brochure (Includes dates and prices)

A PILGRIMAGE
TO
SANTIAGO
with Joan Mathur
20-30 September 2016
PLEASE NOTE: our aim is for this pilgrimage to be inclusive for everybody. If you prefer not to walk, or you
prefer to walk some days and not others, you will have the option of travelling by coach and still joining ‘the
walkers’ for that day’s sightseeing.
An 11-day pilgrimage from Manchester
to Santiago de Compostela
McCabe Pilgrimages
James were believed to lie and now a magnificent
cathedral stands.
A PILGRIMAGE TO SANTIAGO
led by Joan Mathur
20-30 September 2016
This was one of the great pilgrimages of the Middle Ages.
Three of the routes across France (from Vezelay, Le Puy
and Tours) converged near the mountain passes of the
Pyrenees. Then the Way of St James led across to the
great cities of Burgos and León and on to the shrine in the
Field of the Star (Campus stellae) where the bones of St
TOUR
INFORMATION
The cost of this 11 day tour is £1,695
per person sharing a twin-bedded
room and includes many items
normally extra on a holiday. We stay at
three and four star (local grading)
hotels and all rooms have private
facilities. The tour is on a half-board
basis with continental breakfast and
evening meal included daily. Touring
is by air-conditioned coach and we are
accompanied at all times by a tour
manager. At the Guggenheim
Museum, in Burgos and in Leon we
also benefit from the knowledge of a
local guide. Entrance fees to the sites
listed are also included as well as all
airport taxes. Flights are with easyJet
between Manchester and Bilbao.
Ideally, you walk the whole way, while you are still young,
carrying your scallop-shell. On this journey, we shall be
walking along short sections (though even this is
optional), but we are conveyed mainly by coach. We shall
see cathedrals, monasteries, Romanesque churches,
wayside chapels and bridges which stood on the ancient
Way.
We begin in Bilbao, with a visit to the famous
Guggenheim museum, and we see the battlefield of
Roncesvalles (celebrated in the Chanson de Roland), as we
begin to follow the Way of St James across northern Spain.
En route we stay in very comfortable hotels with good
facilities.
On a pilgrimage, the journey itself is as important as the
destination, with its opportunity for fellowship and for the
sharing of stories (traditional ones and our own).
a group gratuity fund, to be collected
prior to departure by the tour leader
and distributed on your behalf in
Spain. Some single rooms are
available at a supplementary charge of
£345 but please see our note
'Travelling Alone' overleaf.
Any special requests should be printed
on the Booking Form. A deposit is
payable now with the balance due
eight weeks prior to departure. Full
flight and accommodation details will
be sent out with your travel wallet
two weeks before departure.
Please note the detail of your
itinerary may change prior to
departure dependent on local
conditions.
Not included: travel insurance is £39
(no age limit and no medical screening
required). It’s essential you take out
insurance cover but you may already
have a suitable policy in place. Please
also budget on approximately €40 for
RESERVATION
To reserve your place, please complete the enclosed
Booking Form and send it as soon as possible (places
are limited) with a deposit of £200 plus the insurance
premium of £39, to the tour leader. Please make
cheques payable to ‘McCabe Pilgrimages’.
Joan Mathur
383 Milnthorpe Lane
Sandal
Wakefield
WF2 7HT
Tel: 01924 253183
Email: [email protected]
DAILY PROGRAMME
Day 1 | Tues 20 Sep Manchester- Bilbao
Day 5 | Burgos
We meet at Manchester airport for
easyJet flight EZY1877 departing at 13:10
arriving in Bilbao at 16:25. We transfer to
the three star centrally located Hotel
Hesperia for an overnight stay.
Our featured visit today is to Burgos
Cathedral with its mighty gothic façade
and the Monastery of Huelgas Reales.
On towards Leon with a 4 km walk from
Iglesias to Hontanas. We continue
through the flat landscape of the Tierra
de Campos to Fromista visiting the
beautiful Romanesque church of San
Martin. Two nights in León at the Conde
Luna Hotel.
