Today I decided to leave the Camino de Santiago for part of the way. I made the decision the moment the Camino turned onto the road again, and right at that point, a path opened up before me that was truly beautiful and natural, winding its way between the trees. Natural ground, soft forest floor, and in places overgrown with grasses and dandelions. As a crowning touch, I came across an enchanting hornbeam forest.

This naturally meant that I had to find my own way. In the end, I ended up back on the Camino de Santiago, and it actually had some truly beautiful moments.

As soon as I walk on unpaved paths, intuitive walking begins. How often do I catch myself taking a step in a spot that I didn't consciously intend, but which was exactly the right step to master that part of the path? The body simply does it on its own – more and more. It slowly returns to walking, full of balance, strength, and endurance.