Leave your footprint on WA’s pilgrim trail
There are many reasons why so many people decide to walk the world’s pilgrim trails today. Among them are meeting spiritual and reflective needs, wanting to connect with nature, maintaining health and wellbeing, testing ability to meet physical and mental challenges and enjoying the social connections.
Western Australia’s Camino Salvado, the nation’s first pilgrim trail, follows in the footsteps of Dom Rosendo Salvado, a Spanish Benedictine monk who walked from Perth to establish the New Norcia mission in 1847.
Walking the Camino Salvado | credit: L-A Shibish
Founder of the contemporary Camino Salvado, Dr Duncan Jefferson was inspired to establish the WA trail while walking the hugely famous and popular Camino de Santiago in Spain with his wife, Maggie in 2008.
The 201 km Camino Salvado trail starts from St Joseph’s Church in Subiaco. Initially an urban walk, it follows the Swan River and passes through national parks and rural landscapes that have been home for more than 40,000 years to the Whadjuk and Yued peoples.
The arrival point is the little monastery town of New Norcia, 132 kms north east of Perth, and typically, the staged journey takes walkers 7 to 8 days to complete.
This year’s dates for the two organised, self-guided walks from Subiaco to New Norcia conducted with the support of St Joseph’s parish (ecumenical with accommodation, meals and return transport) are:
- Sun 22 Aug to Sun 29 Aug
- Sun 19 Sept to Sun 26 Sep
For registration: https://www.caminosalvado.com/register-interest/
Other independent individuals and groups, schools, walking clubs, etc. should contact the Pilgrim Trail Foundation. http://pilgrimtrail.com.au/
Volunteers needed
The Pilgrim Trail Foundation is a Not-For Profit organisation which was established in 2010 with a vision to encourage as many people as possible to experience the benefits and delights of using the trail.
The Pilgrim Trail Foundation board was formed, the trail alignment was mapped, marked, and promoted with help from Lotterywest and the contemporary Camino Salvado was officially launched in 2016 by the Hon Kerry Sanderson AC, CVO, then Governor of Western Australia.
A strategic plan has been developed and consultation with local and State Government agencies, traditional owners, land holders, representatives and other stakeholders is ongoing. Forward planning includes interpretation of the history and stories of Dom Salvado, his work and his close connection to the Aboriginal people of the area and their culture.
As Chair of the Pilgrim Trail Foundation, John Staude is in the process of putting together an agenda for a proposed forum to attract input from a variety of people interested in the development and promotion of the trail. The main immediate objective is improved mapping, trail-marking and infrastructure.
If you are interested in donating to this effort or giving your time as a volunteer, the Pilgrim Trail Foundation would love to hear from you. See further information here:
