Last year, I started my post-retirement life preparing for and then hiking the Camino Portuguese. I caught the bug for adventure hiking and so this year it’s time for another epic adventure.
This time, I’ll be accompanied by my girlfriend, Pam. We’re bound for the Costwold Way in southern England. The trail will take us through rolling pasturelands and through picturesque villages that still have the charm of their 18th Century heyday.
FAQs
What is a Camino?
Santiago de Compostela is the site of a cathedral that proports to hold the remains of St. James. For nearly a thousand years, the faithful have made pilgrimages to Santiago. “Camino” literally translates to “road” so Camino de Santiago means the road to Santiago. People throughout Europe have made the pilgrimage, so there are many “roads” leading there. The most popular being the Camino Frances, which starts in St. Jean Pied de Port along the French/Spanish border and travel west through northern Spain
Will you be camping along the way?
No. There are hostels, called “alberges” that are specifically for people making the pilgrimage. I will have some blog posts about alberges. In some of the cities where I plan to take rest days, I’ll stay in a hotel.
Why are you walking the Camino?
My wife passed away last year after being in poor health for many years. As her primary care giver, I had to give up many activities that I enjoyed doing. The Camino is my opportunity to do one of my favorite things (hiking) while having plenty of time to contemplate what comes next in my life. As a side benefit, I’ll get to meet fellow pilgrims from all over the world.
How long will you walk each day?
It will vary based on weather, distance to the next town and how I’m generally feeling. My schedule is built on averaging 14 miles per day (23km). If I average that, I’ll reach Santiago exactly one month after I begin. That includes three planned rest days in some larger cities. If I can average more per day and arrive early, I hope to do a quick side trip to Morocco before heading home.