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Grandma's on the Camino: Reflections on a 48-Day Pilgrimage Walk to Santiago
Mary O'Hara Wyman, a 72 year old grandmother from San Francisco, relates her 2010 adventures walking 500 miles alone as a pilgrim on the Camino Frances. Her journey takes her from St. Jean Pied de Port in France, across the Pyrenees to Spain, then westward to the ancient spiritual destination of Santiago de Compostela. Through back-home reflections based on journal entries and postcards sent to her granddaughter, Mary describes engaging encounters with pilgrims of all ages and motivations, close-range observations of numerous animals on the trails, and the daily tasks of finding food and a bed each evening. Readers will gain keen insight into the physical day to day rigors facing a walking pilgrim, as Mary endured several falls on the trails, a serious foot injury, copious rain, mud and unseasonal cold and hot weather. Grandma's on the Camino will inspire pilgrims and armchair readers of any age with Mary's adventures and coping mechanisms, calmness under pressure, humorous outlook on life and truly spiritual approach to walking the Camino Frances to Santiago de Compostela. You will walk as a pilgrim with Mary through every word in the book.
360 pages, Paperback
First published November 16, 2012
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53 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 26 of 26 reviews
June 12, 2022
So much respect for this woman and loved this book! At 70, this lady took on the Camino herself, and I loved every minute of her journey. Even though my walk with be done differently I enjoyed reading and learning what a day on the Camino is like. Really liked the way she put her book and story together, and loved many of the inspiring quotes she chose to use. Excited to document my Camino in a couple of weeks. Buon Camino!
June 12, 2019
Kudos to Mary O'Hara Wyman, for 1) hiking the Camino; 2) sharing her observations, thoughts and joy along the way. Warning to readers: Once you begin reading, it is very hard to put this book down!
July 26, 2016
I included this in my "pilgrimage" reading although I'm planning to go to the Holy Land which is a quite different sort of pilgrimage.
Mary Wyman has an entry for each day of her solo walk to Santiago. Each includes the daily postcard she sent to 4-year-old granddaughter Elena, a journal entry from that day, and a longer reflection from after the pilgrimage was completed. I really enjoyed the format, especially the ways that Wyman connected with her granddaughter in the cards by asking questions or suggesting little activities like "count to 36 out loud with Mama to see how many days Grandma has left to walk the Camino (paraphrased)."
I found a lot of the book fascinating and almost feel as if I'd been along for the trip. Certainly I was just about as concerned as Mary that she get to lodgings in time for a lower bunk and that her feet would hold out. Mary's vivid descriptions of the people and nature all around her, as well as her inclusion of insights and spiritual experiences all combined to make this a very good book.
It isn't a perfect book though. As a 70-year old woman from San Francisco, Mary has all the stereotypical attitudes of that demographic. Push the right button and the standard liberal attitude comes popping right up. Luckily it was rare enough to avoid ruining the book for those of us who don't share those attitudes. In fact, it often provided humorous moments such as one day's reflections on the huge list of women who have influenced her life, when contrasted with a later day when she struggled to make a list of 15 influential men in her life because it never occurred to her to think of such a thing. She later added to that list but with so many qualifications that she may as well not have bothered. I actually laughed out loud.
More problematic were the two or three times she recorded long conversations about topics dear to her heart and went into so much detail that the book essentially ground to a halt. I realize that this book is to provide a legacy for Wyman's granddaughter, so it made sense from her point of view to write so many pages about such things as Centering Prayer and the Jobs Corps. However, the tone completely changed to a preachy-teachy style that is deadly unless one also is passionate about those topics. I ain't.
I mention the imperfections to explain my 3-star rating. As a whole, they are relatively slight as witnessed by the fact that I read this book in a couple of days, riveted to the pilgrimage.
