The Santiago de Compostela is one of the oldest pilgrimages in the world, where pilgrims make their way to the city of Santiago to pay homage to disciple Saint James.
My father and I walked the French way, stretching from St Jean de Point to Santiago, lasting 800km. Here is a list of items that we took
- Walking poles
- Comfortable shoes
- Water bottles
- Sunscreen
- Lots of socks!
- A pilgrim scallop (shell) which was purchased en route.
- Plasters (First aid kit)
- As for accommodation, we stayed in Alberques (Homestays in Spanish) where you can sleep, eat (food and drink is sometimes provided) and meet other pilgrims.
Here are the notes from our experience of the Santiago de Compostela.
My father and I ready for another day of walking
Day 1 – The first day has felt really long (27k) – I have never walked this far before and I’m already questioning if i have done enough preparation for this. Early sign of blisters. Only 770 km to go!
Day 2 – Today was easier as the terrain was a lot flatter. Excited about the journey ahead.
Day 3 – Terrible rain today so the tracks are really muddy. Aching badly and the blisters are starting to come up nicely. Dad has turned doctor. Arriving in Pamplona was incredible, but we are one month too early for the bull festival which happens in July.
Day 4 – We dealt with the rain, now it’s the wind’s turn. If only i had wings! You really wonder what you are doing this for on a day like this.
Day 5 – The many cathedrals you see is a highlight of the experience of the Santiago de Compostela. And arriving at los Arcos is no different, we went to mass in the cathedral. It was beautifully studded with gold paintings and sculptures. The following prayer was read out:
‘‘Be for us a companion on our journey, the guide on our intersections, the strengthening during fatigue, the fortress in danger, the shadow in our heat and the light in our darkness”
Met a lovely French guy in the Alberque who helped me with my blisters. Is this the comradeship between pilgrims that people have told me so much about? Knowing there is still 750 km left fills me with dread. We had to let our French friends go on ahead as we just can’t keep up.
Day 6 – I am sick of everything. Woke up at 5:30 to continue on my journey (through the mud), whilst lugging my needlessly heavy rucksack.
Day 7 – One thing the Camino has taught me thus far, is how the body can push through pain. I was so achy last night, but presently my body is starting to feel stronger. It seems when you get going, the body can push itself. Today is also a special day, as what I thought was a water fountain, turned out to be a winery! The Camino always has a way of providing.
Drinking wine from our pilgrim shells.
Day 9 – Met an interesting Spanish girl today. She shared her theory with me about the three different stages of the walk:
- Stage 1 is physical – your body is aching and tired, but you must find the physical strength to keep putting one foot in front of the other.
- Stage 2 is emotional – your mind is bored and restless, but you must find the mental strength to push through.
- Stage 3 is spiritual – you learn new things about yourself, reflect on your life and open yourself up to a spiritual breakthrough.
I have also seen the Knight’s Templar ruins and it has made me realise how simple life can be when it is just you and nature, and you certainly don’t need to belong to a sect to appreciate life.
Day 11 – Important to live in the moment and appreciate the here and now, as the people you meet along the way, you may never meet again.
The Famous Signposts
Found out today why there are piles of stones at various signposts along the path. It turns out that those stones are symbols for people’s problems. Pilgrims who walk the path pick up a stone and think of a problem that they carry with them in their life. After continuing on their journey, all the while thinking about the weight of the stone, along with the emotional weight of their problem, they throw the stone on the pile. Now feeling physically lighter after abandoning the stone, it is said that they will also be emotionally rid of their problem.
Signposts are a regular occurrence on the camino.
Day 12 – After walking with people constantly for two days, I feel today it is appropriate to walk alone. People do the walk for lots of different reasons and experience the Santiago De Compostela in their own unique way. They try to discover new things about themselves, to walking in memory of other people. Personally, I have been having problems of my own the last few years, from various guises, and I have found that the only way to process these things properly is having time to myself. The monotonous road is giving me plenty of time for reflection, and I’m beginning to question why I spend so much time in front of my computer screen when I should be travelling and seeing the world.
Day 14 – Beautiful cathedral here at Burgos which gave me time to reflect on an interesting metaphor for life I heard today
“Only when you are walking in the light, do you see your dark side.”
Sharing Experiences
Day 15 – The most amazing experience is meeting so many different people, especially in the Alberques in the evenings where we get to share a meal together. What amazed me the most was the amount of old people who were walking the route. Apparently, even people in their eighties are out here walking, although I haven’t met any yet.
Day 18 – Important lesson from today: go at your own pace. We tried to keep up with some friends that we had made, but one needs to know when to hold off! Also found singing Nuns in the Carrion de los Condes.
Nuns singing
Day 20 – Stayed in a 12th century Alberque today. Absolutely stunning. So interesting to hear people’s stories about why they are on the Camino.
One man mentioned today that he had been thinking about his estranged daughter who he hadn’t seen in forty years. When he checked his email, he had a message from her! He began the process of booking a flight to reunite with her after all these years. This is just one example of the strange incidents that the Camino throws up.
Day 22 – The transitory nature of the relationships of the pilgrims you meet along the way, are particularly surreal. You rarely walk the same speeds as other pilgrims, so have these fleeting conversations with multiple interesting people. These moments are quite strange due to knowing that you probably won’t ever speak to them ever again.
Day 23 – Arrived in Leon – time for a sightseeing day!
The stunning cathedral in Leon
The Final Stretch
Day 25 – Only 150k to go! As we get closer to Santiago, it seems to be getting busier and busier. We now have to start walking at 4:30AM to make sure we have a bed for the night.
Day 31 – Terrible night’s sleep. Now the Alberques are so full! Last night my father and I even had to sleep on the floor and endure the cacophony of snoring.
Day 32 – My father and I feel like we are now re-entering the real world. I am sure it will take some time to readjust to not spending our days walking.
Day 33 – Walking into Santiago was such a delight knowing that my sister and her family were waiting for us, cheering us in. Our bodies are achy and bruised, but the glorious Santiago cathedral is a metaphor for our mood. We met a Nun in Santiago that said she thought the Camino was God’s dream, for how people should be when they are with each other. The experience of the Santiago de Compostela has been unforgettable.
People receiving a warm embrace.
The daily grind
