Tickets are still available for some of the John Brierley weekend of events in Blackheath. An additional Meetup has been added on Sunday afternoon at Glenella. Bookings are essential as all venues have limited seating capacity. You can BOOK HERE.

* 5 Day Camino-like Training Walk:  22-26 October 2019 from Penrith to Blackheath. 
We have 23 participants registered so far.  You may choose to walk all 5 days or join in for a day or two along the route. Find more information of the 5 Day Camino-like Training walk HERE. 
Please REGISTER HERE your interest whether it be the full 5 days or just a day or two. 
There is no charge to register online or to join the walk.

The walking route is currently being updated.  Final maps and details will be emailed to those who have registered 2 weeks prior to the walk but you should book your accommodation soon.
 

25-27 October 2019  John Brierley Camino Weekend at Blackheath
Bookings are essential where indicated as seating capacity at venues are limited.

* CAMINO STORYTELLING:  Friday 25, 8.00pm-9.30pm.  Blue Mountains Supporters of the Camino are hosting a social evening with Camino Storytelling at Glenella Guesthouse, 56 Govetts Leap Rd, Blackheath.  BYO drinks.   Walkers on the 5 Day Camino-style walk will be on their 4th day and are invited to catch the train from Katoomba to Blackheath to attend the Storytelling at Glenella.  Bookings Essential

* WALK: Saturday 26, 8.30am-1.00pm,  an earlier start time to join in with the 5 day walkers (on their 5th day).  Meet at Katoomba Station (near the Station Bar) for walk to Blackheath. There maybe 2 options on this route, approx. 12-14kms taking about 4 hours with a break at Medlow Bath.  You also have the train option at Medlow Bath to Blackheath, so have your Opal card!   To have an idea of numbers to expect for Day 5 of walk, please register your interest  HERE.

Alternative Walk 9.00am-1.00pm, you may wish to do the shorter walk at 9.00am from Glenella Guesthouse, Blackheath to Medlow Bath return, This is approx. 7-8kms taking about 3 hours plus refreshment break at Medlow Bath.  There is no requirement to register for this shorter walk, just be at Glenella Guesthouse, 56 Govetts Leap Rd, Blackheath by 8.50am for 9.00am start.  Either walk will get you to Blackheath in time to grab some lunch and go to the extended Camino Meetup at 2.00pm.  You should endeavour to be at the RSL Hall  and seated by 1.50pm.

* CAMINO MEETUP: Saturday 26, 2.00-5.00pm.  The venue for this Camino Meetup is the RSL Hall, 2 Bundarra Rd, Blackheath (across the railway line).  Please arrive early, doors open from 1.30pm.  If you have registered you should be seated by 1.50pm  This is an extended Camino Meetup with special guest, John Brierley  in Blackheath.  His presentation will be  Path of Self Discovery and Q&A.
The cost is $5.00pp for Camino Meetup (pay at the door, cash only) which includes tea/coffee and delicious homemade Santiago tart.  Bookings Essential
UPDATE: Although this event is now fully booked we have now added an additional Meetup on Sunday 27. John Brierley will be making his presentation Path of Self Discovery at this event also.

John is looking forward to meeting pilgrims and intending pilgrims and is happy to sign your Camino book/s, new and old copies.  However, if you are going to the Camino Dinner afterwards, you might like to take your Camino book there to be signed as some pilgrims are coming up just for the day. There will not be any Camino books for sale.

* CAMINO DINNER: Saturday 26, 6.30pm-10.00pm  Later on from 6.30pm there is a social evening dinner and Camino chatter held at Birdies Bistro at  Blackheath Golf Club, cnr Valley Rd & Brightlands Ave, Blackheath.   We anticipate John Brierley will join us giving you another opportunity to meet him and have your Camino book/s signed, new and old copies.  Dinner and drinks at your own cost, there maybe a 'specials' board available.  Bridies Bistro Menu   Bookings Essential
 

*Walk: Sunday 27,  9.30am-1.00pm  Grand Canyon Track, Blackheath.  Meet 9.30am at the Grand Canyon Loop Carpark (the 2nd carpark), Evans Lookout Rd, Blackheath.  This is approx 7-8km circuit from carpark meeting point and will take about 3.5 - 4hrs.   Arresting sandstone walls, ever-present waterfalls and abundant native plants line the awesome Grand Canyon track. This is a Grade 3 walk with short steep hills & many steeps. The historic loop track takes you into the heart of this World Heritage-listed landscape.  It's an intimate and adventurous track which walkers have trodden since 1907. You can read more on this walk HERE. No registration required.

*Social Lunch 1.00-2.00pm  in the Glenella Guesthouse gardens - bring your own lunch to enjoy the tranquility of the rear gardens at Glenella before your journey home.   No booking required. 

*Additional Camino Meetup 2.00pm-4.00pm with John Brierley 

The afternoon program includes John Brierley's presentation Path of Self Discovery and Q&A  

 * Afternoon tea and Santiago tart

* Camino book signing - bring your Brierley Camino book/s (new and old) to be signed by John   

The Camino Meetup will be held at Glenella Guesthouse, 56 Govetts Leap Road, Blackheath.  Cost is $5.00.  Numbers are limited so bookings are essential.   

HOW TO BOOK:  All of the venues have limited capacity so it is highly recommended to book early to reserve your place where indicated above with Bookings Essential.  Full list of events for the John Brierley Camino Weekend in Blackheath and BOOK  HERE. There is no charge to register online or to join the walks.

We are very excited to be hosting John Brierley in Blackheath, the Blue Mountains.  John will be a keynote speaker at the first National Conference in Adelaide, hosted by the Australian Friends of the Camino, 11-13 October 2019.  He has generously offered to address local Camino groups in Australia.  Both the Pilgrims of Sydney and Central Coast Camino groups have opted to come up to the Blue Mountains for a joint event.  We hope to see as many pilgrims here for this rare opportunity to hear and meet John Brierley, UK author of the Camino books, "A Pilgrims Guide...."  Make it a Camino weekend in the mountains!

For John Brierley's stay in the Blue Mountains, he will be generously hosted by Margaret and Rowan Bouttell of Glenella Guesthouse, 56 Govetts Leap Rd, Blackheath.  https://www.glenella.com.au/   

Facebook:  We have a new Facebook 'Group' page for BMASotC.  You can request to JOIN the group, once a member you can post Q&As, photos, start conversations and be more interactive than our normal Page allows.  The new Group is - Blue Mountains Camino Community. To request to join HERE.
We still have the Blue Mountains Aust Camino Supporters facebook page, where we continue posting events, articles and photos check it out HERE.
We hope you will check out the Group and ask to join. Thank you Kerrie for being an administrator.