Walking to Dinner
The independent guide to food on pilgrimage — stories, maps, and firsthand knowledge from the world's great pilgrimage routes.
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The Nakahechi Route crosses cedar mountains on the Kii Peninsula, linking the three Kumano Grand Shrines over four to six days. Steep climbs, torii gates, shrine grounds, and village inns shape the walk. Carried meharizushi gives way to ryokan meals, grilled ayu, wild boar broth, and maguro tuna at Kii-Katsuura.
The Shikoku Pilgrimage circles the island through four prefectures and eighty-eight temples, combining temple visits, mountain roads, coastal plains, and lodging that shapes the next meal. Convenience stores supply onigiri and baked goods; inns serve regional food, from Tokushima sudachi to Kochi bonito and Kagawa Sanuki udon.
The Camino Portugués runs from Lisbon through northern Portugal and Galicia to Santiago, across coastal towns, the Minho valley, vineyards, and granite villages. A day begins with coffee and bread and ends near a pilgrim lodging. Tosta mista, galão, bacalhau, Galician octopus, scallops, and fixed-price menus follow the route.
The Appalachian Trail crosses fourteen eastern states from Georgia to Maine, with five to seven months of forested ridges, rivers, shelters, and trail towns. Food moves between carried oatmeal, ramen, and peanut butter, then diners, delis, church breakfasts, mailed boxes, and wild blueberries farther north.
Scotland’s Remotest Pint links four Highland routes over 202 miles, from the West Highland Way to the Old Forge in Inverie. Lochs, glens, moorland, river crossings, and exposed ridges separate sparse settlements. Breakfasts, farm cafés, honesty boxes, carried provisions, and a final meal and pint mark the route’s practical rhythm.
The Pacific Crest Trail runs from Mexico to Canada through California, Oregon, and Washington, crossing desert basins, volcanic peaks, granite passes, forests, and snowfields. A day depends on water carries, climbs, and the next resupply. Lightweight food fills the pack; towns bring diners, grocery food, and regional meals.
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Scotland’s Remotest Pint is a 202-mile walking itinerary linking the West Highland Way, the Great Glen Way, the Affric Kintail Way, and the Cape Wrath Trail before ending at the Old Forge in Inverie. The first section follows a designated route opened in 1980 and created to give walkers a continuous way through the Highlands; older military roads and cattle-driving paths shape parts of its course. Lochs, glens, moorland, birch woods, exposed ridges, and Highland weather define the scenery, while long summer days and short, wet shoulder seasons change the experience. The full walk generally takes two to three weeks and is most often attempted from late spring through early autumn. A typical day means steady miles between sparse settlements, wet ground, river crossings, navigation, and a search for shelter or a campsite. Breakfast may be a full Scottish plate before Fort William, while lunch and dinner may come from farm cafés, honesty boxes, or occasional pubs. Beyond Fort William, carried provisions and compact meals supply the route. The final meal and pint await in Inverie.