The Way to Land's End

This past August during a birthday dinner for my mother-in-law Laura, she mentioned that one of her bucket list items was to walk the Camino de Santiago. I had heard of the Camino, but knew little else except that it was an approximately 500 mile hike in Spain. I didn’t hesitate. Before I even had a chance to think it through, I heard myself say “Let’s do it!”.

I have always been drawn to stories about pilgrimages  –  The Canterbury Tales, Hinds’ Feet on High Places, Siddhartha, The Alchemist, Wild.   There is an allure in the idea of leaving the trappings of the rat race in search of something real….peace, truth, simplicity, perhaps some ancient wisdom. Who knows if any of that is attainable? Something tells me, that like water, truth slips through your fingers when you try to grasp it.  Lately, I have been wrestling with all the doubts and questions that midlife brings. A pilgrimage to do some soul searching was timely. And if peace and truth allude me, at the very least I could lose 10 pounds and enjoy the sense of accomplishment.

The Camino de Santiago is traditionally walked as a Catholic pilgrimage to the site of St. James tomb in the Spanish town of Santiago de Compostela.  Before St. James’ remains were found in the 9th century, the route was known as Via Finisterre or The Way to Land’s End. There is archeological evidence that the Celts traveled it 1,000 years before Christ in search of “Land’s End” and the “Sun’s Resting Place”. For these pagan peoples, the route followed the Milky Way across northern Spain and ended at Cape Finisterre, the westernmost point of Europe, where the land ends and the sea swallows the sun each night.

Cape Finisterre

Laura and I have decided to walk the Frances Way on the Camino. It is the route that starts in St.-Jean-Pied-de-Port and ends at the tomb of St. James in Santiago. We will then continue on to Land’s End at Finisterre. The journey will total about 544 miles.

We will hike with only what we can fit in a backpack and will stay each night in albergues, which are small hostels for pilgrims along the path.  A pilgrim’s meal is usually offered at the albergues each evening. The journey will take us approximately 6 weeks.

Our flight will arrive in Paris. We will explore Paris for a couple of days before taking a train to St. Jean. Upon arrival, we will register as pilgrims. Our pilgrimage will then start.

I have created this blog to share my preparations, photos and journey with family and friends. I’m also hoping that writing about my experience will help me be more thoughtful about the journey and create space for me to meditate on the things I learn along the way.

Thank you for reading!