Tags
Camino de Santiago, Camino Frances, Compostella, Finisterra, Finisterre, Forests, Galicia, Pilgrimage, St James, The Way, Trees, Walking in Spain
The Camino de Santiago
The Conche shell – iconic symbol of the Camino de Santiago
Greetings all! I have returned from my epic hike across northern Spain, and amongst other posts that I have been nefariously plotting whilst away, over the coming weeks I would also like to share some of my photo’s from my travels.
Basically, for the past six weeks Bonnie and I have been hiking the famous Medieval pilgrimage route the Camino de Santiago – more specifically the Camino Frances. The route runs from St Jean Pied-de-Port in France to Santiago in the West of Spain and runs through the provinces of Navarra, La Rioja, Burgos, Palencia, Leon, Lugo and La Cornuna (the last two forming the very Celtic region of Galicia). This particular Camino route (and there are lots of them) is round about 490 miles (790km) and by far the most popular and well sign-posted route to Santiago.
Although historically the Camino is famous as a Catholic pilgrimage route, today walkers of all faiths and no faiths walk the Camino (it has become particularly popular recently following release of the film ‘The Way’, starring Martin Sheen and Emilio Estevez). There is also a growing pagan element to the walk as many of the pilgrims continue on, past Santiago, and make their way to the rugged Costa da Morte and to the village of Fisterra. Here they burn their shoes on the rocky shores at the end of the world. It is said that this is an echo of the practices of pre-Christian pilgrims who sought spiritual rebirth at the temple to Ara Solis in Celtic times.
The Camino de Santiago (source: http://www.santiago-compostela.net/)
Rather than begin with the obvious – the religious architecture of the Camino – I prefer to indulge my passion for all things arboreal and begin with the Trees of the Camino de Santiago!
The Trees of the Camino
(All images copyright Lenora at http://www.hauntedpalace.co.uk)
At the Citadel above St Jean Pied de Port, France.
The citadel, St Jean Pied de Port
On the way to Orisson, via Route de Napoleon, heading over the Pyranees
The road to Roncevalles, coming down off the mountains, Spain
The avenue of plane trees of the Espolon in Burgos
Trees and stone shrines on the great wide expanse of the Meseta
The trees and logs had some amazing moss and lichen growth.
Spring Blossoms near Hornillos
Heading into the mountains near Rabanal
OK, no trees, but nice colours!
Grove pf beech trees on the way to Molinaseca
Nature reclaiming the land – Castillo de los Templarios
Knitted tree warmers were all the rage in Cacabelos!
Through the fields and Vineyards to Villafranca
O’Cebreiro at dawn, entering the Celtic lands of Spain
Ancient tree at Castano Mill, Galicia
A fallen giant
Early morning in the forest, Galicia
Left hand path or right hand path…?
One of the many shrine trees along The Way.
Dawn in the forests of Galicia
A rustic gate in Galicia, at times Galicia looks more like Britain or Ireland than Spain!
Is that the Grim Reaper!?
Commercially planted Eucalyptus trees (used for the pulp industry) have begun to replace the ancient beech and oak forests in some parts of Galicia.
In some places the old Oak and Beech trees still hold their own against the eucalyptus
Nearing Santiago, the moon over the forest.
The Haunted Palace 