Camino Talks Podcast (Follow the Camino)

The Camino really is achievable for everyone, with the right planning and support. What makes a big difference is getting yourself ready in the best possible way. That is where strength and stability training for the Camino comes in. We talked to professional physiotherapist Daniel Quinn at ReBalance Physiotherapy in Dublin about the best way to train for the Camino de Santiago. 

Daniel put together a comprehensive Camino training plan for us, this easy plan will help anyone to get ready for the Camino in just 12 weeks. It includes both walking and strength and stability training. Combining these means that you'll build up your fitness and stamina as well as looking after yourself. Adding stability exercises will help you to avoid injuries along the way. Strengthening your supporting muscles will help you to handle the uneven surfaces and slopes more easily.

Check out another podcast with Daniel on getting your body ready for the Camino

If you have any pains or twinges as you train for the Camino, remember to rest them as soon as possible and see a physiotherapist if they continue to cause you issues.   If you are in Dublin, you can find ReBalance Physiotherapy in Dublin 2.

Check out our blog post on this webinar!

or

You can watch the Youtube video of the interview!

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Start planning your Camino route at Follow the Camino for a walking holiday you will never forget!

Buen Camino!

In this interview, we talked to one of Follow the Camino's most well-know and beloved guides, Silvia, about her experiences leading walking tours of the Camino de Santiago. A former mountain guide in the Himalayas for many years, Silvia is full of facts and figures about the Camino, as well as a whole lot of fun!

What does it take to compete at the highest level in race walking? In this episode, we sit down with Spanish Olympic athletes Paul McGrath and Laura García-Caro to explore their journey in this demanding sport. They share how they got started, the mental and physical discipline required, and their experiences at the Paris 2024 Olympics. We also discuss the power of walking—not just as a sport but as a transformative experience, from elite competition to long-distance journeys like the Camino de Santiago. Whether you're an athlete or simply love the rhythm of walking, this conversation will inspire you to take the next step.

In August 2018, ultrarunners and husband and wife, Agnieszka Pami and Marek Pamula took on a challenge of a lifetime... to run the entire Camino Frances.  Agnieszka came back to do it again in 2019 with Follow the Camino. She started from St Jean Pied de Port in July and arrived in Santiago 9 days and 15 hours later. The journey was 772km long. She tells us how she started running and doing marathons before beginning ultrarunning. She tells us how she decided to run the Camino Frances, and about the journey.  Agnieszka says that the Camino transformed her life in ways that she never expected.  

Find out more about Agnieszka's adventures in the links below:

Read the couple's travel diary from their first Camino ultrarun in 2018.

Read Agnieszka's solo run story from 2019.

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Buen Camino!

Five hikers started Camino for Good to both share their experiences along the Camino de Santiago and to raise money for Camino hostels struggling due to COVID-19 travel restrictions.

Kelly is one of those pilgrims and founders of Camino for Good - a virtual Camino platform that donates money to albergues (pilgrim hostels) along the Camino de Santiago.

COVID-19 has caused an almost total stop in travelers walking the Camino, which has had a massive impact on the livelihoods of those along the ways. Without their normal income from walkers, many Camino albergues have been forced to shut their doors. 

To help support these unique small businesses along the trails that offer shelter to pilgrims, 75% of Camino for Good's net income is donated to them. 

It is also a brilliant experience for the virtual pilgrims! With maps to track your progress, photos, and stories from along the way, and an online community of fellow walkers this experience aims to get people moving and keep the Camino spirit alive until we can travel again. 

You can learn all about Camino for Good and sign up to join their virtual Camino on their website: https://caminoforgood.com/

Albergues that want to join the cause can sign up to get support on the website too. 

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Start planning your Camino route at Follow the Camino for a walking holiday you will never forget!

Buen Camino!

On this Camino Talks episode, we are joined by the wonderful hosts of Pilgrim Lost, Kari Gale, and Tony Kriz!  

Individually they are both wonderful people with a passion for the Camino, journeys, pilgrimage, and storytelling. Together, they host the Pilgrim Lost podcast which they describe as "an exploration of life in hopeful motion".  The topics of the podcast are wonderfully wide-ranging, from creativity and art to faith and spirituality, and interviews with pilgrims. 

The CEO of Follow the Camino Umberto di Venosa has also made an appearance in a recent episode!  

