Author: CaminoByTheWay

More and more Irish are walking Spain's Camino de Santiago. What draws them to this epic hike with a heart? The Travel Writer: Pól Ó Conghaile 'The whole point is the journey...' When I finished my Camino, it felt like there were hard-boiled eggs inside my calves. My toes were pillowy with blisters. It was a hike over several days, not weeks, but I felt exhilarated. And the words of one fellow pilgrim, whom I found walking with her companion and a donkey towards Santiago, were ringing in my ears: "But that's just the destination. The whole point is the journey." Read more: Camino Love Affair: Why the Irish love the world's best walk  

The majority of pilgrims take the French Way, but Nicola Brady has six other suggestions for tackling the world’s greatest walk... Done the French Way? Glutton for punishment? Nicola Brady picks six alternatives to Spain's most popular Camino. For Walkaholics: Santiago to Finisterre So you’ve reached Santiago. You’ve gone to mass. You’ve swapped war stories with your fellow pilgrims. But what if you’re not ready for it all to be over? Well, then get those hiking boots back on and head out to Finisterre (pictured above). The only Camino de Santiago route that actually starts in the city, this walk takes you to Cape Finisterre, a wild and windswept spot that was once believed to be the most western point of the world. When you get there, tradition dictates that you burn your boots and your clothes… but good luck getting a lift back to Santiago in the nip. How: Fly into Santiago. Read More: Six alternatives to the Camino: Beat the crowds on the world's greatest walk