LIVE from the Camino Cleaning Up After the Baztan

[VNwalking]

I'm in gloriously sunny Pamplona and have a few more days free to walk after coming up from Bayonne on the Baztan. So the plan is to creep along the Frances, armed with a plastic bag and Rebekah Scott's trash tongs, 'ditch pigging'--at least, once I get to Alto del Perdon.

So if you pass a peregrina looking like a bag lady, feel free to say hi. And if you slow down a bit to help that'll be even better!

 

[Priscilla NC]

Thanks so much for the work you do, and Buen Camino!

 

[MoniRose]

Any chance you can clean up all those rocks coming down from Cruz de Ferro?!
Monica

 

[Coleen Clark]

You are a Camino Angel! Thank you so much for doing this!
If we can't stop people from littering, can we at least pick up a few things as we walk? Just a little bag full on the side of your pack, if you bend down to pick something up it may stretch your back muscles a little and cause you joy.

 

[DurhamParish]

I wish I were there to help.

 

[natefaith]

Have fun, @VNwalking/USER]! As I know you will :cool:

 

[nathanael]

I'm in gloriously sunny Pamplona and have a few more days free to walk after coming up from Bayonne on the Baztan. So the plan is to creep along the Frances, armed with a plastic bag and Rebekah Scott's trash tongs, 'ditch pigging'--at least, once I get to Alto del Perdon.

So if you pass a peregrina looking like a bag lady, feel free to say hi. And if you slow down a bit to help that'll be even better!

actually when ever I saw liter on the Camino it assured me I was on the right trail and not wandered off.

 

[NicP]

Thanks for doing this. Whilst I think that there is value in picking up the litter itself, there is also value in reminding those who see you doing it that we all have a part to play in looking after the camino.

Hopefully it will demonstrate to those who pass you that it doesn't take too much effort to carry their rubbish to the next town / bar / albergue, rather than leaving it on the ground.

 

[MikeJS]

I see more rubbish on the caminos left by the Spanish than anything else. Can't imagine peregrinos carry fridges or mattresses with them!

 

[naplesdon]

If you make it as far as Moratinos, have Reb take a photo of you with the "pig's noses" I left there in March for future clean up photo-ops.
Thanks for your efforts.
I am carrying two of them to Sybilla and Tom in Santiago in July.
Trust me. I will not be wearing one on my next Camino, they are truly uncomfortable and only good for photo-ops.

 

[VNwalking]

I don't know who's been doing the cleaning but this end of the Frances but it's pretty tidy. I picked up a pathetic little bag between Cixur Menor and the alto--which is great news. There was a bit more on the other side but not too much. But. I'm a ditch piglet..I only picked up stuff right near the trail. Even so there was still a surprising amount of TP. As well as a pair of sunglasses, some chap stick, and a map of Pamplona.
I'm staying in a very flash albergue in Murubazel, because I wanted to visit Eunate. Of course it was closed--my usual luck. But it's still special.
There were plenty of pilgrims coming out of Pamplona, but most everyone was headed to Puente la Reina. Here there's a ton of empty beds.
And the flowers. Is it possible to get tired of poppies?

 

[movinmaggie]

I call this 'service from the heart'. I know that everyone appreciates what you are contributing Viranani. I'm currently walking the Great Glen Way in Scotland and was struck by the utter respect shown here - not one piece of litter, no graffiti anywhere and nothing for sale.
I know it's not realistic making comparisons, but just to say that to experience Mother nature in all her Glory blemish free, is a joy to me.

 

[camino07]

I call this 'service from the heart'. I know that everyone appreciates what you are contributing Viranani. I'm currently walking the Great Glen Way in Scotland and was struck by the utter respect shown here - not one piece of litter, no graffiti anywhere and nothing for sale.
I know it's not realistic making comparisons, but just to say that to experience Mother nature in all her Glory blemish free, is a joy to me.

Do you have a blog Maggie? would love to hear about your West Highland Way.

 

[movinmaggie]

Sorry Camino7, I do all my handwriting in the evening, but there's lots of info on line. It is absolutely fantastic. Cheers

 

[NualaOC]

I don't know who's been doing the cleaning but this end of the Frances but it's pretty tidy. I picked up a pathetic little bag between Cixur Menor and the alto--which is great news. There was a bit more on the other side but not too much. But. I'm a ditch piglet..I only picked up stuff right near the trail. Even so there was still a surprising amount of TP. As well as a pair of sunglasses, some chap stick, and a map of Pamplona.
I'm staying in a very flash albergue in Murubazel, because I wanted to visit Eunate. Of course it was closed--my usual luck. But it's still special.
There were plenty of pilgrims coming out of Pamplona, but most everyone was headed to Puente la Reina. Here there's a ton of empty beds.
And the flowers. Is it possible to get tired of poppies?

