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Ever wonder what mistakes pilgrims make on the Camino de Santiago?
In this episode, Dan Jarvis shares his biggest lessons, surprises, and why he keeps returning to walk the Camino again and again.

Join host Leigh Brennan of The Camino Cafe Podcast for a heartfelt and insightful conversation with Dan Jarvis, creator of Camino Hacks and Tips. Together, they explore what the Camino teaches us when things don’t go as planned — from packing regrets and planning missteps to the deeper emotional lessons of walking The Way.

Dan opens up about what led to his first Camino de Santiago journey in 2016, as well as stories from the numerous other Caminos he has walked since then. He shares vulnerable moments of struggle and self-discovery, and how walking continues to heal his anxiety and shape his purpose. Whether you’re a first-time pilgrim or a seasoned walker, this episode offers a mix of inspiration, laughter, and honest reflections from the trail and life back home.

🎧 In This Episode:

• Common Camino de Santiago mistakes (and how to avoid them)
• What keeps Dan coming back to the Camino Frances
• How the Camino helps Dan with anxiety and restores clarity
• The power of solo travel and pilgrimage
• Lessons learned from years of walking The Way

🛤️ About Dan Jarvis:
Dan is a UK-based Camino pilgrim who has been walking Caminos since 2016. He is the content creator of Camino Hacks and Tips, a YouTube Channel, where he shares his passion for the Camino along with practical advice and heartfelt stories to help others prepare for their own Camino de Santiago journeys. Camino Hacks and Tips has over 3 million views! Visit the links below to connect more with Dan!

🔴 ▶️Camino Hacks and Tips YouTube Channel

https://www.youtube.com/@Caminohacks

Episodes mentioned in the interview:

🔴 ▶️Camino Primitivo https://youtu.be/CHoj97X2vR8?si=IeffATBD83hTTuD5

🔴 ▶️The Truth About Walking the Camino de Santiago - 6 Things You NEED to Know Before You Start

https://youtu.be/Pea_0sV4Uvg?si=_yfoH0Q8ddUky48h

📸 Camino Hacks and Tips Instagram https://www.instagram.com/caminohacksandtips/

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🎵 The Camino Cafe's intro and outro song is in thanks to fellow Pilgrim, Jackson Maloney. Original Song - "Finnis Terre" - written and performed by Jackson Maloney - Singer, Musician, and Songwriter.

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What if a walk changed the entire trajectory of your life? For Judy of Spanish Steps, a spontaneous decision to walk the Camino de Santiago in 1994 sparked a journey that would transform everything.

00:00 Preview
00:53 How a gift started it all
03:00 Meeting her Camino Family
15:06 How the Camino Tour Company, Spanish Steps, Started
24:34 How the Camino de Santiago has changed
29:07 Splitting time between the US and Spain
33:17 Tips for moving to Spain
45:39 Falling in Love on the Camino

When Judy first set foot on the Camino, she walked alone through dusty wheat fields, not encountering a single pilgrim for days. The pilgrim experience was vastly different then—no smartphones, no apps, just a guidebook and the occasional payphone for making expensive international calls. At an albergue in Puente la Reina, everything changed when she met a group of international pilgrims—including a handsome Spanish man named Juan Carlos who would later become her husband.

This captivating conversation reveals how their Camino romance blossomed into a 30-year partnership that includes running Spanish Steps, a company that has guided countless groups across various Camino routes. Judy shares the remarkable story of how she asked Santiago for a sign about whether to start guiding pilgrims, only to have her press release published in the LA Times a month later—launching her unexpected career.

Beyond the business side, Judy offers intimate insights into the challenges and rewards of expat life in rural Spain. Having renovated an old farmhouse in Asturias into a boutique hotel, she speaks candidly about language barriers, integration challenges, and why maintaining connections to your home country might be the wisest approach for Camino-inspired dreamers.

Whether you're contemplating your first Camino or fantasizing about opening an albergue someday, Judy's three decades of wisdom provide both inspiration and practical guidance. Her story reminds us that sometimes the most meaningful journeys don't end in Santiago—they're just beginning there.

Connect with Judy and Spanish Steps:

Spanish Steps Website

https://spanishsteps.com/

Hotel Rural Fuentes de Lucía

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Become a supporter of The Camino Cafe Podcast:

🎙️💖 https://www.buzzsprout.com/1751717/support

Buy Me a Coffee:

☕️💛 https://buymeacoffee.com/caminocafepodcast

Subscribe to our YouTube Channel:
🔴 ▶️https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC6VN9ze3z61n6tRLtDXWuQw

Follow us on Instagram:
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🎵 The Camino Cafe's intro and outro song is in thanks to fellow Pilgrim, Jackson Maloney. Original Song - "Finnis Terre" - written and performed by Jackson Maloney - Singer, Musician, and Songwriter.

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The rain beats down on Santiago de Compostela's ancient stones as Johnny Walker connects from the Parador's Royal Dining Room, overlooking sodden pilgrims braving hailstones and downpours during the spiritually significant Holy Week. Despite the weather, pilgrimage numbers continue to swell as travelers arrive hoping to experience Easter in this sacred city.

Fresh from a whirlwind North American tour promoting "The Way, My Way," Johnny shares heartwarming stories of packed theaters and pilgrim connections across major cities. What began as film screenings transformed into impromptu pilgrim gatherings, complete with blessing ceremonies using scallop shells from Santiago's cathedral. Most moving was a 16-year-old viewer who, inspired by the film, publicly committed to walking the Camino—receiving her own blessed shell amidst thunderous cries of "Buen Camino" from fellow audience members.

Santiago's Holy Week traditions take center stage in our conversation, from Palm Sunday's blessed branches to Easter Sunday celebrations, with thirteen traditional processions threading through the city's narrow streets. Johnny provides fascinating historical context about the distinctive medieval penitent costumes worn during these processions, clearing up common misconceptions about their origins. We also discuss the Pilgrim Office's revised Compostela requirements, which now recognize journeys of at least 70 kilometers within Spain, and hear from veteran pilgrim Rocco Rossi, who perfectly articulates why so many of us return to the Camino time and again: "If you find something in your life that brings you joy, clarity, and energy, the real question is why aren't you doing it more than once?" Whether you're planning your first Camino or your twenty-first, this perspective reminds us of the path's enduring power to transform lives with each journey.

Support the show

Become a supporter of The Camino Cafe Podcast:

🎙️💖 https://www.buzzsprout.com/1751717/support

Buy Me a Coffee:

☕️💛 https://buymeacoffee.com/caminocafepodcast

Subscribe to our YouTube Channel:
🔴 ▶️https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC6VN9ze3z61n6tRLtDXWuQw

Follow us on Instagram:
📸 https://www.instagram.com/thecaminocafepodcast/

🎵 The Camino Cafe's intro and outro song is in thanks to fellow Pilgrim, Jackson Maloney. Original Song - "Finnis Terre" - written and performed by Jackson Maloney - Singer, Musician, and Songwriter.