Camino de Santiago

[JimmyCant]

Anyone done it, either in full or part or bit by bit ? Anyone thinking about doing it ?

 

Having just been made redundant and wanted to take it on for a few years, i now have the opportunity. I’m just over 60, overweight but no serious health problems and no problem with walking. I can do 10-15k without killing myself already and can probably get up to over 20k with 6 months training and a bit of weight loss. So planning for next May doing 10 stages in 14 days to start with. Pamplona to Burgos.

 

Looking for tips, tricks and do’s and dont’s from anyone with knowledge.

Edited July 20, 2020 by JimmyCant

[Auld Reekin']

Haven't done it, but have walked along parts of the main route and also bits of some of the ones connecting to the main route*. Most of what I've seen of it has been really interesting and going through beautiful scenery. Of course, there will be less interesting and beautiful bits, and no doubt some downright boring bits too!

 

It seems very well marked and signposted and the walking surface on the bits I've done has been fine.

 

As with other, popular, long-distance routes, you can have your main bag transported on to the next booked accommodation, allowing you to walk with just a backpack if you'd prefer that. It'd put the cost up though and you might prefer just to pack really light, just taking the bare essentials, and wash stuff along the way as required. I'd investigate accommodation well in advance and book-up at least some of it, or as much as you can. I'm not sure, but I think some of the hostels operate on a first-come-first-served basis; if so, you wouldn't be able to book these.

 

May will be a popular time to do the Camino, so it and much of the accommodation is likely to be busy. In theory, it should be one of the best months to do it as far as the weather is concerned too: not too hot (although it could still get pretty hot) and not too cold or wet (although there'd be no guarantees of this either, particularly in the mountains). NW Spain has the hightest rainfall levels on the peninsula - other than the odd micro-climate elsewhere - so a little bit of luck with the weather would be helpful.

 

One of the reasons I haven't attempted it, or any sections of it other than on day-walks, is that it can and does get very busy and when I go hiking I prefer to go somewhere with a lot fewer people around and other hikers. Not trying to put you off, but you need to be aware that there'll be a lot of other folk attempting it at the same time as yourself.

 

Pamplona's OK, with an attractive historical centre, but pretty busy with tourists at all times of year and I found it to be one of the least friendly cities in Spain I've spent time in... I think the Camino then goes through Logroño - the capital of La Rioja - which I liked a lot more. You'll probably not be going anywhere near Soria (to the south of Logroño), but that's a great wee city too. Never been to Burgos, but it's supposed to be interesting and historical.

 

Some Spanish - even just phrasebook Spanish and a few common words and phrases - wouldn't go amiss.

 

I'm sure you'll get much more useful replies than mine, from folk who have actually done the Camino and the leg you're planning to start with, but this is my starter for ten!   

 

(* For example, there's a coastal route as well as the better-known inland one - they link-up somewhere in Galicia I think. If you're intending to start in Pamplona, it'd be the main, inland, one you'd be following.)

Edited July 20, 2020 by Auld Reekin'

[Enzo Chiefo]

1 hour ago, JimmyCant said:

Anyone done it, either in full or part or bit by bit ? Anyone thinking about doing it ?

 

Having just been made redundant and wanted to take it on for a few years, i now have the opportunity. I’m just over 60, overweight but no serious health problems and no problem with walking. I can do 10-15k without killing myself already and can probably get up to over 20k with 6 months training and a bit of weight loss. So planning for next May doing 10 stages in 14 days to start with. Pamplona to Burgos.

 

Looking for tips, tricks and do’s and dont’s from anyone with knowledge.

I spent a couple of nights in Burgos last summer on the way down from Bilbao to Alicante.  There were a fair number of pilgrims passing through there as part of the Camino. Burgos is a lovely city, and I would certainly recommend it.

[Alan_R]

If i was going to do a world hike ive always fancied the inca trail to machu pichu 

[Helzibob]

My hairdresser did it the other year back. Her training consisted of walking from Bathgate to Airdrie on the cycle path. She thoroughly enjoyed it and met some lovely folk on her journey. 

[Tazio]

40 minutes ago, Helzibob said:

Her training consisted of walking from Bathgate to Airdrie 

That’s the very definition of a rock and a hard place. 

[jim747]

Haven't  done it myself, but one of the hikers I follow on YouTube did it last year with her sister, she has made a documentary of their experience...
 

 

[JimmyCant]

1 hour ago, jim747 said:

Haven't  done it myself, but one of the hikers I follow on YouTube did it last year with her sister, she has made a documentary of their experience...
 

