Join us on a Trekking Adventure to the
Camino Santiago
de Compostela
30th August
– 6th September 2014
The Camino Santiago, or Way of St. James, is one of the most famous pilgrimage
walks in the world. The full route stretches some 800 kilometres across Europe and
comes together at the tomb of St. James located in Santiago de Compostela
in north-west Spain. Join Irish Guide Dogs on a choice of two tailor-made trekking
adventures. Led by experienced tour guides, these 8 day treks are the perfect trip for
solo adventurers or groups of friends.
By taking part, you will be supporting people living with sight loss or autism achieve
greater independence and an improved quality of life. What’s more is that you’ll
experience one of the world’s most historical journeys and your effort will be recognised
through a special certificate (“Compostela”) issued to you by the famous Cathedral’s
Pilgrims Office.
Highlights include:
• Walking through meadowlands and
staying in rural towns and villages,
some dating back to the 9th century
with remains of Romanesque
churches, bridges & pilgrim’s hostels
• Walking on well maintained tracks
and paths through meadowlands and
forests of poplars and eucalyptus
• Entering the World Heritage city of
Santiago and visiting the many historic
buildings including the imposing
Cathedral which evolved into the
magnificent structure it is today over
hundreds of years
• Enjoying the company of fellow
walkers you meet along the way
Itinerary - Trek 1
Day 1
On arrival from Dublin, we will travel
by private bus to the town of Sarria,
a journey of less than two hours where
we will spend our first night. After
settling in and relaxing, we meet up
that evening for dinner at a riverside
café, just a five minute walk from the
hotel. There, we issue you with your
very own Pilgrim’s Passport which you
will get stamped along the Camino
and present at the Cathedral office
at the end of the journey in order to
receive your “Compostela”.
Day 2
Sarria to Portomarin, 23.4km
(ascent 220m)
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Today’s walk takes us through narrow
streets and over the remains of an
original Roman bridge before passing
under a newly constructed highway.
It sets the tone for the week with wide
open spaces, quiet country roads and
forests. Following an early coffee break
in the morning, lunch will take place
at Ferreiros, a little hamlet of a few
buildings. The walk ends at Portormarin,
our destination for the night.
Day 3
Portomarin to Palas de Rei, 22.4km
(ascent 340m)
Day 4
Palas de Rei to Arzua, 27.3km
(mostly even terrain)
The centre piece of Portomarin is the
church of San Nicolàs standing in the
town square. Our walk begins here
before crossing the river on a narrow
foot bridge and over farmland to arrive
at our first coffee break 6km away. After
another 9km, there will be a lunch break
before we depart for Palas de Rei, which
is said to be on the site of the original
Roman road between Lugo and Astorga.
There we rest for the night.
This is the longest walking day of the
journey and it takes us through oak and
pine forests passing from the province
of Lugo to La Coruna. A lunch stop will
take place at Melide prior to heading on
to Arzua. There in the village square we
will enjoy a well earned drink while
waiting to be collected by bus to go
back to Melide for the night.
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The trip includes:
• Return flights from Dublin to
Santiago de Compostela
• All internal transfers including
luggage transport during the trek
• Accommodation includes bed,
breakfast and dinner
• Fully guided tour for each section
of the walk
Enjoy
the b
eautif
u
l scen
e
ry
Itinerary
The perfec
t
adventurers trip for solo
or groups
Day 5
Day 6
Arzua to Rua, 18km (descent 40m)
Rua to Santiago, 19km,
(ascent 100m)
In the morning we travel by bus back to
Arzua to begin our second last day’s walk.
We stroll through the mixed countryside
of pine and eucalyptus forest paths, wide
open spaces and quiet country roads. We
enjoy a late lunch and begin a 40 minute
walk to the hotel for the last night’s sleep
before we enter Santiago, our ultimate
destination on this significant journey.
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Today is a special day as we walk where
millions of pilgrims before us have walked.
We pass through Labacolla where tradition
has it that pilgrims washed themselves
before entering the city. We continue to
the Monte de Gozo or Mound of Joy and
then begin our final 5km walk into the
city, finally arriving at Praza do Obradoiro
where the Cathedral is located. There, at
the Pilgrims’ Office, we will hand in our
completed Pilgrim’s Passports and collect
our certificates confirming we have walked
the Camino Santiago de Compostela.
The evening is free to be spent exploring
the city.
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Further information:
Please call Sinead O’Keeffe on
1850 506 300 or email
[email protected]
On receipt of your application form
(see pages 11 & 12) and deposit, you
will receive our welcome pack. We will
also provide the following information
in preparation for the trek:
• Confirmation of your place on the trek
• Further details on the trek
• Fundraising authorisation and
fundraising hints and tips
• Tips on preparing for the Camino
from diet to fitness
• Advice on what to pack for the journey
Day 7
Free day in Santiago
Today is a day to wander at leisure
through the city of Santiago, which
is a living museum of narrow, winding
streets, magnificent Romanesque
and Baroque buildings, plazas, cloisters
and elegant arcades. An option is to
go along with pilgrims, walkers and
visitors to the mid-day Mass at the
Cathedral. Just before Mass, if you
listen carefully, you can hear the
“Grupo Irlanda” when the names of
each walking group who completed
a leg of the Camino is called from
the altar. There is an endless list of
sights to see around the city and
parks to visit for a quiet moment.