You can explore their wide range of blogs and podcasts on their website - pilgrimlost.com - and follow them on social media to see new insights and stories as they come out.  Instagram | Facebook 

Tune in to Pilgrim Lost on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and Overcast. 

Kari’s Camino book, The Art of Walking: An Illustrated Journey on the Camino de Santiago, which is mentioned in this interview is available at karigale.com.

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👉 Watch the Webinar 👀

👉 Listen to the Podcast 🎧 

Start planning your Camino route at Follow the Camino for a walking holiday you will never forget!

Buen Camino!

John Brierley, the author of some of the most popular Camino guide books, talks about the history of the Camino de Santiago pilgrimage.   

John Brierley started his Camino journey in 1989 when he gave up his day job to travel, and walked the Camino de Santiago. He has walked the famous pilgrimage to Santiago de Compostela on foot many times and has since written several best selling guide books about the different Camino de Santiago routes. These guides focus on the French Way, The Portuguese Way, The English Way, and the Camino Finisterre. His guide books are not just instructions for walking the trails, but also an excellent companion to your mental and spiritual journey on the Camino.

In this Podcast - Part 2:

- The history and culture of the Camino 

Check out our blog post on this webinar!

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Buen Camino!

Francisco and Silvia are two of our longest-running guides on the Camino de Santiago. Umberto sat down with them in Santiago after they had finished a couple of guided tours with our awesome clients. Listen to them talk about how they became guides, what drew them to the Camino, and their experiences as Camino de Santiago tour guides. Follow the Camino run guided and unguided tours along the Camino throughout the year. 

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Buen Camino!

Author John Brierley discusses why we need to take time to slow down and how the Camino can help us to do that. Listen to his insights from his own journeys on the Camino and what he has learned about giving yourself time to take a break and think.

John Brierley started his Camino journey in 1989 when he gave up his day job to travel, and walked the Camino de Santiago. He has walked the famous pilgrimage to Santiago de Compostela on foot many times and has since written several best selling guide books about the different Camino de Santiago routes. These guides focus on the French Way, The Portuguese Way, The English Way, and the Camino Finisterre. His guide books are not just instructions for walking the trails, but also an excellent companion to your mental and spiritual journey on the Camino.

In this Podcast: 

- What does slowing down mean to you? 

- How does walking the Camino help you to slow down? 

- Making time for yourself in daily life.

Question time:

- The Camino del Norte and writing the Camino guide books.

- Walking the Camino Primitivo and more remote routes.

- Protecting the trail and the environment along the Camino, and giving back to the Camino.

Thanks to the American Pilgrims on the Camino group for sending us some of the questions.

Check out our blog post on this webinar!

or

You can watch the Youtube video of the interview!

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Buen Camino!

John Brierley discusses how he started on the Camino de Santiago and the life events that made him take this marvelous journey. Learn about his background and how the Camino changed his life.   

John Brierley started his Camino journey in 1989 when he gave up his day job to travel, and walked the Camino de Santiago. He has walked the famous pilgrimage to Santiago de Compostela on foot many times and has since written several best selling guide books about the different Camino de Santiago routes. These guides focus on the French Way, The Portuguese Way, The English Way, and the Camino Finisterre. His guide books are not just instructions for walking the trails, but also an excellent companion to your mental and spiritual journey on the Camino.

In this Podcast - Part 1:

- His personal journey.

- What his life was like.

- How the Camino changed him.

- How he decided to turn his life around.

Check out our blog post on this webinar!

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Start planning your Camino route at Follow the Camino for a walking holiday you will never forget!

Buen Camino!

The Camino de Santiago is an amazing journey and a wonderful physical challenge. We talked to Daniel Quinn from ReBalance Physiotherapy in Dublin about how to get ready for the Camino and set yourself up for success. He gave us a number of awesome tips about things to look out for when you are walking, and how to keep yourself healthy while on the Camino. 

He has helped us redesign our Camino Training Plan to get you ready for the Camino de Santiago. Being as prepared as you can be will set you up for a better Camino with a lower risk of injury. This easy plan will help anyone to get ready for the Camino in just 12 weeks. It includes both walking strength and stability training. Combining these means that you'll build up your fitness and stamina as well as looking after yourself. Adding stability exercises will help you to avoid injuries along the way. Strengthening your supporting muscles will help you to handle uneven surfaces and slopes more easily.   

