029: Thinking About the Camino de Santiago? Here’s the Push You’ve Been Waiting For

Because when the Camino calls, sometimes you just need a nudge to answer.

Rebecca Weston

Sep 07, 2025

Hello Camino friends! Here’s what’s in this issue:

🤔 “Thinking About the Camino de Santiago? Here’s the Push You’ve Been Waiting For”

📸Scenes from the Camino: Rain Gear

🎥Upcoming Live Camino Conversations

🥾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!

🤔Thinking About the Camino de Santiago? Here’s the Push You’ve Been Waiting For

“What’s something you’d say to people who are considering the Camino but are on the fence about it?” Maria asked me.

“There’s a reason the Camino is calling you.” I said. “You don’t need to know the reason. I didn’t know why I wanted to do my first Camino—I just knew it was something I was meant to do. Listen to that call.”

My second piece of advice? Talk to people. Face-to-face. In person, ideally, but Zoom or FaceTime work as well. Talk to people who’ve done the Camino. Don’t just read 553 opinions on what shoes you should buy on some Facebook group. Or scroll mindlessly through the concerns of others.

Jot down your questions and concerns.
If you have a local chapter of your country’s Camino organization nearby, send them an email and ask if they can connect you with someone.
If you don’t have a chapter nearby, find someone online whose answers you like (via whatever social media platform you use). Set a timer—only allow yourself 5 minutes to find this person. Then send them a direct message and ask if you can connect with them or if they know someone who would have a 30 minute conversation with you about the Camino.
Don’t expect someone else to plan everything for you. Simply ask for 30 minutes of their time and ask your questions.

Does this work? I can pretty much guarantee it.

How do I know? Because people that have done the Camino love talking about it. And love helping others get there. It’s the reason I started my business. It’s the reason there are so many YouTube videos and Facebook groups about the Camino.

And don’t think you have to take one person’s answers and do just as they did. Talk to more people. Actually talk to them—forget sending messages or emails back and forth. You’ll learn more in a 30 minute conversation (and be more focused on it) than you’ll ever get from messages shared over a social media platform.

Am I 100% correct on this? Maybe. Maybe not. I don’t particularly care. I know what’s worked for me. And what’s worked for hundreds (probably thousands) of pilgrims I’ve spoken to.

Have I met pilgrims who decided one day to walk the Camino and were on the trail a week later? Sure. But most of you who are reading this want a little more guidance before stepping foot on the trail.

I get it.

I was in your shoes.

Before there were any YouTube videos talking about the Camino.

Before Facebook groups existed.

When I did my first Camino, no one I knew had ever heard of it—let alone walked it.

But the world is different now. There are millions of us who have done it and would love to help you.

Besides the fact that real-world conversations face-to-face are just incredible in ways I can’t quite describe. I miss that world. I’m all for forward progress, but trust me on this: If you want to go from fearful to confident, find someone to talk to. And then another someone to talk to.

Be open when you’re first starting your research. It’s okay if they didn’t do the same route you’re considering. It’s okay if they stayed in hostels and you want to stay in private rooms. It’s okay if they walked with their partner but you want to go alone.

This is your information gathering phase. And it’s so much more enjoyable to do face-to-face.

For those of you looking for specific answers to specific questions about your specific Camino, feel free to set up a call with me. Or a series of calls. I met recently with a woman who was planning to walk the last 100km of the Camino Francés (from Sarria to Santiago) in October.

“I don’t want a lot of physically challenging terrain,” she told me.

“Uh. . . how attached are you to the Camino Francés?” I asked.

“I’d consider other routes. Why? Is it hard?”

“Let me show you the elevation chart of the route you’re considering. Then I’ll show you the elevation chart of a couple other options,” I said, as I shared my screen with her and pulled up my resources.

Could she have found those elevation charts? Probably. Would it have taken her a lot longer? Probably. Could she have found someone else who has walked four different 100km routes into Santiago de Compostela and could explain to her the pros and cons of each? Less likely, but possible.

So if you’re at the stage where you want answers to your specific questions and concerns, set up a call with me. If you’re not at that stage, no problem. Keep reading.

Here’s the thing: I want you to do the Camino.

I don’t care if you use my help of not.

I mean, sure, I’d love to help you—but that’s not my deep-down-in-my-soul reason for writing these posts.