Mary Wyman has an entry for each day of her solo walk to Santiago. Each includes the daily postcard she sent to 4-year-old granddaughter Elena, a journal entry from that day, and a longer reflection from after the pilgrimage was completed. I really enjoyed the format, especially the ways that Wyman connected with her granddaughter in the cards by asking questions or suggesting little activities like "count to 36 out loud with Mama to see how many days Grandma has left to walk the Camino (paraphrased)."
I found a lot of the book fascinating and almost feel as if I'd been along for the trip. Certainly I was just about as concerned as Mary that she get to lodgings in time for a lower bunk and that her feet would hold out. Mary's vivid descriptions of the people and nature all around her, as well as her inclusion of insights and spiritual experiences all combined to make this a very good book.
It isn't a perfect book though. As a 70-year old woman from San Francisco, Mary has all the stereotypical attitudes of that demographic. Push the right button and the standard liberal attitude comes popping right up. Luckily it was rare enough to avoid ruining the book for those of us who don't share those attitudes. In fact, it often provided humorous moments such as one day's reflections on the huge list of women who have influenced her life, when contrasted with a later day when she struggled to make a list of 15 influential men in her life because it never occurred to her to think of such a thing. She later added to that list but with so many qualifications that she may as well not have bothered. I actually laughed out loud.
More problematic were the two or three times she recorded long conversations about topics dear to her heart and went into so much detail that the book essentially ground to a halt. I realize that this book is to provide a legacy for Wyman's granddaughter, so it made sense from her point of view to write so many pages about such things as Centering Prayer and the Jobs Corps. However, the tone completely changed to a preachy-teachy style that is deadly unless one also is passionate about those topics. I ain't.
I mention the imperfections to explain my 3-star rating. As a whole, they are relatively slight as witnessed by the fact that I read this book in a couple of days, riveted to the pilgrimage.
March 5, 2013
I couldn't put it down! Follow Mary's true story as she walks the 500 mile Camino Frances across northern Spain at age 70! An easy read, as it takes the form of a chapter per day. Mary meets other pilgrims, her past, her faith, and hardships and joys of the trip head-on, ending the pilgrimage a changed woman. A true inspiration.
April 27, 2014
Go, Mary, go! I loved this book! I loved the way Mary wrote as well as the manner in which the book is put together. Each chapter began with the postcard she sent that day to her granddaughter. This is followed by a journal entry she wrote after she wrote the postcard and then a reflection after she returned to San Francisco and had time to process her experience. I really enjoyed this one.
November 13, 2022
48 days, 500 miles, step by step you walk the trail with Mary O'Hara Wyman; by the way, she's 70.
A pilgrimage walked by thousands over time. Divided into three sections, with a message via postcard to her beloved five year old granddaughter, Elena, daily notes into a journal, and then a third section of reflections on each day while back in San Francisco, Mary's hometown.
Notes on what she sees, why she's going, and what she expects of herself along the way. Thinking things through, while paying attention. Mary is a woman of faith, and as the story goes, the walkers upon their arrival in Santiago are forgiven for all their sins. Even though she is walking alone, she meets up with fellow walkers and appreciates a sense of community. (new word: egregore- a state of group mind or group spirit-people engaging in cooperation)
Mary has kept a journal even before her trek, which she likes to insert her and there in her book of reflections. (Immanuel Kant-"Rule for Happiness--Something to do, Someone to love, Something to hope for.") A privilege to accompany her along the path in Spain to Santiago de Compostela.
A pilgrimage walked by thousands over time. Divided into three sections, with a message via postcard to her beloved five year old granddaughter, Elena, daily notes into a journal, and then a third section of reflections on each day while back in San Francisco, Mary's hometown.
