-Genis.

Jorba, Restaurante-Grill Marti.

A long way along main road.

Lunch picnic at Santa-Maria-del-Cami.

Waymarking at Porquerisses,
still along the main road.

La-Pandella.

Reaching la-Pandella.

A refreshment before taking our rooms.

|---| Hotel Bayona, private rooms, La-Pandella-Montmaneu, 35€/room.

---

Friday 18/Sep/2026.
HIKE 5.

From La-Panadella to Tàrrega, 27.7km.

Leaving La-Pandella.

Sant-Pere-dels-Arquells.

Sant-Pere-dels-Arquells.

A private collection of disused MiGs
and a Starfighter F104.

We preferred to continue straight.

Reaching the town of Cervera.

Cervera, town hall.

Cervera, town hall
details.

Cervera.

Cervera.

Cervera.

Cervera, Don Quichotte melons.

960km to Santiago, however
some 35km later we will read 1000km...

Tarrega.

Laundry.

|---| Hostal Cougar de Tàrrega, triple room, 106.20/3p incl breakfast.

---

Saturday 19/Sep/2026.
HIKE 6.

From Tàrrega to El-Palau-d'Anglesola, 23.2km.

Tàrrega.

Tàrrega.

Vilagrassa.

Canal d'Urgell.

Picnic at a pleasant spot
near the canal.

Diner at El-Poli restaurant.

|---| Acollida de Pelegrins, pilgrim dorm, El-Palau-d'Anglesola.10€/p,

---

Sunday 20/Sep/2026.
HIKE 7.

From El-Palau-d'Anglesola to Lleida, 24.6km.

Leaving the pilgrim-albergue.

Some doubt...

Singpost.

Bell-Loc-d'Urgell, Plaça Major.

Bell-lloc-d'Urgell, Bar Maria.

Reaching Lleida
along a dirty industrial area.

Lleida.

|---| Ramon Berrenguer, triple hotel room, Lleida, 86€/3p.

---

Monday 21/Sep/2026.
HIKE 8.

From Lleida to Alcarràs.

Lleida, statue of Indibilis and Mandonius.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indibilis_and_Mandonius

Leaving Lleida.

Passarella del Tòfol over the Rio Segre.

A wildlife observation point.

Apple orchard with about 150k trees.

Reaching Butsènit.

Bamboo tunnel.

"Wash your hands",
a reminder from the Corona pandemic?

Alcarràs.

Lunch at restaurant El Toll.

Dropped by the police
at shelters for seasonal workers.

Dinner, making the best out of it.

|---| Alotjament treballadors temporers, shelter, Alcarràs, free.

---

Tuesday 22/Sep/2026.
HIKE 9.

From Alcarràs to Fraga.

First coffee opportunity of the day,
roadside restaurant Catalunya i Aragon.

Signpost.

Roadside restaurant Litera.

Fraga.

San-Miguel-Castillo church.

The old town.

"Gravity" from Lorenzo Quinn.

Diner at Nuri's Gastrobar.

Too much wine?

|---| Hostal Trébol, 2 hotel rooms, Fraga, 25€/p.

---

Wednesday 23/Sep/2026.
Fraga to Zaragoza journey.

Back in Lleida.

Arrival at Zaragoza.

Zaragoza.

Pablo Gargallo museum.

Church of San Gil Abad.
San_Gil_Abad

City Hall and the Basilica
de Nuestra Señora del Pilar.

Lions at the Puente de Piedra.

City view from the Puente de Piedra.

Outstanding diner at La Flor de Lis.

Transportation:

---- Hife bus from Fraga to Lleida, 9:15-9:45, 0h40, 3.90€.

---- Renfe AVE train from Lleida to Zaragoza, 10:13-11:03, 0h50.

|---| Hotel Hispania, triple room, Zaragoza, 116€/3p.

---

Thursday 24/Sep/2026.
Zaragoza and Zaragoza  to Barcelona journey.

Zaragoza (cont'd).

Mercado Central.

Aljaferia Palace.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aljaferia

Aljaferia Palace.

Barcelona.

Very last drinks together,
at Bodega del Vermut.

Barcelona cathedral.

Transportation:

---- Renfe AVE train from Zaragoza to Barcelona-Sants, 17:09-19:14, 2h05,  22.20€.

|---| Hostal Portugal, hotel room (poor), Barcelona, 84€.

---

Friday 25/Sep/2026.
Return home journey.

Leaving the hotel, purchase of empanadas
for lunch at nearby Forn de Manila.

Montserrat mountain, now observed
through the airplane window.

Transportation:

---- Metro ride from Barcelona Drassanes to the Airport T1, line L3 & line L9, ~0h55, 5.90€.

---- Brussels Airlines flight SN3698 from Barcelona (BCN) to Brussels (BRU), 12:25-14:30, 2h05, 82.89€ incl checked luggage.

---- NMBS train from the airport to Gent-Sint-Pieters, 15:57-16:57, 1h00, 14.80€.

---- Tram ride.

|---| Home (Gent).

---