Are you curious about the Camino? What is it; what secrets does it hold; where does it start and end; what to take; where to sleep; how difficult it’s to walk; and what preparation and equipment are needed to succeed? You may have done day or multi-day walks in the past and have now heard what is often referred to as “the call of the Camino.” I’ve done the research, walked the walk, and can help you successfully prepare for the Camino Frances and similar long-distance ancient pilgrims’ pathways. From the dozens of things to know I have chosen nine key topics based on my own experience: 1. Boots vs. blisters. Or no blisters. Choosing the right footwear (boots) for long-distance walking. 2. Walking as a ”system.” It’s not just putting one foot in front of the other. 3. Clothes for sun, rain, and cold. Choosing the right clothes and outerwear. 4. A get fit program. To be physically and mentally prepared. 5. Are you a greaser or a strapper? Protecting your feet each day; avoiding blisters; choosing socks. 6. Weight creep-a killjoy. Your backpack and contents. 7. Water: why, where, and when. It isn’t just about sipping. 8. Trekking or walking poles. Why, what, and how. 9. Sundry useful tips. SIM cards, keeping valuables safe, rain gear, free Wi-Fi, offline maps, overcoming fear, companies providing services, Camino forums in many countries. In addition to these subjects, the appendices contain two articles by fellow pilgrims who commented on an early draft and suggested other topics to help people with their first Camino. The first is on albergues, “What to expect and how to manage”; the second is all about bed bugs with a focus on avoiding them and, if you can’t avoid them, how to treat the bites and avoid carrying them home! The most important thing: Just love the “time out” from the daily routine along with the many challenges along the way. It’s therapeutic walking through fields and forests, over hills and mountains, breathing fresh air. I didn’t know what “eco therapy” was until I experienced it: a sense of peace through being away from cities and immersed in nature. It’s as though our genetic roots are being reawakened and we are reinvigorated. The information in Camino Ready. Backpacks, Boots, and (no) Blisters will get you Camino ready so you can be prepared not only physically but also mentally for an amazing journey. It will be a journey where you’ll likely experience exhilaration, exhaustion, self-doubt, joy, fear, tears, pain, and a great sense of achievement (maybe all on the same day!) together with companionship and new friendships. It can change your life.

Between 1827 and 1835, Humphrey O'Sullivan kept a diary of his life in Co Kilkenny. He was a hedge-school master like his father, but went on to become a prosperous businessman and philanthropist. No aspect of life escaped his attention, from the poverty and degradation of the peasantry to the flora and fauna of the region.

The route of St Jean Pied de Port in the foothills of the French Pyrenees to Santiago de Compostela represents one of the most popular Christian pilgrimages in the world. Walked by millions over the millennia it represents a force for spiritual transformation. This title offers a guide to the pilgrimage, including a fold out map and route planner, 33 daily stage maps with contour guides, 10 town maps including Santiago, a Sun Compass, to orientate your direction and information on all pilgrim hostels along the way together with details of alternative accommodation.

This guidebook describes the Way of St Francis a 550km month-long pilgrimage trail from Florence through Assisi to Rome. Split into 28 day stages, the walk begins in Florence and finishes in the Vatican City. Stages range from 8km to 30km with plenty to see, including ancient ruins, picturesque towns, national treasures, and stunning churches. This comprehensive guidebook fits in a jacket pocket or rucksack, and contains information on everything from accommodation and transport in Italy, to securing your credential (pilgrim identity card), budgeting, what to take, and where to do laundry. Stories of Francis of Assisi's life are also included. Although the route includes climbs and descents of up to 1200m, no special equipment is required - although your hiking boots and socks definitely need to get along. Following the steps of heroes, conquerors and saints on this pilgrim trail is manageable all year round, but is best done from April to June and mid-August to October. Route maps are given for every stage, and basic Italian phrases are included in the guidebook.

Years ago an overachieving and harried young mother accidentally flushed her gold watch down the toilet. Time passed, but the image of the lost watch continued to haunt her, a symbol of an overcommitted life. Two decades later, propelled by a series of curious coincidences, she leaves behind her busy professional life, her cell phone, and her family to escape the tyranny of time and walk five hundred miles across northern Spain to Santiago de Compostela. Steps Out of Time brings the mysterious and wonderful world of the Camino to life with its tales of serendipitous encounters, new friends made (and one tragically lost), stunning natural beauty, and unforgettable food. By the end of her journey, an exhausted and exhilarated Katharine Soper is keenly aware that she has completed much more than a month-long walk.

The road across northern Spain to Santiago de Compostela in the northwest was one of the three major Christian pilgrimage routes during the Middle Ages, leading pilgrims to the resting place of the Apostle St. James. Today, the system of trails and roads that made up the old pilgrimage route is the most popular long-distance trail in Europe, winding from the heights of the Pyrenees to the gently rolling fields and woods of Galicia. Hundreds of thousands of modern-day pilgrims, art lovers, historians, and adventurers retrace the road today, traveling through a stunningly varied landscape which contains some of the most extraordinary art and architecture in the western world. For any visitor, the Road to Santiago is a treasure trove of historical sites, rustic Spanish villages, churches and cathedrals, and religious art. To fully appreciate the riches of this unique route, look no further than The Pilgrimage Road to Santiago, a fascinating step-by-step guide to the cultural history of the Road for pilgrims, hikers, and armchair travelers alike. Organized geographically, the book covers aspects of the terrain, places of interest, history, artistic monuments, and each town and village's historical relationship to the pilgrimage. The authors have led five student treks along the Road, studying the art, architecture, and cultural sites of the pilgrimage road from southern France to Compostela. Their lectures, based on twenty-five years of pilgrimage scholarship and fieldwork, were the starting point for this handbook.

An indispensable guidebook to the final 400km of the Via Francigena from Lucca to Rome. This is the most popular stretch of the pilgrim route connecting Canterbury to the Vatican City. Crossing Italy's heartland, this last section of the Via Francigena goes through two of Tuscany's loveliest cities, Lucca and Siena, and visits medieval San Gimignano, Monteriggioni and Radicofani. Divided into 18 day stages, the route is suitable for any averagely fit walker. Full stage directions are accompanied by maps showing the route line and the facilities available at different locations. Accommodation listings give invaluable information on low-cost pilgrim hostels and where to stay. There are useful city maps for Lucca, Siena, Rome and Viterbo, and a stage planning table lists intermediate distances between accommodation, so you can customise your own walking schedule. Containing a wealth of advice on planning, preparation and tips for making the most of the walk, this is a must-have guide for any pilgrim. One of three volumes covering the complete Via Francigena.

This fourth edition of the anthrax guidelines encompasses a systematic review of the extensive new scientific literature and relevant publications up to end 2007 including all the new information that emerged in the 3-4 years after the anthrax letter events. This updated edition provides information on the disease and its importance, its etiology and ecology, and offers guidance on the detection, diagnostic, epidemiology, disinfection and decontamination, treatment and prophylaxis procedures, as well as control and surveillance processes for anthrax in humans and animals. With two rounds of a rigorous peer-review process, it is a relevant source of information for the management of anthrax in humans and animals.

Experience the powerful prose and poetry of Joyce Rupp with the beautiful full-color art of Mary Southard.