THE CAMINO NEEDS OUR HELP

THE CAMINO NEEDS OUR HELP

The Camino has given us so much.
Now it’s now time to give something back.
And we have an idea how.
Are you ready?

We have an idea how we can all help the Camino

We all see the serious situation out there! Not only in the world but the entire Camino ecosystem is in crisis due to the COVID pandemic. Despite the hopeful news and some light at the end of the tunnel, thanks to worldwide vaccination, most borders remain partially closed. No one really knows when everything will return to normal on the Camino.

We all know that the most important part of walking is to feel safe. This is even more important now than ever. So, what can make us feel ‘safe’? Well, we say, ‘information’.

For example, before the pandemic it wasn’t easy to find accurate information for the less well-known, less popular Caminos. That’s why more and more people simply chose the French Way, the Camino for which we have the most information. The result has been, serious overcrowding on the French Way.

So, what we can do now? Somehow, we need to help revive the all the many Caminos. The Camino has given us a lot, and now it’s time to give something back. And we have an idea how.

The solution? A simple tool that will help you plan a safe pilgrimage anywhere on the entire Iberian Peninsula network of Caminos. First, this will be an easy-to-use, interactive map that includes all the Caminos found on the Iberian Peninsula. And as you know, we’re talking about almost 90 different Caminos now!

But the most exciting part, is that you get to create your own personalized Camino route plan! By simply clicking on any starting point and choosing your preferences, you’ll have all the possibilities from that point onwards. Select any point and the system presents all the information you’ll need for a safe journey, including, which route to walk, daily distances, interesting sights, and accommodations along your Camino. And there’s more. With the connected smartphone application, you can turn your walking plan into your own personal Camino app! We honestly believe that our tool will help revitalize the entire Camino ecosystem.

To be clear, we’ve already collected as much information as possible. But we don’t know EVERYTHING. That’s why we need YOUR and the Camino community’s experiences, suggestions, and ideas. You can help us improve this route planner to be more precise, accurate and useful. So, when you see that something has changed or isn’t correct, don’t hesitate, just tell us and we’ll make the corrections immediately.

We are free to dream, we are free to plan

Even today, we still feel a bit insecure and have so many questions and doubts. But we know deep in our hearts that one day we will return to our beloved Camino. Until then, we don’t have to just sit and wait. We have time now to plan and see all the various possibilities. We can “play” with the planner and create different walking routes. Then after all the dreaming and planning, and when it’s safe to return, we’ll have the precise and safe walking route plan for our next Camino.

If you love the entire concept of our project, please don’t hesitate to spread the word. As more and more people use our route planner, we’ll be able to take the entire system to the next level and connect ALL the European pilgrimage pathways! This would be amazing! Just imagine the network of Caminos, which all together would include more than 100,000 kilometres of well-marked pilgrim pathways all over Europe! This is our dream. This is our plan.

But we have an even bigger goal. We dream of making this platform an “all-in-one” site - THE Pilgrim’s Site, where you can organize EVERYTHING for your Camino, including airline/train/bus travel, equipment, your actual Camino route plan, accommodation bookings and even find Camino souvenirs. And the best part is that it will function as a social network run by fellow Camino pilgrims, for fellow pilgrims. A site where we all help one another by sharing our experience, advice, as well as questions AND you might even find a walking companion (or a partner who shares the same life interests). So, when we’re ready, you can just say “CAMINOW”! Show me the Way! Show me my “Camino NOW”!

Your generous donation is a huge help to make it a reality

Hopefully, every one of us has lived the experience of staying at a Donativo albergue. If you understood and loved the concept that your donation (whatever the amount), helped the albergue give shelter to more pilgrims the next night, then please also follow your heart and instincts. Please help support us if you believe that this Camino planning tool might be useful to you. Just donate a few dollars or euros to help us continue building our project. Consider supporting us with a donation similar to what you’ve given at a Donativo albergue or paid for a café con leche, a glass of vino tinto, or a bocadillo. Think about it, what would be more convincing proof of our project in the eyes of future investors than enormous Camino pilgrim support? We believe that when you see the results of our dedicated work, you’ll be proud of your generosity. And we’re sure that some of you will like the entire concept so much that you’ll want to be a part of it.

Please know that our future DREAM investor would be a Camino pilgrim, a person who feels exactly, and knows precisely, why this tool will be so useful and important, and therefore want to make it a reality for all. If that’s YOU, feel free to connect with us at [email protected]. You are very welcome! Just imagine how your investment will make so many future pilgrims’ lives safer, easier, and happier. We think it’s worth any investment.

Thank you for your support!

Buen CAMINOW!