Camino de Santiago 2025 Pinnacle’s Pilgrimage on the Portuguese Way
Preparing for the trip meant getting together for practice walks. Charley was a great convener for these practice sessions. Other prepared on their own or in 2s and 3s.
Fourteen people went altogether.
We walked the Camino Portuguese along the coastline from Oia to Santiago de Compostela. These pilgrimage routes are ancient. This route is less well-known than the French Way.
Each person had his or her own adventure in getting to the meet up place: Porto, Portugal.
Charley had a 4-hour wait in passport control.
Charley explored ahead of time and found important Camino memorabilia: a passport, a shell, and postcards!
We met at a hotel in Porto to get on vans to start our journey.
On our way to Oia in Spain, we stopped in the city of Braga, Portugal to see the cathedral.
We also visited the beautiful Bom Jesus, a early 9th century garden with steps!
Every evening saw us together at a common meal of local fare: lots of fish dishes!
Sunset in Oia the day before we started.
The sun sets pretty late, after 10pm.
Day 1 on the Camino!
Oia to Baiona
11 miles
Look for the signs!
On each of these posts it tells you in Km how far Santiago is.
This one says: 144 km or 90 miles.
Someone’s always watching over us!
First day along the coast!
Some folks went over the mountain instead of along the coast.
Follow theYellow-paved Road!
Stopping for midday snacks! Because a full lunch was just too heavy.
Never miss a photo-op!
In Baiona there was a replica of Columbus’ ship, the Pinta! It was so small!
Arriving in Baiona, a bustling port town.
This is where Pastors Mike and Leah began their pilgrimage in 2024.
The Virgin of the Rock watches over the port.
If you look closely, she is carry a ship!
Day 2 on the Camino!
Baiona to Vigo
18 miles
Atypical breakfast.
Through towns along the shore:
It’s important to watch for the Camino signs!
Some of the Camino markers were 100s of years old.
Arefreshing treat at the ended of the day is always welcome.
Cheer on the pilgrims as they arrive.
Day 3 on the Camino
Vigo to Arcade
14 miles
Astop for passport stamps and snacks.
Renee is taking time to rest in reflection with our meditation journal, written for us by Pastor Mike.
The forests were full of water!
There’s always a chapel to visit, and to get your passport stamped.
Stopping halfway for some refreshment.
Flower in the crannied wall,
I pluck you out of the crannies,
I hold you here, root and all, in my hand, Little flower—but if I could understand
What you are, root and all, all in all, I should know what God and man is.
~ Alfred Lord Tennyson
Stunning overlooks!
Apeak experience: take a photo at the top.
You know you’re near the end of the day’s journey when you make it to this medieval bridge.
Day 4 on the Camino! Arcade to Pontevedra
8 miles
Pastor Mike was so busy taking pictures that he missed the turn and led everyone astray for 5 minutes!
Walking these slick stones in the forest was a particular challenge.
Watch carefully for the signs.
But we made it!
You never know whom you’ll meet on the Camino.This father-daughter team was walking to heal from the grief of losing a wife & mother.
Strangers become friends quickly on the Camino.
Simple chapels turn out to be exquisite places for prayer.
St. Michael is always somewhere, protecting pilgrims from evil.
His shield says, “Quien como Dios?” “Who is like God,” which is the meaning of the name Michael.
The Pilgrims’Chapel by night.
Day 5
Pontevedra to Caldas de Reis
14 miles
Pictures in front of the Pilgrims’Chapel.
The “DisCamino” provides opportunities for those with disabilities to experience the Camino.
We saw great faith and hospitality in these pilgrims, those living the life of Good Samaritans.
Digitalis, or Foxglove or Monkshood; they were everywhere.
Highways and bywaysWith flowers!
Watch for the signs, wherever they may be.
Everyone needs a little alone time.
The province of Spain in which we walked was Galicia; they have their own dialect there, very close to Portuguese.
Caldas de Reis means
“The
RoyalThermal Baths.” Everywhere there was naturally hot water, even the fountains in town were hot.
Always good to meet a fellow pilgrim.
Day 6 on the Camino!
Caldas de Reis to Padron
12 miles
Our first rain of the trip. It only lasted a couple of hours.
The mantle of the Almighty and rain gear have you covered!
Here is St. Michael again!
Octopus, anyone?
Day 7 on the Camino!
Padron to Santiago de Compostela
17 miles
Start each day with Prayer!
We met these lovely Welshmen several days in a row.
Who would have guessed there were so many St. Michaels to find on the Camino!
Using the map to find the way.
We arrived at the cathedral of Santiago!
