Pilgrimages have a long and fascinating history. In the Middle Ages, people made pilgrimages to holy sites such as Santiago de Compostela, where the tomb of the apostle Jacob is said to be located.
These walks were filled with reflection, community and trust – something that still feels as relevant and meaningful today.
The tradition of following the yellow arrow and the pilgrim shell through landscapes, villages and cities carries a unique magic that we now want to share with our members.
For Eva, our current President, Caminon was a life-changing experience. After her cancer treatment, she followed her dream and walked the classic Camino Frances alone. With a backpack filled with both medicine and hope, she found strength, inspiration and a strong sense of community. She has since walked it once more.
Although she had long dreamed of a third walk, PALEMA came into her life and took up all her time – but the dream of more Caminos has always remained. Now, when we celebrate our 10 years, it feels like the right time to realize this dream and at the same time lift PALEMA, together with Eva we have now chosen the time and distance.
Pictures from Eva’s walk
Want to hike with us?
In late April – early May we plan to hike the Portuguese Coastal Path – a somewhat easier, but incredibly beautiful part of the Camino that runs from Porto to Santiago de Compostela. For about 24-27 miles, we will experience stunning coastal scenery, charming villages and a strong sense of community with other pilgrims. We will carry everything we need in our backpacks and be inspired by the spirit of the Camino, where the helpfulness of the local people and the tradition of sharing and giving (Donativos) permeate the whole experience.
This is a chance to do something that so many before us have done, but in our own way – to raise PALEMA and our diagnoses. We envision a group of about 15 people walking together for hope and inspiration for about 2 weeks. The walk will be documented by a filmmaker and presented during PALEMA Day on May 21. We also hope to attract media attention along the way.
How does it work?
You walk a daily distance that can vary between about 15-25 km. You have pre-booked bed spaces between each leg. PALEMA will also have its own tour guide on site during the entire time who can assist those who walk in different ways. It can be to transport luggage between the different stations if you can not carry everything yourself. Of course, you can also get help with transportation yourself if you can’t walk the whole distance one day.
What is required?
Obviously, you need to have some basic fitness to be able to do this. However, we will walk at a relatively leisurely pace with the main group. If someone wants to go faster or slower, or start earlier or later, it’s up to them. We will also hold a number of information meetings beforehand where Eva can answer questions and give tips on how to prepare and other things to consider.
Information session
Welcome to an information meeting where we will tell you a little more and where Eva can answer all your questions.
Day: Monday, February 10
Time: 18:00 – 19:00
Place: Digital meeting with Google Meet
Registration: On the event page via the button below
Interest check
Now we need to know how many people would like to join this unique and exciting hike. This is not a binding registration but just to get an estimate of the number of participants.
The date is not exactly decided yet, but it will be at the end of April, probably just after Easter and we plan to walk for about 14 days. We are working to get sponsors for this hike who may be able to contribute to part of the cost for those who participate, but how much this contribution could be is currently unclear.
The cost per participant is estimated at between 25-30.000:- including airfare to and from Portugal. Let’s do something new and different together – for hope, community and PALEMA.
