Mindful Walking on an Ancient Camino Trail

Embarking on the Camino has often been described as a walk for the soul. Walking along the Meseta across Northern Spain, one can’t help but tune into a slower pace of life. In recent years and in light of the Covid pandemic, using the Camino for mindful walking and as a time to reflect is becoming quite popular.

The joy of walking is the ability to bask in the task of the moment and a quiet walk in natural surroundings allows us to pause, take deep breaths and enjoy the repetitive task of putting one foot in front of the other.

Whether you walk the coastal paths of the Camino Portugues or the forest tracks of the Camino Frances, each trail offers the chance to discover the power of nature.

Mindful Walking on the Camino Portugues Coastal

“Walking allows us to deeply immerse ourselves in nature, our new surroundings, and appreciate each moment. Our mind and body focus on the activity, taking step after step and enjoying every single one of them. The pleasure of meeting other pilgrims along the way makes the Camino journey even more special.”

These are the words of Galician native Maria Golpe. Maria has walked and cycled many different Camino routes and has first-hand experience of the mental health benefits the Camino provides.

Research has proven that a connection with nature provides strong social and emotional benefits. A recent study in the Journal of Religion, Spirituality, and Aging shows that nature helps to reduce levels of anxiety and enhance higher positive well-being. In fact, during the various lockdowns around the world, people constantly flocked to nature for comfort and to cope with the stress of the pandemic.

With that in mind, when you walk the Camino, make sure you take the time to be aware of the smells, sights and sounds around you. Being present in the moment when you hear birds chirping and trees rustling can be an exhilarating experience, helping to restore clarity after these trying times.

How mindful walking helped me to achieve a work-life balance

I had my first taste of a walking holiday in 2015. Since then, I’ve chosen a new Camino route each year, one that gives me the time and space to simply live in the moment. My most recent trail was the Camino Portugues from Baiona to Santiago.

This stunning route takes you along the dramatic Atlantic coastline and through a variety of beautiful historic towns. Before heading off on my journey, I was a little apprehensive. Firstly, I had little experience walking over long-distance terrain. My biggest experience before this was a Sunday stroll in the Irish hills, which led me along tree-lined paths for just over two hours. Time had never allowed for much longer, yet here I was preparing to walk over 120 km in 6 days.

How would I find my way? What types of terrain would I cross? Is it dangerous? What if I can’t keep up with the others? These were just a few of the worrisome questions that crossed my mind. However, as soon as we started out on the Camino paths with the vibrant yellow arrows guiding us, these questions quickly faded into the background. The joy of walking is truly being immersed in your immediate surroundings. No clouds of judgment exist, just clouds guiding you to your next destination. These are the simple joys we often take for granted.

As previously mentioned, I had very little experience with active holidays. For me, my job was one that was both enjoyable and demanding, with pressure being part of the package. Phrases like reaching targets, achieving results, making contacts and building profiles sprinkled my days. If I’m being honest,