If you have any pains or twinges as you train for the Camino, remember to rest them as soon as possible and see a physiotherapist if they continue to cause you issues. If you are in Dublin, you can find ReBalance Physiotherapy in Dublin 2.

Check out our blog post on this webinar!

or

You can watch the Youtube video of the interview!

Please subscribe if you like our content.

Start planning your Camino route at Follow the Camino for a walking holiday you will never forget!

Buen Camino!

in this episode of Camino Talks, Sean from Follow The Camino is talking with Tom Friesen. Tom is a passionate Camino Walker and the coordinator of the London, Ontario chapter of the Canadian Company of Pilgrims, a non-denominational and volunteer-run association. Tom and many others work together to support Canadians interested in the pilgrimage of Santiago de Compostela.   Due to his work as a Hospitalero, Tom experienced the pure Camino lifestyle, leaving him with a rich treasury of knowledge and stories.   

In this Podcast:

- What is your role within the Canadian Company of Pilgrims?

- What is an Albergue? Why are they important?

- Are Hospitaleros people that volunteer to help out and operate these accommodations?

- Why did you work on the Camino and not a trail in Canada? What is special about the Camino?

- What is the Holy Year and why is it important for the Camino?

- What effect does the Camino have on people?

- What is your favorite memory or place of the Camino?

- What is this pendant you are wearing?

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Buen Camino!

To many of us, travel writing sounds like the absolute dream job. You get to go to exotic and interesting places, sit on beaches, try the local food, and on top of that you get paid to be there! 

Sean from Follow the Camino interviewed two travel writers, Rupert Parker and Portia Jones, who have plenty of experience in the industry. They discuss the realities of the job, the good and the bad, and all the hard work. They also talk about what things have been like over the past few months. Coronavirus has had a massive impact on the travel industry. It was very interesting to hear their perspectives.    

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Buen Camino!

In this episode of Camino Talks, Professor Shane O'Mara from Trinity College Dublin explains from a scientist's point of view why walking and hiking is so good for us. The neuroscientist has done various studies and researches about the benefits of walking. His findings and conclusions can be read in his book "In Praise of Walking".   

He states that walking holidays can indeed increase your happiness, reduce stress, and make you healthier: The Camino de Santiago is good for you! 

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Buen Camino!

In this interview, Follow the Camino CEO and Founder Umberto di Venosa discusses B-Corp certification, the future of eco-travel, and how Follow the Camino is trying to lead the way on making travel more environmentally responsible.

In this Camino Talks episode, we interview Flavia Ramil, Managing Director of Santiago de Compostela Tourism.  Flavia tells us how the city of Santiago de Compostela is preparing for the reopening of Spain, what the new normality in hotels and restaurants will look like, and how the preparations for the Holy Year 2021 are going.

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Buen Camino!

In this Camino Talk, we chat to Tom Cartwright, the founder of Camino Gin - a company that makes gin in the UK that is flavoured with a special combination of botanicals found along the Camino Frances. 

Tom's journey to the Camino began when he realised that the courses he was doing at university weren't for him. He was struggling to figure out what to do next when a friend recommended that he walk the Camino de Santiago. After watching The Way and doing a bit of reading, Tom started planning his pilgrimage on the Camino Frances. 

Tom met plenty of people along his Camino. One of those people, an Italian man, introduced him to the idea of foraging for edible plants and mushrooms as he walked. This planted the seed for Tom's Camino Gin! He partnered with a local gin distiller and carefully selected botanicals from along the Camino Frances to infuse. After plenty of sampling and testing, they found a full and interesting combination, and Camino Gin was born! 

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Buen Camino!

Plastic is everywhere in our lives, but some plastics are more harmful than others. The Camino de Santiago is one of the best-known pilgrimages in the world, with thousands of walkers every year. This means it has its fair share of plastic litter. 

In 2019, Sandra and Carla from Plastic Free Camino decided to walk the Camino from Estella to Burgos – a total of 172 km - and pick up all the plastic they saw along the way. The idea came about while the pair were walking in the Dublin mountains and noticed how much plastic pollution there was. 

Sandra was kind enough to share some of her insights and thoughts about the Plastic Free Camino Project with Follow the Camino. 

She talks about:

- how they chose the Camino route that they walked

- why they decided to focus on plastic waste

- how the Plastic Free Camino went

- what they learned and felt along the Camino

- and what they would do differently if they were to do it again. 

You can see more of the Plastic Free Camino's adventures on their social media channels - YouTube / Facebook / Twitter

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Buen Camino!

