- 30
- Episodes
- Monthly
- Cadence
- 2025
- First episode
About The Camino Calls Podcast
I interview people about the Camino de Santiago (or sometimes do a Q&A with recent questions I've received). www.inspiration.thecaminocalls.com (https://www.inspiration.thecaminocalls.com?utm_medium=podcast)
- Publisher
- Rebecca Weston
- Category
- religion & spirituality · society & culture
- Language
- en
- Explicit
- No
- First episode
- 10 Jul 2025
- Latest episode
- 14 Aug 2026
Latest episodes
30 episodes in the feed.
14 Aug 2026
Can I Really *DO* the Camino at 55+?
Can I really do the Camino at 55 or older? Absolutely. In this conversation, I talk about what actually matters when preparing for the Camino—not your age, but your current abilities, how you train, and how you adapt the walk to work for you. I also cover some of the practical concerns that can make people nervous, from hills and gear to injuries, weather, and what happens when things don't go according to plan. * Age isn’t the issue. I talk about why 55, 65, 75, or even 80 isn’t automatically too old for the Camino. What matters more is your current physical ability and what you’re willing to do to prepare. 03:41–06:02 * You don’t have to be an athlete—or walk huge distances. I explain that the real challenge is walking day after day, but you can build a Camino around shorter walking days and a pace that works for you. 06:02–10:02 * Start training where you are. I recommend gradually increasing your walking rather than trying to suddenly become a 10-mile-a-day walker. And you don’t need all your Camino gear before you start training. 10:02–14:20 * There is no single “right” way to do the Camino. I talk about poles, backpacks, walking speed, breaks, luggage transfer, and all the other choices that can be personalized. The Camino needs to work for you, not for the person walking next to you. 14:20–20:16 * Prepare for hills and the unexpected. I explain why mileage isn’t the whole story, why elevation matters, and why the Camino will probably challenge you in some way—physically, emotionally, or otherwise. 20:16–24:12 * You have options if you get tired or something goes wrong. I talk about taxis, buses, health centers, pharmacies, other pilgrims, and simply asking for help. You don’t have to figure everything out alone. 24:12–31:33 * You don’t have to carry everything. I explain luggage transport and why carrying a lighter daypack can make the Camino much more accessible for people who don’t want to haul a full backpack. 33:16–35:07 * Train without hurting yourself. I emphasize starting slowly, listening to your body, getting professional advice when needed, and testing shoes, socks, blister remedies, and other solutions before you leave. What works for somebody else may not work for your feet. 35:07–38:59 * Flexibility is part of the Camino. Things won’t go perfectly. I talk about having travel insurance, knowing how to get medical help, and having enough of a plan that you can deal with problems without panicking. 39:07–43:05 * You can’t control the weather, so practice in it. I explain how to prepare for heat and rain and why training in less-than-perfect conditions can teach you what your body and gear actually need. The goal isn’t to be prepared for everything—it’s to be prepared enough to know what to do when something happens. 43:29–49:54 More Camino Conversations To see other Camino Conversations videos (including interviews with those who have done various routes), click here (https://www.inspiration.thecaminocalls.com/podcast). 🥾Ready to start planning your Camino? Rebecca WestonCamino Planning & Preparation Guide (for People 45+)Rebecca@TheCaminoCalls.com Your Camino adventure should feel exciting, not stressful — here are some ways I can help you get ready: * Watch Camino Conversations (https://thecaminocalls.substack.com/p/camino-conversations-archive-and?r=270mi7) for practical tips and advice from my guests who have done the Camino (or more than one!). * 🗓️ Camino Planning Session (https://tidycal.com/caminocalls/caminoconsultation) (60 min): Get answers to your top questions and a notes doc created during our call. * 📞 Full Camino Experience (https://tidycal.com/caminocalls/fullcaminoexperience): 6 coaching calls with detailed notes to plan your trip with confidence and ease. * 🥾 Walk With Rebecca (https://docs.google.com/document/d/1t4N_d_X4KDwpNx-PPWC1BrmIRkjis8Ah/edit?usp=sharing&ouid=109216489056764477536&rtpof=true&sd=true): 7-day hybrid Camino walks — 3 days guided, 4 days independent, private rooms, preparation classes, and optional check-ins. Click here (https://thecaminocalls.kit.com/1698f40b0c) to be the first to be notified about my next trip.Rebecca Weston is an American who walked her first Camino in 2012. About me: I’ve walked more than a dozen Caminos since my first in 2012. I’ve spent many days volunteering along the trail, and if I’m not walking one now, I’m planning the next—and would love nothing more than to help you plan yours, too. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.inspiration.thecaminocalls.com (https://www.inspiration.thecaminocalls.com?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_1)
