I have recently posted about Preparation and the need to speak to veteran pilgrims to get information if you are planning an upcoming Camino.

As we are in a pandemic, we aren’t allowed to meet in person but it does allow us to meet virtually and share this knowledge. If you are planning to walk when it is safe to do so, the below links will be useful.

1. American Pilgrims on the Camino – Boston Chapter are holding webinars on the 1st and 14th of March. You can register by clicking on the link above but if you cannot attend, the recording will be recorded. The webinar on “Unpacking your Camino” sounds appealing to me. Lisa Morales has been a guest on my podcast before Christmas.
2. CSJ – Confraternity of St. James – Camino Pilgrim – are holding 6 webinars starting on the 1st of March at 7 pm GMT. The first webinar focuses on the basics and the background of the Camino and over the weeks, further themes are developed. Each webinar is £2 and the recording is saved if you cannot attend. Again, highly recommended for someone new to the Camino de Santiago.

If you are planning on attending any of the above webinars, you might let me know.

It is great to watch other pilgrims’ experiences online but watching pilgrims from Ireland brings it all back home. This video is pretty recent however the walk spans three seperate trips to October 2019 when Patrick arrived in Santiago. Most folks who are in full-time employment (like me) walk in stages.

Patrick says:

Hi, I’m Patrick Rock, Im a civil servant from Ireland and for years I had an ambition that turned into eventually, an obsession. The Long Walk: Camino de Santiago follows me walking the entirety of the Camino de Santiago Frances. I walked the Camino de Santiago from April 2018 – October 2019 over 3 trips. The movie is made from social media posts, WhatsApp videos and stills i took over the course of the walk.

I hope you enjoy!

Since I last posted, it has been a month of chills, of more lockdown, and of hopes dashed. Turning on the news leads to a bad news story. However, with all that is going on, I have been quietly redesigning this website that I call home. It isn’t entirely finished yet. I have a list the size of my hand yet to complete but I will get there. If all goes well the site will be back to some semblance of normality (on the internet) in a week or so.

As for life in general, we will be waiting for normality for another few months yet. Restrictions mean I am only able to travel with 5 km of my home until March at the earliest. And while I do love my little area, I long to walk on my favourite trails and I look forward to meeting my buddies again. I need to thank PJ for sending me a postcard a few weeks ago. It really lifted the spirits. I want to thank Lisa also for designing the banner at the top of the page. The Camino spirits is alive and well.

The Camino, while still in my heart, is not at the top of the list of things to do this year, however. There are more important things to look forward to. I look forward to no restrictions. I look forward to hugs. I look forward to being able to travel inside of Ireland. All of these things were taken for granted a few years back. The Camino de Santiago in 2022 seems like a good alternative, no matter how much I hate to say it.

So I have been going for my daily walk, and there are some good walks in this neck of the woods. It is important to get out after a day’s work – it does the world of good. Even for half an hour. Sitting in front of a screen for 7 hours while working at home can be detrimental that you need a release.

So as I look out the window and I see the snow falling (although it isn’t very much), I look forward and picture myself putting one foot in front of another on the trails in Spain. It won’t be long.

So how are you keeping during the last few weeks?

Happy Sunday! In this weekend watch, I’ve taken a detour from the diary clips showing scenery (not that that is a bad thing!). This is a clip of the Camino Frances in its entirety showing the towns and cities it passes through. I must message the creator and ask how he made it.