Author John Brierley discusses how the Camino teaches us lessons and values that can help us during Covid-19 and the lockdown. Listen to his insights on self-discovery, self-resilience, and the power of the Camino.  

John Brierley started his Camino journey in 1989 when he gave up his day job to travel, and walked the Camino de Santiago. He has walked the famous pilgrimage to Santiago de Compostela on foot many times and has since written several best selling guide books about the different Camino de Santiago routes. These guides focus on the French Way, The Portuguese Way, The English Way, and the Camino Finisterre. His guide books are not just instructions for walking the trails, but also an excellent companion to your mental and spiritual journey on the Camino.

In this Podcast:

- The Corona Virus and the Camino 

- The power of bringing the Camino home 

- What makes the Camino special 

- John Brierley’s life-changing moment 

- Be flexible and take the bus if you so wish 

- If you want to help hospitaleros 

- Public questions   

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Buen Camino!

Blanca Valencia is a cook and expert in Spanish gastronomy. In this episode of Camino Talks she walks us through the Camino Frances and the regions it passes through, discussing the unique and notable foods that you will find along the Way of Saint James. We discuss Navarra, La Rioja, Castile and Leon, and Galicia, with their diverse and delicious foods!

You can see the full French Way on the Camino here: https://followthecamino.com/en/camino-tours/camino-frances/.

Born in Spain, Blanca Valencia grew up between Central America and Spain. She is a cook, teacher and speaker that specializes in Spanish food. Blanca has a Grand Diplome from London’s Le Cordon Bleu and has run the test kitchen at Books For Cooks (London). She has also run a stage at elBullihotel (Seville, Spain), and the cooking school at Alambique (Madrid). She collaborates regularly with the Spanish Commercial Offices and gives talks and workshops about Spanish gastronomy at the Cervantes Institutes in the U.S. and Ireland.

Blanca is the co-host of Spicebags podcast, a podcast about international food and communities in an Irish context. In Dublin, Blanca has done classes in Triggerfish cookshop, Cook’s academy, Catex, and the All-Ireland Tapas competition. Her favourite town on the Camino Francés is Sahagún, where her grandmother is from.

You can learn more on her website: www.blancavalencia.com

And listen to the Spice Bags podcast on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5b44J6OhuLI3ySVnIkvYWz

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You can learn more about Follow the Camino and our active holiday packages on our website - www.followthecamino.com

There is a Camino out there for everyone, from family holidays to solo travellers, and all of our holidays are custom-made for you. We can even make your walking days shorter and add in extra rest days to suit your level of fitness.

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#SpanishFood #CaminoFrances #FollowTheCamino #CaminoDeSantiago #CaminoTalks

In this interview we speak to Aleksandar and Nenad Popovic, two brothers who walked the Camino individually - but with a lot of shared experiences! We discuss new beginnings, building a community, and picking between beer and wine when unwinding after a long day on the Camino!

When Susi Swain first read a book about the Camino she couldn't imagine herself walking the pilgrimage herself. A few years later her life led her to bite the bullet and walk the Camino Frances and everything changed from there. Susi fell in love with the Camino de Santiago and Spain so deeply that she decided to make it her home. 

After plenty of searching, she found the Albergue of her dreams and restored it. Susi has been running the hostel Casa Susi since then and has absolutely loved it. She is such a people person and she absolutely loved the experience of welcoming pilgrims in while they are on their journey. 2020 has been a very challenging year for Susi and the other Albergue owners along the Camino. Susi tells us about the challenges she has had and her hopes for the future too.    

We are all hopeful for 2021 and can't wait to get back on the trails. In the meantime, if you'd like to support Susi and Casa Susi so that it will be there for future pilgrims, you can contribute to her GoFundMe page. 

You can also follow their journey on social media: Facebook / Instagram

You can also watch the Youtube video of the interview!

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Buen Camino!

In this interview we speak to Shirley-Ann Poulton, an pilgrim from Perth, Australia who has walked the Camino multiple times with the help of Follow the Camino. We speak about the beauty of history and pilgrimage to someone from the New World, and reflect on how faith unites people on the Camino.

Business coach Shannon Wallis joins us on this episode of Camino Talks to discuss her new book – WE the Change: Launching Big Ideas and Creating New Realities. This book is a combination of Camino memoir, life story, and a guide to making positive changes in your life.