Beautiful photos @Viranani, I love those poppies - especially the lone ones in the fields of wheat or oats. Thanks for doing the litter-picking!
Shame that Eunate was closed, but I agree that it's a special and peaceful place. It was closed on the two occasions that I visited, but I still really enjoyed spending a little time there.
Buen Camino!

 

[VNwalking]

I'm a failure as a ditch pig, having hidden the tongs from myself day before yesterday and quietly creeping out of the albergue with them strapped to the outside of my pack.
So the stretch between Muruzabel and Villatuerta is untouched by piglet feet.
On the trail itself things are pretty tidy. But I went 15 feet off the Camino to check out a ruin yesterday and was grossed out by the TP...and I wish I could say I cleaned it up, but I didn't have a bag big enough - or the stomach.
Hot hot hot out here! And dramatic thunderstorms last night.
Now in Logroño about to head for the train.
What a wonderful walk. And thanks for the kind words everyone...but honestly I'm hardly an angel and it's not so much to do. It does keep me present and slowed down, which is always a good thing. There has been space in albergues but even so everyone seems to be in a rush...
And I'm clearly not the only one to be thinking about trash, which is only a good thing!

 

[VNwalking]

I've had more thoughts today about trash and a suggestion.
If each of us picked up a little it would make a big difference. But people don't. I was definitely an oddity, just because I was picking up what I saw needed picking up.
Too bad, because in the end it turned out to actually be a happy thing to do - The Camino got cleaner (if only for a moment), I used the energy that would otherwise have gone to irritation in a more useful way, and it slowed me down just a little so that I noticed a lot more and felt especially grounded.
I had tongs so I could pick up some of that white paper here and there, where it was close to the trail. But even if you don't have tongs, if all you do is to take an extra 30 seconds to pick up the candy wrapper or coke can that someone else dropped, the camino will be better for it and you'll feel good that you did. Win-win--what's not to like?

 

[movinmaggie]

Such a positive attitude Viranani, as always.
I do find myself wondering.... there must be some way to help eliminate, or at least ease the need to pick up so much garbage. At points where the towns and villages are not that far from each other, what would it take to place simple barrels or some such receptacles along the way. I'm sure just as many would use them for their trash. Of course there are the logistics to such a project; i.e. who, what, where and how. But where there is a strong and mutual desire to rid the way of such an eyesore, surely there are those out there with some authority who could come up with some ideas.

 

[SYates]

I've had more thoughts today about trash and a suggestion.
If each of us picked up a little it would make a big difference. But people don't. I was definitely an oddity, just because I was picking up what I saw needed picking up.
Too bad, because in the end it turned out to actually be a happy thing to do - The Camino got cleaner (if only for a moment), I used the energy that would otherwise have gone to irritation in a more useful way, and it slowed me down just a little so that I noticed a lot more and felt especially grounded.
I had tongs so I could pick up some of that white paper here and there, where it was close to the trail. But even if you don't have tongs, if all you do is to take an extra 30 seconds to pick up the candy wrapper or coke can that someone else dropped, the camino will be better for it and you'll feel good that you did. Win-win--what's not to like?

Coincidences - again ;-)

Today I got invited (and accepted) to participate in a Camino clean up organized by the Galician Amigos - 10th June. It is a one day event - I am more than happy to participate in!- BUT I hope that what @Viranani did and what I will do WILL inspire more pilgrims to a) not 'drop' any rubbish on the way and b] to pick up what others have dropped 'accidentally'. BC SY

 

[KinkyOne]

...a) not 'drop' any rubbish on the way ...

That's the only solution to the problem, Sybill.

I'm a smoker. Heavy smoker and I even smoke in the middle of nowhere. I put out the cigarette, step thoroughly over the lighted part of it and put the bud in the pocket of my shorts. When I come to the first trash bin/bar I empty my pockets. It looks strange, I know, and people are asking me if I'm so much addicted to nicotine that I collect buds and later make a tea out of them NO, I'm just pissed when I see a cigarette bud even on a street in the city!!!
Did you know that a single cigarette bud/filter still has so much nicotine (=poison) that it would kill every living creature in a m3 of water??? That's why I don't even dispose them in sewers because the water from them runs into streams/rivers.

I'm an idiot, I admit, but I don't want my stupidity to poison anyone else than me!!!

 

[VNwalking]

there must be some way to help eliminate, or at least ease the need to pick up so much garbage

Maybe, but I think people will continue to be people. Without K1's admirable attitude:

I don't want my stupidity to poison anyone else than me

What strikes me about litter (as well as other things like picking 'a few' grapes or cherries along the way) is that most people don't have any understanding of the cumulative effect of their behavior multiplied by 200,000.
On the way to the train for the Baztan, we cleaned up the trail between Morotinos and Sahagun. The other day, a week and a half later, I picked up a whole new bag of goodies, mostly TP but also coke cans and cookie packages left in the middle of the trail.

So since there will be no end to the need for this, it's best to spread the work around so that a few people don't have to do all the heavy lifting. We have as pilgrims a responsibility to take care of the way. So thank you, everyone for doing that.