Honey, I’m Home

Wednesday 14 May 2025

Well, at the risk of taking up even more of everyone’s time in reading this piece, I said that I would write a final Blog with some reflections, facts and figures on my Camino Francés experience. Let us get the numbers over with first – for those, like me, that find spreadsheets utterly irresistible.

Out of all the walks that I have been on the actual numbers for the Camino mean the least. I guess that the length and nature of the journey give those on foot a clear goal that is just about attainable given the necessary attributes, training, and a slice of luck. Also the destination provides a common purpose that unites walkers of all ages, of numerous nationalities, and of diverse character, that take on the considerable challenges of this pilgrimage. It is this shared objective that sets the Camino apart from the other long-distance walks that I have undertaken in the past few years. The camaraderie on the trail is evident from Day 1 – or even before the start of the walk actually, at Biarritz Airport, in Bayonne, and on the train down to St Jean Pied de Port. Such friendships become impossible to avoid for anyone participating in the walk: from the very outset it becomes unthinkable to pass a fellow pilgrim on the trail without greeting them, at the very least, with a ‘Buen Camino’. But of course meaningful discussions are never far off, and within a day a solo traveller such as me will no longer be, nor feel, alone. So my abiding memory of the walk will be of the people I met along the way, numbering in the hundreds and from 31 different countries around the globe. I have thanked them already in my previous Blog, individually where possible, and I do so again now.

But what of the culture and the landscape? Well the Spanish people have been fine hosts throughout, polite and helpful to clueless visitors such as I, who spoke less than a dozen words of their language at the beginning of my trek, and not too many more a month later! So a thank you to all those, Spaniards and others, who took the trouble to abandon their own mother tongue in order to bridge the language barrier; it is both highly convenient and slightly embarrassing to be a native English speaker with little alternative means of conversation. In terms of culture, it is fair to say that such a pilgrimage develops a regime of behaviour all of its own, and it is one of respect and collaboration, indicating shared values that are truly special – particularly when one contrasts these with all of the divisions around the world. Of course the participants are a self-selecting group of active outdoorsy folk, generally deep thinkers with an interest in history and tradition. This ability to share and to communicate, and to show a level of self-awareness, is no more evident than when sharing a mixed dormitory with two dozen others – I did hear of one or two minor conflicts, although I observed just friendship and politeness. The Camino is a safe space indeed, and I would guess that most pilgrims return with some degree of restored faith in humanity.

Spain is a wonderfully varied country with a rich history. I have travelled before to Madrid, to the Pyrenees, and to the Costas of the east and south coasts, but (apart from a couple of short visits to Pamplona) I had never before ventured to any of the places along the Camino Francés route. I was surprised initially at how verdant the landscape appears – apparently, and at least partly, as a result of a particularly wet early springtime. The mountain valleys at either end of the trail host lush vegetation, and even the plains of the Meseta Central sport fresh green fields of young wheat, barley and alfalfa that extend as far as the horizon at this time of year. The terrain for walking is largely straightforward, with only three stages, at the start and towards the end of the route, that one might consider proper mountain days. The Meseta, over which the central section of the path passes, has a beauty all of its own, and the coolness of the altitude and the spring colours make for some very pleasant walking days. I would qualify this observation as regards the long and straight sections of ‘Pilgrim Autopistas’, the dreaded ‘sendas’, that run alongside the main roads, particularly either side of León; these have probably tried the patience of a good few saints over the years. For the most part though the path follows a broad gravel track that is well-made and well signposted, and on which it is relatively easy to maintain a good walking rhythm. The way itself passes through some varied, quiet and timeless scenery, with sporadic spectacles serving to reward the traverses of some of the more remote sections. I will remember the countryside fondly, as well as the facilities along the way that ensure a coffee, a snack, or a beer, are never too far distant when refreshment is craved.

I am sure that I will be asked whether the Camino has changed me. I would be tempted to say ‘not much’, as I have been on these longer treks beforehand and I have a fair knowledge of the practicalities of living out of a 30-litre rucksack for a month, and of the emotional side insofar as it involves hours of my own company on the trail and in the evenings. But I think that this is where the uniqueness of the Camino becomes evident. I am not overtly religious but, like most folk, I have a strong spiritual side, that for me is accessed via exercise in the outdoors, and by sharing the company of similarly motivated people. Perhaps walking a pilgrimage is one of the few places that now exist where one can spend time, hours even, with a complete stranger, away from technology, talking on subjects that are more personal than one might ask in any other setting; for example around upbringing, relationships, beliefs and opinions. It is from these insights into the lives and values of peoples from other cultures that understanding and respect for one another is forged. So, in answer to the question of change, I hope that those like myself who have trodden the Camino path have, at least in a few small ways, gained a better appreciation of the space that we share, the world that we have inherited from our ancestors, and the planet that we in turn must pass on to our children. Perhaps the words ‘Buen Camino’ should serve as a motto for our shared journey through life alongside one another?

So, it is time for me to sign off now, and to thank you all, once more, for reading this Blog, and for your comments and support – I hope that you have enjoyed travelling the Camino journey with me. Go well, and look out for one another.

And, ‘Buen Camino!’

My Blog heading today ‘Honey, I’m Home’ is taken from the title of a 1998 hit from Canadian country-pop artist Shania Twain. The song appeared on her hugely successful ‘Come On Over’ album that spawned twelve singles, with all of the tracks co-written by Twain and her then husband and producer, Robert ‘Mutt’ Lange. Despite muted reviews upon its release from country music aficionados, the album went on to sell 40 million copies, and it became the biggest-selling studio album of all time by a female solo artist, as well as the best-selling country album in the US – attaining a ‘20x platinum’ certification. Inevitably, with sales of that magnitude, the critics have back-tracked rather, praising the album for revolutionising country music and lauding its influence in popularising the genre.