From the famous line in the hymn “to be a pilgrim” to Pilgrim’s Progress the well-known John Bunyon novel, the idea of pilgrimage is not a new phenomenon.
Interestingly however, walks like the Camino Santiago have drastically increased in popularity over the last 10 years or so. Be this because of the popularity of the film The Way or simply a desire to escape the hustle and bustle of city life, in search of a simpler way.
The Camino Santiago has had a profound impact on my life, and it has really made me who I am today, and I wish nothing more for people that they too embark on as much, or as little, of this ancient 800km path as they desire. But do it they must.
I started walking Caminos 5 years ago, and initially I liked the appeal of an adventure, carrying with you on your back all that you need, walking through beautiful landscapes and most importantly meeting incredible people on the way. Little did I know that it would change the way I view the world, and deeply impact my life.
You can choose to walk as many or as few kilometres as you like during the day; often waking up before sunrise to walk the first hour in the dark, in a bid to be done before the stifling Spanish heat in the middle of the day. The road is long, often dusty and rocky, sometimes by the side of motorways, often through wheat fields which go on as far as the eye can see. Every 10km or so you pass by a small village with a café, where there is the obligatory stop for café con leche and tortilla (a Spanish potato omelette which is the fuel for the Camino!)
Walking these long roads gives us the gift of time; time to think, time to pray, time to be still and silent, with only the sound of your footsteps for company. These times of solitude force us to confront the deeper and sometimes darker sides of our lives and hearts, and there is no escaping this when walking for hours alone. It is a gift, and if we can allow time and space for God to meet us on the Way and for Him to look inside our hearts, surely we will be transformed.
However, those in search of a month of solitude might actually be disappointed when on the Camino! Indeed, there can be much time spent alone if you so wish, but really, for me, the magic of the Camino is to be found in the people who we walk alongside, and share life with over these weeks of walking. Very quickly you find yourselves walking in step with people who sleep in the same hostels, are walking the same distances each day, and they soon become your Camino family.
Life with others on the Way really is like family. You get to know one another incredibly quickly, and because everyone has chosen to walk the Camino, the conversations are instantly deep – the question of “why are you walking the Camino” opens up a whole host of deep discussions! You meet people from all over the world, and their stories are truly inspiring, and the questions we all end up asking one anther cause is to search deep inside our own hearts too. I am a firm believer that we only get to know who we really are when we are face to face with another person, so walking alongside people, sharing bunk beds, cooking meals together and journeying through the highs and lows of every day really make for a deep bond.
Walking into the end destination of Santiago Compostella with your Camino family is an incredibly emotional experience. There are always tears, and the best way to spend your arrive day, is to sit in the middle of the square in front of the famous Cathedral and watch everyone walking in; see the emotion, feel the emotion, and recognise that we were all on the way together, and one way or another, we have been transformed by the Spirit of the Camino.
It’s important to remember that the end destination of Santiago is really only the beginning of the journey. Once you get home, your blisters have recovered, you’ve got used to sleeping in a room alone and not with 30 others, and realise you have way more material possessions than you ever need… THIS is where the real Camino of life begins.
Ingrid Barnsley
March 2025