Notes on what she sees, why she's going, and what she expects of herself along the way. Thinking things through, while paying attention. Mary is a woman of faith, and as the story goes, the walkers upon their arrival in Santiago are forgiven for all their sins. Even though she is walking alone, she meets up with fellow walkers and appreciates a sense of community. (new word: egregore- a state of group mind or group spirit-people engaging in cooperation)
Mary has kept a journal even before her trek, which she likes to insert her and there in her book of reflections. (Immanuel Kant-"Rule for Happiness--Something to do, Someone to love, Something to hope for.") A privilege to accompany her along the path in Spain to Santiago de Compostela.
May 19, 2025
Beginning was interesting, got very repetitive midway through, but the last 50 pages were wonderful. Don’t skip them! Although the repetition got old, with each day being told 3 different way: first as a postcard to her granddaughter (how on earth can a postcard hold such long messages??!!); the second retelling of each day is the author’s daily journal entry; and the third days’ retelling is in more detail written when back at home remembering each day’s activities with more detailed narration and introspection. I know some people couldn’t hack so much repetition and quit reading halfway through. But I kept on anyway though a part of me wanted it to end quickly. I’m so glad I kept going, for getting to the end and seeing how Mary finished her pilgrimage and her self-reflected take-aways was a lovely culmination of her story. What did I learn? That I will never/could never walk the Camino, but the fascination with The Way and its romanticized faith journey could be lived a bit vicariously through reading this book of another “old woman”. And that is surely enough.
July 16, 2024
A daily documentation of three records of walking the Spanish Camino by a solo 70 year old female. It really helped me live the Camino too. Consisting of a postcard to the author’s 5 yr old granddaughter, a journal record on the trail and a reflection on various un/related topics one year later. Frustratingly, there was always duplication. The author achieved an outstanding accomplishment- kudos! However, I found it difficult to understand why she did not use poles at the beginning- despite advice, had not trained with a pack, had no blister treatment on hand, did not stop when advised for her injured toe, had not learnt any Spanish, had no wet weather gear and obviously could not cope with a top bunk- explanation- because of her body habitus. Great quotes throughout, reflections on: meditation, Centering Prayer, Christianity. As a final thought- do we have the right to expect our grandchildren to serve- as we have done?
May 26, 2025
I really enjoyed reading this account of the author’s pilgrimage in the Camino de Santiago. Her three-part description of each day - first as a postcard to her young granddaughter, then as a journal entry, and last as a reflection written after she returned to her home - made it confusing at first. The repetition was confusing. Once I got into the rhythm of the three-telling, I enjoyed it immensely. I’m 75, a grandmother, too, and I will be walking one of the shorter Camino routes next year with both my children and possibly two or more of my grandchildren. I appreciate how Mary took the time to fully experience and appreciate each village and site along the way.
July 10, 2017
Honest and provocative
Like Mary, my heart has called me to the Camino for many years. I plan to make my own journey next year. It was refreshing to read about someone who did not rush, who met challenges of pain and injury with both self-kindness and determination. Mary walked with trust and growing awareness of why she walked and her insights into her own life story and those she met along the way are inspiring.
Like Mary, my heart has called me to the Camino for many years. I plan to make my own journey next year. It was refreshing to read about someone who did not rush, who met challenges of pain and injury with both self-kindness and determination. Mary walked with trust and growing awareness of why she walked and her insights into her own life story and those she met along the way are inspiring.
May 27, 2018
Interesting, but needs editing.
This was written for her family and each day she wrote a post card, and wrote in her journal. After finishing, she wrote reflections about the experiences. I’m sure it was a good way to process the experience, but it was pretty repetitive for the reader. I read about the first 100 pages, then skipped ahead to the last 50 or so. I did learn a bit about the Camino from it, but preferred a couple others.
This was written for her family and each day she wrote a post card, and wrote in her journal. After finishing, she wrote reflections about the experiences. I’m sure it was a good way to process the experience, but it was pretty repetitive for the reader. I read about the first 100 pages, then skipped ahead to the last 50 or so. I did learn a bit about the Camino from it, but preferred a couple others.
