Tag Camino de Santiago

French Camino: A Day of Distractions

Reg Spittle 1 Comment
  • Our hotel building dates to 1740.
  • We were the only guests at the isolated La Prade Hotel.
  • Church number one was locked.
  • My favorite church of the day.
  • A room for Sunday school?
  • Church 3, filled with art, exuded warmth.
  • Whose shoes? We were stumped.

The air was crisp this morning as we departed our hotel and walked through the tiny village of Miramont-Sensacq. An hour later, we hoped for distractions from the cornfields, pavement, and the onset of heat that would fall just short of 90.

We were in luck, sort of.

Churches continue to be one of my favorite features of the French Camino and we visited three today. Outside the first church, a young guy was packing up his camp that featured his hammock. He would catch up with us later, and we shared a few steps while he described his intention to walk all the way—solo—to Santiago de Compostela, Spain. A French native, he had started in Le Puy just a few days after us. His would be a 1,000-mile camping journey.

The surprise return of cattle country and new calves, amongst the cornfields, also refreshed part of the day. But another rerun—hills—reminded us over and over that the Via Podiensis was not finished issuing challenges.

In sum, it was an up-and-down day.

We are trying not to wish away the remaining seven days of this trek.

Yes, we are tired, but we remain aware this is an experience of a lifetime.

Ten Years Later, a New Camino Calls

Reg Spittle 13 Comments

Ten years ago, Sue and I stood at O’Cebreiro, in the final phase of our journey on the Camino de Santiago.

Our arrival in Santiago was bittersweet. We welcomed the chance to rest our feet after a month on the trail, but didn’t want our greatest adventure to end.

For me, the journey was as much internal as it was a walk through Spain. My Merrill shoes protected my feet, but the Camino exposed battles my heart had fought my entire life.

When we returned home, my heart led me to the keyboard, where I told my story, which has found readers in ten countries. Many have written to me to say my book (Camino Sunrise: Walking With My Shadows) resonated, even helped them feel the hope I found on the Camino. I am so grateful that they shared their stories.

Sue and I have continued to walk, traveling on distance trails throughout Europe and on the John Muir Trail in the tallest mountains of California. I described our adventures during four treks in five countries in Trippin’ Through My 60s: When Adventure Calls, the Trails of Europe Answer.

Next week, Sue and I will put on the same red backpacks we wore in 2013 and walk another Camino that traverses a country. Another historic trail that pilgrims have walked for centuries. This time, we will walk in France. The path is known as the Way of St. James, the GR65, the Le Puy Route, or the Via Podiensis.

I will post occasional photos here and Sue will do much more on our website (carryoncouple.com) that has documented our adventures.

I have done what I can to prepare my body for its new challenge of walking nearly 500 miles. As usual, I am nervous about where my feet will take me. But I know one thing. My heart yearns to return to the trail.