To track my progress also see Facebook page 'Lynns 1000000 steps for Target Ovarian Cancer and Autism Wessex'

Currently in training up and down the Dorset hills, Lynn Butterworth from Rotary Club of Poole will leave UK on 10 April to commence the "Way of St. James” pilgrimage route to the Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela in Galicia in northwestern Spain, where tradition has it that the remains of the apostleSaint James are buried.

She will walk the complete 800 year old, "Way of St. James", which is 780 kilometres in length plus will carry on to the sea to at Finesterre, which is known locally as “The Edge of the World”, and return back to Santiago de Compostela where her walk will end. This will be over 500 miles in total. A pedometer will track her steps.

Tradition states that on reaching “The Edge of the World”, pilgrims throw their worldly goods into the sea and cleanse in the cool Atlantic waters. Nowadays they simply relax, take photos, and enjoy a cool and refreshing drink and marvel that the next piece of land directly in front of them is the coast of North America, some 3500 miles over the water.

Lynn will aim to complete the trek in 30 to 40 days, subject to bearable blisters, healthy feet and decent weather. To achieve this, Lynn will need to walk 20 to 30 kilometres per day carrying a full rucksack.

An unusual content of her rucksack will be a phial of Sandbanks sand as tradition states that pilgrims take a stone from their home town and place it at the cross at Cruce de Ferro which represents the leaving of burdens and worries and the preparation for the final stage of the camino. En route Lynn will bunk in dormitory style pilgrim lodges where sometimes a mattress on the floor is all that is offered. All pilgrims are required to carry a ‘pilgrim’s passport’ that is stamped at each lodge and at Santiago, on proof of the passport, pilgrims are awarded a certificate of completion.

Poole has many links with the ‘Way of St James’ pilgrimage. It was a main departure point for UK pilgrims before the days of flight. The scallop shell seen all over Poole is the symbol of the St James pilgrim and St James church in Old Town Poole is named after the apostle.

Lynn will also be collecting for Target Ovarian Cancer see www.justgiving.com/1000000stepsforTOC