Contemplating a Pilgrimage Trek Along the Camino de Santiago

This is Part 1 of a 6 part series on my experiences while trekking along the Camino de Santiago (the St. James Way) in northwestern Spain. To read other parts of the series, please use the term “Spain” in this site’s search function.

The record is spotty, but many believe the story goes like this:  Soon after Christ's crucifixion, apostle James decided to travel to the Galicia region in northern Spain, then believed to be at the end of the world. His mission was to spread the new word of Christ's teachings to the people who populated the area. His efforts met with limited success. Most of the pagans there weren't buying into the message.

James returned to Jerusalem where he was promptly beheaded by Herod. James's disciples took his remains back to Spain to be buried in what is now the modern day Galician city of Santiago de Compostela. Over the centuries since James's martyrdom and eventual canonization, the story endured and grew. During the middle ages, it was the belief that if you made the pilgrimage and walked the Camino de Santiago (the St. James Way) from points throughout Europe to Santiago de Compostela, and overcame the hardships and travails while doing so, you would be absolved of all of your sins.

Today, there are many different official routes leading to Santiago de Compostela. The principle route leaves Saint Jean Pied de Port in France and travels westerly for nearly 800 kilometers (about 500 miles) through northern Spain. Tens of thousands of people, or pilgrims, make the full trek, or portions of it, every year.  Some do so still for religious reasons. Most others do so for spiritual, cultural, or basic tourist reasons.

Over the years, I heard about the St. James Way, always kept it in the back of my mind, and placed it my brain's "a place to go someday" file. And then the movie came out. Directed by Emilio Estevez and starring his father, Martin Sheen, the movie "The Way" tells in simple and understated, yet powerful terms, one man's journey along this old Christian pilgrimage route to complete the trek his son had started but didn't finish due to a tragedy along the trail.

This wonderful story prompted me to look at details, options, and outfitters for MK and me to use to tackle the trek ourselves. The excellent guidebook and map series by John Brierley gave us the background story told above and provided very detailed route information and practical advice while walking the route.

The entire 800 kilometer pilgrimage takes about 30 to 35 days to complete. We may be crazy, but not that crazy. So, we will instead walk for eleven days and will cover a 200 kilometer (approximately 125 miles) portion of "The Way" from Ponferrada to Santiago de Compostela. Fresco Tours booked our tickets and accommodations and provided for our luggage transfers and overall guidance for our largely independent trek.  Fresco Tours has grouped us with nine other trekkers, five from Australia and four from British Columbia. Such a grouping allows for various efficiencies and economies for Fresco in booking such a trip. Fresco will also provide a guide for part of our first day while on the trail. This is to allow us to get accustomed to the route, the way finding signs, and other matters pertaining to our daily walks. But after that, we're on our own.

Our trek is for cultural and tourist reasons. It is said that many who start out with such an intent end up finding meaning and spiritual renewal instead. Only time will tell how this trip will end up for us.