Welcome to the Way of Saint James, also known as the Camino de Santiago. For centuries, pilgrims have walked across Europe to reach the burial place of the Apostle St James in the great Cathedral Santiago de Compostela in the northwest corner of Spain. Over time, many paths to Santiago emerged and became part of the great Pilgrimage network that exists today. The map below shows many of the European routes, all converging to Santiago. Appropriately, the Scallop Shell (see below left) has become the symbol for the Camino, depicting all paths leading to the St James.
The most popular route on the Camino is known as the French Way (shown below in Red). It is also the most travelled and for many coming across Europe, the final leg of the journey across Spain as one approaches Santiago.
In recent years, the Camino de Santiago has become a very popular journey for people of all ages. Many pursue this for spiritual purposes, others for their love of the outdoors, or simply because it has become a cool destination. Upon completing the journey, a pilgrim may be awarded a pilgrim's certificate from the Church acknowledging their journey. There are two requirements one must pass to receive the certificate (1) the journey was made for spiritual reasons, and (2) to have hiked a minimum of 60 miles. One must present a passport that has been stamped at various towns along the way as proof that the minimum journey has been met.
In earlier times, the pilgrimage to Santiago was fraught with difficulty. Early pilgrims had to deal with severe weather, disease, lack of lodging, food, robbers along the way, hostile governments, wolves, even wild animals. Yet they were undeterred. Over the centuries, the local citizenry rose to support the pilgrims with lodging, hospitals, trail maintenance, food and lodging, and churches along the path.
Modern pilgrims have it far easier. The trails are well marked, there is an abundance of affordable lodging for all budgets, good food, and even the availability of taxi's and buses for tired pilgrims. For most, the biggest difficulty is blisters from long days of walking or perhaps getting the time off to accomplish the 30-40 days of hiking to complete the entire 500 miles of the French Route, beginning in St Jean Pied de Port in France ending at the Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela in Galicia Spain.
So the allure of the Camino has once again called out, this time to our five travelers. We are:
Mike Elliott (Reston VA)
Judi Elliott (Reston VA)
Chris Elliott Hudson (Seattle, WA)
Jon Lynn Kerchner (Burke, VA)
Lisa Steward (Charlottesville VA)
This is the 4th Camino trip for Mike and Judi. This is Chris Hudsons second trip, and a first trip for Jon Lynn and Lisa. We are planning 18 days on the Camino, beginning in St Jean Pied de Port (the start of the French Way), ending in Burgos, Spain. This is the first 3rd of the Camino de Frances.
Here are some pics of our previous journeys to set the stage for what is to come.
Judi and Mike on the Camino in 2017
Judi hiking a remote section of the Peseta - very beautiful
Here is part of our group in 2017 as we start out in Roncevalles.
Judi at the beginning of the French Way. It is 790 kilometers (about 500 miles) from here to Santiago. That's a lot of walking.
The Camino is well marked. Here are typical trail markers along the Way.
On the Camino, pilgrims greet each other with the words "Buen Camino". They also use this to say farewell. So for now "Buen Camino" until the next post.