April 3, 2024
A Tale of a Camino Walk
The perspective of a 70 year old woman spoke volumes about being in the “present”, living one day at a time. I came away with a complete overview of this walk, one which I hope to fulfil one day.
The perspective of a 70 year old woman spoke volumes about being in the “present”, living one day at a time. I came away with a complete overview of this walk, one which I hope to fulfil one day.
May 20, 2020
Deeply enjoyed this!
This is a day by day account of the author's journey to Santiago. Descriptive, spiritual, and also easy to read. Thoroughly enjoyed!
This is a day by day account of the author's journey to Santiago. Descriptive, spiritual, and also easy to read. Thoroughly enjoyed!
March 9, 2021
Thought provoking
Mary leads the way both physically and spiritually as she walks to Santiago. Her words are light but deep. She has much to teach the reader if their hearts are open. Very well written. Her granddaughter is a lucky girl
Mary leads the way both physically and spiritually as she walks to Santiago. Her words are light but deep. She has much to teach the reader if their hearts are open. Very well written. Her granddaughter is a lucky girl
December 9, 2014
If you expect quality editing in a book, this one isn't for you. I wanted to like this book but I couldn't get past the spelling and grammatical errors. In just the first few pages the author misspelled "grand daughter" (sic) and "Pyranees" (sic) over and over again. The author does not understand the concept of closed compounds. She also covers each day three different times, giving a disjointed yet repetitive story of her daily activities. She mentions so many quotes that I ceased to be impressed with her extensive reading memory and start wondering exactly how much time she spent on BrainyQuote.com.
It's totally understandable if this is a private diary meant solely for her granddaughter, but when offering a book for purchase I feel like it's the author's responsibility to get a good editor (or at least use spellcheck) before publishing. This book wasn't cheap. I'm sure it's fine for people who aren't distracted by grammatical and spelling errors but I just couldn't do it. I know, I'm a grinch.
It's totally understandable if this is a private diary meant solely for her granddaughter, but when offering a book for purchase I feel like it's the author's responsibility to get a good editor (or at least use spellcheck) before publishing. This book wasn't cheap. I'm sure it's fine for people who aren't distracted by grammatical and spelling errors but I just couldn't do it. I know, I'm a grinch.
May 10, 2016
Loved her style of writing!
This enjoyable account of walking The Camino de Santiago appealed to me because each chapter represented one day in her walk, and was neatly divided into three parts: the postcard to her 5-year old grand-daughter, her journal entry, and a reflection written sometime after she had returned home. I started reading before my own two-week walk, but re-read each chapter that coincided with my own walk while I was walking. It was enjoyable to compare our experiences. Although our walks were similar in many ways, there were also significant differences; she walked the entire route (485 miles), I only completed 180 miles, and some of that was by taxi or bus. She walked alone, I was with friends. And most importantly, she kept a journal. I didn't. I think that is one reason I enjoyed reading this so much. I plan to return and walk more, and have been inspired by Mary O'Hara Wyman's account of her 48-day pilgrimage.
This enjoyable account of walking The Camino de Santiago appealed to me because each chapter represented one day in her walk, and was neatly divided into three parts: the postcard to her 5-year old grand-daughter, her journal entry, and a reflection written sometime after she had returned home. I started reading before my own two-week walk, but re-read each chapter that coincided with my own walk while I was walking. It was enjoyable to compare our experiences. Although our walks were similar in many ways, there were also significant differences; she walked the entire route (485 miles), I only completed 180 miles, and some of that was by taxi or bus. She walked alone, I was with friends. And most importantly, she kept a journal. I didn't. I think that is one reason I enjoyed reading this so much. I plan to return and walk more, and have been inspired by Mary O'Hara Wyman's account of her 48-day pilgrimage.
February 14, 2022
Camino works on you.
