Walking The Camino de Santiago - The Portuguese Way

Name: Walking The Camino de Santiago - The Portuguese Way
Start: 2026-02-05T17:30:00-06:00
End: 2026-02-05T18:30:00-06:00
Location: Pensacola Library, 239 N Spring St, Pensacola, FL 32502

Schedule

Thu Feb 05 2026 at 05:30 pm to 06:30 pm

UTC-06:00

Location

Pensacola Library, 239 N Spring St, Pensacola, FL 32502 | Pensacola, FL

Presented By: The Western Gate Chapter of the Florida Trail Association. This program is free and open to the public. Bring a friend.
Program: Walking The Camino de Santiago - The Portuguese Way
Presenter: Andy "Captain Blue" Niekamp
Description: Join Andy Niekamp as he narrates his trek on the Portuguese Way of the Camino de Santiago, from Porto, Portugal, to Santiago, Spain. This second most popular Camino route boasts stunning coastal views, vibrant cities rich in history, quaint cobblestone streets, shrines, ancient churches, stone crosses, hiking trails, and friendly locals.
The 19-day, 220-mile, pilgrimage photo journey follows Andy and his hiking partner along the multiple, and sometimes confusing, routes of the Portuguese Way, including the Litoral, Coastal, Central, and Spiritual routes.
The trek concludes on Spain's western shore at Finisterre whose name literally means "end of the earth," as the Romans believed it was. Today, the Camino Finisterre has a reputation as a place of endings and new beginnings. This presentation will inspire you to embark on a Camino de Santiago journey of your own.
Bio: Andy "Captain Blue" Niekamp, a Western Gate chapter member and snowbird from Dayton, Ohio, has completed three Camino de Santiago pilgrimages. He's walked the French Way and the Portuguese Way twice.
Andy has been a wilderness adventurer for more than 30 years. This IT professional, turned long-distance hiker has logged over 20,000 miles of backpacking from the East Coast to the West Coast and from Minnesota to Florida including five end-to-end hikes on the Appalachian Trail and 2,000 miles on the Florida Trail.
Back home, Captain Blue is the founder and organizer of Dayton Hikers, a Meetup group with 9,000+ members. He is the Chief Adventure Officer of Outdoor Adventure Connection, a backcountry guide service based.
While snowbirding in Pensacola, Andy supports the FTA by leading hikes and volunteering for trail maintenance outings.
Required Disclaimer: This event is not sponsored or endorsed by the West Florida Public Libraries or Escambia County.