My Camino de Santiago (Introduction)

In my first post on this blog I mentioned a recent trek that I had taken across Northern Spain. My wife suggested that I should serialise my adventures here for the enjoyment (or not) of readers who may not have seen my previous diary on Facebook.

It took me five weeks following the Camino Frances (French Way) from St Jean Pied de Port in the French Pyrenees to Santiago de Compostella in Galicia, a distance of 820 Kilometres on foot.
The Camino Frances is one of the routes that make up The Camino de Santiago or Way of St James which was the third most important Pilgrimage destination after Jerusalem and Rome.

In Medieval times a person could have all their worldly sins forgiven by undertaking a Religious Pilgrimage. This is like a 'Get out of jail free card' giving you direct entry to Heaven without all that time spent hanging around in purgatory. If you were rich you could even pay some poor old peasant to undertake the pilgrimage on your behalf. Travelling in Medieval Europe was very dangerous so the advantage of this is that the peasant suffers all the hardships and you get the benefit from the comfort of your Manor House.

The Camino has become increasingly popular again over the past few years and it appears on many a persons 'Bucket list'. People undertake it for a variety of reasons including religious, cultural or just fancying a long walk.  I have wanted to walk it for about 15 years and due to changing personal circumstances had the opportunity to do so in April and May this year.

Modern map with the Camino Frances high lighted

Medieval map on Cow hide