Shannon Wallis’ ability to launch big ideas and create new realities comes from more than thirty years of professional study as well as a lifetime of personal vision, tenacity, and practice.

Her clients include leaders, teams, and organizations on six continents from Fortune 50 companies and non-profits. She has worked with over twenty thousand leaders on six continents to launch big ideas and create new realities for their leadership, teams, and organizations.

Prior to founding Cascade Leadership, Shannon was the global director of high-potential leadership development at Microsoft.

As an executive coach and leadership and organization effectiveness consultant, Shannon’s personal journey of transformation is living proof of the power of working collectively to WE the Change. Shannon continues the journey with her family, Joe, Savannah, Fiona, and darling dog Zoey, in Bellevue, WA.

In this Camino Talks interview, Shannon discusses her journey to the Camino. From her challenging childhood through a series of devastating events in her life, and on to the path of healing. WE the Change is a roadmap for anyone wanting to transform their life, organization, or community.

We love how this book weaves together the physical journey on the Camino with emotional and mental journeys in life. The lessons and messages of the book are so clear and applicable to life, while still being creatively and engagingly written.

You can buy your copy of WE The Change here

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👉 Read more in our Blog 📖

👉 Watch the Webinar 👀

👉 Listen to the Podcast 🎧

You can learn more about Follow the Camino and our active holiday packages on our website - www.followthecamino.com

There is a Camino out there for everyone, from family holidays to solo travelers, and all of our holidays are custom-made for you. We can even make your walking days shorter and add in extra rest days to suit your level of fitness.

Follow us on social media:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/followthecamino

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/followthecamino

Twitter: https://twitter.com/followthecamino

Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.ie/followthecamino

Don't forget to sign up for our weekly newsletter and be the first to hear about new products, events and exclusive offers: www.followthecamino.com/sign-up-for-newsletter/

#WEtheChange #FollowTheCamino #CaminoDeSantiago #CaminoTalks #ShannonWallis

Bradley Chermside is the internationally bestselling author of The Only Way is West - his light-hearted, entertaining Camino de Santiago memoir.  

Brad is also the host of The Camino de Santiago Pilgrims' Podcast, a fun and informative podcast about Camino. The podcast features a range of guests, including our own CEO, Umberto, and is a great way to learn about the Camino. There is plenty of practical advice, mixed in with wonderful stories.

He's currently working on a sequel to The Only Way Is West, The Only Way Is North, due for release in 2020. 

Get your hands on The Only Way is West

Check out our blog post on this webinar!

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Start planning your Camino route at Follow the Camino for a walking holiday you will never forget!

Buen Camino!

In this episode of Camino Talks, Professor Shane O'Mara from Trinity College Dublin explains the neuroscience and research behind the health benefits of walking. 

Do you want to be more healthy? Do you want to look after your brain and improve your memory? Well, walking might be the magic answer you are looking for. Walking is what our bodies are built for and is intricately connected to our health. There are so many ways that our bodies benefit from walking.   

Training for, and walking the Camino de Santiago will increase your steps and help you to benefit from the incredible health-promoting effects of walking. Walking holidays truly are holidays that will make you healthier!

You can read more of Shane's research in his book, "In Praise of Walking". 

In this Podcast:

- There is plenty of evidence that walking is good for our health.

- Walking reduces our risk of heart disease.

- Walking improves our immune system.

- Walking can improve your memory.

- We need to move more.

Check out our blog post on this webinar!

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Buen Camino!

In this interview we speak to Raquel Freiría, a leading member of the Camino's animal protection association, APACA. She discusses the canine 'pilgrim' credentials APACA supply for pets along the Camino and what how the pilgrim spirit applies to animals as well as humans.

NOTE: This episode is in the Spanish language.

(French Interview) We had the pleasure of interviewing Jean-Louis Aspirot, who is in charge of the Saint Jean Pied De Port pilgrims' office and general secretary of the Pilgrims' Association of the Pyrénées-Atlantiques, the region around Biarritz. 

In this podcast, Umberto di Venosa, CEO of Follow The Camino talked with Jean-Louis about the Pilgrimage office, how it is organized, general questions about the Camino, and of course how Covid-19 is affecting things. The Pilgrim Office in St Jean reopened on the 1st of July 2020.

In this Podcast: 

- What is the Pilgrimage Office in Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port? 

- What about the volunteers, how is it organized? 

- How many volunteers do you regularly have and from where are they from?

