Springtime must be the best time of year to hike El Camino de Santiago, and the wildflowers may very well be the #1 reason.
When I hiked El Camino de Santiago in May (confession linked here…I wasn’t able to hike the entire thing!), I loved soso many things about it.
Things I Love about El Camino de Santiago
I loved meeting friends from loads of other countries. We would sit down for a meal and realize almost everyone had a different native tongue…I loved that!
I loved feeling sore in the mornings, and then easing into another day of steady walking. It’s that feeling of soreness that tells you you’ve accomplished something! You know the one? Having that every.day. made me feel healthy and proud.
I loved the sunrises and sunsets. All of the other hikers seemed to wake up by 6:00 and start hiking…I was more of the type to take it easy and start between 8 and 9. But on days when they would wake me up and I would be forced into an early start…there is not much else like hiking into the sunrise to put you in the right mindset for your day. (Then of course sunsets were usually spent from an albergue with a beer.)
El Camino Wildflowers
But despite all of those other lovely things I hold in my heart, this is a post dedicated to the wildflowers. For all of their beauty, in every direction, they are at least owed their own blog post.
Since my Camino days, I have visited the Philadelphia Museum of Art and the Met, and been transported back to this trail. The right wildflower paintings can do it justice!
But back to the soreness and crack-of-dawn mornings…
I am a believer that when you work hard for something like a beautiful view, your brain plays tricks on you and it seems even more amazing! I’m sure there is some type of science behind it. So even though El Camino spans an entire country, the size of the undertaking should not make you shy away. Instead, it can make you even more excited for the satisfaction and beauty that can be yours, should you choose. Just remember to plan for May!!
beautiful pictures!
Thanks Haley!!! Means a lot:)
I’m travelling here at the end of May 2018 (the day after graduation) and I’d love to hear/talk more with you about your experience! Thank you so much for sharing these amazing photos!
Hi Bri! I hiked El Camino righhttt after my graduation too (my plane left two days after I graduated, so not quite as extreme as you!!), and it was sooo perfect for that. I would be happy to answer any specific questions you might have. Even just about what to pack, or anything. It was truly a beautiful experience, and I’m excited for you! Thanks for checking out my blog!
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