Of Land and Sea: The Maiden Voyage to the Camino Ingles

I have been very fortunate through my travels to have hiked volcanoes in Indonesia, the Annapurna mountain range in Nepal, and the various peaks of the UK, yet what set forth this enthusiasm for the outdoors was the film 'The Way' by Emilio Estevez.

In this deeply moving film, the story involves a California doctor named Tom (Martin Sheen), whose son Daniel dies while attempting to complete the Camino de Santiago (The Way of St. James), a centuries-old pilgrimage over Spanish mountain country to the Cathedral de Santiago. Daniel was apparently religious. Tom is definitely not. Yet when he flies to Spain to identify his son's body and oversee its cremation, he decides on the spot to equip himself with his son's gear and scatter the ashes along the Way that Daniel planned to trek. Throughout his journey he builds incredible bonds with those around him as well as his son. It is transformative, soulful, emotional, and simply brilliant.

From the moment I first finished the movie I knew that one day I wanted to walk the Way to Santiago, meeting the peregrinos along the way and undergo a moving journey just as Martin Sheen did.

I am proud to say, that day has come.

Of Land and Sea

In no less than four months, I, along with 36 others, will be embarking on a two week venture across land and sea to Santiago via the Camino Ingles, a lesser-known but deeply rewarding route of the Camino de Santiago pilgrimage. The route was traditionally used by pilgrims from Northern Europe, particularly England and Ireland. Covering about 119 kilometres from Ferrol and 75 kilometres from A Coru?a.

What makes this journey so special is that to get to La Coruna, I will be embarking on an 8-day sea voyage as a crewmember of the Morgenster, a Tall Ship which will be the first to sail to La Coruna for the purpose of pilgrimage since the late middle ages - a truly spectacular feat.

The Documentary

Yet, I will not be walking alone. As we disembark and disperse, some of whom will stay in La Coruna or venture to Ferrol whilst others continue to Santiago, I will be accompanied by Glen Travis, a phenomenal filmmaker who will be producing a documentary about the Camino Ingles.

As some of you may know, I have a YouTube channel "The Daly Medieval Podcast" where I had hoped to record and make my own video. In passing I mentioned this to the organisers of the pilgrimage and they linked me up with Glen. We spoke and exchanged our ideas on what we were hoping to achieve individually and it seemed as though, spectacularly, we were on the same page in creating a film which stood at the crossroads of history, spirituality, and stories. Even better was that Glen saw me as the perfect person to be the subject of the documentary, following my journey as I walk the Camino, hear the stories of others along the way, and (of course) ramble on about some of the history behind the Camino.

As such, armed with cameras, microphones, and the support of the Tall Ship company, the Confraternity of St James, and various others. Myself and Glen will be embarking on a truly once in a lifetime journey of both land and sea to document the Morgenster's voyage and my travels to Santiago.

From this, I am currently pursuing a book deal to write a tale based on this adventure. This book will offer a one-of-a-kind narrative by combining the historical significance of the Camino Ingles with the adventure of sailing and walking. Backed by collaboration with Glen and support from the sailing company and the Camino, it ensures exposure through the accompanying short film documentary. Readers can expect a visually captivating and emotionally resonant exploration of both land and sea, making this a truly immersive journey.

This unique combination of walking and sailing, along with the added visual dimension of the film, guarantees a multi-sensory and deeply engaging experience for readers and viewers alike.

Fingers crossed all goes well!

Until Then...

Until our voyage, I will be sharing stories, history, and behind the scenes work on the documentary and my pilgrimage. I will be placing all of this on LinkedIn, Twitter, and Instagram under the hashtag:

#TSCI24

This stands for Tall Ship Camino Ingles 2024 and will not only hold my story but also the stories of those whom I will be undertaking this pilgrimage with - from Chaplains to Historians and more.

This will be a truly spectacular journey and I sincerely hope you all enjoy.