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Camino Sunrise-Walking With My Shadows: One reluctant pilgrim packs a weighty load on a 500-mile path
"I absolutely loved this book. I've read many Camino books and this is by far the best. So endearing and sweet and I felt like I picked up loads of tips for my upcoming Camino..." --Amazon U.K. reader"I just sat down and started it on Sunday and here I am on Monday evening posting my review...please read it...a truly wonderful read." --Amazon reader"I am a long-distance trekker as well...Camino Sunrise is an enjoyable and inspirational book and I highly recommend it." --J. Robert Harris, author, Way Out ThereWalk? 500 miles? Across Spain? We can't do that!And so began the journey of a lifetime for Reg Spittle.An outwardly well-adjusted professional and family man, Reg was a master of disguising a lifetime of anxiety that undermined his self-confidence.Recently retired, he never dreamed he'd soon find himself backpacking across a foreign land, sleeping in dorm bunks and sharing bathrooms as if he were a teenager experiencing his gap year.When tragedy strikes, Reg reluctantly accepts his wife's challenge to carry his red backpack on the historic Camino de Santiago, confronting the ghosts of childhood bullies and humiliations, while packing weighty new worries.Self-reflection, humor, and a recurring cast of characters create the backdrop for a story of hope in Camino Walking With My Shadows.Follow Reg's adventures on four more famed European trails in his new book, Trippin' Through My When adventure calls, the trails of Europe answerNow available on Amazon
- GenresNonfiction
267 pages, Kindle Edition
Published October 29, 2018
82 people are currently reading
64 people want to read
About the author
Reginald Spittle
3 books6 followersReg Spittle and his wife Sue raised three sons in the shadow of Yosemite National Park, regularly exploring its many trails. As an educator, he won a Fulbright teaching exchange in Scotland and taught political science in California. He was a journalist at five newspapers. An avid traveler, he had no idea retirement would present him with even greater life challenges. Reg and Sue live in Ashland, Oregon.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 31 reviews
July 6, 2019
A great read about the joys and struggles of the Camino and life. A great read.
July 23, 2024
A fun, delightful story of a man and his wife trekking in pursuit of adventure and contentment. I felt drawn to Reg’s story immediately—especially his desire to heal himself from the past and his commitment to facing his shadows. These elements stood out to me: Reg’s insights and descriptions about the trail itself, and his inward examination. I felt moved by Reg’s honesty and vulnerability. He bears all, and the transformation is palpable. His leap into the unknown shook his former self, allowing him to rebuild into something that no one can take away from him. I’m amazed by Reg and Sue’s courage to continue adventuring into old age, keeping their hearts, minds, and souls youthful for all to read. This book sticks the landing.
June 4, 2019
Honest and gracious
This is one of the most engaging Camino memoirs I have read. The author is touchingly honest and courageous in his personal commitment to emotional and psychological maturity. His gratitude towards the Camino and his Camino family is full of grace. This reader was left feeling great respect for the author and his experience.
This is one of the most engaging Camino memoirs I have read. The author is touchingly honest and courageous in his personal commitment to emotional and psychological maturity. His gratitude towards the Camino and his Camino family is full of grace. This reader was left feeling great respect for the author and his experience.
June 17, 2019
Fun, enjoyable read that makes me want to walk the Camino :) I really appreciate Reg’s detailed focus on the people he met. I think it’s had a subtle influence on me — I’ve already had conversations with two random strangers today. People make the journey of life worthwhile.
April 2, 2021
The Camino is on my bucket list to do and have read several books on the subject.
Reg's journey with his wife Sue really brings out the reason for this pilgrimage, facing each day as they come, the friendship and support of the journey.
Several moments I was moved to the point I had to clear my eyes as I connected with some of Reg's experiences and hope that when I finally complete this walk, my views on some of life will be clearer.
Reg's journey with his wife Sue really brings out the reason for this pilgrimage, facing each day as they come, the friendship and support of the journey.