Day 2 | Guggenheim Museum
This morning we enjoy a guided tour
through the famous Guggenheim
museum and in the afternoon leave
Bilbao to drive to Pamplona, the town
that inspired Hemingway’s “The Sun
Also Rises”. En route we spend time in
Loyola, visiting the house of Ignatius and
the basilica. Two night stay at the four
star Hotel Tres Reyes in Pamplona.
Day 3 | Pamplona and Roncesvalles
We visit gothic Pamplona cathedral then
drive along the Pyrenees to the
mountain village of Ibaneta. 2 km walk
to Roncesvalles (lunch break) and the
possibility of a further 4 km walk from
Roncesvalles to Burguete, legendary
setting of the battles of Charlemagne
and Roland against the Moslems. We
visit the sanctuary and celebrate Holy
Communion before returning to
Pamplona.
Day 4 | Santo Domingo de la Calzada
We visit the funerary church at Eunate
continuing to Puente de la Reine where
the different ways of St James converge
as one route. We continue our journey
to Santo Domingo de la Calzada, one of
the most evocative towns on the Pilgrim
Way, and walk 6 km from the Ermita de
Valdefuentes to the church of San Juan
de Ortega. We continue to Burgos for
an overnight stay in the four-star
Almirante Bonifaz Hotel.
Day 6 | León
Sightseeing in León includes the
Romanesque church and Royal crypt of
Saint Isidoro, the fabulous cathedral
with its colourful stained-glass windows
and the Hostal of San Marcos in
Renaissance-style. Afternoon at leisure.
Day 7 | Mountain top experiences
We visit the Gaudi designed Pilgrim
museum and cathedral in the small town
of Astorga then have the possibility of a
walk from the deserted spot of
Foncebadon up to Cruz de Hierro (Iron
Cross) the Way’s highest point.
Continue via Villafranca del Bierzo
(where we have a break for lunch) to the
mountain pass of O Cebreiro where we
see a mountain village with celtic-like
round huts and the 9th C Sanctuary of
Santa Maria de O Cebreiro (Holy
Communion). In the afternoon we
continue to Sarria for an overnight stay
at the Hotel Alfonso IX.
Day 8 | The Heavenly City
We cross the Mino river and visit the
church of San Nicolas in Portomarin then
walk a 6 km stretch of the Way from
Melide to Boente through eucalyptus
woods.
We arrive in Santiago de
Compostela via the viewpoint at “Monte
del Gozo” where pilgrims first saw the
spires of the “heavenly” city. We all
walk the last 500 metres to the
magnificent cathedral of Saint James
and our journey’s climax. Two night stay
in Santiago at the Compostela Hotel.
Day 9 | Santiago de Compostela
This morning we visit the Shrine of St
James. We have a guided tour of the
cathedral. The cathedral has an amazing
Baroque façade hiding the much earlier
Romanesque building set on the site
where in the 8th century the tomb of St
James was discovered. This is the
culmination of the ‘pilgrim route’ and
the traditional climax is touching the
great figure of the Saint behind the altar.
We join the Pilgrim Mass at noon. We
also see the Botafumeiro swing.
Afternoon is free, with the opportunity
to visit the museum. This evening we
go out to enjoy a traditional farewell
dinner in a local restaurant (including the
‘Quiemada’ drink ceremony).
Day 10 | To Ribadesella
We leave Santiago and begin our journey
east skirting the northern coast of Spain.
We pause for a break in Ribadeo. We
then have a lunch stop and a short tour
of Oviedo. In the afternoon, we continue
to Ribadesella. We spend our last night
in this pleasant resort at the three–star
Hotel Don Pepe.
Day 11 | Fri 30 Sep Bilbao - Manchester
A leisurely breakfast before we leave
Ribadesella and drive to Bilbao and the
airport for our return flight. easyJet
flight EZY1878 departs at 16:55 and
arrives back at Manchester Airport at
17:55.
