OK, so as someone who has a walked a few caminos already, some that tested me physically and mentally, I’ve tended to write off the Portuguese coastal as something of a camino lite for the Instagrammers.
But I found a two week window in dreary UK February and decided to take a punt on it. I...
Given that all of us who have walked to Santiago are, in our own very small way, honorary Galicians (whether in love with or mystified by the place - or both), I thought this piece might be of interest.. and the onions in tortilla question gets a mention too...
The prompt for the piece is a...
Just wanted to give this alternative route its own thread so that future Madrid pilgrims can give it due consideration ahead of their journey.
When I walked the Madrid in Oct 2023, like most people, I didn't see the need to go off-piste and add some further kilometres by taking the detour to...
Beatrice Searle was featured on our BBC Radio 4 this morning. She's just had a book published about her somewhat untypical pilgrimage, mainly on the St Olav's Way.
There's an intriguing review in the Herald
Here's the first paragraph:
Why would a slight young Welsh woman want to drag her own...
I recently returned from the camino. I’ve been getting increasingly sore and crackly knees over the last 5 years, but now it’s becoming an issue. I don’t tend to experience much discomfort while walking, except the usual, on long steep downhills – or worse, whole days on the flat. But at night I...
It’s neither simple nor a truth.
People owe us – and we in return owe them – behaviour that is free from such negatives as intimidation, denigration and discrimination. And ideally should include a willingness to respect each other and a commitment not to rush to judge or stereotype others...
https://apnews.com/article/travel-spain-religion-e4d2881c7cf84ba90029e0b83b079c56
Nice piece by Giovanna Dell'Orto. I'm guessing she researched it by walking the route, as the interviews and examples come from so many different places along the way. Respect!
I just did a search on the Forum and couldn't find anything about this...
Sadly it's just finished (on Saturday). I only heard about it as they were talking to COP 26 pilgrims on the radio this morning.
https://caminotocop.com
Still if there's anyone in our community who has been involved it'd...
I realise that after more than 12 years here I really should know this but, I haven't used the forum to start private conversations before, so I need to check. Also I think some other folks haven't quite grasped how it all works, so here goes:
1. When someone says 'I'll PM you' what they mean...
I'm looking at options for a camino starting in France for the first time. I have been interested in the Arles route for a while. Recently an excellent pilgrim I met a few years ago has said he'll walk the Arles route later this year. I've been invited to join him. I have plenty of good reasons...
Good to hear the different voices of these people returning to the camino and walking it now.
https://apnews.com/article/europe-spain-pandemics-lifestyle-travel-34e5e6740db0ce7319e5156fb4a548c5
Nice little piece in the Observer/Guardian this morning
https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2021/mar/28/secular-pilgrims-why-ancient-trails-still-pack-a-spiritual-punch
Covers ground that we frequently walk on this forum, but drawing in some interesting far-flung examples. I hadn't heard...
About two or three times a year I dream about a camino. And last night, Christmas Eve, was a particularly strong version (perhaps a thank-you to Father Christmas for delivering that :)). It’s not any route in particular but it has features of those I’ve walked. However these are all secondary to...
Recently back from the CF, started 25 October in St Jean.
Autumn colours are pleasing, the air is often crisp and clear and starting early, through or above a misty dawn, can be memorable. Some albergues still have wood stove fires and the abundance of chestnuts is a bonus.
I started mid-week...
Interesting piece about the world-wide increases and how this may be linked to our own behaviours.
https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2018/aug/19/bedbugs-heatwave-sparks-plage-pest-infestation
Within the article, the linked item in The Conversation is also thought-provoking.
I just read a fascinating article about a new technology/company that has mapped the whole world into 3 metre by 3 metre squares. There are about 57 trillion of these. But rather than try and give each a numerical grid reference, they worked out that in some languages (starting with English)...
If you've stayed at Ernesto's fine establishment, you probably saw all the old photos of his big world trip, posted up on the wall of the snug next to the dining room. Well I'm happy to report that he's made another trip, and it's to visit three other Guemeses - in the Americas.
Here's a lovely...
I saw a thread this morning asking about Invierno photos. That reminded me I'd never got around to putting up a set on Flickr - until now..
https://www.flickr.com/photos/peregrino_tom/albums/72157668042335728
It was an odd trip, where I got sun stroke from a heatwave and met no other walking...
Just to let you know that the Confraternity of St James (CSJ) has scheduled two Practical Pilgrim events for March this year in England (there'll no doubt be a Scotland one scheduled in due course..). The events are in
London on Saturday 17 March and
Manchester on the 24th.
There's a £5 charge...
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