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Regardless to religion, I think that it can do people good to take leave from family, friends and work and spend some time walking. Leave behind the consumption-aimed modern lifestyle. Stay in simple surroundings, eat simple food. Meet and interact with strangers, measure ourselves and meet the challenges we create ourselves and overcome them. Look back calmly and realize that what lies behind us stays there unless we pick it up and keep on carrying it with us. 

 

Some of the old pilgrimage routes are excellent for this purpose. The good people who run the "hébergements" or "albergues" along the St. James Way make it easy for people to take on a walk of introvert thoughts and yet at the same time having regular communication with our fellowmen.  

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I decided to walk from Saint Jean Pied de Port in February. I am sure that I could not have chosen a better time. Few people on the walk and the temperatures were just fine for me. Actually, the weather was quite cold the first ten days - on Spanish standards. A thin layer of snow on the path and the roads. All media was with news of "Siberian winter" in Europe. I guess the media people in question have never been to Iceland in winter, and most certainly not to Siberia. Hardly any wind. Excellent weather to do long hikes in. Twice I made two nights stop on my way. Too much to see - and I was not trying to set any speed records.