Walk with Wonder
 

Although we would dearly love to host our Saturday Morning Training Walk here in the Mountains, with restrictions only just lifting in NSW this month we are suggesting a self guided Walk with Wonder in your own LGA.

Listen here to John Brierley author of The Camino Guides as he talks about walking. Take a walk with wonder, be as mindful as you can be, it can be a short walk or a longer one but with intention really be present in the moment. As your prepare for your walk, plan your route, think about what you will take with you, what will you leave behind.

On your walk take special notice of your surroundings, look for new things, take note of nature, people, the history of your area, take a moment to stop - look - breath. At the end of your walk take a moment to reflect on your experience, perhaps write something down about your experience. Take time to really feel like your walk had a purpose, even if it was just to get out into the sunshine.

During the Zoom Meetup we will take an opportunity to reflect on what you experienced during your Camino Training Walk with Wonder this morning.

"Camino Snippets" Zoom Meetup

Join Us, Saturday 30th October 4pm (AEST). We will be hosting our monthly Meetup via Zoom, everyone is welcome to join us, no need to have walked a Camino, just come along and enjoy the "virtual Camino Spirit"

This month we will hear from the team who run The Pilgrim House in Santiago and some of the pilgrims currently walking on the Camino Francis - an opportunity to hear what's happening on The Way!

No need to RSVP,  just join us via the Zoom Link.
Sign in a little before 4pm (AEST).
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/82148619008

 

Thank you to all those who joined us for our "Camino Snippets" in September.  We shared a great end of month meetup over Zoom with almost 50 Pilgrims zooming in to share the virtual Camino Spirit.

Maggie Caffyn lit the Camino Candle for us. Maggie, is currently residing in the Mountains, unable to return to her home state of Queensland. She is a regular contributor on the Camino forums, has a website called Finding Clarity on the Camino, a FaceBook site @Walking Back Home, plus Maggie has written a book about her Camino Frances experience in 2015, which resulted in her selling up most of her assets and spending as much time on the Camino as possible!  

Snippet #1 -  Margaret and Maggie interviewed Kevin Considine, a global pilgrim, having walked the Camino Frances every year since 2015 except in 2020 during lockdowns. He's also walked many other Caminos in Europe as well as in Japan.  You can read more about Kevin's global adventures on his website:  HERE. 

Afterwards we broke into smaller groups and shared our thoughts on the question:-  " Would you consider doing a different Camino to the Frances and Why?"

You can watch the 27min full length interview or the 14min Camino Snippets video on the Blue Mountains Camino Supporters YouTube Channel:  HERE  

Snippet # 2 - Rowan shared his video "What Makes a Camino?"  using Blue Mountains 5-Day Camino footage. Many participants were quite moved by the story he wove for us, thank you Rowan.

Again we broke into smaller groups and shared our thoughts on the question:-  "Do you really need to do a pilgrimage in Spain to feel the Camino Spirit?"

Snippet # 3 - Susi and Fermin sent us a video update with big smiles as they were finally able to reopen Casa Susi after 673 days!  They are so happy to be welcoming pilgrims from around the world again with their special Camino hospitality. 
You can see Susi and Fermin's video on our Youtube channel HERE.  

Thank you again to those who joined us and for the lovely feedback we received - it really was an hour of Camino Spirit!

We had 13 team members from our Camino community walking and raising funds for The Wayside Chapel in Potts Point, Sydney.  Over the week (2nd to 8th October) the Blue Mountains Camino Supporters Team took up the challenge to walk 28km, some planned to walk this in one go whilst others did the 28kms (and more) over the week.

Thank you to all those who joined our Blue Mountains Camino Supporters Team and/or sponsored us thus far, you inspired us to meet the challenge and walk together (virtually) for the most disadvantaged people in our community.

At the time of writing, the Team of walkers with the fabulous help of generous sponsor donations raised over $6300!!  Thank you Sharise for the great idea of a Blue Mountains Camino Supporters Team whilst raising awareness and supporting such a good cause.  Over $1M was raised through the Long Walk Home, and the Blue Mountains Camino Supporters Team came in at #23 of 217 on the Teams fundraising challenge - fantastic effort everyone!  We hope to have a Team for the 2022 Long Walk Home for Wayside Chapel.  

What some of our Team members and sponsors said-
* I never expected this to be so rewarding and good for me to go further with my daily walks. BM Camino brings kindness spirits together.  Bruce
* Happy walking for a great cause!  Narelle
* Thank you for supporting our many homeless people!  Robyn
* Go Bruce! Awesome thing that you are doing.  Anon
* Blessings on your efforts. Hope your day is filled with light and love and achievement.  Olga
* Thank you for shining the light on this issue.  Mary
* What an impressive commitment to such an important cause - we’re wishing you a safe and rewarding walk!  Lawrence & Jess
* GO Team Blue Mountains Camino Supporters

If you wish to make a donation to LWH|Wayside Chapel, there is still time.  Thank you!  Donate Here

Photos below submitted by various Team members from their LWH.

Blue Mountains Camino Supporters is a community group run by volunteers, we aim to support those planning to start a Camino and Pilgrims who have returned from their Camino. By coming together regularly we hope to enable & encourage the Camino Spirit here in the Blue Mountains. We hold monthly Camino Training Walks and Meetups on the last Saturday of the month except December usually at Glenella in Blackheath, hosted by Margaret & Rowan Bouttell. Sharise Watson and Carlene Martin produce this Newsletter and manage the Blue Mountains Camino Supporters Facebook Page. Kerrie Girdo and Carlene manage our Blue Mountains Camino Community forum on Facebook. Bob Girdo is our video recorder and editor.  Diane Cousins hosts the Camino Swap Table. Tony & Ce Jacques co-ordinate and host the Tapas dinners & Camino movie events.  Jerard & Enda Barry host an annual Feast of Saint James Dinner and host Pilgrims at their Pop-Up Albergue in Wentworth Falls by arrangement.  Our website is managed by Johann Saure and Carlene.  There is a dedicated team of volunteers who plan and organise the Blue Mountains Camino 5-Day Walks, monthly Training Walks and events.

The Blue Mountains Camino Supporters was founded in 2015 by Tony & Ce Jacques and Margaret & Rowan Bouttell.  

Blue Mountains Camino Supporters recognises that the Dharug and Gundungurra Traditional Owners have a continuous and deep connection to their Country. We pay respect to their Elders past, present and emerging.