Have you ever thought about walking the Camino de Santiago, but don’t know where to start or if the famous pilgrimage is even the right adventure for you? Ashfield resident Helene Leue will be sharing stories from her own journeys walking the Camino and giving tips for planning your own during a presentation at the Belding Memorial Library on Wednesday, March 5 at 6 p.m. 

The Camino de Santiago, or “The Way of St. James,” is a famous pilgrimage frequently taken by Catholics through Spain leading to the tomb of St. James in Santiago de Compostela. There are multiple routes leading through Portugal, Spain and France that welcome nearly 350,000 hikers each year, including Helene Leue, and her husband Mark. 

“We saw so many amazing things and met so many amazing people from around the world,” Leue said. “It’s a remarkable experience to walk paths people have been walking for thousands of years.”

Leue said she is not Catholic, she is Jewish, but still enjoyed the Camino for spiritual and recreational reasons. She has walked eight routes since her first journey in spring 2023.

“I liked it so much that I came back in the early winter to walk a walk that was twice as long,” she said. 

Over the past few years Leue has walked thousands of miles through Porto and Lisbon, Portugal, Barcelona, Spain, and parts of France.

“It’s been life-changing for me,” she said.

On March 5 Leue will be sharing stories, photos and maps from her travels, accompanied by Paula Consolo of Buckland, who walked the Camino in 2023. Additionally, Leue will be sharing tips on how to prepare for your own Camino adventure, what to pack, what route to take, and will offer her services as a Camino planner for hire.

After walking so many routes, she believes she can help other people figure out what route best fits their time frame, budget, and goals for the journey. 

“There’s not just one right way to walk the Camino,” Leue said. 

Leue explained there are many routes one can take, and routes vary immensely. Some routes lead you through rural areas where you might not run into another human for miles, other routes lead you through the hearts of medieval cities and well traveled paths. It all depends on what the person wishes to accomplish. Some people go for the physical challenge, others enjoy the scenery, some go to make friends and meet fellow travelers from around the world, and some walk the Camino for spiritual reasons, seeking answers about the world and themselves. 

Leue’s interest in the Camino stemmed from a desire to challenge her health. She said that 13 years ago she was diagnosed with a neurological condition that made movement incredibly difficult. She needed a walker to get around and struggled with movement, but her husband wanted to try going for a long walk. Leue said that not only did she survive the two and half week hike, she thrived. 

“I was so much healthier after the first walk,” Leue said. “It was the first time I walked normally in over 11 years.”

Leue said after her first Camino, she found herself able to move more easily, and after her second, she was no longer pre-diabetic. “For me, when I walk I’m actually healthier.”

She said she wants to excite people and show them that walking the Camino is doable.

Leue is planning another trip for April. “It’s so varied you’ll never run out of things to do if you like to walk,” she said.

For more information, Leue can be reached at heleneleue@gmail.com

Reach Madison Schofield at 413-930-4579 or mschofield@recorder.com.