Hello Camino friends! Here’s what’s in this issue:
📆 “How Long Does The Camino Take?”
📞Camino Connections Calls are open for May. Let’s chat!
📸Scenes from the Camino: Trail Markers
🎥I’m going live on Substack! Would love to see you there.
🥾How to get help planning your Camino.
Are you getting my posts directly to your email or Substack feed? If not, click here to join us.
Let’s get started!
📆How Long Does The Camino Take?
How long do you have?
You know those teachers who answer a question with a question? I’m one of them. But hear me out: the answer to how long one needs for a Camino is nuanced. . . or surprisingly simple.
If you only have one week to do a Camino, there’s your answer. Or if you only want to spend one week away from your grandchildren, there’s your answer.
But for those of us with a desire to spend more time than that, the Camino gives you plenty of options.
“I want to do the whole thing.”
I’ve got news for you:
There is no official starting point or distance when it comes to the Camino de Santiago.
So when you say, “the whole thing,” you need to clarify that. When a friend of mine from Belgium wanted to do the “whole thing,” he simply walked out his door and headed to Santiago de Compostela. With his donkey. (But that’s a story for another day—comment below if you want to hear it.)
For many clients who tell me they want to do “the whole thing,” they have heard/read/seen videos mostly about the most popular route: the Camino Francés. Many people start that route in St. Jean-Pied-de-Port, France, and walk about 500 miles/800 km to Santiago de Compostela over the course of 30–36 days.
But you can actually start from anywhere along that route. Or any of the dozens of other Camino routes (more on that later).
Maybe you’re not interested in walking over the Pyrenees (a requirement if you start in St. Jean-Pied-de-Port), but you want a long walk, so you start in Pamplona. Bonus: it’s an easier starting point to get to than St. Jean-Pied-de-Port. (435 miles / 700km / 28–32 days)
“I want a taste of it. Maybe a week or two.”
Head to León. It’s a beautiful city with an iconic cathedral. Your walk will take you through rolling hills, cities and towns of all sizes, and a variety of terrain—by which I mean some that will certainly test you physically and mentally. (195 mile / 310 km / 12–16 days).
Looking for an easier time? Or only a week? Start in Tui, Spain and walk the Camino Portugués. (72 miles / 116 km / 5–7 days) This was my husband’s first Camino and he highly recommends it!
Another option is the much less popular Camino Inglés. You’ll still meet people, share meals, share stories—but won’t feel like you’re in a parade, as can sometimes be the case on the Camino Francés and the Camino Portugués. (Start in Ferrol: 73 miles / 118 km / 5–6 days)
I intentionally did not recommend starting in Sarria on the Camino Francés (71 miles/ 115 km / 5–7 days). It is, in fact, the most popular starting point of all the Camino routes. And it often feels that way. So I don’t recommend starting there. And if you choose to walk the Camino Francés, I’d suggest avoiding an overnight there, too—it can be very jarring to suddenly see the trail so crowded.
Want Even More Flexibility?
If you don’t want to/need to end in Santiago de Compostela, your options grow exponentially. When my father, 71, wanted “a taste” of the Camino, we walked from Pamplona to Santo Domingo de la Calzada (165 km / 102 miles / 7 days). I would have never predicted he’d get hooked: he’s a donuts-for-breakfast and hot-dogs-for-lunch guy, but his impressive supply of Italian-American energy got him through as if it was nothing. He now does a week on the Camino every year (this year he’ll be 78).
So how do you choose? Next week I’ll share 10 questions I ask when helping clients decide which route is best for them. My clients learn a lot from these questions. But some say it feels even more overwhelming to decide. To which I say: just pick a route. No Camino route is going to be 100% perfect for you. But the Camino has a funny way of giving you just the experience you need.
With love,
Rebecca
📞Camino Connections Calls
It's time for my monthly Camino Connections Calls!
What are these calls? Every month, I open up 3 spots each for 20-minute conversations with members of this community. No agenda, no pitch—just a chance to connect person-to-person.
Why am I doing this? Because the thing I love most about the Camino is connecting with others. This is my way of saying thank you for being part of the Camino Calls community.
Who is this for? Anyone who wants to have a genuine human connection. You might want to ask Camino-related questions, questions about my life as an ex-pat in Spain, or maybe you just want to say hello. All are welcome!
How it works:
Show up on Zoom ready to connect
Enjoy the conversation.
It's first-come, first-served, and just one slot per person. If you've joined me for one of these calls in the past three months, I kindly ask that you allow new community members to grab these spots.
📸Scenes from the Camino - Trail Markers
🎥I’m Going Live on Substack!
On Wednesday, May 14, 10am EST/ 4pm CEST Carolina Wilke and Phil Powis of Sacred Business Flow will be interviewing me about my business (The Camino Calls).
Join us!
Easiest way: Get the Substack app. Link to that is at the bottom of every post. (And at the top if you’re reading this in your email.)
You have to have an account on Substack in order to see the Substack Live. So either do that via the app or by going to Substack.com
When I go live, you’ll get an email. Follow whatever links are given to take part!
OR: Go to substack.com, log in, and in the upper right corner, click on your picture or image, then choose “Activity.” In the list that comes up, anytime between 10 and 10:45 am EST, you should see the option to join us.
Looking forward to seeing you!
🥾Plan Your Camino With Me
Rebecca Weston is an American who walked her first Camino in 2012.
She helps people 45+ plan their own walks on the Camino de Santiago through her business The Camino Calls.
She and her husband live in Spain in a town of 6500 people on the Camino del Norte. She’s walked more than a dozen Caminos, spent many days volunteering along the trail, and if she’s not walking one now, she’s planning the next—and would love nothing more than to help you plan yours, too.
Every so often I stumble on something that feels universally known…except to me. How have I not heard more about this?
This is exactly why I love Substack - gems hiding in plain sight.
I’m going to share it with my husband when he wakes up… or maybe after coffee.
We’re slow traveling right now, so this kind of journey feels especially magnetic. Thank you for planting the seed!