"Waybread:" Camino Lore from Laurie Dennett (in English!)

[Rebekah Scott]

"Waybread: Memories of the Camino for the Onward Journey" by Laurie Dennett. Peaceable Publishing, Moratinos Spain, 2023. 301 pages, paper and e-book.

Finally in English: a timely collection of speeches, studies and observations of the history of Camino de Santiago pilgrimage phenomenon, by Laurie Dennett, noted Canadian writer, historian and pilgrim.

>Bunk down on the floor of the dining room at Don Elias Valina’s pilgrim hospederia in O Cebreiro, circa 1989, and learn how one man’s vision fast-forwarded this mountain village from the Middle Ages to modernity in a single generation….
>March across the meseta with juvenile convicts from Belgium, walking off their sentences as part of the Oikoten rehab program…
>Meet the Basque priest who founded nine non-profit pilgrim shelters in the early 1990s... Sail aboard a 15th century English pilgrimage ship from Bristol, Plymouth, or Portsmouth – and walk the English Way from A Coruna…
> See how the pilgrim credential evolved from an early Safe Conduct document, what the first Compostela certificate signified, and how “pilgrims” have for years bent the rules. Learn the real story behind the yellow arrows that first marked the latter-day Camino path.

“Waybread” is a book full of fascinating detail, photos, and fun anecdotes, all centered on the ever-growing Camino de Santiago pilgrimage trail. Check out the details at www.waybread.org.

Dennett was president of the Confraternity of St. James in UK for eight years, and was one of the first English-speaking pilgrims to set down her experiences – her “A Hug for The Apostle” (1986) became a Camino classic. Lovers of the pilgrimage Way will enjoy these historical artifacts – observations of an ever-changing path as seen through loving but critical eyes.

Brought to you by Peaceable Publishing

 

[J Willhaus]

"Waybread: Memories of the Camino for the Onward Journey" by Laurie Dennett. Peaceable Publishing, Moratinos Spain, 2023. 301 pages, paper and e-book.

Finally in English: a timely collection of speeches, studies and observations of the history of Camino de Santiago pilgrimage phenomenon, by Laurie Dennett, noted Canadian writer, historian and pilgrim.

>Bunk down on the floor of the dining room at Don Elias Valina’s pilgrim hospederia in O’Cebreiro, circa 1989, and learn how one man’s vision fast-forwarded this mountain village from the Middle Ages to modernity in a single generation….
>March across the meseta with juvenile convicts from Belgium, walking off their sentences as part of the Oikoten rehab program…
>Meet the Basque priest who founded nine non-profit pilgrim shelters in the early 1990s... Sail aboard a 15th century English pilgrimage ship from Bristol, Plymouth, or Portsmouth – and walk the English Way from A Coruna…
> See how the pilgrim credential evolved from an early Safe Conduct document, what the first Compostela certificate signified, and how “pilgrims” have for years bent the rules. Learn the real story behind the yellow arrows that first marked the latter-day Camino path.

“Waybread” is a book full of fascinating detail, photos, and fun anecdotes, all centered on the ever-growing Camino de Santiago pilgrimage trail. Check out the details at www.waybread.org.

Dennett was president of the Confraternity of St. James in UK for eight years, and was one of the first English-speaking pilgrims to set down her experiences – her “A Hug for The Apostle” (1986) became a Camino classic. Lovers of the pilgrimage Way will enjoy these historical artifacts – observations of an ever-changing path as seen through loving but critical eyes.

Brought to you by Peaceable Publishing

Sounds great! Where is it available?

 

[stevepjq]

On Amazon.

 

[CaminoKentucky]

Sounds great! Where is it available?

order the book — waybread

www.waybread.org

 

[J Willhaus]

OK, I bought Waybread on Kindle and bought the other book by L. Dennett A Hug for the Apostle on hard copy to be delivered. Thanks for posting @Rebekah Scott!

 

[Robo]

On Amazon.

Bought! Look forward to starting it tonight.

 

[Rebekah Scott]

It's a real treat for camino-heads.

 

[martin1ws]

Bought!
Thank you for the tip.

Edit: I read your publisher's note and I am looking forward to read the book...

 

[JerryStroebele]

OK, I bought Waybread on Kindle and bought the other book by L. Dennett A Hug for the Apostle on hard copy to be delivered. Thanks for posting @Rebekah Scott!

Ditto. Now on my phone to read on the train from Madrid. Gracias. Buen Camino

 

[Bradypus]

Just bought the Kindle version. Only read one article so far but it is bringing back to mind many things from my first Camino. Laurie's "A Hug For The Apostle" was the only account of the Camino I had read before making that first walk and I made that first (and second) journey using Elias Valina's 1985 guidebook. Sadly I arrived in O Cebreiro just a few months too late to meet the man himself. I'm looking forward to learning more of the early history of the Camino revival as I read further.

