We are delighted to be hosting a Gala Dinner celebrating the Hospice’s 35th anniversary. Friday 18th October 2024 at Notley
Join us for a special fundraising performance of Annie at Wycombe Swan Theatre on Saturday 2nd November. With a matinee
The UNESCO World Heritage site of Santiago de Compostela, the final destination of the legendary medieval Camino de Santiago (Way of Saint James), is named after the Apostle Saint James (Santiago), who is buried here.
Saint James went to the most north-western part of Spain, called by the Romans ‘Finis Terrae’ (end of the world), to preach and convert people to Christianity. After returning to Palestine in 44 AD, he was taken prisoner and tortured to his death. The king refused to bury him, so his disciples stole the body and brought him by boat to the Spanish coast where he was buried in a secret place in a wood.
Centuries later, in 813, the hermit Pelayo heard music in that wood and witnessed strange lights in the night sky. The site was thus called, in Latin, ‘Campus Stellae’, the field of the star, a name that later became Compostela.
Today, thousands of people known as ‘pilgrims’ walk the Camino de Santiago for several different reasons; spiritual, cultural, adventurous or simply wanting to learn the history of this ancient trail and as a way to get fit and spend time outdoors. This is not a religious tour. The Camino is about the journey and to the majority of people it symbolises a time of reflection, learning and fresh starts.
This trek explores the eighth and final section of the French Way, the most traditional and best-known of all the pilgrims’ ways to Santiago de Compostela. During the 5-day walk, we traverse the hilly landscapes of Galicia, passing numerous points of cultural and historical interest along the way.
The trek is accompanied by local professional English-speaking guides who have an excellent knowledge of hiking in the region. The guides are first-aid trained and will support you throughout your journey. You will also be supported by a Different Travel Company UK tour manager.
This trek is graded moderate to challenging. You will be trekking long distances over varying terrain which includes some uphill sections, in varying weather conditions.
You will be walking for many hours and sometimes on steep gradients. You must be fit enough to trek for at least 7-8 hours at a time for multiple consecutive days. Regular breaks are taken but long days of walking are inevitable. You cannot be too fit for this challenge so you should train well before your departure.
Breakfast and evening meals will be served in a communal dining room at the accommodation or at local restaurants. You will enjoy hearty, delicious Spanish meals that will keep your energy levels high for each day’s trek. You will eat packed lunches which you will carry yourself each day or you may wish to stop in small local restaurants. Please inform us in advance if you have any dietary requirements or preferences.
You will stay in basic hotels and simple guesthouses on a twin or triple-share basis.
You must be 18+ to join this trek. It may be possible for you to participate if you are 16 or 17 years old but you must be accompanied by a parent or guardian. There is no upper age limit. An ideal candidate is someone who is open-minded, positive, flexible and enjoys the challenges of the great outdoors. Adventure travel involves elements of the unexpected so do not expect the standards to be the same as you are used to at home. Remote areas are sometimes unpredictable (be it because of pace, weather conditions etc.) and itineraries may be altered to allow for this. You must be willing to train hard for this challenge!
The deadline for application is 11th January 2025. A £390 registration fee is payable at the time of booking, then you are asked to fundraise at least £3,400 for Florence Nightingale Hospice Charity (FNHC). 80% (£2,720) is payable to FNHC by 18th July 2025. The remaining £680 is due by the departure date. A flexi payment option, where you self-fund your trip costs and still fundraise for the charity, is also available; please ask for details.
Trip includes:
Trip does not include:
For Full information, please download this brochure.
If you are interested in booking a space for yourself, a loved one or a small group, please email Bill Richards or call 01296 429975.
We want to help you make your fundraising event a huge success, and help you raise even more funds to support us in our aim to be there to care for more patients and families.
Florence Nightingale
Hospice Charity.
Registered Charity
No. 1119499.
The Hospice
The Charity
Fundraising
The Hospice
The Charity
Fundraising
