Chad has now walked the Francés and Primitivo routes, plus the Camino Portuguese from both Lisbon and Porto. But it's not about how many routes or how many times he has walked. He's not keeping score.

What matters most about pilgrimage? Chad explores this question as well as the role of his shadow on and off the trail.

On his most recent pilgrimage, Chad walked to honor the life of a beloved family-by-choice second son. He shares this story as well as how he brings the Camino back home into his daily life.

Registration is now open for my May 2025 Camino Experience group - only 2 spots left!

Early registration opens for my September 2025 group on October7, and the first 10 people on that wait list are guaranteed a spot in the group.

Find out all about how we get started together and let me know you are interested here.

#youonthecamino #caminodesantiago #firsttimepilgrim #thecaminoexperience #caminopodcast

Join me as pilgrim Nysie shares her journey from Le Puy, France, to the Cathedral in Santiago de Compostela. Along the way she discovers that bumps in the road are an essential part of the transformation found by walking the Camino de Santiago.

With higher highs and lower lows than every before experienced, Nysie finds her power and comes home strong and even more determined.

Nysie walking into the plaza in front of the Cathedral

Here is the blog post in which I share Chad's version of Nysie's arrival story, including the video he made. (You might want to have some tissues on hand.)

Follow Nysie's art journey here: https://www.nysiehurstart.com/

If you will be in Pamplona on September 10 & 11, drop me a quick email and let's see if we can meet up for a café con leche or a pintxo or two. Email: nancy@thecaminoexperience.com

George and John walked the Camino Frances from Saint Jean Pied de Port in honor of the memory of George's friend Aaron. You can listen to this incredibly moving two-part story in season two, episode 19 and season one, episode 1 of this podcast series.

I am right there with you! Find out how to make it happen here.

#youonthecamino #caminodesantiago #firsttimepilgrim #thecaminoexperience #caminopodcast

What do you do when your pilgrimage gets "rained out"? How do you cope with walking in the snow?

Joycelyn shares how the motivation and intention behind your pilgrimage can set the tone and bring the experience you are seeking.

She and Nidia (from episode 3) shared an incredible journey on the Camino Francés and even added a third generation to a real "Camino family."

Has this podcast helped you get started on your pilgrimage? I would love to hear how. Drop me an email: nancy@thecaminoexperience.com

Join me on the Camino in 2025? Here's how.

Wishing you a beautiful journey!

~ Nancy

#youonthecamino #caminodesantiago #firsttimepilgrim #thecaminoexperience #caminopodcast

Nidia's story shows us that having an incredible, life-impacting pilgrimage on the Camino de Santiago isn't dependent on the weather. What is it dependent on?

Listen in to hear Nidia's moving and inspiring stories of love, faith, and connection.

To listen to Nidia's before-the-Camino interview, check out episode 16 in season three.

With the Camino Experience. Everything you need to get started on your pilgrimage on the Camino Francés. https://thecaminoexperience.com/

Get your free copy of Nancy's Top 10 Camino tips (that don't usually show up on the top 10 lists). Go here: https://pages.thecaminoexperience.com/tips

#youonthecamino #caminodesantiago #firsttimepilgrim #thecaminoexperience #caminopodcast

Cinda’s story shows us that trail angels are everywhere. In fact, YOU might be a trail angel to someone on the Way. What gifts do you have to give?

Cinda shares with us how training walks do and don’t prepare you for the rigors of walking the Camino. She discovers the joy of movement and the delight of connecting with others who are headed in the same direction with a similar purpose. And she shares with us the internal battle of taking a taxi or not, and how she resolved that for herself. That and more.

With the Camino Experience. Everything you need to get started on your pilgrimage on the Camino Francés. https://thecaminoexperience.com/

Get your free copy of Nancy's Top 10 Camino tips (that don't usually show up on the top 10 lists). Go here: https://pages.thecaminoexperience.com/tips

#youonthecamino #caminodesantiago #firsttimepilgrim #thecaminoexperience #caminopodcast

In season five of the YOU on the Camino de Santiago podcast you are going to hear some amazing stories of perseverance, courage, determination, adventure, and community. Stories of shared meals, life-changing conversations, and new friendships, trail tested and built to last.

You are also going to hear that things didn’t always go as planned. In fact, sometimes things went completely sideways. You are going to hear about injuries, illnesses, lost items, getting lost on the trail, boots that gave out, unexpected expenses that blew the budget, accommodations that were unexpectedly far away from the center of town, and missed transportation connections.

These stories have prompted me to ask the question: Should walking the Camino come with a warning label? And if yes, what would it be?

Episode one answers those questions and introduces you to the pilgrims stories coming your way this season.

