Camino Inglés 2023 - Review

 

It’s been a few weeks since we got back from Spain, so I suppose I’ve had time to reflect on this year’s Camino walks. Both the “English Inglés” and the “Spanish Inglés”.

Firstly, I’m delighted that we did it. Whilst the distances were not very great, and the way we went about doing the two legs were quite different to previous efforts, it nevertheless, feels like a genuine achievement. Both the English and Spanish sections had some great countryside and provided the photographic opportunities I wanted (and boy, that is important!). It has also confirmed the joy of simply walking from “A to B” rather than having to go in a circle to get back to a car or station. The cumulative impact of the A to B Factor is not to be underestimated.

If someone wanted to do a taster of a Spanish Camino the Inglés would be a great starting point, as it can be done in 5 or 6 days. It is less well trodden, so getting good information on services, accommodation, café’s etc can be more difficult. John Brierley’s excellent guidebook is the “go to” material. However, Mr Brierley passed away last week, so a question mark hangs over whether his books will be updated moving forwards.

The English “Inglés” is also a great introduction to Camino’s but is far more challenging in terms of getting accommodation, particularly between Reading and Winchester. It is, of course doable, but takes some planning. Additionally, there are no Albergues, so what accommodation is available will be far more expensive. The route of the English section is delightful, through quintessential English villages and countryside. Much of the route on the last two days follows the river Itchen, which, being a chalk stream, really is a national treasure. However, the paths are not great as they are so close to the river itself and are very liable to flooding after sustained rainfall.

Compared to the longer Camino’s we’ve undertaken it the combined English and Spanish legs probably weren’t as good. “Por que?” I hear you ask. Put simply, it just wasn’t very sociable. On the English legs we met one other person who was walking the route. She was very pleasant, hailed from Egham, and her daughter had briefly worked for Bupa in Staines; but thankfully not one of my teams. Although we saw her early on in day 2 at Silchester, bizarrely our paths did not cross again that day, or later during the week. On the Spanish legs we met one other person whose first language was English We met her in a café bar on our 5^th day, and as luck would have it, she was walking the opposite way to us: from Santiago to Ferrol. Overall, there were fewer Pilgrims on the Inglés than on our previous Camino’s. In some ways that made it more enjoyable, but from a social perspective it detracted from it. There seemed to be many Italians walking the Inglés, most of whom spoke as much English as I speak Italian. They were friendly enough, but ultimately the language barrier was an issue

Italians!

From meeting Paul Thomas in Santiago it was clear how much more sociable things are if you use the Albergues (Hostels). You simply can’t help but bump into other Pilgrims, partly because of the shared accommodation (dormitories), and the communal Pilgrims meals. We really can’t complain about that, as we chose to have private accommodation along the way. As for Pilgrims meals, we only found one place that did them in the evenings; and that was where we stayed in a private room in an Albergue.

Aside from how quiet (and unsociable) it was, there was a big factor on the Spanish section that made it feel very different from previous Camino’s. The sea. To walk near the sea, and along the long inlets (Ria’s) was a delight. What is it about water? Of course, that was only for the first three days, but nevertheless it was marvellous. And of course, we took the opportunity to have a swim or two on beautiful quiet beaches.

 

If we do another Camino, and I hope we do, I’d like it to be the Portuguese way, taking the coastal route from Porto or Vigo up to Santiago. Talking of Santiago, it remains a magical place that I could go back to again and again. Its historical and beautiful centre just have that special vibe. A vibe that is enhanced by the constant stream of Pilgrims celebrating their arrival into the city.

However, it must be said that the first arrival there after a Camino can never be matched. For us this time it was nowhere near as magical despite the amazing coincidence of meeting Paul Thomas as we turned the corner for the final 200 meters to the cathedral. That was absolutely special and well beyond serendipity. So next time we do a Camino, the arrival into Santiago it has got a lot to live up to. But of course, it’s all about the journey than the arrival so hopefully we’ll rouse ourselves for at least one more.

Lastly, it must be said that the “English Inglés” was a game-changer in terms of making it feel more like an achievement. Of course, if we hadn’t found out about the English section, we’d have been none the wiser. However, the extra 70 miles of walking that it provided, and its logistical challenges, just made for a much greater sense of achievement. I know I’ve said it before, but the traditional “Camino scallops and yellow arrows signage” together with the opportunity to get stamps in a Credencial (passport) just elevated it to way beyond just another English long-distance walk. Arguably that’s quite sad on my part, but it genuinely made it far more special.

I’m sitting here writing this on July 26, some 6 weeks after our return. It’s absolutely peeing down outside. Bloody grim! I would much rather be somewhere in rural Spain knackered after a day’s walking, drinking Estrella Galicia’s wonderful brew 1906 (Mil nueve).

Buen Camino…here’s to the next one!