The Camino de Santiago de Compostela (or Way of St James) is an ancient network of pilgrimage routes from throughout Europe that have brought pilgrims to the holy city of Santiago de Compostela for thousands of years. Inspired by the journeys of friends and family who have walked the Camino Frances over the past few years we have added the Camino to our walking programme. Here are my 10 reasons why the Camino de Santiago should be on your to do list:

1. Take time out of your busy modern life and simply walk, talk, think and enjoy life for a week or a month.
2. Rediscover the excitement of meeting new people who share your daily challenges and goals.
3. Improve your Spanish (and probably signing), very little English is spoken on the Camino.
4. Get fit! Very fit! If the preparation doesn't get you fit and help you shed some pounds I guarantee walking the Camino Frances will.
5. Discover Northern Spain - walking through a landscape is the way to truly discover teh land, people and rythms of a region.
6. Walk 650km's in one go! A great achievement in today's world dominated by the car and plane.
7. Make a friend for life. If you don't make at least one friend for life on the Camino you will have to do it again:-)
8. Experience your own Pilgrimage as written about by Paulo Ceolo in "The Pilgrimage". The Alchemist should also be revisted.
9. Gain your Compostela - proof of your pilgrimage on the Camino and an enduring reminder of your journey.
10. Earn some points with the man upstairs or simply gain some sense of spiritual fulfilment as most pilgrims do.

I am sure you will have your own reasons for contemplating the Camino, whatever they are I hope you will find the time to walk the Camino de Santiago de Compostela soon. I look forward to seeing you on the trail. I can recommend Leslie Gilmour's Camino de Santiago site and forum and if you would like us to organise your Camino de Santiago don't hesitate to give us a shout.