Follow the signs

Before Setting out on the Camino many people's fear is that they will get lost. Now this is always a small possibility, but this occurs when one doesn't follow, or doesn't keep an eye out for the signs. It is my experience that the Caminos are all well marked.

Right from the start of the Camino Frances in St Jean Pied de Port there are signs to follow to find your way

And signs that tell you just how far you've left to go. although these can be a bit misleading, and vary greatly from place to place.

There are small signs to point you in one direction or the other:

 And larger signs with more details about the route you can choose.

 There are even bigger ones that detail the route in various regions

 And colourful signs that just let you know you are still on the right path.

How could you ever go wrong it you keep your eye out for these?

 Some are natural and made by pilgrims that have passed this way before.

 And of course there's the yellow shell that is always a sure sign that you're on the right track.

 And Yellow arrows of all sizes and descriptions

 More formal ones put up by local councils or friends of the Camino societies

 And the distance markers found all along the route in Galicia

 And of course the one that tells you you are nearly at the end of the road as you enter Santiago.

Yet with all these strong clues as to which way to go on each of the Caminos I have walked I have ended up getting slightly lost. And here I have to put my hands up - each time was because I wasn't paying attention to the way. I was either busy chatting (remember that diversion Janey on the hottest of days), or I simply didn't see the sign because I thought I knew better and was headed in the right direction. Getting lost is an option of course, but , in my case, one taken only through lack of concentration...