And then, dinner after a long day of walking.
Breakfast before our “free day” in Santiago.
This hotel had no elevator!
St. Michael, again!
(In the cathedral museum)
Ancient granaries were everywhere on our pilgrimage.
No more kilometers to go!
St. Fiz de Solovio: the church where we had our closing service as a group.
What a blessing to be together for the Lord’s Suppper in a 15th-century church!
Day 8 to Finisterre
On this day we left Santiago, a couple pilgrims stayed behind, but the rest headed out to the “end of the world.”
From here we could look out to the unknown…a nd the New World.
Heading back to Porto we had a another meal of fish and potatoes!
Charley shared a beautiful bottle of port as we reflected on our journey.
Octogenarians
were our superheroes!
One last sunset over the Duoro River in Porto.
The sweet treat: a Saint James cake.
Asign of hospitality for our spiritual journey.
Camino thoughts: Julia Mitchell
I didn’t come back from the Camino the same person as when I started. It was worth every step forward. After the year of Covid, I unexpectedly found myself single, alone, angry, resentful, afraid, and overwhelmed to face the future. My life’s journey no longer flowed. It felt like I was in a frozen river for the past three years, unable to move forward and just treading in place. I was no longer living in the moment and I was starving for friendships. On the first day, I let go and found some long overdue serenity. And then my fellow pilgrims started to become friends supporting me in every moment. We shared stories, laughter, tears, devotionals, songs, and prayers. I began to thaw and to trust I wasn’t alone or excluded. I understood God was with me the entire time and I could take the less traveled road and still have new dreams. With our group support we all made it to Santiago. Here is what I now know thanks to all the friends I made on the Camino- “nothing but nothing brings me closer to my Holy Spirit than being in His outdoor sanctuary” in the present moment!
Camino thoughts: Vicki Watts
Walking the Portuguese Camino de Santiago was more than just a physical journey…it was a pilgrimage into history, faith, and connection. For years, the Camino had been on my bucket list, yet I had never set foot in Europe, never walked through the landscapes steeped in ancient stories. Walking along the coast, I felt the vastness of the world stretch before me…the blue ocean water, the white sandy beaches, the steady rolling waves, the tiny gifts of sea shells, and tall lighthouses guiding the way as they have for centuries. Each step was an encounter with beauty…the sunlight filtering through the trees like divine guidance, the rhythm of rain against my skin, the chorus of nature and music filling the air.
But beyond the sights and sounds, it was the people who made this experience truly life-changing. With every mile, friendships were forged, a community was built…one step at a time. I found a fellowship within PPC that was unlike anything I had ever known, a shared journey that filled my heart in ways I hadn’t expected. And at the heart of it all was Pastor Michael…his love for Christ and unwavering leadership made this opportunity possible. His guidance lit the path, not just through the winding trails of the Camino but through our own spiritual reflections.
For all of this, I am deeply grateful…to the journey itself, to my friends in faith, and to the lessons that will stay with me long after the final step was taken.
Camino thoughts: Charley Kurz
I believe our Camino pilgrimage was a resounding success for everyone who participated for a variety of individual reasons; some of mine are highlighted in this personal critique. We can celebrate for years to come knowing that we have an archive of personal reflections that were captured on our unique Pinnacle WhatsApp from our various Camino perspectives; It is terrific to have a colorful collection of pilgrimage photos available to enjoy in the future. We can praise God for the fine weather we experienced every day as well as for our overall good health and personal safety throughout the pilgrimage. It was nice to give thanks with a short prayer at the beginning of each day’s journey after breakfast; our morning gatherings also enabled us to be together for one of our many group photos. Our aches, pains, and blisters never got the best of us. Most of us were able to reconnect each evening for dinner with an assortment of typical Spanish foods; we bonded together well during dinner as a strong faith community to share highlights of the ups and downs of our day’s walking. I am glad we were diligent about having a blessing to conclude each dinner. It was fun to add stamps from vendors, hotels, restaurants, and shops to our Camino passports as we progressed each day. We proudly earned the ultimate stamp at the Cathedral in Santiago, and then we were awarded our personal certificate of completion for walking 146 Kilometers from Oia to Santiago.
