My Caminos with Nestor the Donkey

I met Nestor and his owner midway through my first Camino in 2011. I was heading to the backyard of an albergue to hang my clothes when I noticed him resting in the grass. I met his owner, Jean (from Bordeaux France) and he answered many of my questions such as Nestor’s load (the tent, camping equipment), his age (teenager in donkey age), and why they took him along (he’s a special breed of trekking donkey originally from Ireland, and he really enjoys long distance walks).

I didn’t know much about donkeys and my assumptions were all false. I assumed he was a stubborn animal and not very social. Nestor proved to be neither and little did I know he would become a very important part of my first and second Caminos.

Walking with Nestor proved to be a really entertaining and interesting activity. Nestor enjoyed the company of his owner and friends and he would be the first to announce the 7am “call to walk” each and every morning with an insistent bray. He enjoyed hugs and calm words and relished sweet flowers and grass along the way.

Walking with Nestor did have its challenges. Not all albergues are equipped for animals, therefore careful choice of distance and location was critical in ensuring Nestor would have a nice location to graze and rest. By the time I met Nestor and his original team of three pilgrims, he had already covered more than 800km. Team Nestor, as we were called, consisted of the original three pilgrims, myself and two new pilgrims; together we spent almost three weeks enjoying the Camino experience.

Nestor was by far one of the most photographed animals on our journey. Not a day would go by without 30 to 50 people snapping pictures and asking lots of questions. One of my most memorable times with Nestor was during our walk through the region of Bierzo where cherry trees lined the roads with beautiful ripe luscious fruits. We loaded up our hats with the fruits, warmed by the sun and juicy as could be, and stopped for lunch. Nestor with his keen sense of smell couldn’t wait to eat some, as he circled our picnic table with anticipation. When he was presented with a handful of cherries he quickly picked them up with his lips (yes, donkeys have lips) and crunched the fruits, pits and all. Another time he skillfully picked a large chocolate bar from my open pocket in my backpack and ate most of it, paper included, at lightening speed! He loved his sweets.

This past spring and summer, Nestor and a smaller Team Nestor took to the Camino again. This time, Nestor had on new shoes since his hooves had not completely grown from his last Camino. Kind, gentle with a hint of mischief (he was known to hip check us when he felt we were rushing him or pulling him away from tasty greens) he ended up becoming the star of our Caminos. His Camino days are now over, and I for one will always have a special place in my heart for him.