I write these posts every Sunday to help keep that dream alive for you. To inspire you. To help you move from apprehensive or nervous about doing the Camino to a place of, “You know? I think I could do this.”

And then, in my dream world, you get there. Sooner rather than later (because that Mediterranean cruise? Yes, you can do that when you’re 80. Hiking the Camino when you’re 80? I know people doing it, but if I was going to place a bet on when your body is going to be in better shape for the Camino, I’d bet on sooner rather than later!)

And then I want you to get to Santiago de Compostela. I want you to get the chills in your spine that I’m feeling right now simply writing those words. I want you to stand there thinking, “Holy ____. I actually did this!”

I can’t promise you’ll arrive fresh-faced and pain-free. I can’t promise your road will have been all roses and rainbows. In fact, I can pretty much promise you it won’t be. They’ll be moments of struggle. Of “Why am I doing this?!” Trust me. I’ve done over a dozen Caminos—I still have those moments.

But you know what? That’s part of the Camino. It’s part of life. When’s the last time you did something you weren’t sure you could actually pull off? If it’s been a while, all the more reason to get to the Camino.

I continue to try to explain it. I don’t know if I can. But read my other posts. Watch my interviews. Watch my live videos from the Camino. Can you feel it? I tried to capture it the last time I walked into Santiago de Compostela. You’ll see me tearing up. You’ll see me pause to keep a sob from escaping.

I haven’t traveled everywhere in the world. I don’t know what it’s like to see Petra or Cappadoccia (both still on my list). But here’s something I do know: SO MANY PEOPLE tell me how hard it is to describe the magic of the Camino to people who haven’t done it. (I’m getting chills again writing this).

So just trust me.

Go.

With love,

Rebecca

p.s. When you come back, I’d love to have you as a guest on Camino Conversations. Respond to this post or any email from me.

📸Scenes from the Camino—Rain Gear

I always tell potential pilgrims that if you’re packing something “just in case,” leave it home. The only exception? Rain gear.

In my experience, there are two main camps when it comes to rain gear. The first group love the rain poncho (see left photo below). I am not part of that group.

The poncho pictured was gifted to me on a Camino. I tried it one day and decided it wasn’t for me. First of all, it takes two people to get the contraption over your head and pack. Secondly, it goes down to your knees, so everything below that gets wet. And the bottom just flaps all over the place if your rainy day includes any wind.

But some people love them. Like so much on the Camino—there’s no one right answer.

My preference? If it’s a light rain, my rain jacket is fine. Downpour? I add the rain pants.

Pro tip: Make sure your rain jacket is waterproof and not just water-resistant.

🎥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, September 10, 11-11:45 ET: Hana Maris — Last August, at age 65, Hana walked the Camino Primitivo — one of the most challenging Camino routes.
Wednesday, September 17, 11-11:45 ET: Maurice Frank — After completing his first Camino at 67 (the Camino Francés in 2023), he returned the following year to do the Camino Portugués (with Spritual Variant and on to Finisterre). He also volunteered at Pilgrim House in Santiago de Compostela.
Wednesday, Sept 23, 11-11:45 ET: Myriam Llano — Thinking of doing the Camino with teenage kids? Don’t miss this one. Myriam walked the Camino Francés from St-Jean-Pied-de-Port to Santiago with her two teenagers. Last year, she was back—doing the Camino Portugués with one of them.

🥾Ready to start planning your Camino?

Rebecca Weston
Camino Planning & Preparation Guide (for People 45+)
Rebecca@TheCaminoCalls.com

Your Camino adventure should feel exciting, not stressful — here are some ways I can help you get ready:

Watch Camino Conversations for practical tips and advice from my guests who have done the Camino (or more than one!).
🗓️ Camino Planning Session (45 min): Get answers to your top questions and a notes doc created during our call.
📞 Full Camino Experience: 6 coaching calls with detailed notes to plan your trip with confidence and ease.
🥾 Walk With Rebecca: 7-day hybrid Camino walks — 3 days guided, 4 days independent, private rooms, preparation classes, and optional check-ins. Click here to be the first to be notified about my next trip.Rebecca Weston is an American who walked her first Camino in 2012.

About me: I’ve walked more than a dozen Caminos, spent many days volunteering along the trail, and if I’m not walking one now, I’m planning the next—and would love nothing more than to help you plan yours, too. My husband and I live in a town of 6500 people on the Camino del Norte.