Overview

I will be following the “Camino Frances” (the French Way) which begins in St. Jean Pied-De-Port, finishing 33 days later in Santiago de Compostela.

You can track my progress on the Camino by following my eCamino diary.

If you would like to sponsor a day for $33, please check out the Sponsorship page.

	DATE	JOURNEY	MILES TO SANTIAGO	DAILY MILES	SPONSORED
1	October 4	St. Jean Pied-De -Port (Pays Basque) – Roncesvalles (Navarre)	487.7	15.6	X
2	October 5	Roncesvalles – Larrasoana	472.2	17.0	X
3	October 6	Larrasoana – Cizur Menor	455.1	12.6	X
4	October 7	Cizur Menor – Puente La Reina	442.6	11.8	X
5	October 8	Puente La Reina – Estella (Navarra)	430.7	13.6	X
6	October 9	Estella – Los Arcos (Navarra)	417.1	13.3	X
7	October 10	Los Arcos (Navarra) – Logrono (La Rioja)	403.8	17.8	X
8	October 11	Logrono – Nájera (La Rioja)	386.1	18.5	X
9	October 12	Nájera – Santo Domingo de la Calzada	368.0	13.0	X
10	October 13	Santo Domingo de la Calzada – Belorado (Castilla y León)	354.9	14.2	X
11	October 14	Belorado – San Juan de Ortega	340.7	15.1	X
12	October 15	San Juan de Ortega – Burgos	325.6	16.4	X
13	October 16	Burgos – Hornillos del Camino	309.2	13.0	X
14	October 17	Hornillos del Camino – Castrojeriz	292.2	12.6	X
15	October 18	Castrojeriz (Burgos) – Frómista (Palencia)	283.6	15.7	X
16	October 19	Frómista – Carrión de Los Condes	267.9	12.7	X
17	October 20	Carrión de Los Condes – Terradillos de los Templarios	255.2	16.7	X
18	October 21	Terradillos de los Templarios via Sahagún to Hermanillos de la Calzada – El Burgo Ranero	238.6	16.7	X
19	October 22	Hermanillos de La Calzada – Mansilla de Las Mulas	221.8	15.2	X
20	October 23	Mansilla de Las Mulas – León	206.6	11.2	X
21	October 24	León – Villar de Mazarife	195.4	13.5	X
22	October 25	Villar de Mazarife – Astorga	181.8	19.4	X
23	October 26	Astorga – Rabanal del Camino	162.4	12.8	X
24	October 27	Rabanal del Camino – Molinaseca	149.6	15.9	X
25	October 28	Molinaseca – Villafranca Del Bierzo (Via Ponferrada)	133.7	19.0	X
26	October 29	Villafranca Del Bierzo – O’Cebreiro	114.7	18.7	X
27	October 30	O’Cebreiro – Triacastela	96.0	12.9	X
28	October 31	Triacastela – Sarria	83.1	11.6	X
29	November 1	Sarria – Portomarín	71.5	13.7	X
30	November 2	Portomarín – Palas De Rei	57.8	15.4	X
31	November 3	Palas De Rei – Ribadiso (Arzúa)	42.4	15.9	X
32	November 4	Ribadiso – O Pedrouso (Arca/ O Pino)	26.5	14.1	X
33	November 5	O Pedrouzo (Arca) – Santiago de Compostola	12.3	12.3	X

After spending a few days in Santiago de Compostela, my tentative plan is to walk an extension commonly completed by pilgrims, the 55 mile trek to Finisterre. After that… who knows? The plan is to be back in New York for my favorite holiday (Thanksgiving) but I am up for whatever adventure comes my way.

Here are some more great resources on the Camino if you would like to know more:

From Camino Adventures:

Click here for maps of each day of the walk. I follow this website’s overview until the last segment, which I have divided into two separate days.

From Camino de Santiago:

Origins of the pilgrimage

The history of the Camino de Santiago goes back at the beginning of the 9th century (year 814) moment of the discovery of the tomb of the evangelical apostle of the Iberian Peninsula. Since this discovery, Santiago de Compostela becomes a peregrination point of the entire European continent.

The Way was defined then by the net of Roman routes that joined the neuralgic points of the Peninsula. The impressive human flow that from very soon went towards Galicia made quickly appear lots of hospitals, churches, monasteries, abbeys and towns around the route. During the 14th century the pilgrimage began to decay, fact brought by the wars, the epidemics and the natural catastrophes.

The recovery of the route begins at the end of the 19th century, but it is during the last quarter of the 20th century when the authentic contemporary resurge of the peregrination takes place. There is no doubt that the social, tourist, cultural or sport components have had a great importance in the “jacobea” revitalization but we cannot forget that the route has gained its prestige thanks to its spiritual value.

History of the Scallop Shell, from CaminoWays.com:

Cruz de Ferro is an iron cross on the Camino de Santiago, located between the towns of Foncebadón and Manjarín, on Day #24 of my journey. From CaminoWays.com:

It consists of a wooden pole about five feet high surmounted by an iron cross, a replica of the original preserved in the Museo de los Caminos in Astorga. At its base, a mound has been forming over the years. A legend says that when the Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela was being built, pilgrims were asked to contribute by bringing a stone. The tradition is to throw a stone, brought from the place of origin of the pilgrim, with his or her back to the cross to symbolize their journey.

And if you’d rather just pour a glass of wine and check out a movie to get your overview, I’d recommend watching “The Way” starring Martin Sheen. Here’s a preview to wet your whistle:

Lastly, I know many are concerned about my safety as a single woman walking this route through Spain. I can assure you that I have done my due diligence in researching, finding that the Camino is one of the safest places you can be alone. I found a blog I really enjoyed called Sometimes She Travels: which introduced me to poet laureate Elizabeth Austen, with her thought-provoking poem, “The Girl Who Goes Alone.” I love the last line: “The world is worth the risk.”

 

I feel amazing about doing this along and I welcome your suggestions, questions, feedback and encouragement!