We also enjoy our final meal together
on our last evening in this beautiful city.
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Day 8
Return Santiago to Dublin
On the final day, we have breakfast
and we bid farewell to Santiago de
Compostela, before heading to the
airport for our return trip to Dublin.
Cost summary:
Trek support:
Participant cost:€e2,200; this includes
the trip cost (e930) and the minimum
fundraising target (e1270). Single
supplement e100. If 2 people sign up
together, enjoy a special rate of e2100
each with a deposit of e500 due 31st
March to secure your places
The Irish Guide Dogs Camino Trek is
fully supported by J. Barter Travel
Group, an Irish licensed travel agent
specialising in the Camino de Santiago
de Compostela. An Irish Guide Dogs
representative will also join you as host.
* The trip cost covers flights, transfers, accommodation and meals
(breakfast & dinner only). Travel insurance is not included.
Itinerary - Trek 2
Day 1
We arrive from Dublin and private bus
transfer from Santiago airport South to
Valenca crossing the river Minho which acts
as the border between Portugal and Spain.
The highlight of the evening will be visiting
the huge Fortaleza fortress which overlooks
the border. It is a former major military site
and is now a great attraction with its narrow
streets full of small shops, cafes and bars.
You can even stroll across the 1886 road
and rail bridge to Spain if you wish!
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Day 2
Valenca to O Porrino, 20km
(ascent 100m)
Our first day’s walk brings us across the
bridge into Spain and to the town of Tui.
This historical border town has a beautifully
preserved medieval centre with its
Romanesque Cathedral de Santa Maria. Our
path through the town is on narrow streets
which wind their way to the outskirts and
open country to our coffee stop at Orbenlle.
The recently opened country path and quiet
road from here to Porrino is a welcome
alternative to the long slog through
industrial estates endured by walkers up to
2013.
Day 3
O Porrino to Redondela, 15km
(ascent 235m)
A relatively short day’s walk today sees us
reach the high point at Monte Cornedo
from where the coast on our left comes
into view. Our coffee break is 7.8km into
the walk and from there it’s a welcome
downhill stroll into the town of Redondela
for lunch. Our hotel however is not in the
town itself, as we will transfer to the coast
and stay at Hotel Antolin which is literally a
five minute walk from the beach.
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Day 4
Redondela to Pontevedra, 18km
(ascent 153m)
Our day’s walk is actually shorter because
Hotel Antolin is on the ‘right side’ of
Redondela! An early coffee break at Arcade
after 6km or so and then on to Pontevedra
which is the regional capital and lively
town with a population of 75,000. We’re
staying in the town centre and will be spoilt
for choice when it comes to enjoying the
evening.
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Day 5
Pontevedra to Caldas de Reis, 23km
(ascent 135m)
We leave Pontevedra along the Rua da
Santina and on through chestnut groves.
After our coffee break at San Amaro,
10km, we pass through small villages and
on to the town of Caldas where Thomas
Becket rested in 1167 on his pilgrimage to
Santiago. The church built in the 1890’s and
dedicated to him, can be visited in the old
quarter. The town is famous for its thermal
waters which have been at a constant 40
degrees for thousands of years and enjoyed
by early Celtic tribes, the Romans, and kings
of Spain during the Reconquista.
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Day 6
Caldas de Reis to Padron, 18km
(ascent 160m)
Today’s walk takes us along natural
pathways and woodland and through river
valleys stopping at the 6.5km mark for our
coffee break. Then it’s on to Padron which
is one of the most famous towns on any
of the Camino Santiago routes. According
to legend, it was here that the stone boat
carrying the remains of St. James after his
martyrdom landed on the shores of Galicia.
Day 7
Padron to Santiago, 25km
(ascent 260m)
Our final day’s walk brings us to the Praza
de Obradoiro and the Cathedral in Santiago.
It is the longest stage, so we’ll leave early
to get full value for our time on arrival.
Although we are nearing the City, our route
takes us along pathways and through
small hamlets before entering the suburbs
where we can see the Cathedral spires in
the distance. The comfort of our four star
hotel awaits us before exploring the city that
evening.
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Day 8
Free morning in Santiago
Relax, explore or go shopping! Visit the
Cathedral for the famous Pilgrim’s Mass at
midday, present your stamped passport,
‘Credencial do Peregrino’ and collect your
Compostela from the Pilgrim’s office. We
will then meet up for our airport transfer
and flight home.
Cost summary:
Trek support:
The Irish Guide Dogs Camino Trek is
Participant cost: €2,200. This includes the
fully supported by J. Barter Travel
trip cost and the minimum fundraising
Group, an Irish licensed travel agent
target. Single supplement €100. If 2
specialising in the Camino de Santiago
people sign up together, enjoy a special
de Compostela. An Irish Guide Dogs
rate of €2100 each with a deposit of
representative will also join you as host.