OUR PILGRIMAGE
A NOTE ABOUT OUR WALKS
Our walks along The Way will vary in length and degree of difficulty but
they have been planned with the expectation that most people will be able
to participate. The actual walks chosen will depend on the weather and
the abilities of the party. There will always be a coaching option for nonwalkers. No special footwear or other equipment is required. Think in
terms of stout walking shoes and a day pack to carry water, a camera and
the like. If you are worried about the fitness element, have a word with a
tour leader or call the McCabe office.
TRAVELLING ALONE
Many of our passengers travel alone and object to expensive single room supplements. McCabe Pilgrimages will accept individual
bookings on a 'guaranteed share' basis. We charge the basic price and accommodate you with a person of the same sex also
requesting shared accommodation. If we do not find someone to share with you, you will be accommodated in a single room at
only 50% of the usual single room supplement. For single travellers who do require single accommodation this should be requested
when booking and, if available, the normal supplement will be payable.
PASSPORTS, VISAS AND HEALTH
Please ensure that your passport is valid for at least six months after the time of this pilgrimage. If you need a new passport apply
early as there can be considerable backlogs at the passport offices. A visa is issued free of charge on entering Israel and there are
currently no further requirements for entering the Palestinian territories. If you are holding a non-British passport, or require
further advice, please consult the McCabe office. No inoculations are required. We do, however, advise you to consult your doctor
regarding your own personal requirements.
TRAVEL INSURANCE
Travel insurance is arranged by Global Travel Insurance Services Ltd for McCabe Travel Ltd who are an Appointed Representative
of Global Travel Insurance Services Ltd, authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority. Our status can be checked on
the FCA Register by visiting www.fca.org.uk or by contacting the FCA on 0845 606 9966. This Insurance is underwritten by ERV.
ERV is authorised by the Bundesanstalt für Finanzdienstleistungsaufsicht (BAFIN – www.bafin.de) and the Prudential Regulation
Authority and subject to limited regulation by the Financial Conduct Authority and Prudential Regulation Authority. It has been
specifically designed so that it covers all McCabe holidays; protecting you in full if you have to cancel and providing you with the
very best and most effective protection if you are unfortunate enough to require medical attention whilst away from home.
A unique feature of the policy is that you will not need to call a medical help line to discuss health issues.
Most Pre-existing health conditions are covered as long as your doctor agrees that you are fit to travel.
Standard exclusions apply and are listed on the summary document. Please check that you are not affected by the Main health
Exclusions. You will not be covered for any ongoing tests or treatment of an undiagnosed condition, or for any terminal illness, or if
you claim as a result of a condition arising within the past twelve months. Note that you will pay an excess of £1,000 on any claim
that results directly from a pre-existing medical condition. In our experience a very few claims result from pre-existing medical
conditions. With this policy you are covered with no declaration of health required.
A full policy wording will be sent to you with your confirmation of booking, or ask us and we will send you a copy now. Full details
are also on our website. If you would like more information or are unsure of any details, please call Global Travel Insurance Services
Ltd for further advice on 01903 229 380. This insurance is only available to persons who are permanently resident and domiciled in
the UK.
AITO Quality Statement
McCabe Pilgrimages is a member of the Association of Independent Tour Operators. The Association represents Britain’s leading
independent tour operators and encourages high standards of quality and service. McCabe abides by the Association’s Code of
Conduct and adheres to the AITO Quality Charter which can be viewed on www.aito.co.uk. Visit the website to find out more about
the Association or call 020 8744 9280.
This pilgrimage is ATOL protected by the Civil Aviation Authority.
The McCabe ATOL number is 2920.
11 Hillgate Place Balham Hill London SW12 9ER
Telephone 020 8675 6828 Fax 020 8673 1204
Email: [email protected]
www.mccabe-travel.co.uk
McCabe Pilgrimages