A PILGRIM’S JOURNEY - SPAIN’S EPIC PATHWAY

The historic Camino de Santiago is an epic journey on foot across the Iberian Peninsula, in the North West of Spain, following the pathways of European priests, monarchs and peasants whose pilgrimages to the tomb of St James at Santiago de Compostela, spawned a Christian Renaissance. It was one of the busiest trunk roads in Europe during the 12th and 13th centuries when between 500,000 and two million devotees each year, from every part of Europe, walked, rode or were carried along the ‘camino’ to Santiago de Compostela.

Today, the pilgrimage is enjoying a revival. Walkers take about a month to complete the 800-kilometre (500-mile) journey from Roncesvalles pass on the Spanish side of the Pyrenees or Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port on the French side. The main trail is through Puente la Reina, La Rioja, Burgos, Leon and finally crossing Galicia to Santiago.

The Way of St James is marked intermittently by the shell icon, the symbol of the saint and the pilgrimage. The shell became the route’s symbol as early pilgrims carried back home a Galicia scallop shell as proof of their journey.

With almost 1800 fine historical buildings along the way, the route links great cathedrals, fine churches and other monuments, many of which were built as stages in the journey for the stream of pilgrims passing through. Among these is the 13thC Augustinian monastery at Roncesvalles which supported one of the earliest pilgrim’s hospices. At Leon, once the capital of Christian Spain in the 10th and 11th centuries, the remarkable Gothic cathedral is known for its’ beautiful stained glass windows and the11C Basilica Isidora for its’ frescoed ceilings.

The trek requires a good level of fitness. Days average 24 kms of walking but there are days of up to 33 kms. It’s mostly over hilly terrain with altitudes of up to 5,000 metres. The varied succession of paths trail across the Pyrenees; through the vineyards of Rioja and extensive stunted oak forest where bandits once hid; over a Roman bridge 205m long with 20 arches; and along the rolling fertile valleys of Galicia, past villages where traditionally pilgrims washed in the streams before approaching the ancient pilgrim’s outlook at Monte de Gozo (Mountain of Joy) for a first glimpse of the towers of Santiago.

You enter the medieval city on foot as pilgrims have done for a thousand years to seek the shrine that is the climax to this legendary journey. Santiago de Compostela’s 11thC cathedral is where the tomb of Sant Iago el Mayor (St James the Great), patron saint of Spain, is reputedly built over. Legend says the remains of the apostle were carried by boat from Jerusalem to this burial
place.

A noon mass is held for pilgrims, a feature of which is the huge, swinging, smoking botafumeria; a 200 pound incense burner hauled by a pole by eight red-robed priests.

I f you don’t have the time to walk the whole ‘camino’, you can take a shorter journey that takes 15days and covers the best parts of the walk.

Some of the ‘camino’ is now under asphalt so certain sections are driven by vehicle. There are hotels along the way for the comfort of modern-day pilgrims with the atmosphere of the hopsices of old. Refurbished monasteries and convents, restored hostels, historic inns and hotels ooze Spanish character. Most walkers who make this trip feel it’s not just a physical, cultural experience but highly spiritual.

Spicy chorizo, peppers, hearty bean stews with a variety of game meats and fresh seafood from the coast are regional specialities of the five provinces the ‘camino’ traverses.

There are easy travel connections to the beginning (Bilbao) and end of the walk. Quite a contrast to the ancient pilgrims who suffered hardships along the way and sometimes took years to complete the pilgrimage, having already trekked halfway across Europe.

FACT FILE

WHEN TO GO

Spring (June) and Autumn (September) are the best times to walk the ‘Camino’. Although cool in the Pyrenees, temperatures in northern Spain rarely rise higher than 25 degrees at these times.

HOW TO GO

A 10 day trip includes seven days walking one of the best sections of the “Camino”; Prado to St Justo; then a coach transfer to Santiago de Compostela for the last two days to visit the shrine.The cost is from approx $1,700

There is a 15 day guided walk for small groups operated six times a year between Bilbao and Santiago de Compostela at a cost of $8,999 all inclusive. A less traditional mode of making this epic journey is on an 8 day cycling tour that covers 310 – 358 kms of the route. The cost unguided with bike hire is approx NZ$1876 and guided all inclusive NZ$2,474.

FOR MORE INFORMATION

Contact “A Walker’s World” Ph 09 4867473/1 walkwjorld@kxtra.2co.nzj

Sally Markham of Auckland says, “the walk was brilliant. The notes were informative and easy to follow and we stayed in beautiful places. The hospitality and friendliness of the hosts was outstanding – even in the small hotels which I expected to be more impersonal. I'm a fan of these types of holidays where you can really get a sense of the way people live and the history of the place.”