While most of us were inside during these wet and windy spring days, pilgrims from all over Australia were undertaking the 170 km Camino Salvado trail from Subiaco to New Norcia. Two events each early spring have been the go over recent years, arranged by St Joseph’s Parish in Subiaco.
7 days walking around 25 km a day. The last 8th day is spent in New Norcia, and the return coach journey. The Camino Salvado follows the footsteps of Spanish Benedictine monk Bishop Dom Salvado who walked 160km from Subiaco to New Norcia several times more than 150 years ago to establish Australia’s only monastic town. I joined the pilgrims at first light on day 5 of the 7 day walk for breakfast at Bindoon’s Windmill Farm. Milton and Joan Clark have offered their wonderful & welcome warm country hospitality to pilgrims ever since Sept 2008.
They fortified themselves with a full breakfast as they prepared for a long and wet day ahead with 27 km through the Julimar Forest before a wander through Catholic Agricultural College, Bindoon.
I was keen to find out what motivated the group to fly from as far as Melbourne to undertake the trail. As the trail is still not well defined, map reading skills are paramount. Their coach driver John Bell is an essential part of the group, taking the group in a 25 seater coach to a meal and warm bed each night. Much like a shepherd his most important job is to ensure none of his group lose their way on the camino (spanish word for a path).
There are many different reasons for people to do the Camino Salvado. One walker shared how she saw the pilgrimage as a feature story on ABC TV’s Compass, which created the desire. For Dorothy of Melbourne, her and her husband are looking at walking Camino Santiago in Spain. They felt this would be a great way to prepare them for the Spanish adventure.
John shares, “It is funny how people come out of their shell, with the different personalities bonding together to create a wonderful experience. According to Dorothy, “One of the bonuses on our trip was we heard lots of tales from a fellow pilgrim, a lady who has worked for over 40 years with aborigines, for us that has been really inspirational”.
Despite the wet weather the pilgrims were delighted by the show of wildflowers and the serenity of the experience throughout our valleys. The Camino Salvado as a trail is still relatively new. The organisers hope that one day a clear pilgrim path will exist and many people will undertake the caminos as a group or individually.
