The Last Camino?

[CaminoGuy]

Hello, Friends. I am 75 years young and walked my first Camino following the French route with my adult son in 2015, from SJPDP to Santiago, a life-changing experience. Then in 2018 my wife and I walked the Portugués from Porto, equally life-changing for both of us. Now she and I have decided to walk the Portugués again next year from Lisboa. I will be 76 next year, still feeling good, and my wife is a healthy “spring chicken” of 64. I’ve been wondering lately about “last Caminos”. My questions are for you older pilgrims who walked, or are anticipating walking, your last Camino soon. How did you know it was time to”hang up your boots”? How did you feel about making that decision? I’ve found the Camino rather late in life; wish I had done that earlier, but better late than not at all.

 

[Tia Valeria]

Before walking in 2015 we decided that our Camino that year would be our last. We had enjoyed our times on the Camino but felt that the quiet and more spiritual aspects were giving way to more tourism focused walkers. (Not meant as a criticism but a statement of fact). That meant that our final Camino was planned and just as special as those previous occasions.
Our feelings were confirmed by the message given at the English Mass mid-morning - in Santiago. We are all pilgrims through life even if we do not walk again. We have never regretted our decision.
We did not actually hang up our boots but have since then driven and walked to places along/near the Camino which were out of reach when walking the Camino itself. Planning a final trip to Northern Spain this year 'off Camino' but still in the Camino spirit - and we now fall into the tourist type category. No car this year but back to public transport and then local walking from our accommodation in various places, mostly in Asturias but also Cantabria.
Then we will walk in the UK until we do 'hang up our boots'. Ages - both in our 70s.

 

[Camino Chrissy]

I started a thread a while back called..."Are you 70+ and still walking caminos?"
It has many great replies from older seniors that you may find very interesting to read! Take a look, they lifted my own spirits!

 

[danielle aird]

Hello, Friends. I am 75 years young and walked my first Camino following the French route with my adult son in 2015, from SJPDP to Santiago, a life-changing experience. Then in 2018 my wife and I walked the Portugués from Porto, equally life-changing for both of us. Now she and I have decided to walk the Portugués again next year from Lisboa. I will be 76 next year, still feeling good, and my wife is a healthy “spring chicken” of 64. I’ve been wondering lately about “last Caminos”. My questions are for you older pilgrims who walked, or are anticipating walking, your last Camino soon. How did you know it was time to”hang up your boots”? How did you feel about making that decision? I’ve found the Camino rather late in life; wish I had done that earlier, but better late than not at all.

Well, Camino Guy; just keep going. Never stop. Does it really matter where we die? I think the Camino is a good place to bite the dust. I plan on hiking it till the end... Buen Camino!

 

[Pelen]

I have been a member in an orienteering team for many years and we had a member that passed away at the age of 102. When he was 97 he was traveling from Sweden to Brazil and participated in World Championship. He won (maybe because he was the only participant over 95, in orienteering you compete with others within 5 years of age if you are over 35). It is not possible to compare it with a Camino, but he competed for several days but with less km than the others. I hope this can be an inspiration.

Haraldsson and Wyder: Orienteering Achievement of 2014

Judith Wyder and Rune Haraldsson have been awarded with “The Orienteering Achievement of 2014″ t...

news.worldofo.com

Video in Swedish: https://www.peterholgersson.se/rune-haraldsson/

After participating in the World Championship he hiked on the Inca pathway and went to the Galapagos.

 

[Roland49]

Hello fellow pilgrim,

I was overtaken by an 86 yo italian guy between Puente de la Reina and Los Arcos.
We met in a bar in Azqueta for a coffee-break. I don't know where he stopped for the day, I walked on to Los Arcos.
We talked a bit and he mentioned that he did walk the CF to honor all that passed away since his last walk of the Camino. He did this every two or three years since he was 60.
He was physically and mentally fit and prays for more years to come to the Caminos.

There is no age to stop walking as long as you are fit enough to get your things done.
You don't need to rush!
When I will be on pension I will stop every 10-15km and will have a great experience.

 

[Deleted member 43780]

Camino Guy, great post.
Same boat as you. 76 and wondering if 2020 will be the year of last Camino for me.

wondering how I will feel after the “last one.”

Replies are wonderful.

Camino Guy, your caminos will always be with you and your wife .