 

[JamesGeier]

Just bought the Kindle version. Only read one article so far but it is bringing back to mind many things from my first Camino. Laurie's "A Hug For The Apostle" was the only account of the Camino I had read before making that first walk and I made that first (and second) journey using Elias Valina's 1985 guidebook. Sadly I arrived in O Cebreiro just a few months too late to meet the man himself. I'm looking forward to learning more of the early history of the Camino revival as I read further.

I did love Laurie's "A Hug for the Apostle" so I ordered the Kindle version of "Waybread." It would not download to my Kindle Paperwhite, and in the Kindle app on my Android phone, the controls to change the font size are not there, nor are other "controls." The font on my Kindle app on my phone is too small to read. This, unfortunately, is not a real Kindle version of the book. And I'd prefer not to waste more trees and get the hardcopy. I'm disappointed.
--james--

 

[Rebekah Scott]

I did love Laurie's "A Hug for the Apostle" so I ordered the Kindle version of "Waybread." It would not download to my Kindle Paperwhite, and in the Kindle app on my Android phone, the controls to change the font size are not there, nor are other "controls." The font on my Kindle app on my phone is too small to read. This, unfortunately, is not a real Kindle version of the book. And I'd prefer not to waste more trees and get the hardcopy. I'm disappointed.
--james--

I will tell our web person right away, and refund your money if you send me an IM.

 

[VNwalking]

Woooow.
What a treat.
Thank you, @Rebekah Scott !
I'll be waiting for a readable kindle version, since my life does not allow a real library. But it sounds worth the wait.

 

[Rebekah Scott]

Woooow.
What a treat.
Thank you, @Rebekah Scott !
I'll be waiting for a readable kindle version, since my life does not allow a real library. But it sounds worth the wait.

A scaleable version will be uploaded this weekend.
(It was an artistic decsion, to keep the photos within the flow of the text.) As-is It IS a "real" and perfectly readable Kindle file, but it doesn't scale up for people who want to change things around. So soon you can have big letters, but the pictures might not be embedded in the text, they'll be at the end of the section.

These are the little bumps in the road to publishing things.

 

[JerryStroebele]

Yes, the Kindle app print is small but it is easy to enlarge on my iPhone SE. Buen Camino

 

[Robo]

Really enjoying it!

Though a bit disheartened to hear that the Invierno was 'invented' by Politicians.
Kind of takes the edge of my enthusiasm to walk it, given it's not a traditional route.......

 

[David Tallan]

"Waybread: Memories of the Camino for the Onward Journey" by Laurie Dennett. Peaceable Publishing, Moratinos Spain, 2023. 301 pages, paper and e-book.

Finally in English...

Out of curiosity, what language was it in before?

 

[Rebekah Scott]

Out of curiosity, what language was it in before?

It's English, and always has been. One of the articles was originally in Spanish, but Laurie's translated it.
The "finally in English" part refers to the fact that so much of the really fun and juicy Camino lore has never been translated out of Spanish. A lot of the details you find here will be fresh to people who do not read Spanish.

 

[VNwalking]

Kind of takes the edge of my enthusiasm to walk it, given it's not a traditional route

It's an even more ancient way, from the time of the Romans and probably before - and is much more interesting than the CF - I think, anyway. And more beautiful.

 

[Robo]

It's an even more ancient way, from the time of the Romans and probably before - and is much more interesting than the CF - I think, anyway. And more beautiful.

That's what I thought.......... Only that the first reference to it in the book says otherwise?

P36.
There are also many local variants, some of them, like the ‘Camino del Invierno’ invented by politicians to attract pilgrim traffic and boost the economies of the towns along it.

Sorry, don't want to detract from a good read. I shall read on

 

[VNwalking]

That's what I thought.......... Only that the first reference to it in the book says otherwise?

Fact: The Romans mined Las Medulas and diverted the Rio Sil at Montefurado. They had extensive vineyards in the Ribeira Sacra, along both the Rios Miño and Sil. They could not have done all that without a few roads. In the Ribeira Sacra the main Roman Road went North:

BELESAR Muy próximo está el tramo que recibe el nombre de Codos, alusivo, sin duda, a la calzada que por allí pasaba. Por si ésto ofreciese duda, está el ara a los lares viales. Más al Norte y en la recta que une Chantada con Orense, nos encontramos

(From: https://gredos.usal.es/bitstream/handle/10366/70952/Vias_Romanas_de_Galicia.pdf;sequence=1 )
Between Monforte and Santiago may not have been on the main (Roman) drag, but it was clearly an active place when the Camino Francés was the main drag to Santiago. Old roads and bridges underfoot just serve to emphasize that fact.
Sure politicians have invested energy in pushing this. But how did the whole camino de Santiago thing start in the first place? In my book it doesn't detract from walking on history one bit.

 

[J Willhaus]

OK, so far I am really liking this book. It puts into words the feelings I have about pilgrimage and hospitality and it makes me feel glad that there are still people out there who understand the richness of a simple pilgrimage.