Mary makes this special pilgrimage come alive with her many childhood memories, pilgrim tales, lessons learned and the hope of rebirth. Even if I never go on Camino, I have experienced it emotionally and spiritually through her fine prose. My two caveats regard her duplication by adding the contents of postcards to her granddaughter and her progressive politics. The San Francisco of political correctness that she lived in 2010 is dead. Human poop, not dog poop, fills the streets. Such is the ‘end point reaction’ to the good intentions of progressive politics. Bien Camino
Mary makes this special pilgrimage come alive with her many childhood memories, pilgrim tales, lessons learned and the hope of rebirth. Even if I never go on Camino, I have experienced it emotionally and spiritually through her fine prose. My two caveats regard her duplication by adding the contents of postcards to her granddaughter and her progressive politics. The San Francisco of political correctness that she lived in 2010 is dead. Human poop, not dog poop, fills the streets. Such is the ‘end point reaction’ to the good intentions of progressive politics. Bien Camino
June 29, 2015
Grandma on the Camino sounded interesting since my husband is older and wants to walk it. I thought the journal was a good idea. It was set each day with a postcard to her grand daughter (good idea) and then she went into more detail about the day which REPEATED much of what was on the post card ( the repetition got to me). Lastly, she reflected upon each day after she got home (good idea and insights). It was interesting, however she kept saying how she was 70years old and needed a bottom bunk. I felt like the journal was written with publishing it in mind.
Read
August 2, 2014Very good book sharing of the author's journey - beautiful, thoughtful, and honest reflection. I enjoyed the format of postcards written to her granddaughter followed by her journal entries, even though at times it felt a little repetitive. Met with 3 friends who read this book at the same time and we ate, drank wine, and discussed the book! I recommend this book and getting together with friends!
January 27, 2016
Mary. Thank you for sharing your Camino with me.
Since watching The Way my soul has been "quickened" in its own yearning for a journey to my self and my own Camino. I have read many books about it, but yours took me on a personal journey I could feel. At 50 I wonder about the physicality of the burden, but my soul says "we can do it!" And after reading your memoir, I think we can. Buen Camino my friend. - Linda
Since watching The Way my soul has been "quickened" in its own yearning for a journey to my self and my own Camino. I have read many books about it, but yours took me on a personal journey I could feel. At 50 I wonder about the physicality of the burden, but my soul says "we can do it!" And after reading your memoir, I think we can. Buen Camino my friend. - Linda
August 8, 2014
In preparation for my own camino, I am reading all things on and about it. This especially appealed to me as I am a grandmother. I appreciated her sharing her experience in such a personal way, but it was painful to read it, feeling all her discomforts as she literally stumbled to Santiago. Good for her to complete it and thank you for sharing.
September 25, 2014
I have a friend hiking the Camino as I read this book.
I must say I haven't enjoyed a book this much in a very long time! To say I loved this book is an understatement. With that said...I anxiously await the return of my friend from her spiritual Pilgrimage.
Oh, the questions I have....oh, the answers she will have.
EVERYONE needs to read this book.
I must say I haven't enjoyed a book this much in a very long time! To say I loved this book is an understatement. With that said...I anxiously await the return of my friend from her spiritual Pilgrimage.
Oh, the questions I have....oh, the answers she will have.
EVERYONE needs to read this book.
December 17, 2016
Loved reading this. I read a few of the trek hiking books; now I think at 70, I'm fine reading about them instead of hiking them.
This author made the story visual and as if I were there with her, multi layered, fast read, worth it. Except she should have taken a week to heal her toes. What was her rush?
This author made the story visual and as if I were there with her, multi layered, fast read, worth it. Except she should have taken a week to heal her toes. What was her rush?
April 7, 2015
I loved this book. It was frank and honest and convinced me that I should try this amazing path myself. I give her a lot of credit for sticking with it and having the energy to write everyday despite scars and fatigue.
September 27, 2013
Inspirational.
April 3, 2016
This is one of my favorite books about the Camino de Santiago.
Displaying 1 - 26 of 26 reviews