THE WAY. to Santiago de Compostela July 2017

Transcription

1 THE WAY to Santiago de Compostela July 2017 COACH & WALK PILGRIMAGE Led by Michael Cleere Presenter of Worship at Home Night Light & That Friday Feeling on Premier Christian Radio

2 Santiago de Compostela A Premier Christian Radio journey along this ancient Pilgrim route This is an opportunity to travel with other Premier Christian Radio listeners and friends led by the presenter of three of its most popular programmes. We begin seventy miles from Santiago and we will travel together for seven days walking and coaching along this ancient pilgrim route. Each day you will have the opportunity to walk along sections of the route - but there will be no pressure to do so, as we will have a coach accompanying us and you will always have the choice to remain on the coach. All grades of walkers will be catered for. Last year I fulfilled a personal desire to walk the Camino or Way of St James to the magnificent Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela in northern Spain. This year I am inviting others to join me in this faith-filled experience and in the words of St Richard of Chichester, to see Christ more clearly, to love Him more dearly, and follow Him more nearly, day by day. I will be your pilgrimage leader and conduct group worship, and local guides will add in-depth commentary. Come, let us take this path together. Michael Michael G Cleere

3 PRACTICAL INFORMATION The cost of this pilgrimage is 875 and includes most expenses. We will get a real feel for the Camino by starting our journey seventy miles away from Santiago and walking part of this ancient route for seven days. These walks will be optional with the non-walkers travelling by coach and spending longer at the featured visits. On arrival in Santiago we shall have a day to explore and visit the great cathedral of St James. We stay in a different hotel each night with two nights in Santiago. All rooms have private facilities. We fly from London Stansted Airport direct to Santiago on Ryanair (a two hour flight). 10 kilos hand baggage is included in the cost but for a supplement of 40 you can check a further 15 kgs bag into the hold (or 52 for 20 kilos). Please request this on your booking form. Travelling Alone Single rooms are available at an additional charge of 195. Ask for a room share, and we will either accommodate you with another single traveller or find you a single at half the usual cost. Group meals are a highlight so breakfasts and dinners are included. The exception is dinner in Arzua, an evening to experience perhaps a smaller Spanish café or restaurant with local dishes. We will have our own coach for touring and the cost includes local guiding. Also included are all gratuities, which the leader will disburse locally to those who help us on our journey. Any special requests For instance, special diets, should be printed on the booking form. A deposit is payable now with the balance due eight weeks prior to departure. Final details will be confirmed in your travel wallet two weeks prior to departure. Financial Security This pilgrimage is ATOL protected by the Civil Aviation Authority. The McCabe ATOL number is McCabe are also members of the Association of Independent Tour Operators and abide by the Associations code of conduct. Reserve your place on the phone by calling McCabe Pilgrimages on with a debit card, or complete a booking form and send it to McCabe Pilgrimages. The deposit is 200 (plus the insurance premium of 39 if required) Please make cheques payable to McCabe Pilgrimages. McCabe Pilgrimages 11 Hillgate Place London SW12 9ER ryan@mccabe-travel.co.uk

4 Michael writes: Last year I fulfilled a personal desire to walk the Camino or Way of St James to the magnificent Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela in northern Spain. I had thought about doing it for many years and then decided it was time to be done with procrastination and join this ancient pilgrim path that has been followed for centuries by Christians from across the world. In 2016 I was one of almost 280,000 pilgrims to complete The Way the vast majority of which (92%) did so for religious reasons. Most of us travelled by foot (as the memory of my five blisters will testify!), but others journeyed by bike, horseback and wheelchair. Those who do so for reasons of faith are primarily motivated by the connection with James the Apostle as it was in Santiago that his remains were discovered in the 9 th century. But Christian pilgrims also have their own personal reasons too and mine were chiefly about doing penance and using the hours of walking mostly in solitude through forest glades to reflect on my life and make a fresh commitment to Christ. I am not easily given to exaggeration but it was truly one of the most moving experiences of my life and I am even now moved to tears as I think about it.

5 PROGRAMME July 2017 Friday 14 July Travel to Spain A 12:10 departure from Stansted Airport on Ryanair direct to Santiago de Compostela. Our two hour flight arrives at 15:20. We drive seventy miles East to begin our pilgrimage at Sarria a traditional stop on The Way. Dinner and overnight stay at the four star Alfonso IX hotel. In Sarria. Saturday Portomarin During our week, we will walk selected parts of The Way, travelling other parts by coach. The length of the walks will depend on the fitness of our travellers and the weather. There will be a lot of flexibility and you will be able to choose how much you walk and how much you travel by coach. Dinner and overnight stay at the Hotel Pousada, Portomarin. Sunday Palas de Red We continue our journey walking and coaching. Dinner and overnight stay at the Pension Complejo La Cabana in Palas de Red. Monday Arzua We continue our journey walking and coaching. Dinner is not included tonight to give an opportunity to dine independently. Our party are divided tonight as guest houses are all small. Pension O Retiro and nearby guest houses. Tuesday Lavacolla We continue our journey walking and coaching. Dinner and overnight stay at the Hostal San Paio in Lavacolla. Wednesday Santiago de Compostela The last leg of our journey. We arrive in Santiago de Compostela via the viewpoint at Monte del Gozo where pilgrims first saw the spires of the heavenly city. We all walk the last 500 metres to the magnificent cathedral of Saint James and our journey s climax. Two night stay with dinner in Santiago at the Hotel Gelmirez. Thursday The cathedral of St James Walking tour of the old town including the Plaza Obradoiro, the Cathedral and the Parador. We join in the pilgrim Mass in the Cathedral at 12 noon where we will see the magnificent botufumeiro in action. Afternoon is free, with the opportunity to visit the museum. Farewell dinner together. Friday 21 July Departure At around 08:00 we depart for the airport. Our return Ryanair flight leaves at 10:35 arriving back in Stansted at 11:45.

