020: Am I Too Old to Walk the Camino de Santiago?
Probably not. And these pilgrims (all 55+) prove it.
Hello Camino friends! Here’s what’s in this issue:
🎂 “Am I Too Old to Walk the Camino de Santiago?”
📸Scenes from the Camino: It’s Not About Your Age
🎥Join us for live conversations with people 55+ who’ve walked the Camino.
📖 What I’m Reading (Hint: I’m getting ready to lead a group on the Camino!)
🥾How to get help planning your Camino.
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“What’s the Camino?”
❓Not even sure what the Camino de Santiago is? Start here.
🤔Heard of the Camino but not sure if it’s for you? Read this.
Let’s get started!
🎂Am I Too Old to Walk the Camino de Santiago?
I was volunteering along the Camino de Santiago when a tall, white-haired man stopped by with two younger, dark-haired men. They were from Ireland, I learned. A father and his two sons.
“My third son is driving the car,” the father said. Seeing my perplexed look, one of the sons explained, “We do a week on the Camino with our father every year. Each day, two of us walk with him and one of us drives the support car—in case we need some help.”
The father’s age? Eighty-nine.
I know of a man in Asheville, North Carolina who walks Caminos in his 90s.
My father, now 77, does a week on the Camino every year—usually with me, but last year he did a week completely on his own.
So are you too old to do the Camino de Santiago? Probably not.
It’s not about age.
—
It’s not about your physical ability at this very moment, either.
When Lois first learned about the Camino at age 70, she told me it was something she would have loved to do when she was younger, but not something she could do now. Three years later, we were on the Camino together. She walked over 500 miles from Roncesvalles to Santiago de Compostela, and on to the ocean at Finisterre.
Now she’s 80-something and walks 5 miles every day that the weather allows it.
How did she go from zero to Camino? She trained. I guided her on everything from finding the right shoes to how to get started to what to do when issues arose.
Want to hear her side of the story? She’ll be joining me live here on Substack on July 16 from 11-11:45 EST. Mark your calendar— more info to come in subsequent newsletters.
Does the Camino challenge you physically? Absolutely. Rare is the person who has walked 12-15 miles for 7 or 15 or 30 consecutive days.
But is it too physically challenging for you? Maybe at the moment you’re reading this, yes. But could you train for it? Sure. Will it be easy? No. Can you do it? Probably.
And I’m happy to help you get there.
With love,
Rebecca
📸Scenes from the Camino: It’s Not About Your Age
Despite what these pictures show, the Camino is not just trails--but I tend to take pictures when it's most scenic! These are all from Lois’ Camino Francés adventure. Join us on July 16 to hear her talk about her experiences.
🎥Join me for live interviews here on Substack!
Sure, I can tell you all about how to train for, plan, and walk the Camino de Santiago. But what’s better than me? Conversations with others (45+) who have done it!
Wednesday, July 9, 11-11:45 EST: Tim Wesolowski — In April, Tim completed the Camino Portugués from Tui, Spain.
Wednesday, July 16, 11-11:45 EST: Lois B. — At 73, Lois walked over 500 miles from St-Jean-Pied-de-Port, France to Santiago de Compostela and then to Finisterre.
Wednesday, July 30, 11-11:45 EST: Maria Seco teaches pilgrims the Spanish they need to make the most of their time on the Camino de Santiago.
Wednesday, August 13, 11-11:45 EST: Hana Maris — Last August, at age 65, Hana walked the Camino Primitivo.
📖What I’m Reading
I’m planning a little “scouting adventure” on the Camino Inglés! This October, I’ll be leading a small group on a Camino, and before then — in July — I’m heading over to walk the Camino Inglés myself. I want to see if this lesser-known route might be the perfect one for my first group trip.
To that end, I’m supplementing my online research with a physical guidebook to the Camino Ingles written by the late John Brierley. I used one of his guidebooks on my first Camino (long before apps for the Camino existed) and am thankful his daughter Gemma, who worked with him for the last 15 years, is continuing to update them.
Interested in joining this small group experience? Comment below or respond to this message:)
I will also be writing more about this in upcoming newsletters. If you’re a subscriber, you’ll get that info. If you’re not a subscriber yet, click below to join us (it’s free!).
Do you have Camino questions you want me or my interview guests to answer? Respond to this email or comment on this post. I’d love to hear from you!
🥾Ready to start planning your Camino?
Rebecca Weston is an American who walked her first Camino in 2012.
She helps people 45 and over 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.
I’m also interested in joining the small group. I I’ve in Texas and I’m 64
I am interested in joining the small group experience. I live in New York State and am 69.