The Camino Calls

Last December my sister and I discussed the possibility of walking part of the Camino de Santiago. We thought we might do it in the fall of 2026, which would give us ten month to plan, train, and make the necessary arrangements. Those ten months went by quickly, the necessary arrangement were made, and although the training did not meet the guidelines recommended by our Camino tour group, we are on the eve of our trip.

The Camino is a network of pilgrimage routes leading to the Cathedra in Santiago de Compostela where the remains of St. James the Apostle are buried. It attracts hundreds of thousands of pilgrims each year and there are hundreds of routes to follow. We chose a section of the Camino Frances, and will walk 113 km from Sarria to Santiago. If you walk at least 100 kilometers to Santiago, you are can receive an official certificate from the Cathedral , certifying you have completed the Camino for religious or spiritual reasons.

A few months into our planning, I discovered that a reunion was being planned for my Junior Year Abroad class at Saint Louis University-Madrid. I haven’t been back to Spain since then, so this presented a wonderful opportunity. We adjusted our Camino dates by a few days, and eventually booked the trip.

Some walkers plan their own route, carry their backpacks and look for albergues (hostels) when they reach a town. To simplify our trip, we booked through Follow the Camino, a company that planned the route, booked the hotels in advance, transports the luggage, and provides 24/7 support. All we do is walk. That’s enough of a challenge.