For those on Social media, it’s usual to receive the daily update reminding you what you were doing on this date X number of years ago. Whether it be on Facebook, Instagram or on Google Photos, each day without fail a notification is sent. In that notification is a distraction from what is going on around us and it is a good chance to look back at happier times. Since 2014, September has been my month of choice to walk along the Camino. I know many pilgrims are missing out this year, not just I. I had plans to walk again from Porto toward the end of September but these plans have been pushed back to April 2021. As long as the Camino is there, I will keep aiming to walk it.

Let me take you down memory lane, or should I say, down September lane. I have left a link to each page where you can read about each specific Camino. And sure, if you have any questions, please feel free to ask me.

• 3rd – 12th September 2014: I walked from St Jean Pied de Port to Belorado on the Camino Francés. My first and only year to walk up and over the Pyrenees. Shout out to Andrea, Dave, Leslie and Bob, my pilgrims buddies. What a way to be introduced to the Napolean route but I enjoyed every second.. I can’t wait to go back. Read about this Camino here.

• 4th -16th September 2017: I returned to the meseta for the third time and walked from Burgos to Astorga. Some pilgrims seem to dislike this part of the French Way but not me, I find it the most sociable. I did in 2017, meeting pilgrims from all parts of the world. Shout out to June, Billy, Aga, Adam, and many others I have left out. Read about this Camino here.

• 11th – 21st September 2018: A short trip across Navarra, but a decision made on the spur of the moment. I walked from Puente la Reina to Burgos and met Carsten, Bruno, Doug, Jim, Kathy and Janet. I haven’t walked the Camino Francés since then. You can read about this Camino here.

• 9th – 19th September 2019: After walking the Camino Inglés in May, I rejoined Carsten and walked from Lisbon on the Camino Portugués. I walked to Agueda due to time constraints however I will be back sometime. I have yet to write a proper blog about this Camino. I found this walk one of the more challenging for a number of reasons.

I really should be preparing for my September Camino. However, we are in a different place. While there are pilgrims on the different routes walking to Santiago, the numbers are well down on last year. And that is to be expected. I, however, am staying at home as much as possible and dreaming of a time when I can lace my boots, throw on my pack and wish the nearest pilgrim a Buen Camino!

Some say it won’t be long. There is great talk of a vaccine in the pipeline but others say it will be another 3-4 years before we will walk like pre-Covid times. Do many pilgrims want to wait that long?

The current restrictions here in Ireland do not recommend travel abroad unless completely essential. I hope those restrictions change by the time April come.

From Coimbra or to Santiago?

I have a healthy predicament on my mind and feel free to comment if you have a suggestion. First of all, I am assuming that the restrictions will be lifted and both myself and my brother will be okay to travel. At the moment, we plan to fly to Lisbon in April 2021 and travel to Coimbra to walk for 12 days north-bound. We won’t reach Santiago based on how many days that I and my brother have. So we may reach Baiona or Oia. Not having a Compostela is not an issue. It’s the journey that counts.

The other option is to start in Porto and walk the coastal route to Santiago. Choosing this route will give us an extra day in Santiago but we need to travel to Porto airport to fly home. I really enjoyed my time in Coimbra last September and the walk to Mealhada and Agueda is relatively easy. That said, there are few pilgrims before Porto. I will have many other opportunities to return to Coimbra.

Spring clean (in Summer)

Over the next few months, I will be updating a few of the pages on my blog to make them more relevant. I will be updating my YouTube channel with slideshows of photos from my previous Caminos so I’m sure it will be easier on the eye. If you can think of anything you would like to see, please let me know. I also have a number of ClearskiesCamino patches and if you would like one, please e-mail me.

And finally…

A few people have said to me that I should create a podcast. Initially, I was hesitant at first, mainly because I don’t know how to. Well, I have been reading up on this whole subject and it would be something that would appeal to me. I have a few people in mind already. Drop me an e-mail if you are interested.

