In September 2023 I took my family on the last 110km of the Camino Frances. A journey and adventure like no other they have experienced, along this ancient trail.
Inspired by my previous Caminos, my family wanted to experience the pilgrim life. I offered to take them from Sarria to Santiago de Compostela, acting as guide, organiser and translator (with my pigeon Spanish). For my mum it was the biggest adventure she has ever done, and it was journey she will never forget. There is truth in the saying “The journey is the destination”. I hope you enjoy this short blog series on how we got on..
Here is a little video of the adventure:
New Pilgrims
Mini Camino Frances
A year ago today I made my first step on the Camino Portugués, and I am again hearing the call for another pilgrimage. This time, my return visit to the Camino de Santiago is going to be a little different. I’ll be arriving in Sarria for the last 100km of the French Route, however I will not be a solo traveler. Having been inspired by my blog, pictures and stories of my adventures along ‘the…
Mini Camino Frances Day 1 – Sarria to Vilacha
After two days of travelling and relying on public transport, planes and Spanish pizzerias. We arrived in Sarria late afternoon. The only flight from Gatwick landed in Santiago at 2255h. The albergue I booked for that night shuts their doors at 2200h, however the hospitalario said she would leave the key at a pizzeria next door; I gave an ETA of midnight. Everything was going to plan until we were on the runway, waiting for…
Mini Camino Frances Day 2 – Vilacha to Ventas de Naron
A shorter day was on the cards so we had a lie in, leaving the albergue at 0800h. It had rained heavily with strong gusts of winds throughout the night, luckily it had cleared mostly by dawn. We made our way into Portomarin crossing over the river Mino where the foundations of a Roman bridge can be seen in the water below. After climbing the steps from the centre of a roundabout up into the…
Mini Camino Frances Day 3 – Ventas de Naron to Palas de Rei
A lot shorter day however there was more rain. It had poured throughout the night but by breakfast there was a temporary reprieve. We decided to eat breakfast at the albergue before beginning the walking. The clouds still loomed overhead as we made our way into Ligonde where we called into a donativo. It is run by volunteers from churches all over the world for a week at a time. There was an Egyptian, two…
Mini Camino Frances Day 4 – Palas de Rei to Melide
The rain had finally abated and the skies were clear for the first time on our walk, however it was 8 Celsius, in other words, cold. We stopped for breakfast at a cafe just up the road from the albergue before we began our fourth day on the Camino. Palas de Rei being a stage end the route was busy until just past San Xulian do Camino. We stopped for a drink and a stamp…
Mini Camino Frances Day 5 – Melide to Arzua
It was cold again leaving the albergue but as soon as we were in the Sun, it certainly warmed up. Turned out to be the hottest day so far. After breakfast we hit the Camino that for the for 3 km was under shade keeping it quite chilly. Just before Boente the Sun was out and finally I could take off my jacket. We stopped at a fruit stall on the side of the path,…
Mini Camino Frances Day 6 – Arzua to O Pedrouzo
Despite it being almost 20km today we made good time and arrived in O Pedrouzo mid afternoon on another hot day. As it would be a longer day, we were out of the doors before 0700h, walking in the dark with head torches on. It was a small descent out of Arzua through woodland before the first hill to Pregontono. There were samplings on the way that reflected the torch, giving a eerie view. We…
Mini Camino Frances Day 7 – O Pedrouzo to Lavacolla
It was a very short walk today in comparison to our previous days, in fact we spent more time in a bar than walking! We were almost the last peregrinos to leave the albergue with most out the doors at 0630h. O Pedrouzo is typically the start point for the final day into Santiago. However we are stopping half way at Lavacolla. We had breakfast at the same cafe the morning after we landed in…
Mini Camino Frances Day 8 – Lavacolla to Santiago
We did it, after 8 days walking across Galicia we have a arrived at the provincial capital, Santiago de Compostela. It was another predawn start, aiming to avoid crowds coming out of O Pedrouzo. The plan worked, we pretty much had the Camino to ourselves. The first 3km was mostly up hill that levels off until Monte do Gozo, when the route starts the descent into Santiago. The obligatory picture of the 10km way marker…
Mini Camino Frances – 2 Weeks On
Two weeks ago today we arrived in to Santiago after covering the 110km from Sarria; the last portion of the Camino Frances. Getting back to normality after leaving the pilgrim life is never a smooth transition. The post pilgrimage blues can bit a kicker, even more so for my traveling companions, who will be experiencing this for the first time. Reaching Santiago is never the end for a peregrino, going forward you see life under…
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Stu's Camino 