- Do they sleep in a private home or in a defined place?

- What kind of information do you give to people who come? I suppose one of the main tasks is to stamp the famous pilgrim's passport?

- Jean-Louis, do you have any anecdotes? I don't know, famous people or special moments that marked you at the welcome of the pilgrims?

- Jean-Louis, did you make it all the way to Santiago? 

- At the moment, well we are obliged to talk about Covid-19, because of the accommodation, and travel restrictions. How are things going right now?

- Have you already thought about how you will interact with people? 

- Jean-Louis, do you have a little message for the future pilgrims before ending this interview?

Check out our blog post on this webinar with an English transcript!

or

You can watch the Youtube video of the interview with subtitles!

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Buen Camino!

Author and star of Camino Skies, Terry Wilson, discusses his personal journey on the Camino de Santiago. Terry has walked the Camino three times, to deal with depression, faith, loss, and life changes. 

The first time Terry walked the Camino it was a personal journey. He walked the Camino Frances to process the loss of his granddaughter, Maddy, who had passed away from Cystic Fibrosis. He raised funds through his walk for the cause. 

The second Camino was as part of the film “Camino Skies”. Six strangers from New Zealand and Australia walked the French Way and their journey was filmed - unscripted. Camino Skies is available to view online.

His third trip on the Camino de Santiago was with his eldest daughter, who also felt the need to take an inner journey. You can find Terry's book in paperback and kindle, God's Cocaine, here.

In this Podcast:

- Why did you choose to walk the Camino three times?

- Which route did you walk?

- Injuries and how hard it is to walk the Camino

- Walking the Camino to deal with life changes and loss

- The addiction of the Camino

- Friends on the Camino and joining the Camino family

- How the Camino helps you through tough times and COVID-19

- God's Cocaine and Camino Skies 

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Buen Camino!

Discover the secrets of the Santiago de Compostela Cathedral in our latest #CaminoTalks webinar with Dr. Jenny Alexander from the University of Warwick's History of Art department.  We interviewed Jenny about her work uncovering the secrets of the cathedral walls. 

While studying the stones that make up the magnificent cathedral in Santiago, Dr. Alexander and the team of archaeologists, historians, and other researchers learned a huge amount about the masons who carved them. One of their most noteworthy finds was a small face at the top of one of the columns - a "selfie" carved into the stone by one of these stonemasons on the past. Learn about this ancient selfie, how masons marks were used to construct the cathedral, and the lives of masons during the time.  

“You may have heard the saying “if these walls could talk”, which is used for saying that many interesting things have happened in a room or building.   Well, thanks to the amazing work of dedicated historians and scholars, the walls of Santiago’s impressive cathedral are starting to share their story.”  

Check out our blog post on this webinar!

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You can watch the Youtube video of the interview!

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Start planning your Camino route at Follow the Camino for a walking holiday you will never forget!

Buen Camino!

Author John Brierley talks to us about the relationship of nature on modern-day pilgrimages in this Camino Talks episode. John Brierley started his Camino journey in 1989 when he gave up his day job to travel, and walked the Camino de Santiago. He has walked the famous pilgrimage to Santiago de Compostela on foot many times and has since written several best selling guide books about the different Camino de Santiago routes. 

These guides focus on the French Way, The Portuguese Way, The English Way, and the Camino Finisterre. His guide books are not just instructions for walking the trails, but also an excellent companion to your mental and spiritual journey on the Camino.  

In this podcast:

- It is summer, the flowers are blooming this makes us think about nature and the Camino de Santiago. What does the theme of nature and pilgrimage bring to you? 

- What do you think would be the proportion of unspoiled nature compared to more farmland, which I think it's maybe a bit more of a majority. 

- How would you weigh the natural value of the various routes of the Camino with national parks, that people may have discovered at the weekends and so on? 

- What would be a great memory you had with fauna or flora on the Camino? Is there an image or picture, a moment that you can share with us?

Q&A section: 

- Considering your experience in the Camino, what do you think makes the Camino different from other trips or vacations? 

- Is the Camino safe to go now due to the COVID-19? 

- What’s the best location from which you recommend I should start the Camino?

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Start planning your Camino route at Follow the Camino for a walking holiday you will never forget!

Buen Camino!

Join us on this inspiring episode of Camino Talks as we chat with author Ruth O’Leary about her transformative journey on the Camino de Santiago and how it shaped her writing.