€500 due 31st March to secure your
places.
* The trip cost covers flights, transfers, accommodation and meals
(breakfast & dinner only). Travel insurance is not included.
Guide to
Fundraising
We want your fundraising experience
to be an enjoyable experience,
and the sooner you plan and begin
your fundraising the easier it will be
to reach your fundraising target.
Some important
points to remember
• It must be clear to those sponsoring you that they are sponsoring you
to participate in a trek
• Your non-refundable deposit of €300 (or €500 if two people book)
secures your place on the trek
• You must have completed and lodged your total funds by 18th July.
TO DO LIST:
• Pay your deposit to secure your place
• Start planning your fundraising
• Set up an online fundraising page through
www.mycharity.ie and tell your friends on faceb
ook
• Plan to take regular walks and build up to takin
g one long walk (3-4
hours) at the weekend
• Some events to get your fundraising off to a
flying start:
Bag pack – contact your local supermarket, secu
re a
date(s), Irish Guide Dogs will supply you with
buckets, bibs
and posters. Recruit friends and family to supp
ort you
Ask your employer /colleagues to support you,
maybe
run a coffee morning at work or in local comm
unity
Organise a table quiz
• Keep up the training, enjoy your walks, vary
the routes, walk with
friends and have fun
• Deadline for completing your fundraising is 18th
July.
Are you on target or do you need to plan other
events?
• Maybe you could organise a bucket collection
in your local town or
shopping centre. Check with Irish Guide Dogs
to ensure your dates
are not clashing with other collections.
Participants over 65 are required to submit a
letter from their GP
authorising their participation.
Help us to change a life forever
We are a national charity dedicated to
helping persons who are blind or vision
impaired or families of children with
autism to achieve improved mobility
and independence.
“We work all year round providing vital
services to assist people living with sight
loss and autism to live independent and
fulfilled lives.”
“It costs us more than €4 million to
provide our services which are offered free
of charge. Some 80% of funds raised come
from YOU through fundraising activities
and events. To continue to provide our
services, we need your help. By taking part
in this fundraising trek you are helping us
to do this.”
CEO, Padraig Mallon
We help people enjoy a better quality of life
through improved independence. Our life-changing
services include the following training programmes:
pro
Im
1. Guide Dogs for people who
are blind or vision impaired
2. Assistance Dogs for families
of children with autism
3. Orientation and Mobility Training
(Long Cane)
4. Independent Living Skills Training
5. Child Mobility Programme
Get in touch:
Phone: 1850 506 300
Email: [email protected]
Web:
www.guidedogs.ie
Irish Guide Dogs for the Blind, National Headquarters
and Training Centre, Model Farm Road, Cork
www.guidedogs.ie
Gre
ater
inde
pend
ence
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bili
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REGISTRATION FORM
Please print all details clearly
Trek 1 or
Trek 2
PERSONAL DETAILS:
First name: ________________________________________________________
Surname: __________________________________________________________
Age: ___________________________________________ (minimum 18 years)
Address:___________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
CONTACT DETAILS:
Telephone: _________________________________________________________
Mobile: ____________________________________________________________
Email: _____________________________________________________________
PASSPORT DETAILS: (If you do not have a passport at the moment,
please return the completed registration form and forward details when you have them)
Full name as on passport: ___________________________________________
Date of birth: _______________________________________________________
Date & place of issue: _______________________________________________
Nationality: ________________________________________________________
Passport number: __________________________________________________
Date of expiry: _____________________________________________________
Marital status: ______________________________________________________
Name of next of kin: ________________________________________________
Relationship: _______________________________________________________
Address: ___________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
Telephone: ________________________________________________________
Email: _____________________________________________________________
REGISTRATION FORM
Please print all details clearly
Accommodation
Please note there are only a small number of single rooms available. Should
you request a single room you will be need to pay an additional €100.
Single Room: Yes
No
If happy to share, are you travelling with someone _____________________
HEALTH & FITNESS:
Do you suffer from any medical conditions or allergies?
If yes, please give details: ______________________________________________
Do you have any dietary requirements?________________________________
Kindly indicate your estimated level of fitness. Please tick one:
Low
Average
High
What size T-Shirt do you require? Please tick:
Small
Medium
Large
Extra Large
PAYMENT DETAILS:
To secure your place on our Camino Trek, a non refundable registration
fee of €300 (or €500 for two people) is required.
The registration fee can be made by cheque/postal order
(payable to Irish Guide Dogs for the Blind). Alternatively call Sinead
O’Keeffe on 1850 506 300 to pay by credit/debit card.
For any further enquiries, send an email to [email protected]
or call 1850 506 300.
www.guidedogs.ie
www.guidedogs.ie
Phone: 1850 506 300
Email: Sinead O’Keeffe
Irish Guide Dogs for the Blind, National Headquarters
and Training Centre, Model Farm Road, Cork