We had several frustraTIng Smes when it seemed that we were in the wrong place, heading in the wrong direction, or when there might have been some miscommunication. One such occasion was waiting outside the locked doors at the Anglican church in Santiago. As per our usual persistence and patience, we were able to have a meaningful communion celebration of the Lord’s Supper that was a perfect ending for our Sme in Santiago. For a finale, I am glad that we were able to spend a short time visiting Fisterra and to see the marker designating the true end of the Camino. The stellar day at Fisterra enabled us to have breathtaking views over the Atlantic from the lighthouse that has been a beacon for so many pilgrims. I appreciated having our tour organizers, Progressive Pilgrimage, give each of us a card with a special word for reflection on each day of our journey. Mine was “SHARING” that I felt was most appropriate for myself, and I was glad to be able to find many opportunities to communicate my special word periodically on our pilgrimage. I am grateful for feeling so welcomed throughout the pilgrimage by the Pinnacle community. May we continue to experience our many friendships and to share the love of Christ in the days ahead.
Camino thoughts: George O’Connell
1. I have lasting feelings that it was a journey of spirituality / faith. One that sort of grows on you as the days go by. Each day we started our journey with a blessing and that blessing, together with the daily devotional, helped each of us complete our journey. This together with our communion service for the 14 of us in that special chapel will be long lasting memories.
2. The other pilgrims on our journey. All 13 others, who were mostly acquaintances in the beginning became true friends by the end of our pilgrimage. I look forward to having those friendships for years to come.
Camino thoughts: Ruth O’Brien - Key takeaways are Gratitude and Grounding
As I reflect on the pilgrimage, I realized each day was both the same and different.The same in a good way because each day started with us in a circle holding hands and saying a prayer to thank God and pray for strength, for other pilgrims, etc. this grounded us in God’s world. Each day included walking..alot, we walked each day on paved roads, cobblestone streets in the towns, near water, the ocean or a stream or waterfall and my favorite part through a forest of some sort. When we entered the forest, I felt a great sense of God around us. Like nature giving us a big hug. I breathed the air and felt immense gratitude for being there at that moment. We also saw and experienced amazing cathedral each day that allowed us a moment of personal prayer or reflection. Each aspect of the walk held beauty or an interesting aspect to be observed and experienced. I found myself looking forward to experiencing all the aspects as the week wore on.
The pilgrimage was different each day in that we saw a new town, different styles of architecture, large and small bodies of water, different agriculture and animals. Even more impactful was that we had the opportunity to walk with different people and encounter people from outside our group as well. I got to know the pilgrims I did not know from PPC and we had great conversations.At first they were pleasant and surface level discussions.As the week wore on and we got to know each other, we shared at a deeper level; our life stories, dreams, even challenges we may face. It is rare to get to interact with people day after day and it deepens the conversation and relationship. It was a gift to be with this amazing group of people and I feel a friendship with them all. I came away from the experience more grounded in my faith and grateful for my Camino friends.Through the Camino God provided exactly what I needed, exactly when I needed it.Amen
Camino thoughts: Rick Swanson
We walked 100 miles together. My iPhone tells me that’s about 300,000 steps. We traveled up the coast of Spain to St James Cathedral on the same path that Pilgrims have followed for over a thousand years. Sometimes we walked in small groups, other times in pairs and once in a while, alone. We talked every step of the way. When you walk with somebody for 2 or 3 hours, you soon discover there is a lot to talk about. We had fun. We laughed hard, and we laughed a lot. We also talked about very personal things, and found ourselves freely sharing thoughts that live deep inside of us. We debated the Bible, and then asked Pastor Mike for the correct answer. BTW, when you walk a Christian Pilgrimage, it’s a good idea to take along a bona fide Biblical Scholar. I learned a lot from these talks, and from Pastor Mike, and often found myself deep in thought exploring my own Christian life. We walked for 7 days, and when we finally arrived at the Cathedral, I wondered what I would feel. You see so many videos of people crying and hugging each other at the end of the Camino.
Rick
Swanson - Continued I daydreamed before the trip that I might feel the presence of God in this moment. But I didn’t. All I felt was relief. I worried that maybe I missed something along the way. Later that evening, Pastor Mike put together a service for us inside an ancient chapel near St James. It was quiet and cool inside. We were all exhausted. My legs hurt, my feet were beat up. But in that quiet moment, when we were all alone taking communion, I listened and heard the still, small voice I hoped for. My Camino was fun, challenging, moving and inspiring, all at the same time. When I look back on the journey, I will always remember the 14 wonderful people who walked with me, and all the things we did together. Thanks to all of my fellow Pilgrims for making my Camino the walk of a lifetime.