 

[mmmmartin]

While I was a volunteer in the pilgrim office in October it was not unusual to have someone walk in full of vim and vigour and announce that they were surely the oldest person to have walked the Camino for some time. It was never easy to tell them that every single day we had pilgrims in their seventies, occasionally in their eighties. Some walk the final 100k rather than the full 800k from SJPdP, of course. One chap walked from LePuy, 1,500k, in his fifties. Then used the same credentia when he repeated the trip 20 years later. When I handed over his compostela I stood up and shook his hand. That was a great feeling: both for me, and for him.....

 

[CaminoGuy]

I started a thread a while back called..."Are you 70+ and still walking caminos?"
It has many great replies from older seniors that you may find very interesting to read! Take a look, they lifted my own spirits!

Thanks.. I’ll do that.

 

[fred4ski]

Hello, Friends. I am 75 years young and walked my first Camino following the French route with my adult son in 2015, from SJPDP to Santiago, a life-changing experience. Then in 2018 my wife and I walked the Portugués from Porto, equally life-changing for both of us. Now she and I have decided to walk the Portugués again next year from Lisboa. I will be 76 next year, still feeling good, and my wife is a healthy “spring chicken” of 64. I’ve been wondering lately about “last Caminos”. My questions are for you older pilgrims who walked, or are anticipating walking, your last Camino soon. How did you know it was time to”hang up your boots”? How did you feel about making that decision? I’ve found the Camino rather late in life; wish I had done that earlier, but better late than not at all.

I am 70 years young, did my first camino in 2015 also - the whole France route. Doing the Porto to Santiago and then Leon to Santiago in Feb/March 2020. I intend to do the Camino again and again until i perhaps drop dead on it? or on the PCT (Pacific crest Trail where I live close to)... much rather go that way than in a rocking chair. walk until you drop is my advice.

 

[C clearly]

There are many inspirational stories of people who walk and do other things well into old age. A more difficult and poignant situation is where a person simply cannot continue walking caminos, for various reasons. I would like to hear about how they came to terms with this. On thinking about it, I suppose it is similar to how we all come to terms with our limitations.

 

[mspath]

From 2004 at 65 through 2015 at 75 I walked the Camino Frances eleven times often alone in autumn and winter.

Fulfilling a dream held since university days, at 65 I first set out. I, too, wanted to experience what so many had done across time and to see what had been built along the way while pondering the myths and ghosts of history. As most pilgrims do I discovered this endeavor to be hardly a walk in the park, but a unique mix of contemporary mundane chance and historic legend. When exhausted for courage I would remember one of the timeless adages associated with the Camino, "if a pilgrim makes it to the city of Burgos, he can make it to Santiago!"

Kindnesses of strangers along the way offering smiles, water, conversation, help and hospitality were a constant support. After walking two months when I first arrived at Santiago de Compostela in 2004 seeing at last the great cathedral, touching the hallowed stones, and weeping with joy as the great bells tolled were special thrills. Overwhelmed with emotion I silently gave thanks for all that had passed. Later when sorting memories and souvenirs, I slowly began to realize that my mind and heart had been deeply changed by this journey. Thus, I decided to try to return.

And so I did, ten times.
Each Camino began with both anticipation and trepidation. As always I wondered how it all would go. My reasons included non-traditional spiritual ones giving thanks for each day lived and for my life with Bill which enabled such a journey. Walking alone day after day I pondered varied aspects of the thousand-year history of this beloved route as well as recalled several quotations which help define my personal creed. "But as for me, I will walk in mine integrity...I will walk in liberty for I seek thy precepts. " Psalm 26:11 and 119:45.
" No one saves us but ourselves. No one can and no one may. We ourselves must walk the path." Buddha

For those who asked why another Camino?
One answer was " le cœur a ses raisons que la raison ne connaît pas/ the heart has its reasons, of which reason knows nothing. " Pascal, Les Pensées

Unfortunately mid-route 2015 after a fall when it was no longer possible to easily stand or walk my last camino ceased; the sad, inevitable moment had come for me to stop. I had reached the end of my trail....

Now at 81 recent serious illness and time have taken their further toll; I am very lucky to be alive but long distance walks are memories and no longer possibilities. Nevertheless hopefully these precious memories will endure as long as I. Physically I may not be walking, but sentimentally I will always "wear" my pilgrim shell.

Sincerely grateful for all the happiness that I have found and shared along the way during those past years I wish only the best for the future of this beloved route. Might all who walk find fulfillment.

 

[CaminoGuy]

Thanks for your very thoughtful reply. Five years after my first Camino I am well aware that there is a relatively small window open for me and future Caminos, so I hope to build on my Camino memories next year. Thanks also to the other comments of encouragement from my fellow pilgrims on this thread.. Ultreia et suseia!

 

[Camino Chrissy]

There are many inspirational stories of people who walk and do other things well into old age. A more difficult and poignant situation is where a person simply cannot continue walking caminos, for various reasons. I would like to hear about how they came to terms with this. On thinking about it, I suppose it is similar to how we all come to terms with our limitations.

@C clearly, that is an excellent idea for a new thread.

 

[Camino Chrissy]

I see Alex has already started that thread!

 

[lt56ny]

I am going to be 66 soon and have walked 5 caminos. Planning number 6 and 7. I plan on walking until I don't walk either because I don't want to, can't or dead 3 years ago on the Portuguese we met Steve. One of the world's great characters. 83 years old and he looked barely 60. He told us one night he had lived all over the United States with his home base in Vegas. He said he had made and lost small fortunes many times. Lost them mostly because of his addiction to marrying Las Vegas showgirls 5 or 6 times. He said he was taken to the cleaners with each divorce. But he smiled and said, who cares???? I had a blast and wouldn't trade one of my divorces for anything. He walked between 20 and 30K a day with his pack. He did go to bed a little earlier and start walking a little earlier too. Saw him almost every day from Lisbon to Porto. Stayed in Porto a few days but he continued walking. Almost every day we would see Steve taking a nap under a big shade tree. Every evening it wasn't ever more than an hour when I arrived in the albergue would Steve come smiling in. Don't know if Steve is still walking but I am. I wouldn't be surprised if he made his 6 or 7th fortune and is married to a 25 year old and he is sipping champagne from her glass slipper! I hope so.
If you want to walk keep walking. Go slower, go shorter distances, stay away from really tough caminos like the Primitivo, take more time to finish your camino and make that pack lighter. You know what you need to carry and it isn't much. If it is too much send it forward with one of those services.
A final inspiration: Steve carried his pack every day and he even slept in top bunks sometimes!

 

[gerryincork]

W

From 2004 at 65 through 2015 at 75 I walked the Camino Frances eleven times often alone in autumn and winter.

Fulfilling a dream held since university days, at 65 I first set out. I, too, wanted to experience what so many had done across time and to see what had been built along the way while pondering the myths and ghosts of history. As most pilgrims do I discovered this endeavor to be hardly a walk in the park, but a unique mix of contemporary mundane chance and historic legend. When exhausted for courage I would remember one of the timeless adages associated with the Camino, "if a pilgrim makes it to the city of Burgos, he can make it to Santiago!"

Kindnesses of strangers along the way offering smiles, water, conversation, help and hospitality were a constant support. After walking two months when I first arrived at Santiago de Compostela in 2004 seeing at last the great cathedral, touching the hallowed stones, and weeping with joy as the great bells tolled were special thrills. Overwhelmed with emotion I silently gave thanks for all that had passed. Later when sorting memories and souvenirs, I slowly began to realize that my mind and heart had been deeply changed by this journey. Thus, I decided to try to return.

And so I did, ten times.
Each Camino began with both anticipation and trepidation. As always I wondered how it all would go. My reasons included non-traditional spiritual ones giving thanks for each day lived and for my life with Bill which enabled such a journey. Walking alone day after day I pondered varied aspects of the thousand-year history of this beloved route as well as recalled several quotations which help define my personal creed. "But as for me, I will walk in mine integrity...I will walk in liberty for I seek thy precepts. " Psalm 26:11 and 119:45.
" No one saves us but ourselves. No one can and no one may. We ourselves must walk the path." Buddha

For those who asked why another Camino?
One answer was " le cœur a ses raisons que la raison ne connaît pas/ the heart has its reasons, of which reason knows nothing. " Pascal, Les Pensées

Unfortunately mid-route 2015 after a fall when it was no longer possible to easily stand or walk my last camino ceased; the sad, inevitable moment had come for me to stop. I had reached the end of my trail....

Now at 81 recent serious illness and time have taken their further toll; I am very lucky to be alive but long distance walks are memories and no longer possibilities. Nevertheless hopefully these precious memories will endure as long as I. Physically I may not be walking, but sentimentally I will always "wear" my pilgrim shell.

Sincerely grateful for all the happiness that I have found and shared along the way during those past years I wish only the best for the future of this beloved route. Might all who walk find fulfillment.

What a beautiful piece. Wishing you many walks in your dreams and memories.