What’s the most common injury experienced on the Camino de Santiago? Without doubt, foot blisters! They’re painful. They’re frustrating. They take precious time, effort and skill to look after. They make you walk differently and that can stir up other aches and pains. They can get … [Read more...]
The Spiritual Aspects of the Camino de Santiago Pilgrimage
The Camino Spirit This is a transcript of a talk I was asked to give at an information session on walking the Camino, presented in September 2016 and sponsored by the Albuquerque, New Mexico Chapter of The American Friends of the Camino. My wife, Janet, and I walked the Camino Frances in the Spring … [Read more...]
How Fit do You have to be to Walk the Camino?
I think I am a terrible example of getting fit before walking the Camino de Santiago. I walked only once for about 3 hours, with a rucksack, to see how I would be walking before going to Spain. I did have some hill walking experience, though not a lot. I would have walked in the Wicklow hills … [Read more...]
Bed Bugs on the Camino de Santiago
The Camino to Santiago might be a spiritual journey, but it’s not exempt from common earthly troubles like bed bugs. Who would have thought that such little creatures could be such a huge pain in the neck? In the past decade, bed bugs have infested some albergues along the Camino causing trouble not … [Read more...]
How Much Does the Camino de Santiago Cost?
The main costs for any of the Camino de Santiago routes are your daily budget on the Camino and getting to and from your start and finish points. For most of in Europe it is fairly quick and easy to get to and from any of the routes - not so from North America, (see travel page here), however the … [Read more...]
Camino: Should You Travel Solo or in a Group?
When planning a pilgrimage, travelers, besides deciding what route to take and what to pack, are often faced with a choice of going for it alone or as a part of a group. The forums are swirling with questions such as “I want to do the Camino, but I have nobody to go with, should I go alone?”, “I … [Read more...]
What About Medical Help & Health Care?
Concerns about health care and medical help while on the Camino is one of my most common asked questions. You can read some reports from pilgrims on the Camino here about their experience with the Spanish health care system. For all those that reside within the twenty-eight countries of the EU … [Read more...]
Making Time for the Camino de Santiago
If all goes well, and God wills it, at the end of March I will begin to walk the Camino de Santiago. It’s about time. I have been thinking, dreaming, and planning for this for nearly 20 years. I first read about the pilgrimage to Santiago Compostela in a 14th century biography, The Book of Margery … [Read more...]
How to Choose the Best Hiking Boots
It's important to have the right footwear for your level of hiking, more so if you are going on a walking holiday or a long distance walk like the Camino de Santiago, (and the right backpack and waterproofs). Different styles are more suitable for different levels than others. For instance, if you … [Read more...]
Best Camera for the Camino de Santiago?
The pilgrimage to Santiago is an adventure rich in breathtaking views and unforgettable moments. Still, some travelers prefer to completely unplug from the noise of civilization and leave all the tech gadgets behind. Others, like me, can’t resist documenting whenever possible. Whether or not you … [Read more...]
How to Choose a Backpack for the Camino de Santiago
After choosing the best hiking boots or hiking shoes for your feet, a backpack is the second most important piece of equipment you need for walking any of the Camino routes (see Camino packing list). Bear in mind this humble backpack is going to hold all your belonging for a month, sometime … [Read more...]
How to Choose Waterproofs for the Camino de Santiago
The Basic Principles of Layering This is the third post in my series about walking gear for the Camino, the first is how to chose the best hiking boots or lightweight hiking shoes, the second is how to choose a backpack. This is a general article on waterproofs - the age-old discussion about a … [Read more...]
Santo Domingo de la Calzada to Belorado
On the road from Santo Domingo de la Calzada to Belorado 12th August, 2017: Leaving Santo Domingo at 7.45 am, we thought we had made a good head start on the sun. Fools! We should have left at least an hour earlier. We walked 23 kilometers today on a fairly easy route of gravel paths, tarmac in … [Read more...]
The Meseta on the Camino de Santiago
‘Many people avoid the Meseta, catching the bus from Burgos to Leon’, I heard on my first day on the Camino de Santiago. I was shocked. I thought most people were keen to walk the full route, either in stages or as a single pilgrimage. Whilst setting out to walk and enjoy the whole 800km, the Meseta … [Read more...]
Finding Love on the Camino de Santiago
Love was the last thing I expected to find on the Camino de Santiago. But I did and twelve years later our son is nearly three years old. Therefore I thought this would be a good time for this post. I set out expecting a journey with few people, and I expected those few to be a bit odd, or older … [Read more...]
