Camino Diary: March 2021

This must be the world's worst blog! Only a single post in the dreaded 2020, but that at least was a positive one. Though the word "positive" now, in these Covid times, has sinister connotations. It is now a full year since we ceased to live normally, but we have survived these long and lonely 12 months, and despite entering into our third, and most scary lock-down on December 30th, reaping the results of frenetic shopping and socialising over the Christmas period, we are trying to remain buoyant as we hopefully face a slow return to a new normal. The various vaccines are our key to survival, and will mean that the younger generations don't have to worry so much about their older relations. But the newly emerging variants have us worried.

Quite by accident I discovered that 2021 is indeed a special Camino Holy Year, when the feast of St James falls on a Sunday. The last one was in 2010, when I walked 325 kms from Mansilla de las Mulas, 17kms east of Leon on the Camino Frances, and was joined by Frank at Sarria for the last 120kms into Santiago.

Lock-down III has brought more and more people out into the paths and parks to exercise, and there are walkers and joggers everywhere. As coronavirus numbers rise alarmingly, and the population of seaside trippers expands (despite the 5km permitted travel limit), we are once again limiting our exercise to the fields during the weekends, to severely limit our contact with others. Conditions are more difficult than during the warm welcoming days last spring. The ground is wet and rough, but the views are still amazing, and we are so privileged to have these acres open to us. Weekdays are not so busy, and it is wonderful to be able to walk along the shoreline and breathe in the restorative sea air.

Keeping fit hasn't been a problem. There is more than enough time for a couple of hours' walking each day, and according to my phone I have completed 445 kms since January 1 - that's about 44.5 kms per week : I would need to up the mileage considerably to complete a 100km+ Camino in ten days! But as soon as we get the all clear to travel, and have had the necessary jabs, I would hope to head for the Camino Porugues once more - tried and tested twice before, and relatively quiet and level. Once again I will be calling on the generosity of family and friends to support the marvelous work done by Breakthrough Cancer Research

This will be an entirely different year for pilgrim walkers. I cannot envisage staying at any of the hostels, in shared dorms. Neither do I see problems in securing single bedrooms in simple hotels along the route, as there will be a general air of caution about undertaking a trip of this nature. And if things become too difficult I can decamp back to Tango, still moored safely in Vigo.

But with the way things are going, travel abroad this year may only be a pipe dream. Please watch this space in the coming months as preparations get underway.