A great advertisement for starting your Camino solo. You will always meet other pilgrims, if you want to. This pilgrim walked in September last year and met pilgrims as he walked along the Camino Francés. It is worthwhile watching until the end when the full set of pilgrims arrive into Santiago.

David created another video later on discussing the lessons learned from this Camino.

Uploaded on YouTube in the last few days, here is a video from a pilgrim who has walked from St Jean Pied de Port to Santiago during Covid times. You will agree that it is beautifully shot.

September will see me on the Camino Frances for a seventh time. Eek! If you told me back in 2011 I would return to Spain for the following six years, I would look at you with wild disbelief! But yet, here I am and my mind is set on a return; this time walking from the Gaudi town of Astorga to Compostela.

With every year and every upcoming Camino, I spend a little time thinking of how I’d like to approach this trip and how I can make it a little different or unique to the last. Sometimes, these ideas just fade away once I find the first yellow arrow (and cerveza!), but other times I end up sticking to what I had planned. Each of my times on the Camino have been different in some shape or form, which is a good thing I suppose.

So, for September, here’s how I hope my time will go:

• Sarria – There are many books written about the amount of pilgrims on the trail on reaching Sarria, which is the last point where you can start your Camino in order to obtain a compostela. Due to the increased numbers, there is always a strain on accommodation. So, I have decided to pre-book albergues in a number of towns before Santiago. I have never been one to pre-book and if I was walking from, let’s say, St. Jean to Burgos, I wouldn’t do so. But I feel that if I am to enjoy my walk this time around, I may as well reserve. I now will have a little bit of weight taken off my shoulders and I can take my time. Booking.com is a great website to make these reservations. I haven’t made any bookings from Astorga to Sarria as there is no need!

• Less is more – In September 2016, while walking to Finistere, my pack weighed 7 kg. I reckon I can bring that down a little more. I have bought an Osprey 30 litre pack and am pretty happy with it. The less I bring, the less I have to worry about and my back won’t have any niggling pains! Now if only I could leave the smartphone at home!

• Brierley’s end stages – So many people religiously follow Brierley’s guidebook, thereby missing the great towns in between. Towns like Cacabelos, El Acebo, Las Herrerias, and Ribadiso are all passed daily by legions of pilgrims. I aim to stay in these towns. It will be a welcome change as I haven’t stayed there before, save for stopping for a cerveza. Oh, and I’m leaving a guidebook at home 🙂 The arrows can guide me.

• Pacerpoles – For the last few years I’ve walked with either a wooden stick bought before I start, or with a single carbon pole. I’ve always found them a hinderance however as I like to have my hands free to take photos, and reach for water etc. However, this year I will be making the climb to O Cebreiro so I’ve decided to bring along a set of pacerpoles that I bought before Christmas. It will make things a little easier and I won’t have those niggling back pains that I usually have (I hope!).  I have tried them a few times here in Ireland and they are pretty easy to get used to. I reckon they will be a help. Plus, I have been recommended them by a number of camigos! That said, I am usually the one who complains about the click-clacking of poles!

• Take my time – In years gone by, I have been told by a number of people that I am a “speedster”..whatever that is!? My typical day starts at 6am and I like to check into an albergue before 1pm. That leaves me with the majority of the day to wash, rest, have some food in the evening and get to meet my fellow pilgrims! Sometimes, I don’t realise how fast I walk. In September, I hope to stretch the day out, slow down, start a little later, stop a little more, have numerous coffee breaks. Who knows, this may be the last time I walk the Camino Frances for some time! I’m in no hurry.

• Visit local churches – It’s very easy to forget that the Camino is a pilgrimage. I’m not particularly religious but I’ve always wanted to set aside 20 minutes a day while on the Camino to drop into a church and say a quick prayer. However, after walking 25kms each day, it is difficult to find the time.

• Use my knowledge of Spanish a little more – Creo que tengo buen español. Me gustaría hablar más a la gente local, sólo un poco! I guess this comes with confidence. Ordering a cafe con leche is second nature; speaking to someone from Spain is a challenge, but I’m up for it.

So, there is my wish-list for my September Camino. I may stick with the above, but then again, I may choose to do what I have done all along….let the Camino tell me what to do!

Hey everyone? How are you this morning? It’s Thursday as I write and it is so close to the end of my annual leave. Has it been a productive few days? I would say yes! I have had the chance the rest and recharge while getting the chance to do something I wanted to do for sometime, but I will come back to that in a bit.

Unfortunately, those infected by Covid increase gradually and I do worry if I will be able to travel next April. If I do travel, I will more than likely be required to self-isolate when I return home. This means working from home for 10 days, which is perfectly fine by me. The call of the Camino has been strong since I returned from Porto last September. I look forward to returning and meeting other pilgrims and getting back into the rhythm of pilgrim life. I have been thinking of 2022 and other routes but I realise that I shouldn’t get ahead of myself. I have an urge to walk the Camino Francés again although when I think back at the large number of pilgrims from 2017 and 2018, I wonder why that route. Maybe it is how easy it is to meet people and it is a very social Camino. But when all the thinking has been done, I realise that I have full time job and I will never have time to walk a longer Camino – until I retire, that is.

So as most of you know at this stage, the blog has made it’s transition to podcast form and we have began interviewing pilgrims who have walked the Camino de Santiago. I will still be posting also. Last week I spoke to Pablo about his walk on the Camino del Norte and it is available to listen now.

Pablo’s blog (setmeravelles.com) is full of information on the Camino del Norte, Camino Primitivo, and Camino San Salvador and is recommended reading. I interviewed a German pilgrim, Miriam on Tuesday. She created a super YouTube video which has over 12,000 views at present and I love it. And finally, I had a chat with María Seco today. Maria lives on the Camino Portugués and this podcast will be available in the future.

As always, I have an open invitation to all pilgrims. Please let me know if you want to share your story and we can arrange a time etc.

In the meantime, Buen Camino!