Here are the pilgrims you will be hearing from, along with the season and episode of our first conversation, in case you would like to refer back to them:

1. Chad - S2 Ep 18, S3 Ep 12
2. Fiona - S3 Ep 3, 20
3. Nidia - S3 Ep 16
4. Danielle - S4 Ep 5
5. Josh - S4 Ep 6
6. Nysie - S4 Ep 9
7. Melissa - S4 Ep 10
8. Kate - S4 Ep 12
9. Cinda - S4 Ep 13
10. John V - S4 Ep 14

Plus peregrinos Kurt, John M, and Rich, who you haven't yet met!

If you would like to find out why people start their pilgrimages with the Camino Experience, check out the Walk-with-me page on my website, https://thecaminoexperience.com/

Don't want to start your Camino with a group? Then check out my DIY-plus Camino planning program and get all the great content my groups get, plus access to the same six group planning and coaching calls as the pilgrims in my groups. Go to my website, above, and click on DIY Camino on the home page menu.

You can also get on my email list to get advance notice of what I have coming up for first-time pilgrims planning to walk the Camino Francés. As a thank you for signing up, you will immediately receive a free copy of my Top 10 Camino tips (that don't usually show up on the top 10 lists). Sign up on my website or by following this link.

I can't wait to hear from you!

nancy@thecaminoexperience.com

#youonthecamino #caminodesantiago #firsttimepilgrim #thecaminoexperience #caminopodcast

Thank you for joining me for this fourth season of the YOU on the Camino de Santiago podcast. I hope you have enjoyed the season and are many steps closer to taking your first steps on your chosen Camino route.

Need more assistance getting started?

Let me know you are interested in joining one of my 2025 groups here: https://thecaminoexperience.com/walk-with-me/

Get on my email list so you are the first to know when registration opens (and get your free copy of my Camino Planning Roadmap): https://pages.thecaminoexperience.com/roadmap

Prefer email? I'd love to hear from you! nancy@thecaminoexperience.com

Pension San Lorenzo, Nájera: https://pensionsanlorenzo.es/?lang=en

Casa Victoria, Cirueña: reserve on https://www.booking.com/

Apartmento Mirador de Grañon, Grañon: reserve on https://www.booking.com/

Albergue Caminante, Belorado: reserve on https://www.booking.com/

Hotel San Anton Abad, Villafranca Montes de Oca: https://www.hotelsanantonabad.com/

Casa Rural El Brocal, Fresno de Rodilla: https://www.atapuercarural.com/en/

Hotel Cuéntame La Puebla, Burgos: https://hotelcuentamelapuebla.hotelescuentame.com/

When walking into Burgos, the most beautiful route is along the river. The Wise Pilgrim app has the best mapping of this route. And here are some general directions:

1. Follow the trail markers from Atapuerca
2. Pass through the village of Cardeñuela Riopico
3. Pass through the village of Orbaneja Riopico
4. Cross the highway overpass
5. Take the first left turn and follow the dirt path, not the street
6. Continue for about 45-50 minutes to the town of Castañares
7. Cross the road and continue on to the river
8. Cross the river and turn right, then follow the trail markers through the park and along the river, all the way to Burgos

Donkey Service, from Saint Jean Pied de Port to Refuge Orisson and Roncesvalles: https://sites.google.com/view/donkeyservice/transport-bagages-en

Express Bourricot: https://www.expressbourricot.com/

Jacotrans, discount code = DAG: https://www.jacotrans.es/en/

For all your pilgrim gear needs in Pamplona, visit the Caminoteca shop: http://caminoteca.com/

To take the worry out of booking your accommodations, check out the Concierge Service offered by Pilgrim Paths: https://pilgrimpaths.com/

Wishing you a beautiful planning journey,

~ Nancy

#youonthecamino #caminodesantiago #firsttimepilgrim #thecaminoexperience #caminopodcast

If you or someone you know is experiencing suicidal thoughts or is in a crisis situation, please know that help is available. If you are in the US, you can call 988 from any phone to access the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline. Additional resources are listed below.

US Veteran Paul has been selected to join the Warriors on the Way pilgrimage this fall. In this episode Paul shares his experience serving in the US military and what he hopes to gain - or heal - by walking the Camino de Santiago with his fellow former comrades-in arms.

For Paul and other veterans, failure is not an option.

With a staggering success rate in reducing PTSD in veterans, Warriors on the Way is bringing peace and healing to those who have served.

From their website: Veterans who go on pilgrimage with Warriors on the Way are all fully sponsored so that nobody misses a healing opportunity due to lack of funds. We rely on donors like you to put Warriors on the Way to healing. To support this organization: https://warriorsontheway.org/

USA and Canada: call 988

• For more help: https://988lifeline.org/

Australia: call 13 11 14

New Zealand: call 1737

Spain: call 024

United Kingdom: call 999, 112, or 0800 689 5652

List of global suicide crisis lines from Wikipedia:

• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_suicide_crisis_lines

#youonthecamino #caminodesantiago #firsttimepilgrim #thecaminoexperience #caminopodcast