Why Do We Go Back?

📰 News

• ‘It makes me so sad’: church reemerges from reservoir as Spain faces droughts

• UK tourists travelling to Spanish regions without accommodation face €8,000 fine

• Albergue in Armenteira, Portuguese Spiritual Variant reopens with 12 less beds

👍 Recommended Gear I Used This Last Year

After using cheap, creaky, and unstable hiking poles I decided to upgrade and treat myself to the crème de la crème of hiking poles – Leki Ultratrail FX One – Superlite Trail Running Poles. I have used these on every Camino since 2022 and they’re still going strong 💪.

Studies have shown that hiking poles can reduce compressive force on knees by as much as 25 percent. So, if you’re hiking up the Pyrenees on the first day of Camino Frances or carrying weight in your backpack over long distances, hiking poles are a life (and hips) saver. 

These Leki poles are made of carbon fiber and weigh almost nothing. They also fold up for easy storage. Additionally, they feature a quick-release glove attachment, allowing for a secure grip without needing to constantly hold the poles.

When buying Leki hiking poles, choosing the right size for your height is crucial - so ensure you pick the correct ones from the drop down options online.   

Prices start at $135 US (£105) for the 105 cm size.

These hiking poles are more expensive than my usual low-cost gear hacks, but after using them on mutiple Caminos, I think they've definitely proven their worth. 😊

🏡 Camino Accommodation Recommendations

Gite de la Porte Saint Jacques – Camino Frances

This Gite is situated in Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port, just up from the Pilgrim Office.

I spent the night in this Gite in 2022 and I have fond memories of my stay there. The volunteer hospitalero kindly gave me a stone from the garden to place at the Cruz De Ferro, as I’d left home in a rush and forgotten to pack one.

The Gite is light, spacious and had a lovely, relaxed vibe when I stayed. It’s handily close to the pilgrim office, should you need to go and collect a pilgrim passport or get advice from the volunteers.

The inclusive breakfast was a decent size. After everyone finished eating, the host gathered us all for a moving pilgrim blessing, setting the perfect tone for the start of our journeys to Santiago.

It was fully booked when I stayed in late May, so you might want to consider reserving a bed, which can be done via booking.com.

A bed and breakfast is $32 US (£25) a night.

Accommodation like this can help to get you settled in and start your Camino on the right foot, so if you’re in St Jean consider giving this lovely Gite a try.

Why Do We Go Back?

Why do people go back to the Camino? Why do they return to explore new Camino routes, the same Camino routes? There are beautiful walks all over the world and closer to home, why not simply walk them?

If you've walked a Camino, take a moment to ask yourself why you're drawn to go back. What does the Camino offer that a long walk back home simply cannot replicate?

I believe that the Camino’s pull is threefold:

COMMUNITY

The Camino gives you the opportunity to connect with likeminded people from all over the world, who all have a story to share and an ear to listen. The sense of community and brotherhood/sisterhood thrives on Camino. Strong bonds quickly form with the people you meet and walk alongside, intergenerational friendships thrive, and there is a unified joy in the communal meals on Camino.

The Camino shows us how we could and should live alongside others. On the Way we take the time to find our similarities, rather than being divided by our differences.

SIMPLICITY

On Camino life simplifies, the juggling of multiple priorities and responsibilities fade away with each passing village. Our first thought on waking is to check our feet, not our email.

Each day on Camino is refreshingly similar, we wake up, get dressed, put on our packs, and start the walk to our next destination. This reassuring repetition holds within it a beautiful simplicity. Our minds focus on what matters: Food, water, our bodies, fellow pilgrims and where we lay our heads.

Much like lockdown, where there was no point wasting mental bandwidth picking out what to wear, the Camino provides a similar sartorial ease to our outfit choices. Pack 2 outfits, wear one for walking and one for after and you’re done. Simples.

DISCOVERY

On Camino we learn so much about ourselves – that we are braver, stronger, and more resilient than we first gave ourselves credit for.

It teaches us that we are not so different from others. If we are in a place to receive it, we also learn that we are enough and are worthy of love for who we truly are.

There's comfort in realising that those around us share our fears, anxieties, and doubts. Slowing down allows us to connect with others, from which community and our ‘Camino Family’ is born.

We discover the restorative power of time spent in nature, realising that we can not only survive but thrive with less.

We are reminded each day that walking is what we were made to do.

My question should’ve been, why don’t more people go back!?

Are you planning to return? What do you miss, and what do you hope to receive when back on Camino?