Camino 2016 - We've Lowered Our Group Trip Prices!

Due to the drop in the Euro/Dollar exchange rate, 

we're pleased to announce we have lowered our prices dramatically for the 2015 May and September Camino treks.

* * * * *

The BEST OF BOTH 2016

May 9 - 30, 2016

with Annie Carvalho 

September 17 - October 8

with Joe Walsh 

21 days ; 20 nights

 $1495*

Price INCLUDES: 

-20 Nights Lodging

- Experienced Group Leader 

-Bound Walking Booklet with Maps

-Bus Fares (Logroño-Burgos-Leon-Astorga)

-Transport from Orisson - SJPP - Orisson

-Taxi from Villafranca to O Cebreiro to Samos

- Buffet Breakfast in Santiago

(several other breakfasts are included)

 -50+ Pages of Preparatory Newsletters

-Detailed Packing List

-List of Hotels with Contact Info for Family/Friends

- Escort to Pilgrim Office in SJPP

- Pilgrim Mass at Roncesvalles

-Personal Help with Planning

-Pilgrim Shell

- Pilgrim Credential

- Gift

Our Sarria to Santiago trip price has also been lowered.

To see more click here:

Anniewalkers Camino

Walk the Camino 2014/2015

Have you dreamed of walking the Camino Santiago but don't know where to begin?

Could you use help planning?

Would you be more comfortable walking with a small group?

Anniewalkers is now planning our Spring 2014 trips.

May 20 - June 12, 2014 

(this trip is still open)

May 26 - June 18, 2014 

(Full - taking names for waiting list)

Price:  1100 Euros

Price includes 24 nights accommodation, 

 including one night lodging in Pamplona at the beginning of the trip,

and one night in Santiago at the end of the trip, 

a facilitator for the duration of the walk ,

and land transfers from Logrono to Burgos, Burgos to Leon, 

Leon to Astorga,

and Villafranca to Triacastela via O Cebreiro.  

NOTICE!  We will be doing a Women's Camino in 2015.
We are calling it CRONE'S CAMINO!

If you are interested, 

please read the information on our website at Anniewalkers Camino

Buen Camino!

Another Pilgrim Rescued

This information has been supplied by Navarricano, who lives in Pamplona. He is a member of the Camino Santiago forum:

There has been another rescue in the Pyrenees. Thanks be to God, this woman survived her experience. This article appeared in this morning's print edition of the Diario de Navarra newspaper. The translation and emphases are mine:

Firefighters from Burguete rescued another pilgrim on the Camino de Santiago yesterday. (4 April). The pilgrim was a middle-aged American (U.S.) woman who had turned her ankle. It took firefighters two hours to transport the woman three kilometers along paths completely covered in snow. The woman and her son were walking the Camino, following the Route Napoleon over the mountain from St. Jean Pied-de-Port to Roncesvalles; the Route Napoleon is snowed under at present.

Along the way, she sprained her ankle, and when she reached the shelter at Izandorre, radioed SOS Navarra for help. SOS Navarra, in turn, alerted the fire department in Burguete. This occurred at 4.30 in the afternoon. The firefighters reached the woman's location in 30 minutes, but transporting her to the paved highway, where they had left their vehicle, was quite a bit more complicated: by stretcher and at times walking with the support of the firefighters, it took the group two hours to cover the three kilometers distance.

* * * * *

The Route Napoleon is still covered in snow. It is still too risky to go that way. Yes, she twisted her ankle. Yes, some can justify this as an accident that could happen to anyone, even in summer too, etc. But folks, please... her rescue was complicated by the snow. Thank God she was able to get to the shelter, and thank God they got her off the mountain. but the weather here in Navarra has been cold and nasty for the past two days. More like January than April, and more snow is predicted for this weekend.

Go the Valcarlos route, wear reflective vests and stay on the pavement.

Here are a few more photos to give you an idea of just how much snow we're talking about. Most of these photos are by "javier" from the Camino Forum. These are all taken at Roncesvalles, where there are snow plows. THERE ARE NO SNOWPLOWS ON THE TRAIL!!

This is a cloister that is much higher than your head!

You cannot even see the doors or the signs above them!

This is why people can get lost.

This is a ROOF top of a 3 story building!

If you take the road, you're more likely to see THIS type of scenario in Patricia Herr's blog, "Girls on the Way."

She and her two young daughters took the road, stayed in Valcarlos, and continued on the next day. Be sure to look at days 2 and 3 for good photos of the difference in walking conditions that these taken in Roncesvalles.

Here is a link to their great blog!

GIRLS ON THE WAY

Rabanal del Camino

Today our group will bus to Astorga then walk to Rabanal del Camino. We will be passing the famous Cowboy Bar in El Ganso. The walk is gentle, about 20 kilometers but we will be getting a late start due to the limited Sunday bus schedule.

It was chilly, but the wildflowers were beautiful!

Cherries were ripe all along the Camino

This farm implement was dragged with horses for a variety of uses, from threshing wheat and flax to hulling corn.

To show you the size

The stork nests were filled with young.

Breakfast along the way was hot chocolate, tortilla, and bread.

The walking from Santa Catalina de Somoza was gorgeous. The purple lavender mixed with the bright yellow Scotch Broom (complementary colors on the color wheel) were exquisite and painted the Camino all the way to Rabanal!

Ruins between Astorga and Rabanal.

Add caption

This Pilgrim Tree is a pretty place to rest in Spring and a shady place in summer.

Miranda is happy to be at Rabanal!

Fred is sharing some local cheese he bought.

Here is the view from my window at Rabanal del Camino!
We couldn't ask for better walking weather!

The pension has computers and a nice living room.

Between the two wings is a place for hanging laundry to dry.

Many lovely antiques decorate the halls.

El Refugio is one of my favorite hostals.

We attended Vespers which was sang by Benedictine monks.

Everyone loved the fish soup served at dinner

El Refugio in Rabanal del Camino served a very good Pilgrim Menu for the affordable price of 10 euros.

After soup (fish or veggie) came a choice of chicken, pork, beef, fish, or eggs. Delicious dessert choices followed, including my favorite, flan. The meal was topped off by bread and tinto wine.

What a deal!

Teresa and Bob enjoy their soup!

We stay at Hostal El Refugio. I booked dinner for 7 pm and everyone was pleased with the food.

Many of us attended vespers at the chapel across the street.

I'm feeling better every day. I'm still coughing, clearing my lungs, but my energy has returned. I've developed two weird callouses on the outside of my big toes, like ridges. I think the skin is being pinched between the shoe and insert. I slapped on some compeed until I have time to shave off the hard skin and dress the toes. They don't really hurt. Just an annoyance. Someone suggested duct taping the seam inside the show and I think I'll try that tonight.

Well, time to head out for the estacion de autobuses.

Hasta luego!
Annie


For more information on walking with me and on our group trips

Anniewalkers Camino