It is not long until my arrival in Burgos, and the start of my Camino Francés. I am glad it is the weekend again. I look forward to seeing some of the outdoors again now that the weather has picked up. I look forward to my walks as I get away from the computer screen and it is good to stretch the legs. I do worry that the situation in Spain and across Europe has detiorated. It’s 45 days left, I wait for some calm before I focus putting one foot in front of the other.

With over 7,500 pilgrims arriving in Santiago de Compostela in the last week from many different nations, Irish pilgrims can start visiting Spain from the 19th of July if they wish as non-essential travel returns. While most pilgrims will choose to wait until 2022, the number of pilgrims will increase during the rest of the Summer months right through to the end of the year. Some will choose to walk to Santiago and earn a Compostela while others (like myself) will walk a small section ending their Camino with a promise to return. I’ve a few things to do before then.

a) St James’ Day – the patron Saint of Santiago

St. James’ Day falls on July 25th. When St James’ Day falls on a Sunday (ie 2021 and 2022 because of Covid) Santiago de Compostela and Spain celebrate the feast of St James (“fiesta de Santiago” in Spanish). Unfortunately, I won’t be in Spain, but I can do the next best thing.

I want to meet some pilgrims friends at the Church of St James in Dublin. I have been somewhat reluctant to visit the city centre in the last year but now is a great chance. Last year, I celebrated St. James’ Day by walking to the Church of St James – please feel free to read the post that I have linked.

b) More practice walks and be Camino-fit.

In the last few months, I have been racking up the steps in my locality in the north side of Dublin, however I haven’t ventured that far. To be Camino-fit, I really need to be hitting the hills soonish. The last 15 months of laying low has had an effect on me physically and time will tell if I can manage the Alto de Mostalares with the sun blazing on my back. I have all the gear, I probably need a replacement pair of socks and some washing kit that I can buy in Spain. I am excited to use the DJI Osmo Pocket to record some video while I am there.

c) Keeping an eye on Spain

I try not to listen or watch the news here in Ireland. There isn’t anything good to come out of it and it generally doesn’t help my wellbeing. I am fully vaccinatined so I know what I need to do if I am to visit Spain. The only thing that can stop me visiting Spain are the increasing restrictions. So I am keeping an eye on Spain at the moment and willing to make a call before the end of the month. With 45 days left, I am hoping for some calm and I am as positive as I can be. I am hoping that cases in Spain start to plateau shortly. I am using the below link for updates from Spain. It contains this informative map also. More news before the end of the month. Of course, your feedback is welcome.

• https://www.rtve.es/noticias/20210716/mapa-del-coronavirus-espana/2004681.shtml

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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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Happy weekend pilgrims. I woke up with good news and before I end the day, I want to show you a video! This used to be a weekly tradition – I might even start this back – YouTube has come alive with new content. In time, we may see some videos of pilgrims on the Camino again! The news from the Spanish media that mobility restrictions have been relaxed has reinvigorated me. There is a real possiblility that the Camino is opening to more pilgrims this Summer. Following my previous post, I thought I would post this short video podcast from Kevin Donohue – an American pilgrim. He looks into his crystal ball and talks about what the next few months will be like in Spain for pilgrims. As I mentioned in my previous post, there is high demand from pilgrims to travel as soon as possible and I hope common sense will prevail until the vaccination rate in Spain is higher.

The podcast does a good job at explaining that each country is experiencing Covid differently and that we should should quite rightly respect those countries restrictions. That said, the EU Commission have voted on the green digital pass which will be introduced before the Summer. This will allow international non-essential travel for vaccinated pilgrims or those who can show a negative pcr test.

The news today from Spain was a added bonus. The Spanish government now has removed mobility restrictions which essentially allows Spanish pilgrims walk any route to Santiago. The Camino de Santiago is slowly opening up to more pilgrims and it is just a matter of time before we see crowds in front of the cathedral in Santiago. I look forward to the day! Until then, it is slowly, slowly!

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Buen Camino!

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Last October and November, I started a whole host of podcasts with pilgrims around the world. They were great as they were informal, short, and had great information. I loved making them and I want to make more. I managed to upload 9 before real-life came catching up on me. I always knew I was never going to maintain the podcast on a weekly basis due to work etc. So I think the plan is to upload when I have the time and when there is interest. That said, I was delighted to speak to Adam from England last November and he is my next guest on the podcast.

Adam was one of my pilgrim buddies from my 2017 Camino from Burgos. I often compare meeting pilgrims to an elastic band. You might not meet each other for days but you have this constant connection. Adam and I would meet every three or four days and usually stay in donativo albergues. He had a much different attitude to me on the Camino. At the time, I would start very early in the morning much to my detriment, while he was very much laid back and he would take his time, which is the right way to do it. We both stayed in “Albergue parroquial Santa María” in Carrion de los Condes that year and it was personally one of my most enjoyable experiences. While I finished in Astorga that particular year, Adam continued to Santiago de Compostela.

You can listen to my conversation with Adam from England below. Please like it if you enjoyed it and feel free to subscribe on your podcast player of choice.

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