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Why does pilgrimage have such a hold on those of us who are not religious, but merely seekers on a path that so many millions have walked before us? Author Imogen Clark talks about her Camino, the highlights and challenges, the lessons learned, and why she still yearns to set off once again.

Imogen Clark is the best-selling author of eight contemporary women’s fiction novels, and has sold over a million books. She recently walked the Camino de Santiago on a variant of the Portuguese route.

What is pilgrimage and how is it different to just a long walk?
How “a yearning for setting off” shapes Imogen’s fiction and how it led to her Camino
Highlights of the route — and memorable moments
The challenges of the journey
The gifts of pilgrimage often emerge much later than we expect
Practicalities of the Camino Portuguese coastal route
Recommended books

You can find Imogen at www.ImogenClark.com and on Twitter @imogenclark and Instagram @imogenclarkauthor

My book, Pilgrimage, Lessons Learned from Solo Walking Three Ancient Ways, which features this Camino route, is out now.

Pilgrimage Kickstarter Banner4 — My book, Pilgrimage, Lessons Learned from Solo Walking Three Ancient Ways, is out now

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“Solvitur ambulando: It is solved by walking.” St Augustine

We live in a mostly sedentary world, with our days seated at a computer working, and our evenings in front of streaming entertainment. This life shows in our physical and mental health, but since much of our modern malaise can be solved by regular walking in nature, how much more could walking hundreds of kilometers solve?

The Camino de Santiago, or The Way of St James, is a Catholic pilgrimage with a number of routes across Spain from southern France, southern Spain, and Portugal. The most famous is the Camino Francés, the French way, and in today’s episode, Ashlee Cowles talks about her background growing up in a military family and how that has shaped her transitory moves, why the Camino is like the Hero’s Journey and how that shaped the way she wrote her novel, as well as why embracing the pilgrim’s spirit and letting go of detailed planning was one of the most challenging aspects of walking several hundred kilometers. We also talked about the idea of pilgrimage when you are not religious — I consider myself spiritual but I don’t subscribe to any particular religion. The Camino is a Catholic pilgrimage but you certainly don’t need to be Catholic to do it. Any long walk is going to break you down in so many ways and everyone seems to be transformed by the Way.

Ashlee Cowles is the award-winning author of YA novels Beneath Wandering Stars and Below Northern Lights as well as Wisdom for The Way: A Camino de Santiago Guidebook for the Pilgrim’s Soul.

Growing up on military bases and moving a lot
On the Camino de Santiago and it’s history
How Joseph Campbell’s hero’s journey is built into the geography of the Camino
On the different routes within the Camino experience
Beautiful historical sites just off the beaten path
Tips for dealing with the physical and mental challenges
The difference between a long walk and a pilgrimage
Recommended books about the Camino and pilgrimage

You can find Ashlee Cowles at AshleeCowles.com.

My book, Pilgrimage, Lessons Learned from Solo Walking Three Ancient Ways, is out now.

A Yearning for Setting Off. Walking The Camino De Santiago Portuguese Route With Imogen Clark

Walking The Camino De Santiago With Ashlee Cowles

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