Our relationship with the environment is under more scrutiny than ever. A climate emergency has been declared by governments around the world, including the UK parliament in May 2019. Unless urgent action is taken, sea levels will continue to rise, wildfires will spread and millions of people will be displaced. 

The Camino de Santiago, also known as the French Way, is an ancient pilgrimage route that runs more than 790 km kilometres across the top of northern Spain. Traditionally the Camino starts from one’s home, although nowadays, many consider the official route to begin in the town of St.Jean Pied de Port, just across the French border. The walk travels through seven Spanish provinces– all of which will face irreversible consequences if the climate emergency is not halted.  

On 21st September 2019, after walking for 33 days, I reached Santiago de Compostela, the final destination of the Camino de Santiago. Walking the Camino I witnessed the landscapes and communities that are already being affected by climate change. In a country with an unemployment rate of 13.8% the Camino props up economies and provides jobs throughout all the towns it passes.

My photographs document the landscapes and people I encountered. They serve as an archive of the Camino in the twenty first century; an environment with a ticking clock.