Long-distance ROMANCE

When Penny Steven set off on a solo adventure, it took her on an unexpected journey to the other side of the world

- MISHAAL KHAN, LUCY MOSES

Walking through the forest, Penny took in the stunning landscape. Dappled sunlight lit the path ahead, shimmering through the leaves of the trees that towered above. It was May 2015 and Penny, who lives in Amersham, in Buckinghamshire, was in Spain, walking the famous Camino de Santiago route alone, having taken on the 500-mile trek to raise money for her local church.

It was unlike anything she had ever done before, but at 63, Penny wanted a new challenge. ‘I’d just retired a few months earlier from my teaching assistant job, and it was the adventure I needed,’ she says.

Along the journey, Penny, now 70, felt the presence of a man falling into step behind her, and as she turned around, she was pleasantly surprised. ‘I was struck by a pair of bright-blue eyes and a lovely smile. He had a kind face,’ she remembers.

The man, with an Australian accent, introduced himself as Chris, and he and Penny trekked together for a few minutes, chatting until their planned routes took them on different paths. ‘It was nice having some company, and Chris seemed to be genuine,’ she recalls.

That same evening, as Penny checked into her accommodation, she spotted Chris staying in the same place, and as they said hello, he invited her to join him and his traveling companions for a drink. The pair ended up having a long lunch the next day and conversation flowed before they added each other on Facebook and went their separate ways, not expecting to see each other again.

‘I was twice-divorced and perfectly happy as a single woman. I wasn’t looking for another relationship, even though there was something special about Chris,’ she says.