There I was, an average middle-aged woman living and working on Canada’s west coast. How, then, did I come to be walking this ancient path, family and friends left behind, and everything I owned in a pack on my back? Exchanging my office pumps for hiking boots and my purse for a backpack, for forty days I followed the Camino de Santiago, a historic pilgrimage of almost eight hundred kilometres across northern Spain. During my journey to Santiago, I experienced climbs and descents that challenged my endurance, ancient towns and historical landmarks that excited my imagination, and endless plains and stretches of solitude that tested my soul. I bent against blinding snow and pummeling winds, endured drenching rains, and basked in brilliant sunshine. My steps led over rocky trails, through whispering forests, among dancing grasslands, and through bustling cosmopolitan cities and crumbling towns. A colourful, international cast of characters strolled through my days, from an irreverent Irishman, to a Polish political prisoner, to a young German couple packing their new baby, to a Tennessee twosome that was walking the world. Their stories were as varied as the landscapes through which we passed. Some sought spiritual renewal, some walked to exercise grief, and some in hope or gratitude for personal miracles. Others just enjoyed walking, seeing a new country, and meeting new people. Each experienced their own Camino in their own way. Ordinary people living ordinary lives, suddenly stepping out on an extraordinary journey, we shared food, wine, and bunk rooms. Through laughter and tears, we broke down barriers of language, religion, and nationality. Strangers became friends, and friends became family, some just for a day or two . . . and some for a lifetime.

I'm Off Then has sold more than three million copies in Germany and has been translated into eleven languages. The number of pilgrims along the Camino has increased by 20 percent since the book was published. Hape Kerkeling's spiritual journey has struck a chord. Overweight, overworked, and disenchanted, Kerkeling was an unlikely candidate to make the arduous pilgrimage across the Pyrenees to the Spanish shrine of St. James, a 1,200-year-old journey undertaken by nearly 100,000 people every year. But he decided to get off the couch and do it anyway. Lonely and searching for meaning along the way, he began the journal that turned into this utterly frank, engaging book. Filled with unforgettable characters, historic landscapes, and Kerkeling's self-deprecating humor, I'm Off Then is an inspiring travelogue, a publishing phenomenon, and a spiritual journey unlike any other.

The route of St Jean Pied de Port in the foothills of the French Pyrenees to Santiago de Compostela represents one of the most popular Christian pilgrimages in the world. Walked by millions over the millennia it represents a force for spiritual transformation. This title offers a guide to the pilgrimage, including a fold out map and route planner, 33 daily stage maps with contour guides, 10 town maps including Santiago, a Sun Compass, to orientate your direction and information on all pilgrim hostels along the way together with details of alternative accommodation.

'Walking to the End of the World' keeps us turning its pages--an elegant story woven in the seasoned voice of writer Beth Jusino, who shares great insight into her own strengths and weaknesses, relationships of all sorts, and a world view we'd all do well to consider. -Steven Watkins, author of Pilgrim Strong: Rewriting My Story on the Way of St. James

The experiences of an ordinary man on the pilgrim’s path are charted in this narrative that walks along the Camino Francés to the shrine of Saint James at Santiago de Compostela and then on to Finisterre, the westernmost point of Spain. The history of the Camino is recounted, as well as several of the myths, legends, and miracle stories that have become attached--and given special meaning--to this itinerary. Emphasizing that personal myths are an essential part of this lore, this chronicle also includes stories from the confraternity of the pilgrims, people from all corners of the world who visit this walk for a great diversity of reasons, but all of whom leave having experienced the same miracle--that this pilgrimage will play a defining role in their lives.

Life was falling apart. Within the space of three years, Sonia Choquette had suffered the unexpected death of two close family members, seen her marriage implode, and been let down by trusted colleagues. And sympathy was not forthcoming. "You’re a world-renowned spiritual teacher and intuitive guide," people jeered. "How could you not have seen this coming?" Having intuitive abilities didn’t make her superhuman, however. Nor did it exempt her from being wounded or suffering the pain of loss and the consequences of our all-too-human traits such as anger, resentment, and pride—traits that can lead even the best of us to stray from our spiritual path. In order to regain her spiritual footing, Sonia turned to the age-old practice of pilgrimage and set out to walk the legendary Camino de Santiago, an 820-kilometer trek over the Pyrenees and across northern Spain. Day after day she pushed through hunger, exhaustion, and pain to reach her destination. Eventually, mortification of the flesh gave way to spiritual renewal, and she rediscovered the gifts of humility and forgiveness that she needed to repair her world. In this riveting book, Sonia shares the intimate details of her grueling experience, as well as the unexpected moments of grace, humor, beauty, and companionship that supported her through her darkest hours. While her journey is unique, the lessons she learned—about honoring your relationships with others as well as with your own higher self, and forgiving all else—are universal.

This is the story of one couple's 500-mile, 31-day pilgrimage across northern Spain to Santiago de Compostela in 2018.