 

[Rebekah Scott]

Fact: The Romans mined Las Medulas and diverted the Rio Sil at Montefurado. They had extensive vineyards in the Ribeira Sacra, along both the Rios Miño and Sil. They could not have done all that without a few roads. In the Ribeira Sacra the main Roman Road went North:

(From: https://gredos.usal.es/bitstream/handle/10366/70952/Vias_Romanas_de_Galicia.pdf;sequence=1 )
Between Monforte and Santiago may not have been on the main (Roman) drag, but it was clearly an active place when the Camino Francés was the main drag to Santiago. Old roads and bridges underfoot just serve to emphasize that fact.
Sure politicians have invested energy in pushing this. But how did the whole camino de Santiago thing start in the first place? In my book it doesn't detract from walking on history one bit.

View attachment 141257 View attachment 141258
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No one's saying the Invierno was not a road. She's saying it is not a Camino de Santiago pilgrimage route as such.

 

[peregrina2000]

Though a bit disheartened to hear that the Invierno was 'invented' by Politicians.

This statement will make poor Aida Menéndez roll over in her grave. She was the Invierno’s biggest champion, and has gathered a lot of the historical background. I am no historian, and I know FICS has long taken the position that this was not a traditional pilgrimage route, but there is a lot of evidence to the contrary, I believe.

 

[Robo]

An interesting read. Thanks for publishing and sharing @Rebekah Scott .

I particularly liked:

1. The background and works of Don Elias
2. The history of O Cebreiro
3. The modern changes to the Camino and trying to maintain the traditional Pilgrim approach to walking it.
4. The rebuilding and creation of Refugio Gaucelmo. I will certainly aim to stay there.​

Certainly recommended reading!

 

[Robo]

This statement will make poor Aida Menéndez roll over in her grave. She was the Invierno’s biggest champion, and has gathered a lot of the historical background. I am no historian, and I know FICS has long taken the position that this was not a traditional pilgrimage route, but there is a lot of evidence to the contrary, I believe.

"but there is a lot of evidence to the contrary, I believe"

Glad to hear it!

I was only sharing what I had read.......it surprised me

Certainly in my brief reading on the topic it was an 'alternate' route to avoid the deep snow around O Cebreiro in Winter. Hence the 'Winter' route.

 

[Rebekah Scott]

the historical veracity of those claims is very thin. I do not question the aims and acheivements of the beloved Aida, but I have seen the historical backing for this Way, submitted with their appeal to the Cabildo for inclusion as an "official" camino. THere was a lot of "legend says" and "my grandmother said," but actual historical record, in the form of confraternities, pilgrim lodgings, hospitals, mentions of pilgrims in parish burial and baptismal records, names of churches and devotional practices? little to none. The webpage above is very apt with its title "Un Poco de Historia."
That does not mean it's not a wonderful camino trail nowadays. I love the Camino Invierno!
I just don't believe in drumming up a history to fit my desires.

 

[VNwalking]

I just don't believe in drumming up a history to fit my desires.

And anyway historical authenticity has little to do with the actual on-the-ground work that happens when we walk. It's the latter that matters.

That said, my felt sense of the historical roots of the Invierno - at least of the first part - was of an established way that was much older than the relatively recent pilgrimage route to Santiago. It was pretty wonderful.

No one's saying the Invierno was not a road. She's saying it is not a Camino de Santiago pilgrimage route as such.

Just to clarify. I actually agree with you, Reb, and have no reason to doubt the statement in the book. All I'm saying to @Robo is that practically and experientially it doesn't really matter. It's an old route, and that's palpable, which is very cool.

 

[Bradypus]

Laurie Dennett is the subject of the final mural in the Camino Frances "Las Estrellas del Camino" series commissioned by a beer company many of us are probably familiar with! Her image now greets pilgrims from the side of a large hotel building as they arrive at the edge of Santiago. A short video made as part of the mural project gives a brief view of Laurie at home with her garden and labyrinth in the hills near O Cebreiro.

https://estrellagalicia.es/estrellas-del-camino/historias/laurie-dennett/

 

[J Willhaus]

Just finished the book this morning. A lot of good history of the recent (last 50 years or so) of the Camino. It gave me hope for the continuing practice of hospitality on the Camino. Thanks Laurie Dennett and Rebekah Scott for making this publication available.

 

[Rebekah Scott]

A very good interview with Laurie about recent Camino history, done last week from her home in O Cebreiro:
https://g.co/kgs/gYxe6f

 

[Bradypus]

A very good interview with Laurie about recent Camino history, done last week from her home in O Cebreiro:

Thanks for the link @Rebekah Scott . Just listened to the podcast and very much enjoyed hearing Laurie talk about her own discovery of the Camino and her thoughts about how it has changed over time. I couldn't help smiling at the mentions of Don Jose Maria Alonso as my encounter with him on my own first Camino was a memorable one for the wrong reasons. I may be one of the few pilgrims who think of gin rather than garlic soup whenever his name is mentioned...

Post in thread 'Question about Albergue in San Juan de Ortega' https://www.caminodesantiago.me/com...ergue-in-san-juan-de-ortega.58149/post-665185