I Wanna Be A Pilgrim

Q: I would like to join a group of people or possibly get a group together who would like to go on a pilgrimage to Compostella in Spain. It starts in France and ends in Compostella. Can you give me any information about travel costs and whether it includes accommodation. When does the pilgrimage begin? - Linde le Ray.

A: Much has been written about the famous pilgrim trail to the city of Santiago de Compostela. I am sure you realise that it is not an organised "tour" or "excursion" - thousands of pilgrims do it at their own leisure and how they see fit. Luckily there are a number of websites that offer excellent advice. One of the best is the www.santiago-compostela.net website, which has a section on the Frances trail. It divides the 450 mile (725km) route into 30 stages, starting from St.-Jean-Pied-de-Port. All along the route, there are refugios - similar to youth hostels - that provide shelter for pilgrims for a minimal fee or contribution. You should budget for at least 25 Euros a day, as a bed in a refugio costs 4-10 Euros a night and substantial 'pilgrim menus' at restaurants on the route cost 7-10 Euros. Bottled water, sandwiches and fruit along the route is not expensive. If you decide to take a break along the route, you can usually find a cheap hotel for 25-35 Euros. For a list of refugios (also known as alberques), check out the www.caminodesantiago.me.uk website. Your most convenient airport from South Africa would probably be Paris, but the arrival/departure airport is not that important, as there are good train links to airports in France and Spain. People walk the trail all year, but the refugios are very crowded in summer. September is a good time to do the trail.