Traveller Tale: Margaret's Highlights of the Camino

A great sense of achievement at Santiago de Compostela | Margaret Sacree

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Traveller Tale: Margaret's Highlights of the Camino de Santiago

You'll be inspired to walk the Camino de Santiago in Spain after reading Margaret's wonderful account of her Camino experience.

She has had such a good time walking the Camino de Santiago and you can really envision the cherished memories she has made. If you haven't yet explored a Camino trail: this is what you're in for!

Over to you, Margaret.

Iconic sight on the Camino trail | <i>Margaret Sacree</i>

"Why?" people asked me.

I simply said, "Because I want to".

Maybe I should have given a more enlightened or spiritual answer to why I was doing part of the Camino de Santiago, but what I wanted to do was spend time with a dear friend who, like me, was a keen walker.

With a personalised itinerary to walk 260km of the Way of St James prepared for us by UTracks, we set out from Roncesvalles in Spain in April this year.

Colourful flowers marking the Camino trail | <i>Margaret Sacree</i>

We soon established a daily routine that was no more complicated than lacing up our boots, putting on our backpacks, and putting one foot in front of the other, thanks to the logistical details sorted out by UTracks.

As we relaxed in our accommodation at the end of each walk, we would reflect on our day - the scenery, the people, the highlights, and whether it would be a beer or a sangria with our meal that evening.

We stayed in some amazing places - from the Hotel Monastery St Zoilo with its medieval cloisters and beautiful Church, to the cosy Casa Leopoldo with its fabulous painted ceilings and delicious home-cooked food served around the huge kitchen table.

Recycled boots make great vases on the Camino | <i>Margaret Sacree</i>

A Camino milestone in Spain | <i>Margaret Sacree</i>

Wonderful Spanish architecture found on the Camino | <i>Margaret Sacree</i>

The highlights were many:

the Pilgrims Blessing at Roncesvalles;
that first day when we set off into the unknown and walked through stunning countryside and villages;
the riot that was Pamplona when we arrived in the middle of a soccer frenzy when the local team Osayunas was playing Real Madrid in the Spanish Cup Final;
the stunning Cathedral at Burgos, and the humble Church at O Cebriero;
the majestic views from the Alto del Perdon and the Cruz de Fierro;
and finally lighting a candle in the little chapel in the Pilgrims office in Santiago, clutching our Compostela's.

We made friends with some lovely people along the way, and some peregrino dogs too!

A great sense of achievement at Santiago de Compostela | <i>Margaret Sacree</i>

Our journey is now over and we have decided that we must do it again. With the help of World Expeditions and UTracks, where to next?

The Portugese Way?

The Via Francigena in Italy?

Or even the Kumano Kodo in Japan?

Why not?!

Thanks so much to the wonderful Margaret Sacree for her Traveller Tale. If you have a travel story you'd like to share, please get in touch with William.