Stones on the Camino

[miranath]

Hello,

I am planning to go on the Camino with Camino Ways. I heard there is a stone or several stones that one must carry and drop somewhere.

Please explain to me what it is and how to do it.

Also, I am a woman, almost 60 years old and will be travelling alone. Is it possible to get a knowledgeable guide to walk with me so I am safe and need the help walking.

Thank you.

 

[mountaingoat999]

Hello,

I am planning to go on the Camino with Camino Ways. I heard there is a stone or several stones that one must carry and drop somewhere.

Please explain to me what it is and how to do it.

Also, I am a woman, almost 60 years old and will be travelling alone. Is it possible to get a knowledgeable guide to walk with me so I am safe and need the help walking.

Thank you.

The stone as I understand . is a "sorrow stone" (pebble if you like or some trinket) which you can place at the La Cruz de Ferro , some people do this to say goodbye to past sorrows or as a gesture for there wrongs the list goes on...you can bring a small stone from your garden for example if you wish of some small reminder to leave.....its symbolic or if you like a written not. maybe a photo of a departed loved one.

you can leave the stone where ever you feel like.. many leave it at the Cruz de Ferro

travelling along is very safe for a women of any age and even safer following simple best practices.....on remote sections always keep line of sight with someone familiar walking the camino. easy to do.......incidents are very rare ...if you feel uncomfortable just ask or wait for others......some days more women than men walk the camino...

your only walking alone if you decide this,other wise your soon have a camino family

 

[grayland]

Welcome miranath. We are all happy you have found our pilgrim group.

Leaving a stone or other memento at the Cruz de Ferro is simply a tradition that many pilgrims follow. It is a tradition that one can choose to follow or not. As the post above points out....it can be whatever you choose and have a meaning that is close to you.
The Cruz de Ferro (Iron Cross) is located about 8 km past Rabanal and just after the small village of Foncebadon. This would normally be about 23 days after St. Jean Pied de Port, if that is your starting point.

You will not need a guide person to walk with. The route is very well marked and will have many people walking most of the year.....unless you were referring to needing a bit of assistance in actual walking.
Most pilgrims (women and men) come to the Camino alone and will naturally become part of a smaller group that stays loosely together for the remainder of the trip. It just happens. Simply be open and engage others in conversation from the first day. This is difficult for some people at first...but rest assured that it is normal and easy on the Camino.
Everyone is there for the same purpose and have a common goal.

This forum is very open to any questions or thoughts you may have. It is a great mix of new potential Pilgrims and those who have made the trip previously. All are very willing to share the experience.

A good percentage of forum members are much older than you so you have no fear of your age holding you back. If you have physical problems there are often folks here who have similar challenges and can suggest solutions.

Buen Camino. Your adventure has begun.

 

[Anemone del Camino]

As has been stated before, the stone ritual is supposed to represent baggage you are leaving behind. But honnestly it is a pain for the local authorities to clean up with tractors of all sorts, and costly. Because these do need to be removed and are removed.

Some people have expanded the stone idea and bring teddy bears, photos, trinkets, and all these end up making a mess, flying away, etc. Is there really a symbolic gesture meant to represent a fesh start and old baggage that needs to polute someone else's environment and surroundings? I think we sweat quite enough to get "the uglies out" without poluting and causing our hosts to have to endure cost and time to manage our symbolic gestures. And you will see items left everywhere, many on frost fences.

So not only is it not a requirement but rather a pain for those who have to pick it up. I would encourage you to think if this is really something that will make a difference in your life so that you feel you must do this. Bring a piece of inscent to burn if you must, at least it won't linger there for others to deal with.

As for companionship you will find many people along the Frances to keep you company if you ask them to walk with you. But these days it is becoming rare not to see people in the front and back so you should feel safe. Leave after the sun is up, stay on the Camino, walk at a rate that is comfortable for you so you don't injure yourself and you'll be fine.

I know how this undertaking can seem like something uber exotic, but the second you start walking those fears and anxieties will disappear. The truth is that on the Frances you are walking from village to village, you are not on a remote excursion of any kind. But don't be afraid to ask for companionship, surely anyone you meet at an albergue or a cafe, or passes you on route can walk with you for an hour, and then someone else picks up the baton.

I know I have asked for company at the end of a long day when it seems I will never make it to my destination and need the distraction and motivation to put yet again one foot in front of the other.

You will have a wonderful time, just put one foot in front of the other.

 

[dcorrea951]

I understand what everyone is saying, but I will tell you this, it is a life changing experience. So much so, that I have volunteered at the Pilgrim Office. It has changed my life and attitude. You will meet so many wonderful people and learn, as we have all learned, that the Camino provides everything we need.
If you choose to leave a stone at Cruz de Ferro, do it for yourself, I did. It helped me immensely (the stone came from my fathers property).

Buen Camino

 

[mikevasey]

I don't mean to put a downer on this thread but here goes. A thread was on the forum a few years ago about souvenir hunters scouring the site and taking what they could see, it is still considered lucky to have a pilgrim item - I learnt that from a hospitalera at a well known albergue before Cruz de Ferro. So if you don't mind your item becoming an another persons lucky charm it is a good place to leave something. When I went through in January, I could see someone with a wheelbarrow searching and collecting items from the little group who had gone through an hour or two earlier, I startled him and he stopped straight away and walked off. People know its going on but its still frowned on.

