Three years ago when I set out from the UK with no intention of coming back and my entire life attached to my body, my first goal was to walk the Camino de Santiago shooting time-lapse all the way. And for reasons I will explain in later posts I decided to do this barefoot. Below is a photograph of everything I carried with me. And yes, it was heavy!
To put it in simple terms I tired of the rat race after 15 years of struggling as an independent film-maker in London and after waking up to the many deceptions currently taking place on this planet I knew I was ready for some drastic change in my life. So I sold most of my possessions and the rest went into the skip you can see below.
The well trodden route known as The Camino de Santiago (the road to Santiago) starts in Southern France, crossing the Pyrenees mountains into Spain and then along the northern part of Spain all the way to the West coast where you will find the great city of Santiago. It has been walked by thousands of people for hundreds of years and there are three traditional routes but in truth pilgrims can start anywhere they like, as long as they end up in Santiago.
The experience of this trek was made famous by the 2014 Hollywood movie 'The Way', starring Martin Sheen. And since then has become incredibly popular. This boost in popularity created a boost in prices for the weary travellers who really have no other option but to sleep in the dwellings on offer along the way. Unless like me they happened to bring their tent! And even when you do have a tent, they do their best now to ensure you don't have anywhere to set it up. Though where there is a will there is a way and every night my friend and I were able to sleep for free under the stars, just as nature intended.
Walking this ancient route is said to provide a spiritual experience which will assist every aspect of your life. And to be fair that is exactly what it did for me. In truth however, spending this much time in nature, walking through stunning views of mountains & forests is always going to change one's perspective on reality. After a life-time of city dwelling, the contrast cannot be anything less than profound.
The scallop shell you can see above has become the most iconic symbol of the Camino de Santiago and along with the yellow arrow you will never be in doubt about which path to take or which homes will welcome you with open arms - as long as you have some money in your pocket!
Dominika & I walked slowly but surely, stopping frequently along the way to shoot our beloved time-lapse films and talk at length with passing pilgrims.
We took with us an array of crystals, all of which I do believe in some way guided us on that long journey across the Pyrenees mountain range. Most people we met travelled very light and were up every morning at the crack of dawn to cover as much ground as they could each day. This system didn't ring true for us however. We preferred to take our time and if we liked an area we would stay a few days. Sometimes we ran out of food as there were no shops for long sections of the walk, so we would pick wild berries & mushrooms using the edible plants app I had downloaded in advance. Yes, I had seen 'Into the Wild' some years earlier and did not plan on making the same mistake as Alex Supertramp.
Above you can see our starting point in St Jean Pied de Port and our location at the time, right at the peak of the Pyrenees. A most glorious place to be, completely cut off from civilisation. At times like this my solar panel was invaluable, for clearly there are no power points in nature to recharge my many batteries. The sun was consistent enough that I could do everything I needed to do. When we reached Pamplona we were overjoyed to unpack our bags for the first time and sleep in a real bed. A simple pleasure all but forgotten after a month of walking & camping. We ended up staying here for a week shooting a bunch of time-lapse and lapping up the local culture of tapas (knows there as Pinchos) and stories of bull running madness.
Above you can see my full time-lapse kit in action, in the main square of Pamplona.
And beneath you can see my finished time-lapse film, created along the way.
If you enjoyed that one I am sure you will enjoy too the video diary story that goes with it:
As it turned out it was at this point that I was offered a month of free accommodation by a friend in Barcelona, right next to Gaudi's amazing Park Guell. So, we said goodbye to the Camino and vowed to one day return, to continue on from Pamplona towards our cherished goal of Santiago. Even though we really didn't make it all that far, the experience was unquestionably life changing and one that I shall never forget.
I highly recommend this walk to anyone looking to change their perspective on reality and re-connect with good old Mother Earth. Thank you for your time Steemit friends and I hope I have inspired you a little :)