October 27, 2018

Following the Way of St. James in Spain

By WT Adventurer Mary Ellen Morris

Europe Hiking & Trekking Traveler Stories Walking

We caught up with one of our adventurers after she completed the wonderful bucket-list trip, Pilgrim’s Way. Take a look at her journey.

A nearly complete passport for the Camino de Santiago, documenting the pilgrimage with colorful stamps and a single red wax seal. The title "Camino de Santiago" is present on the right side, capturing the spirit of this storied journey through Spain on the Way of St. James.

The Camino de Santiago, or the Way of St. James, is the great pilgrimage route of the medieval Christians in Spain. On our wonderful journey with Wilderness Travel, Pilgrim’s Way, we followed the trail starting in Burgos, Spain.

A large Gothic-style cathedral with intricately detailed spires and arches under a clear blue sky, reminiscent of the magnificent stops along the Way of St. James in Spain. Steps lead up to the main entrance, inviting pilgrims and travelers alike to explore its grandeur.

We were fortunate to traverse sections of the Camino with the most scenic medieval towns, mountains, hills, and plains of northern Spain.

A group of six people with backpacks and trekking poles walk along a dirt path in rural Spain under a clear blue sky. Trees and a hillside are visible in the background, as they embark on their pilgrimage along the historic Way of St. James.

This trip provided an excellent blend of cultural sites along our route, including wonderful detailed tours of Burgos, Leon, and the gorgeous Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela.

Four people walk down a cobblestone street flanked by rustic, stone buildings under a blue sky with scattered clouds, as if on a serene pilgrimage along the historic Way of St. James in Spain.

Some of the magical towns on our path also included the cobblestone streets of quaint Castrillo de Los Polvazares, O’Cebreiro, and Portomarin, with it’s amazing stone church of St. Nicolas.

A person in a red jacket stands outdoors, smiling and posing beside a Camino de Santiago marker on the famous pilgrimage route, the Way of St. James in Spain.

Our Trip Leaders were awesome and had extensive historical knowledge, which they shared continuously during our treks, answering all our numerous questions. They were so friendly and were always smiling, which added so much joy to this journey!

A wall display of painted wooden signboards featuring various messages, flags, and directions in multiple colors and languages against a stone background, evocative of the rich history and diverse routes of the Way of St. James pilgrimage in Spain.

We enjoyed the company of other pilgrims sharing this endeavor, meeting folks from Rome, Ireland, Germany, the Netherlands, Sweden, Wales and England to name a few.

A blue wooden door decorated with various souvenirs, including shells, keychains, necklaces, and walking sticks. The door is part of a stone building and has the number 76 above it—a quaint stop along the Way of St. James pilgrimage in Spain.

As we walked this sacred route we had the opportunity to reflect on the significance of the Camino’s history and our own exterior and interior journeys in life: to seek inner strength and wisdom, and just travel slowly through a fascinating landscape and culture.

A close-up view of the ornate facade and towers of an old stone cathedral with detailed carvings and sculptures against a clear blue sky, marking a significant stop on the Way of St. James pilgrimage in Spain.

At the Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela, we celebrated a pilgrims mass and experienced the botafumeiro ritual: incense is burned in a swinging metal container, or “censer” (the word “botafumeiro” actually means smoke expeller in Galician). Our memorable journey wrapped up in Finisterre (Land’s End) on the Atlantic Ocean, a beautiful spot with lovely beaches and clear sparkling water. The Camino trip was a unique experience as we not only experienced the journey with a special group from Wilderness Travel, but also with people from all over the world of all ages and beliefs.

A group of nine people, dressed in outdoor gear, are seated on a stone wall in a rural area with trees and grass in the background. They are smiling and appear to be on a pilgrimage, possibly along the Way of St. James in Spain.

Following the Way of St. James in Spain

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