6 Making a difference, every step of the way In 2016, Michael Cleere chose to walk in support of Tearfund and help raise vital funds to end poverty and raised an amazing 13,000! Thank you to everyone who supported him. Their generosity enabled Tearfund to follow Jesus to the place of greatest need. Michael is passionate about making a difference, every step of the way across the 70 mile walk and this year is raising funds for Premier Lifeline the National Christian Helpline. A Bit of history Santiago was the ultimate destination of one of the great pilgrimages of the Middle Ages. Pilgrims set out from all over Europe and converged as they crossed the Pyrenees and entered Spain. Then the Way of St James led across to the great cities of Burgos and León and on to the shrine in the Field of the Star (Campus Stellae - Compostela) where the bones of St James were believed to lie and now a magnificent cathedral stands. Pilgrims traditionally walk, cycle or go on horseback and dedicate months to the journey staying in monasteries and hospices en route. PREMIER LIFELINE supports thousands of people every month in their time of need. Hundreds of volunteer advisors are ready to listen to every call every day, offering prayer and emotional support for any situation or issue. Since the launch of the helpline in 1995, Premier Lifeline has taken over 1.3 million calls from people in need and in the next 12 months Premier Lifeline will receive over 130,000 calls. Michael is raising funds for Premier Lifeline to ensure it can continue it s vital work with the lonely, isolated, distressed and spiritually in need. This year Michael has set himself a target of 25,000 and is asking you to consider joining him. Will you join #teampremier on the Camino and raise funds together with each step you take? Our Walks We will make our journey to Santiago in more comfortable fashion but will still get a real taste of this unique pilgrim journey. Each day we have selected parts of The Way to walk. These sections have been chosen for their accessibility and general interest and typically will be for about two hours on fairly even terrain. You can decide on the day whether you participate, having had a chat with our guide. We recommend you wear sturdy walking shoes but otherwise, no special clothing is required. Those not participating will travel in the coach and spend more time at our featured visits planned for each day.

7 Travel Insurance We recommend that all travellers take out travel insurance. EHIC cards will cover you for treatment in Spain, but in reality on a short journey, having private cover will speed the process and give total peace of mind in a real emergency. You will also have cover for your personal belongings and you will be able to reclaim the holiday cost if you cancel late for a medical or other unforeseen reason. The McCabe recommended insurance costs 39 and has no age limit. To purchase this policy, simply add the cost to your deposit cheque. Younger travellers will be able to find a cheaper policy elsewhere - or consider annual insurance. A unique feature of the McCabe policy is that you will not need to call a medical help line to discuss health issues. Most pre-existing health conditions are covered as long as your doctor agrees that you are fit to travel. Policy detail Travel insurance is arranged by Global Travel Insurance Services Ltd for McCabe Travel Ltd who are an Appointed Representative of Global Travel Insurance Services Ltd, authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority. Our status can be checked on the FCA Register by visiting by contacting the FCA on This Insurance is underwritten by ERV. ERV is authorised by the Bundesanstalt für Finanzdienstleistungsaufsicht (BAFIN and the Prudential Regulation Authority and subject to limited regulation by the Financial Conduct Authority and Prudential Regulation Authority. It has been specifically designed so that it covers all McCabe holidays, protecting you in full if you have to cancel and providing you with the very best and most effective protection if you are unfortunate enough to require medical attention whilst away from home. A unique feature of the policy is that you will not need to call a medical help line to discuss health issues. Most pre-existing health conditions are covered as long as your doctor agrees that you are fit to travel. Standard exclusions apply and are listed on the summary document. Please check that you are not affected by the main health exclusions. You will not be covered for any ongoing tests or treatment of an undiagnosed condition, or for any terminal illness, or if you claim as a result of a condition arising within the past twelve months. Note that you will pay an excess of 1,000 on any claim that results directly from a pre-existing medical condition. In our experience very few claims result from pre-existing medical conditions. With this policy you are covered with no declaration of health required. A full policy wording will be sent to you with your confirmation of booking, or ask us and we will send you a copy now. Full details are also on our website. If you would like more information or are unsure of any details, please call Global Travel Insurance Services Ltd for further advice on This insurance is only available to persons who are permanently resident and domiciled in the UK and is valid for travel up to 31/12/2017.

8 Premier Christian Radio is part of Premier, a multi-media organisation which produces radio, magazines and interactive websites with on-demand video and audio. Premier exists to enable people to put their Faith at the heart of daily life and bring Christ to their communities. We support people on their faith journey and help them put their faith into action by providing spiritual nourishment and resources. With an audience of more than one million people every week across the different media platforms, Premier represents a strong Christian voice in the UK, and part of what we do is to campaign on issues of concern to all Christians. 11 Hillgate Place Balham Hill London SW12 9ER Telephone ryan@mccabe-travel.co.uk