Share this Story : PNI Atlantic News Copy Link Email X Reddit Pinterest LinkedIn Tumblr

WENDY ELLIOTT: The power of walking the Buen Camino or the good path

Some people accomplish amazing feats. I first met Blanca Baquero about a decade ago because she was an active volunteer in her 70s with the Annapolis Valley Ostomy Support group.

Subscribe now to access this story and more:

Unlimited access to the website and app

Exclusive access to premium content, newsletters and podcasts

Full access to the e-Edition app, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment on

Enjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalists

Support local journalists and the next generation of journalists

Subscribe or sign in to your account to continue your reading experience.

Unlimited access to the website and app

Exclusive access to premium content, newsletters and podcasts

Full access to the e-Edition app, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment on

Enjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalists

Support local journalists and the next generation of journalists

Create an account or sign in to continue your reading experience.

Access additional stories every month

Share your thoughts and join the conversation in our commenting community

Get email updates from your favourite authors

Sign In or Create an Account

After her operation, Baquero was bent on improving her health and began biking again. She rode from Port Williams to Berwick and learned to roll with the punches.

Two years ago, when Baquero turned 80, she says her love of life made her feel adventurous.

Never having travelled to Europe but being a keen walker, she started researching the Camino de Santiago. It is a network of 10 historic pilgrimage routes that lead to northwest Spain.

The Camino has been walked for more than 1,000 years and is recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

In 2025, a record 530,919 pilgrims received their Compostela certificate in Santiago.

Hearing the plans, Baquero’s friend, Catherine Surprenant, who is only in her 50s, got intrigued and asked if she might join.

Starting the journey in late April, the two women found they made a good team. They didn’t have to walk together.

“When walking the Camino, I felt serene and grounded,” Baquero said. “I felt safe even when I was in a forest walking alone. One becomes attentive, and reflective, observant, more attentive to the world around us.”

Not at all the Harvest Moon Trail, Baquero found the Camino transformative and wonder-filled.

WENDY ELLIOTT: Documentary on........

© PNI Atlantic news