Ruth shares the stories behind her latest novel, A Week to Remember, which follows three strangers on their Camino adventure, and reflects on the unique connections, challenges, and lessons she encountered along the way.

Whether you’re a seasoned pilgrim or considering your first step, Ruth’s insights will inspire you to embrace the Camino’s power in both travel and storytelling.

In this interview we speak with John Rutkowski III, a life-long walking enthusiast who used his passion as motivation to help him recover from a series of cancer surgeries and treatments. He's walked the Camino, many long-distance routes in the US, and even the length of Hadrian's Wall!

We had Camino Talks with Reverend Colin Jones who is the Chairman of the Confraternity of St James in the UK. He has been on the Camino himself as both a Pilgrim and a Hospitalero, a volunteer in an Albergue. In the UK, he is actively working within the Confraternity of St James promoting the Camino de Santiago and providing support and guidance to Camino pilgrims.

The confraternity also runs two hostels on the Camino: The Refugio Gaucelmo on the Camino Francés and the Albergue San Martín on the Camino del Norte. The confraternity is also offering help to elderly, frail, or disadvantaged people who want to go on the Camino.  

In this Podcast:

 - The sense of community on the Camino, 

- A close meeting with Spanish cows 

- Why it is important to say Goodbye. 

- Traditional Camino Hospitality. 

- Paying attention to the pilgrims and their needs.

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Start planning your Camino route at Follow the Camino for a walking holiday you will never forget!

Buen Camino!

2021 will be a very special year on the Camino de Santiago: It will be a Holy Year!  Never heard of it? Don't worry, we collected interesting facts, graphics, and stories for you. Different Camino Experts from all over the world shared their Holy Year experiences with us. We are very thankful for the great conversations with these members of the UK Confraternity of St James, the Canadian Company of Pilgrims, and the Americans on the Camino societies.   

In this Podcast:

- What is a Holy Year?

- What is a Camino Holy year?

- What is St. James Day?

- What is special about a Holy Year?

- What is the Holy Door?

- Pilgrim numbers in Holy years

- Will we see you on the Camino in 2021?

Thank you to all our guests:

Reverend Colin Jones - Confraternity of St James UK

David Donselar - American Pilgrims on the Camino

Mary Virtue - Canadian Company of Pilgrims (Victoria Chapter)

Tom Friesen - Canadian Company of Pilgrims (London, Ontario Chapter)

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Buen Camino!

In this interview, we spoke to Wendy Dutwin, a pilgrim who embarked on the Camino from Portugal to carry her friend to the Cathedral in Santiago de Compostela – only to be faced by forest fires and extreme rainfall which threatened her journey. We found out how Follow the Camino helped Wendy avert danger and complete her special journey to the final resting place of St James in honour of her friend.

(Spanish Interview) More and more families with children are choosing the Way of Saint James as their holiday destination. They are looking to spend quality time and reconnect with their loved ones in a natural environment, full of history and culture. In this episode of our Camino Talks series, Wanda interviewed Jorge Jesus who has been on the Camino de Santiago more than 4 times and on one of those occasions with his children.  

Check out our blog post on this webinar with English transcript!

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Buen Camino!

In this interview Alberto Ferreiro, Professor Emeritus of History at Seattle Pacific University, joins Umberto di Venosa, Follow the Camino CEO & Founder, to discuss the the Camino de Santiago from the Middle Ages to modern times. He pulls back the curtain on the myth behind the worship of St James in Galicia and discusses what pilgrimages mean nowadays.

In this episode of our Camino Talks series, we talked with Carmen Marriott and David Donselar from the American Pilgrims on the Camino. 

Carmen lives in Tuscon, Arizona, and is the Vice-Chairperson of the American Pilgrims on the Camino. She is actively working on supporting various Camino related projects. Both Carmen and David have been on the Camino de Santiago multiple times.  

David is the Chairperson in the Board of Directors of American Pilgrims on the Camino and lives in Virginia. Due to their dedication and pilgrimage experiences, they have great stories to tell.  

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Buen Camino!

We interviewed Frank Flanagan, one of the founders of the Boyne Valley Camino in Ireland. This 25-kilometre walk from Drogheda forms part of the Celtic Camino series that runs across the UK and Ireland. 

