Camino de Santiago: A hiking feat and a spiritual journey like no other

It was a kind of calling, felt for years, but it would always end up postponed for a more convenient time. One day Dolores Koverlica said she would not delay her Camino de Santiago anymore. She decided to do it this summer and her significant other joined in. It was a physical and a spiritual journey, a major hiking feat and a welcome break from the busy everyday living.

Since the Middle Ages, Christians from all over Europe walked from their homes to a site in Spanish Galicia, that today we know as Santiago de Compostela. It is believed that relics of the apostle St. James were found there in the 9th century.

Camino Primitivo: In the footsteps of king Alfonso II

Many pilgrim routes have formed over the centuries, all of them leading to the sacred place. Some of them are more popular than others. Dolores chose Camino Primitivo, the original one. Legend has it that the Asturian king Alfonso II was the first to take it, after he heard about the discovery of relics and after he ordered the construction of a chapel above them.

Camino Primitivo starts in Oviedo, in the Asturias region of Northern Spain. It is about 320 kilometres long. Most people will finish it in 11 to 16 days. Contrary to what you might expect, it isn’t all about sun and heat. Large parts of the route are woody and the weather can get damp. Dolores says that more than once it meant starting off into the misty horizons on a not-so-warm morning.

Walking 30 kilometers a day

- We walked some eight hours every day. If you keep a good, steady pace, you can do 25 or 30 kilometers per day. It took us 13 days to reach the cathedral at the Santiago de Compostela main square, which is where the journey ends, Dolores said.

Before going to Spain, they did some prep in local hiking destinations like Učka and Risnjak mountains. Still, it felt like a venture into the unknown.

On a trip like this, good walking shoes are a must. So is a backpack, because you need to carry everything with you: clothes that you wash and dry along the way, your phone, water and snacks. It is easy to find places to sleep over in towns and villages along the route. Accommodation and food are very basic. Local meals are based on eggs, potatoes and onions.

Amidst greenery and flowers, forests and fields, you will not see more than herds of cattle grazing freely, and occasional vehicles transporting milk. Now and then, a hearty “Buen Camino!” could come your way. This is how pilgrims wish each other a good journey.

Eight kilos on your back is a constant reminder of the physical effort you took on. It was a test for the body and mind that left her with a different sense of gratitude than she knew before.

Carrying physical load, releasing mental load

- You carry the physical load, and you release the mental load. I think it’s a good way to describe what happens as you walk in the footsteps of ancient pilgrims. You get to reconnect with the primordial, long-forgotten simplicity of living. It’s an experience of the child's joy that comes from an understanding that everything we need - we already have. It’s not easy to get to that at home, while we live our busy schedules and roles, she said.

Out there, you are little more than your T-shirt and your walking shoes. Your attention is focused on walking; the demanding physical effort doesn’t leave you space for much more. You detach yourself from your roles. It feels like there are no parents, children, managers, employees - or things they usually fuss about.

- There is more to say about the idyllic vibe I felt. People leave cash donations and payments in open envelopes, but nobody seems to worry. There is an atmosphere of trust. People will greet and support you without expecting something in return, she said.

On the last two days, Camino Primitivo merges into the more popular French route. That’s when things get more crowded. Reaching the destination is nothing short of breathtaking, with singing and positive energy that awaits before the Santiago de Compostela Cathedral.

The spiritual experience of Camino de Santiago is private, and will be different for everyone. Dolores says it got her connected with her inner self and filled her with a sense of gratitude.

- I wouldn’t go as far to say that such a journey is for everyone, or that everyone will feel the Camino calling. For me it was special for many reasons. And seeing so many people sharing a similar experience was rewarding, she concluded.