 

Thanks. Just the type of thing I was looking for

[jim747]

I had a quick look through Dixie's videos and she has one where she talks about stuff she wished she'd known before hiking the Camino, it might be more useful

 

 

[redjambo]

Yup. I walked 800km from St-Jean-Pied-de-Port in the French Pyrenees to Santiago de Compostela in 34 days. One of the most enjoyable experiences I've ever had - walked in wonderful scenery, met and have stayed friends with some great folk, and even now occasionally meet other folk who've done it and there's an instant bond between us. The last 100km are pretty busy, but as long as you avoid the peak periods, the rest is fine.

 

Hints and tips: Only carry 10% of your bodyweight, max, if you can. Take a needle and thread - if/when you get a blister, stick a sanitised needle through it and leave the thread in there to let it drain as it heals. Consider taking SecondSkin and vaseline with you. Don't walk in shoes you've just bought - go on a few long walks with them first to bed them in. Take a couple of walking sticks with you or buy one when you get there (I got a beautiful wooden one for pennies but left it at the end for any other walker to use). Wear a kilt. have fun.

[FWJ]

On 20/07/2020 at 19:30, JimmyCant said:

Anyone done it, either in full or part or bit by bit ? Anyone thinking about doing it ?

 

Having just been made redundant and wanted to take it on for a few years, i now have the opportunity. I’m just over 60, overweight but no serious health problems and no problem with walking. I can do 10-15k without killing myself already and can probably get up to over 20k with 6 months training and a bit of weight loss. So planning for next May doing 10 stages in 14 days to start with. Pamplona to Burgos.

 

Looking for tips, tricks and do’s and dont’s from anyone with knowledge.

If it’s what I think it is there’s a light-hearted book called “Spanish Steps” by Tim Moore (he’s done quite a few travel books) who did this Santiago trail.  It’s in the vein of Bill Bryson if you have read any of his stuff and worth a read.

[JimmyCant]

27 minutes ago, FWJ said:

If it’s what I think it is there’s a light-hearted book called “Spanish Steps” by Tim Moore (he’s done quite a few travel books) who did this Santiago trail.  It’s in the vein of Bill Bryson if you have read any of his stuff and worth a read.

Great thanks. It’s about the Camino so I’ve found it cheap on amazon and ordered it

[Rab Mac52]

Like redjambo I walked from St John to Santiago in just over 30 days. We walked on to Finisterre which was a great way to finish. I agree with all that red has to say but will add the following.

 

Next year is going to be particularly busy. It is a holy year which always sees an increase in numbers and there will also be a backlog of those who wanted to walk this year but failed. For this reason, I would book ahead. We walked in April/May 2019 and it was getting hard to to find accommodation in some of the smaller places. We took to booking four nights in advance which proved just right. We also had three rest days built in and these proved a real bonus as they gave us time to rest, drink and do our washing etc. We left each morning around 6.30am and stopped after 2 or 3 hours for breakfast. This broke the day up nicely and meant we could walk on, getting to our booked accommodation by about 2.00pm. Make sure you have a good supply of earplugs, essential in most if not all allergues. 

 

A fantastic experience. Get in touch if you want any further info.

[Jambo dans les Pyrenees]

On 21/07/2020 at 18:21, Helzibob said:

My hairdresser did it the other year back. Her training consisted of walking from Bathgate to Airdrie on the cycle path. She thoroughly enjoyed it and met some lovely folk on her journey. 

 

I presume the last part of your post referred to the walk itself, not the Bathgate to Airdrie training?

[Auld Reekin']

4 minutes ago, Queensland Jambo said:

 

I presume the last part of your post referred to the walk itself, not the Bathgate to Airdrie training?

 

I think you're safe in that presumption!      

[redjambo]

5 minutes ago, Rab Mac52 said:

Like redjambo I walked from St John to Santiago in just over 30 days. We walked on to Finisterre which was a great way to finish. I agree with all that red has to say but will add the following.

 

Next year is going to be particularly busy. It is a holy year which always sees an increase in numbers and there will also be a backlog of those who wanted to walk this year but failed. For this reason, I would book ahead. We walked in April/May 2019 and it was getting hard to to find accommodation in some of the smaller places. We took to booking four nights in advance which proved just right. We also had three rest days built in and these proved a real bonus as they gave us time to rest, drink and do our washing etc. We left each morning around 6.30am and stopped after 2 or 3 hours for breakfast. This broke the day up nicely and meant we could walk on, getting to our booked accommodation by about 2.00pm. Make sure you have a good supply of earplugs, essential in most if not all allergues. 

 

A fantastic experience. Get in touch if you want any further info.

 

Sitting round at the albergue in the afternoon after a good few hours' walking (I would leave early too), chatting to new-found amigos and drinking Estrella, or the local equivalent, was rather enjoyable.

