Talk Title: Tales from the Trail: Walking over 2500 kms on the Camino de Santiago in France, Portugal, and Spain.
Bio/Intro: Martin Jamieson along with his wife, Janine and their 3 kids relocated to Toronto from the UK almost 27 years ago for a 3-year international assignment with Martin’s work, they never returned home. Intent on exploring across Canada whilst in the country, their first adventure was a trip to Newfoundland in the summer of 1999 and they fell hopelessly in love with the province and its people. Despite the attraction of so many other parts of this wonderful country, there became no question that they would eventually settle in Newfoundland, building their house and lives here in Trinity in 2010.
All aspects of the great outdoors are a big part of Martin’s life, both here and in Europe, and long distance, ‘through hiking’ has become a real passion in recent years. He discovered the existence of the Camino de Santiago pilgrim’s way while on a trip to the city of Santiago de Compostela in NW Spain over 30 years ago. First walked in the 8th and 9th centuries, the pilgrimage became a huge phenomenon within the Catholic church in the Middle Ages with many thousands of pilgrims walking to Santiago from across Europe each year. Although significant numbers continued to walk through later centuries, they were nothing to match the numbers in the Middle Ages.
Over the last 30 years or so, the Camino de Santiago has grown in popularity once again, attracting hikers/pilgrims from all over the world. Although at its heart, it is still an important Catholic pilgrimage, today it is far broader and people of all ages, religions, cultures, and beliefs travel to various starting points across Europe each year to walk the “Way of St James’.
Martin hiked small sections of various Camino trails over several years leading up to him taking on the challenge of walking the entire 816 km Camino Frances in 2019. In 2022, he repeated that journey followed by walking the Camino Portuguese twice and so far, half of the Camino del Norte. Martin’s presentation will introduce the Camino through pictures and stories. He will also focus also on the practicalities of food, accommodation, planning, navigation and travel for those who may have more than a passing interest in taking on the challenge of a modern pilgrimage themselves.
