Hiking the Camino del Norte || Self-discovery and Rejuvenation-The Movie

#caminodelnorte #caminodesantiago #spain #hikingadventures
Can you recall that feeling of needing a major reset in your life? I certainly can.
I was, like many, stuck in a daily grind and I craved an adventure that would reconnect me with nature and myself. I was always rushing and in a hurry.
I felt as if I’d lost the sense of what was truly important in my work and life.
And when pressed hard, I walked urgently, thought urgently and ate urgently-all of this I found tremendously ineffective and unhealthy.
I also dreamt of taking on a challenge that pushed me physically, mentally and emotionally.
That’s why, when I gave up my full-time job, I first decided to embark on an 840 KM hike along the Camino del Norte in Spain.
The Camino del Norte, or the Northern Route, stretches across the northern coast of Spain.
I started in Irún; a city close to the French border. Moving west, I passed through the rugged yet beautiful Basque Country, soaked up the sun and sandy beaches in Cantabria, delighted in the mountainous and lush vegetation of Asturias, and ended up in the rich cultural landscape of Galicia and the historic cathedral city of Santiago de Compostela.
So, join me as I take you along on my adventure.
I’ll show you some stunning scenery, introduce you to the wonderful people I met along the Way, invite you to sit with me during my frequent coffee breaks, and finally share with you my challenges and feelings about getting lost, trudging along stony pathways and getting out of breath going up (and down) steep hills and mountains.
I certainly had my fair share of challenges from getting lost, stepping on stones, walking on asphalt and going up and down endless hills. But, I enjoyed myself tremendously and I’m glad I did it.
I’ll be honest and tell you that although there is much discussion about the ‘Camino experience,’ I’m not sure I can pin it down to a specific event, time or place.
I didn’t have (or I don’t think I had) an epiphany-a moment of sudden realisation or revelation.
Rather, I think something else happened that crept up to me daily.
For starters, I got fit. I learnt to SLOW DOWN and reflect. I felt younger, and looked less haggard, I think.
It became a lot easier to socialise and help others when they needed it and I realised that I had, and continue to have one year later, the perseverance and stamina to walk a very long distance without an injury and blissful wonder about how fortunate and blessed I am, these days.
So, I encourage you to explore and experience the Camino de Santiago for yourself.
The Northern Route is beautiful, unique and not as crowded in my experience as the Camino Francés-the French Way.
¡Buen Camino! Thanks for watching and I’ll see you on the next one.

[@mikaeltamerat]

This is very well made and inspiring .
Watching from Ethiopia 🇪🇹

[@PhillipATowndrowHikes]

Thanks for watching and taking the time to write a comment.

[@filiporoque4997]

Thank you Phillip for the wonderful memories 2023, at 70 I was the slowest hiking with my Hospital 'Clutches' for support and 95 % of the time I was alone and lost the way several times, my longest was from Baamomdo to Sobrado 40 kms took around 12 hrs (no rush) expect that I ran out of water you take care and keep on Hiking and enjoy the Nature and sound of the Birds, thanks Filipo

[@PhillipATowndrowHikes]

Thanks for watching and taking the time to write a wonderful comment. Congratulations on your achievement.

[@noralynification]

It’s a very nice and awe- inspiring video about your challenges and rewards of taking the way. I can’t wait to have my own time to reset and heal.

[@PhillipATowndrowHikes]

That's good to know and something very worthwhile to look forward to. Thanks for watching the video and your support throughout my pilgrimage. It means a lot.

[@emlyngriffith5846]

Well done. Good effort. It looks a lot more built up than the more popular French route? I’ve lived here in Spain for 20 years and still considering walking a camino….perhaps I’m too old at 73…..

[@PhillipATowndrowHikes]

Thanks for your comment. As they say, age is just a number and only you know (as far as you can) what your limits are. You might want to try a short section (3-5 days) to see how you feel physically and MENTALLY.

[@odyssey37]

An amazing walk and a great challenge! I wonder what time of the year you did this Camino del Norte? How many days did you walk and haw many rest days did you take if at all? What was the longest day in KM and in hours? Thank you

[@PhillipATowndrowHikes]

Thanks for watching and your questions. I did the Camino del Norte between June and July. 39 days on the trail and 2 rest days. The longest day was 39 KM and it took around 9 hours. I hope this helps.