Once you have walked the Camino de Santiago de Compostela across northern Spain or taken another route to get to the city of Santiago de Compostela, you are a pilgrim for life, even if you never leave home again! Well that is how I feel, though I have been back to the Camino. I originally did the trail – the most famous one the Camino Francès from St Jean Pied de Port to Santiago in 2005-6. I did it in three visits, two with friends, and then I thought ‘if I want to finish this, I think I had better do that alone.’ But you are not alone on the Camino, and that is one of its great gifts. I then did part of the ‘chemin’ through France – the Le Puy route. Then in 2022, I had a wonderful experience as a volunteer at a hostel in the Spanish Pyrenes on the ancient Camino Aragonés. Which is one of the original trails. For that, I made my life rather difficult by hiking to my hostel in the reverse direction. Walking backwards on the Camino turned out to be a great challenge. I had a good grumble about that in a blog!
The Camino is so much part of my psyche that I wrote a novel about a Canadian couple and their adventures on the Camino. It’s called Pardon my Camino, a great fun and thoughtful read. And it is also like a fictional guide to the Camino!
There are amazing resources for learning about the Camino. Check them out before you set out! In Canada there is the Canadian Company of Pilgrims. In fact my friend Krysia and I – I walked the first part of the Camino with her – came back to Edmonton and started the local chapter of the CCofP (which other people now run with great imagination and skill).
If you are not able to walk the Camino but have always wanted to, do not fret! Just read my book Pardon my Camino and enjoy the trail! (from the comfort of home)
Buen Camino!