Several moments I was moved to the point I had to clear my eyes as I connected with some of Reg's experiences and hope that when I finally complete this walk, my views on some of life will be clearer.
November 13, 2019
Really inspiring
The book came to life and was an easy read. It made you travel in your mind. As a child who was bullied always picked last for sport and impact it had had on all my adult life very relatable. Thanks for the inspiration x
The book came to life and was an easy read. It made you travel in your mind. As a child who was bullied always picked last for sport and impact it had had on all my adult life very relatable. Thanks for the inspiration x
April 2, 2019
I connected with Reg through our blogs and I was excited to read about another pilgrim's journey. My brother and I hiked El Camino last summer and enjoyed it immensely. I immediately connected with Reg's story and his openness. Reading this was like walking the Camino again! Reg's story is deeply vulnerable and utterly human. Even as a 20 something female, I relate to Reg's struggles with anxiety and self-doubt.
The dispersion of past memories alongside the Camino reflections propelled the narrative. It was a detailed personal account but it wasn't just about Reg and his past-- it was about the pilgrims he met, the lessons he learned, and the Camino itself. Because the Camino is as much a living, breathing entity as the people that walk it. And it will provide! Thanks for sharing your story!
The dispersion of past memories alongside the Camino reflections propelled the narrative. It was a detailed personal account but it wasn't just about Reg and his past-- it was about the pilgrims he met, the lessons he learned, and the Camino itself. Because the Camino is as much a living, breathing entity as the people that walk it. And it will provide! Thanks for sharing your story!
May 8, 2019
Great story
I walked my first Camino a year after the author and I too started in Plampona due to the weather. I stopped in many of the places the author described and felt many of the same emotions. Like him, I also laid down my memories in a book. The author has transported me back to the Camino with every single page. He made me shed the same tears I felt when I first entered Praza de Obradoiro. I must go back. Well done Reg, you have touched my heart with your beautiful book
I walked my first Camino a year after the author and I too started in Plampona due to the weather. I stopped in many of the places the author described and felt many of the same emotions. Like him, I also laid down my memories in a book. The author has transported me back to the Camino with every single page. He made me shed the same tears I felt when I first entered Praza de Obradoiro. I must go back. Well done Reg, you have touched my heart with your beautiful book
June 9, 2019
Very inspiring
Very entertaining and inspiring. Well written memoir about an older couple (young at heart) as they travel the Camino de Santiago.
Very entertaining and inspiring. Well written memoir about an older couple (young at heart) as they travel the Camino de Santiago.
September 15, 2019
A success story
The Camino changed the author’s life for the better. He wrote about it. We got a delightful book. I can vouch for the fact that traveling light, living out of a backpack, will impact your life. His stories are very much like the experiences I had when I hitchhiked throughout the USA many, many years ago (long before the internet and smartphones). The kindness of strangers, the beauty of nature, the emotions that change one’s view of life were all in this book. The delightful watercolor illustrations added to the charm.
The Camino changed the author’s life for the better. He wrote about it. We got a delightful book. I can vouch for the fact that traveling light, living out of a backpack, will impact your life. His stories are very much like the experiences I had when I hitchhiked throughout the USA many, many years ago (long before the internet and smartphones). The kindness of strangers, the beauty of nature, the emotions that change one’s view of life were all in this book. The delightful watercolor illustrations added to the charm.
January 25, 2019
Great descriptions of the Way
I felt like I had walked with this couple as they walked the Camino. They felt pain, cultural
Shock and many times had to adjust quickly to their surroundings. Yet the most important thing that came through was their desire to learn as they trekked. It was a well written view of the Camino.
I felt like I had walked with this couple as they walked the Camino. They felt pain, cultural
Shock and many times had to adjust quickly to their surroundings. Yet the most important thing that came through was their desire to learn as they trekked. It was a well written view of the Camino.
June 2, 2019
Inspirational Read.
Thoroughly enjoyed this book, a detailed account of a husband and wifes treck in Spain. Lovely pace, great descriptions of places visited and some really poignant moments highlighted.
