Pilgrimage: Lessons Learned from Solo Walking Three Ancient Ways

Do you enjoy travel memoirs with a combination of personal reflection and practical tips? Are you interested in solo walking, or are you considering walking the Camino de Santiago or other multi-day walks?

Are you a seeker? Or did you enjoy the movie, The Way?

If yes, Pilgrimage is for you.

In mid-2020, I was not okay - and I didn’t know how to find my way out of that darkness.

But I could put one foot in front of the other until I figured it out.

So, after tackling my fears of what might happen, I walked the Pilgrims’ Way from Southwark Cathedral in London to Canterbury Cathedral in Kent, England.

The following year, in October 2021, as I recovered from COVID-19, I walked the St Cuthbert’s Way from Melrose in Scotland to Lindisfarne, Holy Island, on the north-east coast of England.

In September 2022, I walked the Camino de Santiago along the coastal route from Porto, Portugal to Santiago de Compostela, Spain. A life goal I have had for over twenty years.

Together, these three solo pilgrimages helped me through a dark time and changed how I see the way ahead, and I want to share these lessons with you.

In this book, I share my lessons learned and insights from walking these ancient ways, as well as historical, religious and cultural aspects, and plenty of tips. There are also questions for you to consider around your own journey.

Part 1 goes into practical and spiritual preparation before pilgrimage, including how to make decisions about the route and whether to walk solo, as well as what to take with you, and how to face the fears that might hold you back.

Part 2 covers the journey itself with the practicalities of the pilgrim’s day, as well as how walking the path of history and facing the challenge of the way can give you much-needed perspective on life - and perhaps even a glimpse of the divine.

Part 3 addresses the arrival at your destination, and how to leave room for the gifts of pilgrimage to emerge after your return home, as well as how my three walks impacted my experience of mid-life.

At the end, you’ll find appendices with practical tips for each of the three ways, as well as a gear list and bibliography for further reading.

Whether you feel a call to pilgrimage or a need for change in your life, Pilgrimage might be the perfect guide to help you embark on a journey of self-discovery, and discover the transformative power of walking solo.