Camino thoughts: Chris Nilson
I had no agenda going into this pilgrimage. I didn’t expect a God sighting, an epiphany, or even a moment of clarity. I wasn’t worried about whether I would be physically able to complete the hike. My only anticipation was there might be a psychological challenge that I’d have to deal with; getting myself psyched up every morning. It wasn’t until I was a few days into the pilgrimage that I began to form some purpose for being there. Two things occurred to me that I found profound. One was that pilgrims first departed for Compostela 16 hundred years ago, and since then there has most likely been a ceaseless stream of pilgrims. The camino doesn’t close for the season, or for holidays. Just a ceaseless stream of followers, and I was one of them. Like a conveyor belt that never stops or breaks down. I felt that I was a on a line with all of the others through time. This comforted me and reassured me as to why I’m a Christian. It is an immutable, unbreakable, everlasting experience. My second reflection on being there was the abundance of water along the Camino; either as a wild flowing stream, or more likely, a stream tapped by a fountain, man-made spring, or wading pool to either get a drink or soak one’s feet. Buen Camino!
Chris Nilson (continued)
In his presentation, Pastor Mike has a lovely picture of Vicki with outstretched hand in a fountain, letting water from a fountain wash over her. I must have a dozen pictures of their structures, large and small, plainly for the purpose of offering respite. Most of these fountains were potable and appeared to be constructed a long time ago - in my imagination, as early as the 9th century. When I got to the hotel that afternoon I consulted a few passages from the Bible to support a metaphor for my experienceSpecifically John chapter 7, 38 Whoever believes in me, as Scripture has said, rivers of living water will flow from within them.”
And Revelation 21:6-7.
I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End. To the thirsty I will give water without cost from the spring of the water of life. 7 Those who are victorious will inherit all this, and I will be their God and they will be my children.
Camino thoughts: Kathy Hall
Before I left, I wondered if the Camino would be a transformative experience, if the Holy Spirit would “guide” me, if…I had the right socks.Though the answer to all 3 is “Yes,” this now seems like a solid beginning, leaving me wanting for more.
What captivated me most, bringing deeper reflection, was 2-fold: the centuries-old beauty and hospitality alon gour route and the meaningful stories shared by fellow pilgrims, ages 22 to 82, from around the world.
Eye candy and delicious fragrances surrounded us, including vistas of waves spilling over rocks on the coast of Spain and pastures with sheep and horses. Easter lilies, roses and grapevines adorned the worn cobblestone path. Granaries decorated with crosses, once shared food with pilgrims, and carved stone statues and fountains flowed with clean drinking water. Beautiful churches and cathedrals welcomed us out of the sun, to partake of their sacred spaces.
Highlights of inspiring interactions with fellow pilgrims “feature” young and old, strong and “handicapped,” a “good Samaritan” and members of Pinnacle Presbyterian Church. Twenty-three-year-old Lessie walked quietly alongside me for miles. Every now and then I smelled a rose, petted a horse, or photographed the scenery. But she was quiet. Then to my surprise, she shared with me that she’d been “in her head,” walking in the rain and pondering metaphors related to her aching feet. She thanked me for helping her notice the beauty all around her. She also accepted some cold remedies. I was thrilled to see her wave at me outside the cathedral of Santiago de Compostela. She made it!
Lee was a delightful 82-year-old Spaniard who volunteers in a church and whose friend created our Buen Camino APP that we used on the trip. Andy was recently retired from 30 years in sales, with Coca Cola, considering his next direction in life. He was a walking miracle, status-post emergency heart surgery. He showed patience and kindness as he gave a wound dressing to my daughter, Emily, for her huge blister. He waldo treated another couple and me to Sangria after we’d encouraged and distracted one another up the last uphill city switchback of a 17-mile day.
From Pinnacle, I was inspired by the strength , intelligence and courage of the women. One of those was Vicky who rose above sex-discrimination and excelled in male-dominated careers. Roselyn worked in an advocacy role for women in war-torn Iraq, as they struggled to find a voice in a new constitution. Chris completed the entire Camino blessed by the Saints’ many prayers and his recovery from 2 hip replacements, esophageal cancer and a bike accident. He was a friend and support to many including my daughter Emily, and me.
Last but not least, Jed, Renee and I were especially moved by a compassionate group, called “DisCamino.” As Sunday church bells rang, we witnessed advocates taking turns pushing disabled people in jog strollers up a long hill. All wore huge smiles. The people being pushed and the people pushing…and us. At the top of the hill, in this pastoral setting, a street musician played “The Sound of Silence.” The Discamino group was enveloped by fellow pilgrims who paused to place meaningful tokens and ribbons on a shrine, allowing the music to wash over them.
Until the next Camino!
The Camino de Cristo…
The Way of Christ…
…is anywhere we care to journey…
…to be led by God’s Spirit…
…to be open to others… And to embody Christ’s love… Wherever we are.