12 Aug 2026
Camino Conversations: Walking Solo on The Camino del Norte with Rebecca Lindell
Rebecca Lindell’s (https://rebeccalindell.substack.com/) Camino was more than a 500-mile walk. Like so many of us who embark on a Camino — especially a 30+ day route — the Camino changes us. For some it builds confidence, for others it becomes a source of creativity or rediscovery, and for others it gives us a period of time to connect more deeply with ourselves thanks to miles upon miles of time to think, discuss, and reflect. The Camino invites us to slow down, listen to our bodies, let go of what others think. . . and upon our return we look for ways to bring those lessons back to our lives. * The Camino can stay with you long after you finish. It isn’t necessarily a vacation you simply return from; for Rebecca, it became an ongoing pilgrimage and exploration. 02:00–02:21 * How the Camino first captured her imagination. She discovered it through Sonia Choquette’s Walking Home, and the map of the different routes immediately hooked her. She decided she would someday walk it alone—even though she had young children and a full-time job. 02:39–03:57 * Sometimes life creates the window for the Camino. Her 2020 Camino was cancelled, but three years later, with her daughter leaving for college and a buyout from work, she suddenly had the time, freedom, and resources to go. 04:08–04:22 * Walking alone can build confidence rather than isolation. Although she was initially nervous, she discovered that traveling alone made it easier to meet people, trust her instincts, and realize she could handle herself. 07:10–09:02 * It’s okay to acknowledge fear. Rebecca describes two situations that frightened her—walking in the dark and staying in a room full of men—but neither became a bad experience. She learned to pay attention to what made her uncomfortable and adjust accordingly. 09:02–09:44 * The Camino isn’t always magical. Sometimes it just sucks. Five days in, after walking 40 miles in four days, Rebecca was exhausted, lonely, and questioning why she’d undertaken the journey. She ultimately chose to commit fully and accept the experience as it came. 11:01–13:09 * You have to walk your own Camino. A fellow pilgrim realized he wasn’t there simply to finish; he wanted to slow down and enjoy the journey. Rebecca connects this to the people who accidentally end up doing someone else’s Camino by matching another person’s pace. 13:10–14:37 * A profound moment at the Cruz de Ferro. Feeling sick, exhausted, and disconnected from the significance of the day, Rebecca unexpectedly experienced a powerful sense of connection to the earth, spirit, and herself. She says that moment carried her through the rest of the journey. 15:30–17:28 * Walking changed how she experienced herself. Rebecca talks about the idea of bilateral stimulation and how sustained walking may engage different aspects of the brain. More importantly, she personally returned less driven by her analytical/type-A side and more willing to listen to her feelings and intuition. 17:52–19:44 * Post-Camino re-entry deserves more attention. Coming home can be surprisingly difficult. Both Rebecca and Rebecca recommend creating a buffer after the walk rather than immediately jumping back into normal life. 19:52–22:16 * You can bring the Camino home. Long walks with friends, time in nature, and simply creating space to process can help preserve the Camino mindset. Walking side-by-side can also make deeper conversations easier. 22:29–24:39 * The simplicity of Camino life reveals what matters. Walking, talking, eating, and sleeping stripped away many of the distractions of ordinary life. Rebecca found that this opened up a more creative and exploratory part of herself. 25:13–27:44 * Creativity became a way to “continue on the way.” She connects writing, Substack, improv, and other creative pursuits to the Camino’s spirit of discovery, improvisation, connection, and being present in the moment. 26:23–27:44 * Not everyone wants to hear your five-hour Camino story—and that’s okay. People may be interested in youwithout being fascinated by the Camino itself. But the people who genuinely engage can become much deeper friends. 28:11–29:40 * The Camino helped her separate herself from her roles. At 57, as an empty nester and after leaving her job, she was at a natural point of asking, “Who am I really?” She realized she is still a mother, wife, daughter, etc.—but she is not her roles. 30:15–31:26 * Your body can adapt—but be kind to it. The first days may be difficult, but Rebecca emphasizes starting gently, taking shorter days or rest days, and trusting that the body will adapt. 32:41–34:18 * Don’t let other pilgrims’ pace become your measuring stick. Seeing people walking 20–26+ miles a day can create enormous peer pressure, but their Camino isn’t yours. Slowing down can actually create opportunities to meet different people and experience things you would otherwise miss. 35:36–38:36 * A week can still be a real Camino. The transformation isn’t necessarily dependent on walking for 40 days; Rebecca argues that intention and mindset matter more than duration. A shorter Camino can also allow you to integrate the experience gradually and return again later. 