On the Camino

How much money is needed on the Camino is something that I know a lot of people will wonder about - it can be a very cheap holiday if albergues are used but costs can increase a lot dependoing on whether you cook for yourself or eat out and if albergues or hotels are used. Picture taken from: http://www.google.co.uk/url?sa=i&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&frm=1&source=images&cd=&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=0CAYQjB0&url=http%3A%2F%2Fen.wikipedia.org%2Fwiki%2FEuro&ei=ui8RVayjJqa07ga34IH4Dw&bvm=bv.89184060,d.ZGU&psig=AFQjCNFah1gn8NxVatidlCpuSRbn9iicpA&ust=1427276082222583

I came across this interesting graph showing the number of Pilgrims walking the Camino for each month from 2008-16. I assume that this data has come from the Cathedral website (graph found at   https://www.caminodesantiago.me/community/camino-photos/geeks-only-2.5739/ ).  

Last summer I undertook another long distance walk the 93 miles (150km) of the Peddars Way (which makes up 46 miles or 74km of the route) and Norfolk Coast path from near Rushford to Cromer.  Image taken from http://www.nationaltrail.co.uk/peddars-way-and-norfolk-coast-path

There's is evidence of labyrinths dating back as far as the Egyptians in 1000BC although the term was first used in 484BC by Herodotus and they are made from a variety of materials from stone, turf (in Britain) and tiles (Roman). To be a labyrinth rather than a maze they have to have one path leading to the center and the same path out. The use of labyrinths in Churches is uncertain: it has been suggested that they had various uses:

Ever wanted to see Pilgrims arriving in Santiago from the comfort of your own settee? Or see what is going on on other parts of the Camino in Glaicia? Galician TV has a series of WebCams in Santiago and several other locations at: http://www.crtvg.es/crtvg/camaras-web

Pilgrims used to collect badges when they visited shrines and here are some that I have found in museums in London

When I walk the Camino I do so because of my faith but encounter more people walking without faith than I do with it but is faith a central part of being a Pilgrim? Pilgrimage as a word comes from the Latin word peregrinus which means ‘one who is in spiritual exile’ that is looking for a spiritual homeland (and definitions of pilgrimage are a journey to a sacred place or shrine).