 

[mountaingoat999]

I don't mean to put a downer on this thread but here goes. A thread was on the forum a few years ago about souvenir hunters scouring the site and taking what they could see, it is still considered lucky to have a pilgrim item - I learnt that from a hospitalera at a well known albergue before Cruz de Ferro. So if you don't mind your item becoming an another persons lucky charm it is a good place to leave something. When I went through in January, I could see someone with a wheelbarrow searching and collecting items from the little group who had gone through an hour or two earlier, I startled him and he stopped straight away and walked off. People know its going on but its still frowned on.

Hi mikevasey

yes your so right
common for this to happen if the item looks worthy. however leaving something at the cruz de Ferro or other places can be a release. who ever finds another use after that is like recycling(I tell myself this)........I left many aluminum crosses on my first camino, same size as those small wooden crosses left to remember servicemen. I chose aluminum thinking they would be there for a long time...and it hurt me when I placed each one before sun rise for several days.

I left several to remember and let go of those I lost under my command in conflict........never seen them since....it helped me though....the world over someone will pick the stones or other items left behind.......yet there are many items still remaining time and time again I see on the camino.. good you was there so he walked away..

 

[mikevasey]

You are right , the action from your side is complete, the leaving of an item as a release or in memory has been fulfilled. The same for me I don't care that someone collects them , I hope it does bring them luck. Tried not mentioning it on here because I remember the range of reactions it created last time the topic came up, but Anemone has it really, if it wasn't these souvenir hunters then it would be the local council who would have to take the items away.

 

[MichaelSG]

As has been stated before, the stone ritual is supposed to represent baggage you are leaving behind. But honnestly it is a pain for the local authorities to clean up with tractors of all sorts, and costly. Because these do need to be removed and are removed.

Some people have expanded the stone idea and bring teddy bears, photos, trinkets, and all these end up making a mess, flying away, etc. Is there really a symbolic gesture meant to represent a fesh start and old baggage that needs to polute someone else's environment and surroundings? I think we sweat quite enough to get "the uglies out" without poluting and causing our hosts to have to endure cost and time to manage our symbolic gestures.

With respect, of all the "footprints" pilgrims leave behind in Spain, a single pebble (or marble, rosary, etc.) from each passing pilgrim has to be the easiest to deal with by local authorities.

 

[Anemone del Camino]

With respect, of all the "footprints" pilgrims leave behind in Spain, a single pebble (or marble, rosary, etc.) from each passing pilgrim has to be the easiest to deal with by local authorities.

Why should they have to deal with that as well as with the rest of our footprint? It costs them an arm and a leg to remove that mountain of "pebbles" annually. Do we need to also have them pick up after us for something completely under our control unlike an emergency BM?

 

[MichaelSG]

"An arm and a leg" for a day's use of a bull dozer and a dump truck? That would be what? About 200 euros once a year? Let's be realistic. If the Spanish weren't happy with the tradition, they would not promote the place in their tourism material, right?

 

[miranath]

Wow, Thank you everyone

 

[HeidiL]

When are you planning to walk, and where are you starting? There are always people on this website who are planning their walks, perhaps you'll feel happier starting out walking with someone for the first few days.

For many of us, planning our caminos is at least half the fun, so I hope you will enjoy the threads here about packing, food, bugs, recommended places to stay...

Bon Camino, and welcome to our community!

 

[Smallest_Sparrow]

The day I went to the Cruz it was deserted. I climbed up and left (sorry Anemone!) two small carved stones (a lapis bird for me, a carnelian dog for my sister. I took a picture then hurried down, since I noticed a man had arrived and I wanted to give him sometime alone. While he stood at the top I looked at my phone--shadows covered the picture I took. He came down, and I went back up to retake my photo--my stones were gone! I shifted the rocks, could they have fallen deeper as he stood? No, they were gone!

I ran down to catch up, luckily he spoke English bc I was already wondering how to ask him if he'd pocketed my stones..."excuse me, sorry, but did you notice two stones, a small bird and dog? I need to retake my photo?"
He told me yes, he'd seen them and thought they were too pretty to leave on the ground, so he'd tied them up high on the pole. He graciously climbed back up to pull them down (too high for me to reach). Take home message, once it's out of my hands it's out of my control. (And I'm REALLY glad I hadn't asked "did you take" rather than my "did you see?" ) But no matter whether they were taken later by good luck seekers, or bulldozed somewhere--i promise, Anemone, from now on I will take imaginary rocks!

 

[Rick of Rick and Peg]

(And I'm REALLY glad I hadn't asked "did you take" rather than my "did you see?" )

The main reason for my like.

 

[Smallest_Sparrow]

T

The main reason for my like.

thank you. In several wars I've seen man at his worst, but I refuse to accept that as anything but a major aberration. I like to rule out at least six positive explanations for a situation first. Seven on a sunny day.

 

[MTtoCamino]

For me it was a place to leave not only stones but my personal darkness. I can't explain it any better, The Camino is a living church for some of us.

 

[SYates]

For me it was a place to leave not only stones but my personal darkness. I can't explain it any better, The Camino is a living church for some of us.

Beautifully put!
Please do leave you stones, charged with your sorrows and dreams or anything you want to lay down, at the Cruz de Ferro y Buen Camino, SY