Since 2014, Drogheda has hosted a walking festival which brings a lot of visitors to the town. They can appreciate how lovely it is there, the historical sites, the forest, and the Greenway. When the Boyne Valley Camino founders found out about the work that the Camino Society of Ireland was doing to designate new pilgrim routes in Ireland, they spotted that as an opportunity.

Frank tells us how the Boyne Valley Camino got started, and about the walk now that it is established. By walking a certified Celtic Camino route and then the Camino Inglés from A Coruna, people can accomplish the 100km necessary to obtain their Compostela certificate at the pilgrim's office in Santiago.

In this podcast:

- How did the idea of creating the Boyne Valley Camino arise?

- How long did it take to develop this Celtic Camino?

- What are the main highlights of this walk?

- Have you been on the Camino?

- How to walk the Boyne Valley Camino

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Buen Camino!

In this episode of our Camino Talks series, Sean from Follow The Camino talked with Mary Virtue. Mary is the coordinator of the Victoria Chapter of the Canadian Company of Pilgrims. She is also a Hospitalero and has walked and cycled the Camino de Santiago multiple times.

At home in Victoria, Canada she is actively working with the Canadian Company of Pilgrims to support future pilgrims, to welcome back those who finished their walking holiday, and to organise training walks and other meetings. Due to her volunteering work and her numerous Camino experiences, she has great stories to tell.   

Check out our blog post on this webinar!

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Start planning your Camino route at Follow the Camino for a walking holiday you will never forget!

Buen Camino!

In this interview, we talked to long-standing Follow the Camino client Christine Patterson about her experiences on the Camino de Santiago, if there are social barriers to women travelling on long-distance walks, and why more women than men walk The Way.

John Brierley, the author of some of the most popular Camino guide books, talks about the Camino de Santiago pilgrimage and the people who walk it.   

John Brierley started his Camino journey in 1989 when he gave up his day job to travel, and walked the Camino de Santiago. He has walked the famous pilgrimage to Santiago de Compostela on foot many times and has since written several best selling guide books about the different Camino de Santiago routes. These guides focus on the French Way, The Portuguese Way, The English Way, and the Camino Finisterre. His guide books are not just instructions for walking the trails, but also an excellent companion to your mental and spiritual journey on the Camino.

In this Podcast - Part 3:

- The people of the Camino. 

- How people change and what we discover along the way. 

- Becoming a Pilgrim

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Buen Camino!

You never know who you might end up walking with on the Camino de Santiago. Kenneth Strange is one of the many fascinating pilgrims that we have encountered on the Way. A former FBI agent with a history of investigating terrorism, Kenneth is now a Private Investigator. His specialty is missing person cases. Kenneth lived in Madrid for a year during University and first learned about the Camino. 

In 2018, he and his wife Aurora walked the full Camino Frances from Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port all the way to Santiago de Compostela. They both found the experience so impactful that Kenneth wrote a book about the experience - It's Your Camino. We caught up with Kenneth again to chat about his background, walking the Camino, 2020, Martin Sheen and The Way, writing a book about the Camino de Santiago, and becoming an author. We also asked about his new book - Feds - and his work on missing person cases. Kenneth is currently working on the cold case of Annie McCarrick, a young US American who went missing in Dublin in 1993. Kenneth regaled us with many stories about his memories of the Camino, advice for new pilgrims, and tips for older or less fit walkers.

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Start planning your Camino route at Follow the Camino for a walking holiday you will never forget!

Buen Camino!

There is something wonderful about taking on a pilgrimage! 

Keith Foskett's love of long-distance hiking, also known as thru-hiking, all started with the Camino de Santiago.   

He walked Le Puy Camino and Camino Frances combined - a distance of around 1000 miles (over 1500 kilometres) - and fell in love with long-distance hiking. Since then, he has taken on some of the world's best-known routes.   

He has written four books about his adventures on the Camino, the Pacific Crest Trail, the Appalachian Trail, and the Cape Wrath Trail and the West Highland Way in Scotland.   

Keith joined us for a Camino Talks interview to discuss hiking, the different trails, and mental health. 

If this Camino Talks episode has sparked your curiosity you can learn more about Keith and his books on his website - https://www.keithfoskett.com/​   

Ask us about doing Le Puy Camino and the Camino Frances on our website: https://followthecamino.com​ 

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👉 Read more in our Blog 📖

👉 Watch the Webinar 👀

👉 Listen to the Podcast 🎧

Start planning your Camino route at Follow the Camino for a walking holiday you will never forget!

Buen Camino!