Where does the Camino begin and end?

[Deleted member 3000]

From the Pilgrim Office:

Where does the Camino to Santiago start and finish?

There is no compulsory starting point, although some of the traditional routes have places, such as Roncesvalles on the Camino Francés, where many pilgrims begin. Remember that medieval pilgrims began their pilgrimage at their own front door.

The pilgrimage to Santiago ends at the Tomb of Saint James in the Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela.

 

[wayfarer]

From the Pilgrim Office:

Where does the Camino to Santiago start and finish?

There is no compulsory starting point, although some of the traditional routes have places, such as Roncesvalles on the Camino Francés, where many pilgrims begin. Remember that medieval pilgrims began their pilgrimage at their own front door.

The pilgrimage to Santiago ends at the Tomb of Saint James in the Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela.

Indeed, many beginings but only one end. Finesterra and Muxia are a bonus.

 

[scruffy1]

Sorry wayfarer but I must mention the Sassenach author and academic J. R.R. Tolkein but he is correct on this one"
"Roads go ever ever on,
Over rock and under tree,
By caves where never sun has shone,
By streams that never find the sea;
Over snow by winter sown,
And through the merry flowers of June,
Over grass and over stone,
And under mountains in the moon.

Roads go ever ever on
Under cloud and under star,
Yet feet that wandering have gone
Turn at last to home afar..."

The Camino never ends even upon your return, its always there.

Go raibh an chóir ghaoithe i gcónaí leat.

 

[wayfarer]

Sorry wayfarer but I must mention the Sassenach author and academic J. R.R. Tolkein but he is correct on this one"
"Roads go ever ever on,
Over rock and under tree,
By caves where never sun has shone,
By streams that never find the sea;
Over snow by winter sown,
And through the merry flowers of June,
Over grass and over stone,
And under mountains in the moon.

Roads go ever ever on
Under cloud and under star,
Yet feet that wandering have gone
Turn at last to home afar..."

The Camino never ends even upon your return, its always there.

Go raibh an chóir ghaoithe i gcónaí leat.

Well said a chara, it is always there....... every day.

(Off Topic) BTW J. R.R. Tolkein holidayed in Galway and corrected papers at UCG. he spent a lot of time in Connemara and many believe he based many of the locations from The Hobbit and Lord of the rings from there. There is actualy a cave/pothole there called poll na gollum (the cave of the doves) was this where Golum got his name??

 

[David]

There are two Caminos aren't there. The external one starts from where you are on this planet by stepping out of your door to go to the airport or train, or walking - and ends at the tomb of St. James, with, if you wish, a saunter to the sea afterwards.

The inner journey starts, and never ends, in your heart.

"The moon & sun are eternal travellers. Even the years wander on. A lifetime adrift in a boat, or in old age leading a tired horse into the years, every day is a journey, and the journey itself is home.

From the earliest times there have always been some who have perished along the road. Still I have always been drawn by windblown clouds into dreams of a lifetime of wandering."

Matsuo Basho (1644-94) Zen Abbot

Buen Camino

 

[tyrrek]

For me there's a distinction between 'Camino' and 'Pilgrimage'. Anybody who gets to Santiago by whatever means for religious/spiritual reasons is a pilgrim, just as they are in Lourdes, Rome etc.

The Camino for me is an extension of the pilgrimage experience, and meant to challenge us in some way. For some people a challenge may be walking 8kms, 800kms, or 2,800kms. All equally valid in my view.

Buen Camino!

 

[nreyn12]

The inner journey starts, and never ends, in your heart.

Beautiful, David. Well said. May I quote you?

 

[Deleted member 3000]

All quite true, but the point the Cathedral makes is that the physical pilgrimage ends at the bones of St. James (notwithstanding the opinion of a fictional Romani in Burgos). :wink:

 

[David]

The inner journey starts, and never ends, in your heart.

Beautiful, David. Well said. May I quote you?

Absolutely!! :wink: