Leo Barber at the finish line Santiago de Compostela.
Leo Barber at the finish line Santiago de Compostela.
Leo Barber, from Paraparaumu, gives his account of the physically challenging, and mentally uplifting, Camino walk between France and Spain.
The Camino Frances, is considered the most well-marked and popular long-distance walk in the world. Following an ancient pilgrimage route, the trail starts in the small French village of St Jean Pied de Port, traverses the Pyrenees and then crosses Northern Spain to what is believed to be the resting place of the Apostle St James in Santiago de Compostela.
People from many different backgrounds, both faith and generations have walked this 800-kilometre journey for over 1000 years, however by the 1980s, less than 100 people were completing the journey. With strong local motivation, The Camino Frances experienced a resurgence towards the end of the 20th century and the start of the 21st with a modern pilgrim seeking adventure and cultural immersion along with those enjoying spiritual rejuvenation.
Media played a pivotal role in this revival. Works of literature sang praises of its transformative power, and films portraying the Camino not just as a religious pilgrimage but also as a journey of self-discovery and personal growth resonated with a global audience.
I was one of those inspired by watching the movie The Way, starring Martin Sheen, when attending a fundraiser for the kids’ primary school several years ago. A fictional movie, it is based on the real-life emotions and experience of walking the Camino. Having finished a long-term job this year to accept a position with a new organisation, I found myself at a midlife point with that rare opportunity of time. It is said the Camino is perfect for taking a period of rejuvenation between the “finish of one thing, and the start of something new” and with six weeks available between jobs, this just felt like the right time to attempt this adventure.
The Camino can be done completely your own way depending on time, fitness and budget although the standard undertaking from the traditional start in France to the finish generally takes anywhere from 30 to 40 days. With less than three weeks to plan and an optimism that was being paralysed by the weight of fear and uncertainty, I simply booked a return ticket in and out of Spain and backed myself to “figure it out”. Of course, I had done some research but it seemed the more I read, the more I found reasons why I might not be able to do this.
Although an established trail walking on well-formed surfaces, it still maintains the spirit and intent of simple, safe and affordable passage across beautiful countryside and through a network of well-spaced small villages, often existing it seems, solely for the benefit of the pilgrim. Periodically, the Camino intersects with thriving larger major cities.
There are numerous accommodation options along the way to suit all budgets however Albergue’s, or hostels as we know them in New Zealand, tend to be the social hubs and most popular. Beds are provided in either a shared dormitory or a limited amount of private rooms and many offer community-style dinners in the evening where for a reasonable spend, you can enjoy a multi-course meal alongside fellow pilgrims complete with wine or water.
The busiest time of the day is the mornings, when most rise with the sun and the trail is lined early with people setting out for the next town. Throughout the day, walkers spread out with options presenting for stops and with everyone travelling at their own speed, this can create time and space to be with yourself. For someone who enjoys meeting people, it was often these periods on my own where I gained the most fulfilment, taking in the sights and sounds of nature free of distraction and without realising it, relaxing the mind almost to a meditative state, opening up moments of thought and reflection.
The Camino is divided into three sections. The first stage is said to focus on strengthening the body and with the first day traversing the Pyrenees Mountains that separate France and Spain, it certainly called on every muscle. After the descent, the trail guides you across the Spanish Province of Navarra, through its beautiful beech forests to the walled city of Pamplona. Each year in June, this city gains international prominence with the annual running of the bulls and although I narrowly missed this famous festival, it was thrilling to explore its narrow laneways.
Entering La Roija, a province famous for its wine, you walk through the vineyards, often for days. Just outside the town of Estella, the vineyard of Irachi generously rewards pilgrims with complimentary access to a fountain that literally flows with free wine. The numerous small villages are all blessed with the most amazing churches but when you reach the city of Burgos, you are wowed by a Cathedral so majestic it has been listed by Unesco as a world heritage site.
One of the many bridges.
With a much stronger body, you are encouraged during the second section to focus on opening your mind. This part of the walk covers a stretch of 200km across a region known as the Meseta. A central tableland with poor soils and long flat plains, this can be an inhospitable region with little in the way of shade and hardy vegetation. There are long days looking at little more than wheat fields and your mental fortitude is certainly challenged. This section actually surprised me and there was plenty of beauty if you looked a little deeper — a good metaphor for life in many ways with the Camino experience full of these little subconscious learnings.
Exiting the Meseta after 8 days, I reached the beautiful city of Leon, complete with another impressive Cathedral and historic laneways. This marks the start of the last section, which transports you into the pretty province of Galicia and is said to “uplift your soul”.
At 1504 metres above sea level, the high point of the trail is reached at “Cruz de Ferro”. The location is marked by a cross atop a large mound of stones with pilgrims encouraged to lay down a stone — an act to symbolise the unburdening of an issue which might have been weighing you down. Strangely therapeutic. The descent brings you to the town of Ponferrada with a castle built almost 900 years ago to protect pilgrims walking the Camino, however such fortresses are obsolete these days, with locals creating an incredibly safe environment and going out of their way to offer hospitality to those walking.
The Camino is well marked.
After one more ascent over a large range, the final 100km is walked through lush forest. At this point, the numbers swell almost tenfold with the Compostela Certificate (for completion) awarded to those that walk a minimum of this distance. This section of relatively benign trail is perfect for those who are time-poor or unable to cope with longer distances while still wishing for a “pilgrim experience”, and is popular with groups of friends, family or schools.
Everyone is walking the Camino for a reason and it was interesting over the course of the journey to meet and listen to the stories of others. Sadly, there were many that had lost loved ones or were coming out of broken relationships and took this as an opportunity to emotionally heal. There were inspirational stories from people who had recovered from serious illness, and people who were on the Camino hoping to unlock the next chapter of their lives. In another situation, these types of stories might have had an air of despair however on the Camino, the atmosphere seemed to be one that was more filled with hope.
People from all walks of life enjoy the Camino.
For me, it was a chance to just “be”. To enjoy the simplicity of waking each morning and worrying about nothing more than walking. In many ways, it was unashamedly selfish and interestingly for me, the further I walked the less it became about completion. I wasn’t out there to find myself or learn a lesson or to be spiritually awakened however it is said that the Camino doesn’t give you what you want, it delivers what you need and without even realising it, I think I might have experienced a little of all of the above, and it felt perfect.
Over the course of 33 days, I had become physically stronger, I felt emotionally more open and as I walked into the square at Santiago de Compostela, 820km after setting out from St Jean Pied de Port, there was a definite feeling of euphoria.
