Well hello there..how are you all? I hope you are enjoying the sunny weather of what’s left of this weekend. The good news is that it is here to stay for the next while so it is a great chance to get outdoors. I have been dipping my toes (so to speak) with long-er walks as I prepare for my return to the Camino Francés at the end of August. With Spain opening up again and more pilgrims returning to walk these great roads, I would love to hear from others who are in my position. Tell me where you are walking, and when are you arriving? I return to Burgos and the meseta, a place I really love, for many reasons and I won’t be alone.

I was grateful to receive my second vaccination last Saturday (19th June). While it did knock me out for a few hours, I had a constant smile on my face afterward. At the very same time, pilgrims from all over the world were walking the sacred steps to Santiago de Compostela. 774 pilgrims were awarded their Compostela on that very day. It seems crazy that just a few months ago, barely a hundred pilgrims reached Santiago. Yesterday, more than 900 pilgrims arrived into Santiago. There is a great cause for hope but it is also important to stay safe and vigilant.

My plan is to arrive in Burgos on the 30th of August and walk for 10 days. Who knows where my final day will be and what town I will arrive in when I “finish” this Camino but my flight home is the 9th of September. I wish I had longer but alas! The walk from Burgos to Carrion de los Cóndes is very special. I have walked it in 2013, 2015, and 2017 – each year with different wonderful people, learning different lessons.

My return to Burgos and the Meseta is four years in the making having walked the Camino Inglés and the Camino Portugués from Lisbon. You will find many pilgrims who will use the Meseta as a reason to catch up if they are falling behind. I have talked to folks before who say they don’t find it interesting at all. I often find the stages from Burgos to León the most interesting and have provided me with the most enduring memories.

The landscape may not be the most captivating – with wheat field after wheat field lasting as far as the eye can see. While it may not be physically demanding, it lets your mind wander. Questions that may need answering or attending to can be challenged. If you meet a pilgrim during one of your days, a problem can be shared or halved.

I have been preparing for 15 months mentally. I just need to get used to longer distances again until the end of August. I can’t wait to see Burgos again.

Buen Camino!

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As I reach the 10th anniversary of my first Camino de Santiago, there is much talk of Europe relaxing their travel restrictions. It looks like an end in sight after such a long time.

It is no secret that Spain is looking to kick start the tourism industry and from this Monday, they are to welcome all travellers, provided they are vaccinated for 14 days. For citizens of the EU, it is slightly different and we await the introduction of the digital green card. With this card, it shows proof of vaccination, a negative pcr test or recovery from COVID. It looks like an end in sight. But what about Irish pilgrims, like myself? Well, we have been asked to sit still for another month (July 19th to be exact) until the digital green certificate is rolled out. I do hope that the certificate is available in August as (cue drums) I have flights booked for Madrid on August 30. I will be fully vaccinated by then. I plan to walk from Burgos for a week and bit with my good camiga Linda from www.somewhereslowly.com.

Walking from Burgos will be a perfect place to celebrate my ten years as a pilgrim. It is kind of surreal how fast that has gone by. While I did enjoy starting in Galicia on my first trip, my heart is in the meseta and my time is limited. I arrive in Burgos early on the 30th of August and meet my camiga Linda. Distances will be short and relaxation will be key. I haven’t walked many long walks over the last 15 months. I will be posting a little bit more over the next two months now that I have that adrenaline buzz and I’m sure you can all relate to that.

So again, just as a reminder, if you are fully vaccinated you just need proof and you are good to go! Buen Camino all.

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You may have realised that I have not been posting much either here or on my Facebook page. I am tired and after a day’s work, I find it takes great energy to write a piece especially when I am not sure when my next Camino will be. Our Level 5 restrictions will end at the end of the month, but I can see them being extended until care home residents are vaccinated, which is the end of March.

I am currently only able to walk 5km from my home. I try to keep the chin up but I long for the days when I am able to walk my favourite walks in or outside of Dublin. Maybe I will post again then.

I look forward to my next Camino always, but I look forward to seeing my Camino friends and walking my favourite walks.

Mind yourself folks and Buen Camino!

First of all, I want to wish you all the best of wishes for the year ahead. While covid-19 is by no means in the past, the future looks promising. I can see myself walking in Spain this year and life can get back to normal now that vaccines have been approved.

On Thursday evening, I was watching the Television de Galicia YouTube channel (like most pilgrims). The Holy Door of the Cathedral in Santiago was reopened following renovations to the Cathedral. 2021 is officially a Holy Year as St. James Day falls on a Sunday. The last Holy Year was in 2010 and large crowds flocked to Santiago and the Camino in general. A much smaller ceremony took place in the renovated Cathedral with specially invited dignitaries socially distanced. Here are the highlights below and you can click here to watch the full ceremony.

The Botufumiero was swung after, bringing back memories of my times in Santiago. I look forward to returning again. The renovations really look fabulous and the Cathedral looks as good as new. But the surprise of the night came at the end. The envoy of Pope Francis, the nuncio Bernardito Auza, read that the Holy Year is to be extended until the end of 2022 due to the special circumstances of the covid-19 pandemic. This is good for Galicia, this is good for pilgrims and this is good for the people of Spain.

We were treated to a musical celebration hosted by Carlos Nunez and guests. It was great to see folks from all over the world make an appearance, as well as our own Glen Hansard and the Naomhog. The 20 minutes or so is well worth a watch.

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I have been working through my previous Caminos, creating content for my YouTube channel (plug, plug!!) and I have just finished creating a video from my Camino Finisterre in 2016. I can’t believe that was 4 years ago. Fun fact – I actually planned to walk this in May 2016 but I broke my toe the previous November which caused me to postpone my flights for a few extra months. And this was the first time I walked in September – I haven’t looked back since.

Even though it is such a short Camino, it is beautiful in it’s own right. Many pilgrims walk to Finisterre in 3 days and myself and my brother did this in 2019 (although 4 days is probably more advisable). In 2016, I walked over 5 days as I wanted to stretch the experience out.

The highlight of the Camino for me was reaching the plateau before Cee. I had climbed for almost 20 minutes and was beginning a desent of 1000 metres. I arrived at Finisterre the next day and watched the sun set that evening. I received nothing but friendliness, smiles and good wishes from the Galician people.

Please watch the below video and consider subscribing to my channel as I will be uploading more content in the future.

Read my daily dairy from the Camino Finisterre 2016 here