Camino Edmonton is the brainchild of two community-minded people who love to walk, Sheila Thompson and Graham Hicks. Thanks to the relatively recent addition of some 70 km of trails and new pedestrian bridges, most of the North Saskatchewan River Valley from Devon to Fort Saskatchewan is accessible by foot and bike. In June 2018, Sheila and Graham walked from Devon to Fort Saskatchewan over 5 consecutive days with a small group, and thus Camino Edmonton began.

 Sheila and Graham used the word camino as a nod toward that other long walk across the pond.Camino Edmonton is not a walk for pilgrims of a particular faith, yet it has, for many of us, a spiritus loci. There is much to love about Edmonton’s river valley.

 If you know the river valley, you know it’s almost impossible to walk from Devon to Edmonton (I say “almost” because I did it once with two intrepid friends; we are still friends, but we decided not to take anyone on that route, nor ever walk it again.) (Three reasons: steep cliffs, soil instability, and dense dense dense bush.) However, we have come up with many creative alternatives in the Devon area.

 Camino Edmonton can be walked in either direction (up or downstream), and each day the walk is about 15-22 km, depending on the leader and the route (and any trail closures, which are more frequent than you would think). There is considerable choice within the city of Edmonton; sometrails are dirt, some are paved, some are on quiet streets. You can choose to walk and talk with a friend (new or old), or you can walk alone with the group. You can join for one day or two or all five. There is nothing like spending five days in a row walking through your own city.

Why did we do it, other than for the love of walking? Ours is one of the largest metropolitan river valley park systems in the world. When you come to know the green spaces a short walk or a short drive from your home, chances are you will learn a little about them, find out what is unique about them, and find ways to look after them. Friends, this is no small thing.

 Other than good spirits, food, and appropriate clothing/footwear, you need a “trail angel,” that is, someone to help you get to the start or end of each day’s walk. Often fellow walkers help each other with a shuttle. 

 The first Camino Edmonton took place near the summer solstice; this tradition has continued,and we have added a second annual walk, near the autumn equinox. Everybody is welcome. Laura Boyle (laurann@shaw.ca) will add you to her email list and let you know the dates of the next camino.

 Here is a link to some maps with suggested daily routes:

https://elkeblodgett.net/edmonton-river-valley-maps/? utm_source=gblodgett&utm_medium=pdf&utm_campaign=Camino+Edmonton

An article Anna Marie Sewell wrote for New Trail: https://www.ualberta.ca/newtrail/ideas/what-if-here-is-all-we-have.

Note from ERVCC

The Elkeblodgett.net link is a wonderful link to explore. Gratitude to Astrid Blodgett for providing the links and the story of the Edmonton Camino above. Visit Astrid at Astrid Blodgett on wordpress