The narrative made the book for me, Reg had it down to perfection, would love to read more of his adventures.
Thoroughly enjoyed this book, a detailed account of a husband and wifes treck in Spain. Lovely pace, great descriptions of places visited and some really poignant moments highlighted.
The narrative made the book for me, Reg had it down to perfection, would love to read more of his adventures.
December 23, 2018
Nicely Done
Well written, I especially enjoyed the well developed ending thoughts and reflections. We walked the Portuguese Camino last May and are walking the Camino Frances this May (2019).
Well written, I especially enjoyed the well developed ending thoughts and reflections. We walked the Portuguese Camino last May and are walking the Camino Frances this May (2019).
November 20, 2021
one of the nicest books I have read about the Camino and I have read a lot.
What I like is the character does not go into the constant moaning some have in the past. Ok, the characters rarely use alburges as most do, not many shared rooms appear in the book. No complaints about bed bugs. This is a positive story where the author is kind about other people he meets, where friendships are formed. Unlike many books I have read the last miles are not missed out. I often find with books about the Camino the last miles covered are rarely talked about or overlooked.
Good positive feel-good book
What I like is the character does not go into the constant moaning some have in the past. Ok, the characters rarely use alburges as most do, not many shared rooms appear in the book. No complaints about bed bugs. This is a positive story where the author is kind about other people he meets, where friendships are formed. Unlike many books I have read the last miles are not missed out. I often find with books about the Camino the last miles covered are rarely talked about or overlooked.
Good positive feel-good book
December 24, 2019
Good Book
Putting the past and present together to explain the reason for this pilgrimage works well. I have read so many books about this same walk and they are all different, because each experience is unique . This one is more personal and not a how to , or a how fast can you get to Santiago , or party people , or religious healing , but a truthful journey. A reconciling journey.
Putting the past and present together to explain the reason for this pilgrimage works well. I have read so many books about this same walk and they are all different, because each experience is unique . This one is more personal and not a how to , or a how fast can you get to Santiago , or party people , or religious healing , but a truthful journey. A reconciling journey.
October 7, 2020
Enjoyable read
Although the book is not as finely polished as it could otherwise be, I still found myself enjoying it the whole way through. The writing feels like it improves as the book progresses. The imagery and descriptions, however, are strong and the reader comes away with the sense that these people on the trail are real, even dear friends, rather than just characters in a story.
Although the book is not as finely polished as it could otherwise be, I still found myself enjoying it the whole way through. The writing feels like it improves as the book progresses. The imagery and descriptions, however, are strong and the reader comes away with the sense that these people on the trail are real, even dear friends, rather than just characters in a story.
April 26, 2022
Honest, humble, and a joy to read. Reg gives a great overview of the Camino but the humility with which he presents himself and faces his anxieties is inspirational. It’s a book I wish I would have read in my early twenties and a book I’m equally sure I wouldn’t have been able to fully appreciate. I look forward to sharing it with other adventurers of life and am excited to read his next one. This books will make you want to pack a bag just as much as it will help you leave some behind.
January 3, 2019
Life lessons
The life experiences I've read in this book are an great ways to see how we encounter obstacles in our path. Further more, sometimes we're the ones throwing those obstacles. I've also seen how much strength one must have in order to go through those challenges, but the strength is there. We only need to find it. Awesome read!
The life experiences I've read in this book are an great ways to see how we encounter obstacles in our path. Further more, sometimes we're the ones throwing those obstacles. I've also seen how much strength one must have in order to go through those challenges, but the strength is there. We only need to find it. Awesome read!
September 10, 2020
The writing was enjoyable and it was fun reading about the places I visited when I walked in 2014. It was more self indulgent than personal at the beginning but that got better as the story went along. Although the author understood that everyone’s Camino is personal, he was a bit snarky about other walkers throughout his journey.
April 1, 2024
Doubly great
Not only did I love trekking the Camino through the eyes of Reg and Sue, I so appreciated Reg's candid and very personal reflections on a difficult childhood, bullying and lack of confidence. I too find myself looking critically through the rear-view mirror of my life. I'm inspired now to bravely find my own Camino challenge. Thank you Reg and Sue!