Buen Camino!

My previous post was looking forward to a re-arranged Camino in April 2021. With flights booked and nothing much else, I got back to the tasks at hand for the day. With no Camino to walk this year, what else had I to look forward to. A return to normality following the worst pandemic in 100 years? A democratically elected President in the United States? Let’s hope so. Nope, something else.

I dropped by my parents’ house on Sunday week for a socially-distant visit. It was great to see them as I hadn’t seen them since March. My brother was there too and he is no stranger of walking in Spain having walked to Santiago on two occasions. Imagine that, having two compostelas from two walks. But he is very much like me. He doesn’t mind where he walks, he just likes to get away. So he asked could he join me next April.

So we walk from Coimbra for two weeks next April. Until then we will walk in Ireland getting used to our packs and the distances. I hope you will follow us.

With Spain set to welcome EU pilgrims from June 21st, non-EU pilgrims from July 1st and Portugal not far behind, there has been lots of discussion among pilgrims as to whether it is feasible to travel this year of not.

Well, I can’t answer that question but if you were to travel after July 1st, you would need to wear a mask in crowded areas and practice social distancing. I have written before how albergues have changed their sleeping quarters, halved their numbers of beds and that food is no longer served. There is a new-normal in Spain and on the Camino de Santiago and there is a lot to get used to. The first pilgrim to arrive in Santiago after the lockdown was Lorenzo. He arrived into Santiago from Lugo on the 11th of June and did not meet one pilgrim. He has been joined by other Spanish pilgrims in recent days. These are unprecedented times. For that reason, I am going to hold on for another few months.

So what about next year?

Over the last number of months I have had plenty of time to think about the Camino. It is impossible not to when you are at home for so long. I feel so lucky to be able to travel each year to Spain or Portugal and I do it for the headspace. I don’t do it for the sense of achievement. There is nothing better than being among other pilgrims and fresh air, away from the stress for 2 weeks or so. It frees the mind. But I need to be with other pilgrims. Ok, enough rambling.

So next year… I still feel that my time on the Camino Portugués is unfinished, and I have lots more to see. The Camino Francés, while I will be back there eventually, can wait for another year. Last September, I finished my Camino in a town called Águeda, about 90 kms short of Porto. It is home of the famous Umbrella Sky Project and I would love to see it again. The people in Albergue de peregrinos Santo António were the best and I look forward to seeing them again. Instead of marching on with my pilgrim friends, I caught the train to Porto and flew home the next day.

So where to start? The nearest large town to Águeda is Coimbra. It is a university town and can be accessed via Porto or Lisbon by train. The great thing about walking prior to Porto is I don’t need to worry about accommodation, however I will learn from lessons past and walk no more than 25 km per day.

I will have two weeks walking which will leave me in Spain, just short of Santiago. I will be in Santiago again no doubt.

More to come soon.

So with no Camino this year, I am left to read up on the many Irish pilgrim routes and walking paths in Ireland. And there are many. With many of my favourite walking routes within reach from Monday, I have gone all out with a new day-pack, recommended by L over on Somewhereslowly.com. I had been looking for one for some time and the Alpkit Gnarl is just what I was looking for. At 15 litres, it holds enough space for a day’s walk and it has enough space for that water bottle. Now to sew that patch 🙂

With a date set for the Kerry Camino at the end of August, I won’t need a change of gear or a new equipment. The walking in Kerry is not what I am used to so I may change to a mid-ankle boot instead of a shoe for that trip.

With news that all albergues are disposing of blankets once they open, it got me thinking that my Sea to Summit liner just won’t do the job if I plan to keep staying in albergues next April. So I have reverted to my old friend, the sleeping bag..in this case, an Ayacucho Sirius 200. The last time I used one was 2016 when I walked the Camino to Finisterre. I left the bag in Santiago to save on weight returning home. Hopefully, 2022 I can use a liner again?