 

I walked it ten years ago when it was a holy year too, and booking wasn't a problem except for the last few days. It may have become more popular in recent years though. It actually snowed for the first couple of days in the mountains, and that was in May! It got really hot in the meseta later on in the walk, so I would recommend taking a throw-away jersey if you're going to be walking in the mountains to start off with. Also, if you find that you're carrying too much (I started off carrying a tent etc., perhaps about 17-18kg in total, which was madness) then you can post things ahead to the Santiago post office and pick them up when you arrive.

[Auld Reekin']

14 minutes ago, Rab Mac52 said:

Like redjambo I walked from St John to Santiago in just over 30 days. We walked on to Finisterre which was a great way to finish. I agree with all that red has to say but will add the following.

 

Next year is going to be particularly busy. It is a holy year which always sees an increase in numbers and there will also be a backlog of those who wanted to walk this year but failed. For this reason, I would book ahead. We walked in April/May 2019 and it was getting hard to to find accommodation in some of the smaller places. We took to booking four nights in advance which proved just right. We also had three rest days built in and these proved a real bonus as they gave us time to rest, drink and do our washing etc. We left each morning around 6.30am and stopped after 2 or 3 hours for breakfast. This broke the day up nicely and meant we could walk on, getting to our booked accommodation by about 2.00pm. Make sure you have a good supply of earplugs, essential in most if not all albergues. 

 

A fantastic experience. Get in touch if you want any further info.

 

f.t.f.y.

[Rab Mac52]

22 minutes ago, Auld Reekin' said:

 

f.t.f.y.

Thanks for that. 

[Auld Reekin']

12 minutes ago, Rab Mac52 said:

Thanks for that. 

 

   Probably my most useful contribution to the thread so far...   

[goosano]

I’m 61 and have walked 4 Caminos in the last 5 years(Frances, del Norte, Portugues and Mozarabe) and have absolutely loved them all. The main Camino is a unique experience and it is busy, it is rare that you lose sight of another pilgrim but it is the people that make it. All shapes, sizes, ages and reasons for doing that. I’ve made some great friends who have visited me here and with whom I have done further caminos.

In terms of advice I would say

1.      Take earplugs

2.      Travel light (my backpack was about 8kg) and if you think you might need it leave it at home.

3.      Do some training before with decent footwear and look after your feet. I cover my feet in Vaseline before starting each day. Blisters are the one thing that can make it a miserable experience.

My normal day would be get up about 6.30am, walk an hour and then have breakfast, tortilla was ideal. Walk until about 1pm, check into an albergue, shower and wash clothes and hang to dry and then have a late Spanish lunch. Most places do 3 courses for about 10 euros and wine, often a bottle left on the table. Siesta after and then socialise with fellow pilgrims in the evening. The Camino has a great buzz about it. I spent about 30-40 euros a day on everything, hostels typically cost about 10 euros a night and are generally bunks.

Edited July 27, 2020 by goosano

[JimmyCant]

9 hours ago, Rab Mac52 said:

Like redjambo I walked from St John to Santiago in just over 30 days. We walked on to Finisterre which was a great way to finish. I agree with all that red has to say but will add the following.

 

Next year is going to be particularly busy. It is a holy year which always sees an increase in numbers and there will also be a backlog of those who wanted to walk this year but failed. For this reason, I would book ahead. We walked in April/May 2019 and it was getting hard to to find accommodation in some of the smaller places. We took to booking four nights in advance which proved just right. We also had three rest days built in and these proved a real bonus as they gave us time to rest, drink and do our washing etc. We left each morning around 6.30am and stopped after 2 or 3 hours for breakfast. This broke the day up nicely and meant we could walk on, getting to our booked accommodation by about 2.00pm. Make sure you have a good supply of earplugs, essential in most if not all allergues. 

 

A fantastic experience. Get in touch if you want any further info.

Thanks for that. And to everyone else so far. Yeh I’m planning on going in May 2021 and I was aware it’s a holy year so potentially busy in the last 100km. Which is partly why I’m just doing Pamplona to Burgos to start. My training is around the Union canal at this stage. Some very big long walks there and I’m up to 16k training walks once a week. Good tips re advance booking and earplugs. I’m planning on getting the big pack transferred to the next stop every day with a few rest days factored in. Means I’m only carrying a day pack of around 6-8 kilos max. Feet is the big worry but I’ve got decent socks and shoes and no blisters so far.

 

thanks again to very one who’s contributed so far.

[Rab Mac52]

You are starting well with your fitness regime. Ideally you will need to build up to 3 or 4 consecutive days of an average of 24k on different surfaces and a range of terrains (Flat, hilly etc).

My total pack weight was 8.5kgs plus water. We carried as little as we could and washed everything as often as possible. (We did find that we often had bars and restaurants to ourselves due to the Camino odour). 
Buen Camino.