Not only did I love trekking the Camino through the eyes of Reg and Sue, I so appreciated Reg's candid and very personal reflections on a difficult childhood, bullying and lack of confidence. I too find myself looking critically through the rear-view mirror of my life. I'm inspired now to bravely find my own Camino challenge. Thank you Reg and Sue!
January 23, 2025
Awesome
This is one of the best Camino memoirs I've read. Reg's honesty and vulnerability made me realize that others experience anxieties similar to mine, and showed me that it's possible to overcome the things that hold us back.
His writing style is fun and engaging. I truly enjoyed every moment of this book.
This is one of the best Camino memoirs I've read. Reg's honesty and vulnerability made me realize that others experience anxieties similar to mine, and showed me that it's possible to overcome the things that hold us back.
His writing style is fun and engaging. I truly enjoyed every moment of this book.
April 21, 2025
Excellent! Beginning my pilgrimage in 17 days with my daughter. I'm 62 and also staying in mostly alburgues. Really looking forward to it. I've also had some health issues and life transitions in the past few years. I think that's why I'm doing it. Hoping it becomes clear to me as I'm walking day after day.
October 15, 2025
The guts and the glory
A great read. I travelled every exhilarating and weary step with Reg and Sue. Having had a childhood too similar to Reg's for comfort, I completely understood the difficulties he had in places along the way. I'm glad he triumphed. This is as much about redemption and the human spirit as it is a travel blog. Well worth reading.
A great read. I travelled every exhilarating and weary step with Reg and Sue. Having had a childhood too similar to Reg's for comfort, I completely understood the difficulties he had in places along the way. I'm glad he triumphed. This is as much about redemption and the human spirit as it is a travel blog. Well worth reading.
April 22, 2019
Surprisingly good read. I was not looking forward to another book about a trek. This book is much more than that. It paints a picture of the author moving past his negative life experiences to accept his true gifts on the Camino. Well done!
August 14, 2021
Walking with Reg was delightful
I am planning to walk the Camino De Santiago next April and am reading everything I can get my hands on about the experience. This book has been my favorite so far because the author and his wife are about my age, took the same route at the same time of year and his personal vulnerability as he retells his day to day experiences on his walk was so courageous, clear and authentic.
I am planning to walk the Camino De Santiago next April and am reading everything I can get my hands on about the experience. This book has been my favorite so far because the author and his wife are about my age, took the same route at the same time of year and his personal vulnerability as he retells his day to day experiences on his walk was so courageous, clear and authentic.
September 25, 2022
A great read.
I really enjoyed this book. I’m planning on this walk when I retire and it gives me an idea of the challenges other pilgrims have been through. The author is very honest with his feelings and I like that. I enjoyed this book a lot.
I really enjoyed this book. I’m planning on this walk when I retire and it gives me an idea of the challenges other pilgrims have been through. The author is very honest with his feelings and I like that. I enjoyed this book a lot.
December 26, 2023
I wish Sue had taken part in writing this book. Maybe if her pov alternated with her husband's painful childhood, the narrative might've been less...boring. Also, if they had begun from St. Jean as planned instead of Pamplona, the hike would've been complete, like Tom's in The Way. Can't recommend.
November 25, 2025
this was incredibly soul bearing. I feel like I know reg better than many people I call friends.
I read his books in reverse order. Now I know better what he came from. I like Camino Reg. I wouldn’t mind getting more input from Sue’s perspective.
I read his books in reverse order. Now I know better what he came from. I like Camino Reg. I wouldn’t mind getting more input from Sue’s perspective.
September 11, 2019
A good well written book that took a short time to read, I hope he writes more but from a personal point of view he looses credibility as a hiker with his start point and the bus ride.!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 15, 2023
The author's honest discussion of the painful experiences in his life and how the Camino helped him process them made this book notable. I also appreciated the humorous passages.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 31 reviews