Celebrate Your Retirement – Walk The Camino!

This is a guest post from Des O’Dowd, thanks. I retired on the 1st of September 2008 and I wanted to celebrate my new life and new freedom. The Camino de Santiago was the challenge and adventure I needed. So in late September, like children going on a school tour, myself and my fellow retiree [...]

Santiago Cathedral Botafumeiro

The video below shows the Botafumeiro in action during one of the pilgrims masses. The Santiago de Compostela Botafumeiro is the largest censer in the world, weighing 80 kg and measuring 1.60 m in height. It is normally on exhibition in the library of the cathedral, but during certain important religious events it is attached [...]

Walking Holidays in Scotland

I am biased about going on a walking holiday.  Being originally from Scotland, even though I have not lived there for many years I still think that Scotland has some of the best walking in the world. This is where I grew up.  I lived in one of the houses in the centre of the [...]

Orisson to Roncesvalles

This is where I slept for the first time on the Camino Frances. Orisson is only about 8km to 10km from St Jean, but on my first day it felt a lot longer. Problem 1. I was quite unfit and a bit over-weight Problem 2. I did not sleep well the night before, as I [...]

St Jean Pied de Port

This is the view that most pilgrims first get of St Jean Pied de Port. I remember it quite clearly, I was wondering what was ahead of me. I had not read much about the Camino before heading off there for a month, my flat mate and college friend had been my sole source of [...]