Catherine’s Epic Adventure

Have you ever wondered what it would be like to walk the Camino de Santiage trail? We sat down with Barefooter Catherine to hear all about her incredible travels and adventures, and where she would like to hike next!

You walked the Camino Trail last year. Can you tell us a little about what this was like, what inspired you to do it, and why you want to do it again? 

The Camino de Santiago (route Frances) was an epic journey! In a month I walked a little over 500 km starting with 27 km straight up the Pyrenees. From there it was down into Spain through vineyards, farms, the unending golden meseta, meadows, mountains, villages, towns, cities and even eucalyptus plantations! The camaraderie and friendships are a really important part of the Camino and so is the spiritual and personal growth that comes from this adventure – definitely motivations to return for a second go. It’s also amazing to leave the concerns of everyday life and to spend a month with no more possessions than what you carry on your back. I went with a group of friends from home. We’re Catholic and it was amazing for us to consider the thousands and thousands of pilgrims who have also walked the way of St James over such a long time, to visit so many amazing churches and cathedrals along the way, and to finally arrive at the tomb of St James the Apostle.

What is your most favourite part about being a teacher? Have you got any funny stories for us?

Working with children! I love their joy, especially as they set and reach academic goals. I love laughing with them,  reading stories with them, chatting to them, and helping them develop strategies and skills to overcome challenges and have a growth mindset. I love how passionate they are about life and how this reflects in their work. A little guy in my year two class recently wrote a story about a family of cats who played video games all the day and how bad it was for them. How great is that? I also really enjoy working with parents and the intellectual challenge of planning and delivering lessons. Funny stories…hmm. I did show them a photo from a recent bushwalk where my hair was in double braids and I was wearing a fluro pink top. The girls were amazed that I had braids and one boy said, “You always wear black to school but on the weekend you wear colours!” NB: I don’t always wear black to school!

Where is your favourite walking trail in South East Queensland that is a MUST DO for any of our Barefooters out there who love bush walking?

The Coomera Circuit in Lamington National Park is spectacular. It’s about 17 km, not too arduous and the trail passes waterfall after waterfall. Keep your eyes peeled for blue crayfish! Other favourites are walking out to Hell’s Gates at Noosa, Mt Mitchell, and Flinder’s Peak. I haven’t done much interstate walking but for an experienced hiker, I would recommend the Warrumbungles (NSW) and the Heysen Trail (SA) in a heartbeat.

We love hearing about the incredible things our Barefooters get up to, here at Barefoot we call this living your “Barefoot Lifestyle”. We believe that your body should not hold you back from doing what you love. Rather than simply treating the symptoms of acute or persistent pain or injury, at Barefoot Physiotherapy we utilise our unique Treatment System to find the root cause of your problem, so you can get back to living your life to the full.

To find out more, or to book an appointment, click here.