Belarusian walks 3000 kilometers from Warsaw to Spain — ready to sleep in the forest and wash in a river

Yauhen started his journey on July 25. He shares details of the trek on Threads.

“No one in their right mind does this, but I do. Today I'm starting from Warsaw on foot to Santiago de Compostela. ​

While everyone is discussing 200 km routes in Portugal, I decided to smash through several countries and thousands of kilometers. I threw my backpack on my shoulders, laced up my boots, and went.”

Павялічыць

This is not Yauhen's first great walking journey. In 2024, he embarked on a 2500 km journey from Vienna to Istanbul – that trail is called the Sultan's Trail. In 2019, Yauhen ran across Belarus from north to south, covering 650 km. But in 2021, Belarusian security forces opened a criminal case against the man for "insulting state symbols," and since then, Hutsalau has been exploring foreign routes.

Посмотреть в Threads

On his current journey, he covers approximately 35-45 km daily and plans to take full-day breaks every 7-10 days to avoid exhausting himself completely. Yauhen has already passed the Polish city of Częstochowa and, if nothing hinders him, will reach Wrocław in a few days.

In his backpack, Yauhen carries a tent and everything else that might be needed for an overnight stay in extreme conditions. Sometimes he meets people willing to feed him or offer shelter.

For example, one evening on the route, Yauhen decided to set up his tent near a church. At first, it was difficult to understand if he would be allowed to do so:

“I want to pitch my tent near the church, but there’s no priest there. The office is open, I asked a lady – she said she couldn't give such permission. She said, ‘wait half an hour’.”

But the evening ended well, as the priest gave Yauhen a room to stay overnight. And then he also cooked him dinner and breakfast. By the way, about food — Yauhen's meals vary: from buckwheat with sugar, prepared near the tent, to a kebab that Yauhen saw in a dream, and then received money for it from his subscribers.

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Публикация от ПАДАРОЖЖЫ ПА СВЕЦЕ ПА-БЕЛАРУСКУ (@__beardedwanderer)

Yauhen is not picky. After a long journey, he can pitch a tent in the forest and wash in a river, and if there's an gazebo roof overhead, it's wonderful.

Sometimes, however, conditions on the route are almost extreme. Even in summer, the weather complicates the journey — Yauhen encountered both rains and extreme heat. Here's what he says in one of the videos:

“Today it’s +38. It’s very difficult to walk; a wet buff (a scarf of a special shape — **NN**) on the head or neck helps a little. And, of course, shade.”

The next day, however, turned out to be even more difficult:

“I took off my watch and hung it on a tree — a couple of minutes later it showed +38°C, and on my arm under the sun it was all +46°C. I ran from shade to shade and gulped water by the liter. Zero thoughts in my head, my brain just shut down. ​

At one of the stops, I took a needle and sewed my sneakers. They're begging for the trash, but no, you'll still work, my dears. The heat even killed the electronics; the watch got tired of counting kilometers, froze, and just turned off. The navigator recorded 36.57 km, but I know for sure that I hammered out my 40+ today.”

Посмотреть в Threads

In the comments, Yauhen was asked about his motivation. The man replied briefly — saying he simply enjoys exploring this world.

But from his posts, it seems that he also discovers himself on the journey:

“The Camino is not about commercial tours or loud hashtags; it’s about deep solitude and meeting oneself. When I see posts about organized hikes, I understand that the true Way begins where it’s just you, your backpack, and your silence. It's a space for reflection, where every step is a step towards yourself.”

Since July 25, when the journey began, the Belarusian has covered 416 km. Yauhen is now on a trail that will lead him to the German border:

“Over these ten days, there was everything — heat approaching +40°C, nights under a thunderstorm in a gazebo, sneakers sewn on the knee, and kebabs in dreams. But the main thing is that my legs are still walking, and my spirit hasn't faded. The first major segment is done; ahead are German roads and that same path to Santiago.”

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