38:31–40:57 * There is no single “right” way to do the Camino. Even though experienced pilgrims may wish everyone would slow down and notice the history, nature, and stories, ultimately each person has to have their own Camino. 41:00–42:48 * If you can’t stop thinking about the Camino, listen to that. Rebecca’s closing message is that if the idea keeps calling you, there may be a reason. You don’t have to wait for retirement or find a month of free time—you can find a way to do even a week. 42:51–44:14 * Her writing is part of her ongoing Camino. Rebecca is documenting the experience through Walking the Earth, A Camino Journey, telling the story one day at a time—not just the logistics, but the struggles, insights, and raw reality of the walk. 44:29–45:15 A big thank you to Rebecca for sharing her Camino journey with me! Rebecca writes at Walk The Earth (https://rebeccalindell.substack.com/about) where she promises, “a weekly escape as you travel along with me on the Camino de Santiago. . . share my discoveries and immerse yourself in the utterly heart-stopping and soul-nourishing beauty of the Camino.” Click here (https://rebeccalindell.substack.com/) to read her work. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.inspiration.thecaminocalls.com (https://www.inspiration.thecaminocalls.com?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_1)
24 May 2026
Camino Conversations: What If Your Next Trip Changed You? A Live Talk About the Camino
What if your next trip could change you? What happens when ticking sights off a checklist stops being enough — when you start craving something deeper from your travels but can’t quite name what it is? In this episode, I reflects on the shift from checklist tourism to transformational travel: the idea that the most unforgettable trips aren’t measured by the landmarks you see, but by the people you meet and the way they quietly change you. At the heart of it is the Camino de Santiago — a 1,200-year-old pilgrimage that draws walkers from 183 countries, open to every faith, age, and ability. Along the way, I share the stories that have stayed with me: a chance conversation on a train, the retired couple who took me in when I first moved to Asheville, the stranger who taught me that accepting a gift is itself a gift, and the numerous Caminos I’ve now walked—alone and with others. I dig into the lessons the trail keeps teaching — gratitude, slowing down, simplifying, and the surprising art of talking to strangers — and why the Camino doesn’t always give you what you want, but it gives you what you need. Love of Hiking Isn’t Required. . . I hated gyms. I had rarely hiked. I didn’t know how to use hiking poles. I didn’t own dry-wicking clothes. Yet something told me a 500-mile walk across Spain was a good idea. Enjoy Part 1 of my Camino story. More Camino Conversations To see other Camino Conversations videos (including interviews with those who have done various routes), click here (https://www.inspiration.thecaminocalls.com/t/camino-conversations) for the archive. Join us live here on Substack every Wednesday at 11am. 🥾Ready to start planning your Camino? Rebecca WestonCamino Planning & Preparation Guide (for People 45+)Rebecca@TheCaminoCalls.com Your Camino adventure should feel exciting, not stressful — here are some ways I can help you get ready: * Watch Camino Conversations (https://thecaminocalls.substack.com/p/camino-conversations-archive-and?r=270mi7) for practical tips and advice from my guests who have done the Camino (or more than one!). * 🗓️ Camino Planning Session (https://tidycal.com/caminocalls/caminoconsultation) (60 min): Get answers to your top questions and a notes doc created during our call. * 📞 Full Camino Experience (https://tidycal.com/caminocalls/fullcaminoexperience): 6 coaching calls with detailed notes to plan your trip with confidence and ease. * 🥾 Walk With Rebecca (https://docs.google.com/document/d/1t4N_d_X4KDwpNx-PPWC1BrmIRkjis8Ah/edit?usp=sharing&ouid=109216489056764477536&rtpof=true&sd=true): 7-day hybrid Camino walks — 3 days guided, 4 days independent, private rooms, preparation classes, and optional check-ins. Click here (https://thecaminocalls.kit.com/1698f40b0c) to be the first to be notified about my next trip.Rebecca Weston is an American who walked her first Camino in 2012. About me: I’ve walked more than a dozen Caminos since my first in 2012. I’ve spent many days volunteering along the trail, and if I’m not walking one now, I’m planning the next—and would love nothing more than to help you plan yours, too. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.inspiration.thecaminocalls.com (https://www.inspiration.thecaminocalls.com?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_1)
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