For an extended pilgrimage, such as the Camino de Santiago or the Via Francigena, keeping your phone battery and devices charged can be very important. Not only will you want to charge your batteries for photos and videos, but keeping your smartphone battery charged can …
With travel permitted to Italy during COVID, in Spring 2022 I will walk sections of the Via Francigena to Rome, completing the final sections of the route I began in 2021 at Canterbury Cathedral in England. Throughout my journey, I intend to sleep in hostels …
With COVID pandemic restrictions lifted in the U.K. for vaccinated travelers, in late September and early October 2021 I will walk three historic pilgrim pathways in England: the Pilgrims’ Way from London to Canterbury, the English leg of the Via Francigena from Canterbury to Dover, …
What are the best smartphone apps for walking the Camino de Santiago? In this CAMINO 101 video, author Kevin Donahue (http://www.sacredstepsbook.com) explores five essential iPhone and Android apps for pilgrims walking Spain’s Camino de Santiago. PILGRIMS: Subscribe and watch more of our CAMINO 101 …
Considering the Camino de Santiago but not sure if you should take a sleeping bag for your pilgrimage in Spain? In this Camino 101 video, we’re answering the question for pilgrims and cold sleepers on the Camino de Santiago. DISCUSSIONS IN THIS VIDEO: …
For those who follow this blog or my podcast (APPLE | GOOGLE | YOUTUBE | WWW), you’re familiar with my essential packing list for the Camino De Santiago. If you haven’t heard me talk about my preferred gear for walking pilgrimage or backpacking, you can …
With more families looking to rediscover the great outdoors, interest in hiking and backpacking trips with children seems to be growing exponentially.
As an experienced backpacker in the United States, I’m well-acquainted with how to read and follow trail blazes in North America. However, when I started hiking distance routes and trails in Europe,
I was first drawn to England’s ancient pilgrimage route to the shrine of St. Thomas Becket following my 2019 Camino de Santiago. With my eyes set towards Europe’s Via Francigena from Canterbury to Rome, I learned the history of the Pilgrims’ Way from both Winchester …
If I could only buy one backpack for all my varied hiking needs, it would be the Osprey Exos. Dollar-for-dollar and pound-for-pound, this go-anywhere, carry-anything pack remains one of the best (if not the singular best) backpack you can buy for the trail or distance …
For many beginning hikers, the excitement of exploring a great trail is often tempered by anxiety about becoming lost along the way. However, you don’t have to be intimidated by the National Scenic Trail system or worried that you’ll be lost. Nearly every public trail …
Since 2018, I have been section hiking the Florida Trail, one of eleven congressionally-designated National Scenic Trails in the United States. At more than 1,300 miles, the FT has been called the “toughest hike you’ve never heard of” for its exceptionally diverse track over the …
One of the questions I get from both experienced and newer backpackers alike is: what first aid and foot care items should I carry in my backpack in case I get blisters or have foot pain? This is a really serious topic for hiking, whether …
Nearly all of my pilgrimage trips have included some amount of urban hiking through modern cities, including the Camino de Santiago as you arrive at the Cathedral and the California Mission Trail through the major metro areas of San Diego, Los Angeles, and San Francisco. …
As a lifelong Scout and Scout Leader, I’ve probably created and carried more than 30 unique first-aid kits over the years. I say “created” because – more often than not – retail first aid kits are not specialized enough for backpacking – lacking a few …
Looking for the best GPS apps for your iPhone or Android smartphone for your next hike? As a solo hiker and pilgrim, I never leave home without a GPS map and guidebook. Since your phone contains a GPS chip that does not require cellular or …