About me
My name is Madis Välja and I started this website in 2023 to have all my Camino stories together in one place for everyone to read.
Coming from a country as flat as Estonia I have always been in awe of mountains and gorgeous landscape views. I feel very much at home walking through forests. I rarely do wild camping and if I do then no more than one night in a row. I prefer day hikes and the comforts of modern living.
Hiking
I have had wilderness adventures all my life, but only recently I have gotten more serious about this topic:
2012 – I went up Untersberg mountain with an oversized backpack and tent in Salzburg, Austria. Camping during a raging thunderstorm was unique indeed.
2015 – 2024 I was doing an 820 kilometer hiking trail in Estonia. It started off as a disaster. Then continued as weekend hikes. Last part was on a bicycle as the areas got too remote to access.
2017 – Tour de Mont Blanc, a 200km circular trail in the Alps through France, Italy and Switzerland. Shared this adventure with my good friend Lupo, who organized all the details.
2017 – Camino Frances, my experience as a pilgrim in Spain. I continued to do Camino Finisterre to have closure to the adventure.
2019 – Camino Portugues, my second long Camino starting from Lisbon and passing through Fatima. From Porto I continued to follow the coastline. Once again I went from Santiago further to Finisterre to see a familiar lighthouse.
2021 – Cycling trip around Estonia. 1100 kilometer cycling trip around Estonia. I circled the country including two of the biggest islands.
2022 – Camino Frances, once again in the old familiar trail that I love so much. This time got to see both Finisterre and Muxia on the other side of Spain.
2023 – Camino Norte, following the 830km trail along Spanish coastline over hills and mountains until Oviedo. There will switch to Camino Primitivo (original one) to get to see even more of mountains.
2024 – Via de la Plata, flowing north from Seville to Astorga. Following an ancient Roman logistics route. 1000km+ on a trail older than the Camino.
2025 – Camino Estonia, a 330km trail from Tallinn Dome church to Valga’s St. John’s church. This trail got its yellow markers in 2022, so its very new.
2026 – Camino San Salvador, short 125km trail north from Leon to Oviedo on a lot of natural terrain. There are lots of accommodations, but no pilgrims.
2026 – Camino Primitivo, the oldest of the Camino trails. From Oviedo going 321km / 100 miles into Santiago. It goes diagonally across a mountain range.
2026… – Camino Latvia, after Camino Estonia there is a 429km trail from Valka to Riga and finally to Skaistkalne on the Lithuanian border.
Career
I’m a digital marketing specialist since 2010.
Social Media
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