A Lentern Pilgrimage (inc. pack list)

[Abijah]

Hello to you all.

My name is Abijah (or Chris if we are being pedantic lol) and I intend to walk the Camina Frances starting March 13th 2011 (1st Sunday of Lent) and arriving in Santiago de Compostela in time for Easter.

I intent to start from Lourdes then on to Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port before reaching Compostela de Santiago by Easter then walking to Finisterre .
I have 7 weeks to walk this route and am allowing 4 days in and from Lourdes to Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port, 5 weeks to walk from Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port to Santiago de Compostela and 3 days from Santiago de Compostela to Finisterre with the remainding 1 week for air and bus travel and emegencies.
I will be travelling fully self contained and with minimal finances (5 eros a day) and I will only stay at certain albergues as I will be camping mainly.

My kit list will consist of the following :-
WEARING -

Berghaus Men's Explorer Light GORE-TEX® Walking Boots.
(These are well worn boots and as i am not travelling in the height of summer the heat will not be too much of an issue)

Thorlo Crew All Time Classic Hiking Sock
(I find them very good and never a blister!)

Tilley Mens Coolmax Extreme Coolmax Travel Briefs - 65g

Men's Essential DC Trousers - 300g (without belt - not essential!)
(Can be used as shorts, three quarter or full length)

Men's Expedition II Shirt - 250g
(Just a great lightweight and very hard-wearing and ultra high wicking shirt)

Tilley Airflow Hat
(A pricey essential: much cheaper hats available - I happen to like this one and it comes with a lifetime guarantee so never need to buy a new hat again)

2 Trekking Poles
(Using or carrying)

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

CARRYING -

Berghaus Men's C7 1 Series 65+10 Rucsac. 2000g (custom stripped)
(I wouldn't recommend this rucsac for single use or for walkers who use hotels, albergies etc as far lighter pacs are available - I have stripped it of surplas weight though it still weighs a hefty 2kg. However I have used this pac for a long time and it fits like a glove now. Apart from the fact i carry my tent, stove I often trek with my kids and thus often carry more weight than for a solo trek so the added strength of the pac is ideal.)

Lichfield Treklite 200 Tent - 1500g (customised - 1900g shop bought)
(Bought this in a sale for £49 - an absolute bargain! Have spent 120 nights in it to date. Only thing i changed were the pegs for 15cm Titanium Tent Pegs, removed all packing bags saving 400g )

Sleeping Bag - 700g
(2 Season bag. Combined with silk tent liner warmth guaranteed)

Silk Bag Liner - 25g [Edit 125g not 25g. Typo]
(Don't always need the sleeping bag on warmer nights)

Primus EtaPackLite Camping Stove - 600g
(Not the lightest stove but a personal favourite - very economical and quick boil)

First Aid Kit - 120g
(Custom made - from experience)

Water Purification Chlorine Tablets - 75g
(I always boil water for 3 minutes before using to cook or drink. However I carry Chlorine tablets for emegencies and they have come in useful a few times now - I rarely buy water!!)

Nuun Active Hydration Electrolyte Tablets - 75g
(Helps replace salts and aid hydration though NOT carbohydrates! - Added bonus they make water flavoursome and especially help mask the chlorine taste if used chlorine tablets above )

Lifeventure SoftFibre Trek Towel - 100g
(A towel doesn't always make a packing list - trust me they are worth their weight!)

Pegless Travel Clothes Line - 35g
(Used in conjunction with my walking poles makes ideal clothes drying line)

Biodegradable Soap Leaves -30g
(I like to be clean and these soap leaves will clean me and my clothes! Will lather in fresh or brackish water - and harmless to enviroment.)

Men's Windshadow Jacket - 220g
(Has displaced shoulder seams so doesn't rub when wearing rucsac)

Men's Microgrid Stowaway Zip Fleece - 300g
(Light and packs easily)

Men's Superfine Merino T 200 - -200g (in case it gets chilly at night or day)
(Very wonderful T-Shirt - does exactly what it says it does so well worth the money. Mine has lasted 2 years so far)

Thorlo Crew All Time Classic Hiking Sock - 75g (spare pair)
(I find them very good and never a blister!)

Tilley Mens Coolmax Extreme Coolmax Travel Briefs - 65g (spare pair)

Men's Essential DC Trousers - 300g (spare Pair - Also can mix 'n match with pair i will be wearing)

Kindle 3G + Wi-Fi - 247 g
(I like my Bible as well as my travel books and various other reading as it's my other passion - this is a lightweight way to keep all my books with me and also my music too as it doubles as an mp3 player)

NIKON Coolpix S8000 - 183g
(My family and church would be most dissappointed if no pics!)

Mobile phone - 200g
(Tiny 3g phone to keep in touch with my kids - essential!)

Petzl Tikka Plus Head Torch 78g
(Essential for pitching tent in darkness or viewing dark church interiors)

FreeLoader Globetrotter Pro Solar Charger Kit - 420g
(Charges all the above elrctrical devices so no need to buy batteries. Also made a few friends by being able to people a boost to their own mobile phone, camera or mp3/4 player )

Pac weight = 7.648Kg or 16.86lbs
I weight 72.57Kg or 160lbs so am carrying just over 10% of my body weight.

As for food and water? Well water is always available if you know where to look (NOT in shops lol) and food - well i have a few euro's.

Any comments, criticisms, advise, well wishes etc welcome.

 

[sillydoll]

No poncho, raincoat, survival blanket, gloves, beanie and scarf? No snow shoes!

You could have the most wonderful weather but March and April also bring snow storms, blizzards and white outs.

http://amawalker.blogspot.com/2009/10/w ... inter.html

Where did you get a 25g silk sleep liner? I want one!

 

[Abijah]

No poncho, raincoat, survival blanket, gloves, beanie and scarf? No snow shoes!
You could have the most wonderful weather but March and April also bring snow storms, blizzards and white outs.
Where did you get a 25g silk sleep liner? I want one!

Hi Sil (?)
Thanks for your message and suggestions

Sorry i forgot to mention poncho It is kept in my pacs raincover pocket and i always forget it's there until i need it lol.

As for raincoat -see poncho.

As for survival blanket - I rarely take one unless going in known -5 degree areas or areas that could indeed have freak weather conditions without human habitation close by. On this camino there is human habitation nearly always close by and it should rarely be cold enough to need a survival blanket in March/April in this part of Spain. My clothing, liner, bag and tent and stove will suffice if my many previous treks are anything to go by. Snow is not the worry here - excessive cold is!

Gloves - I use spare socks on my hands if necessary as saves weight. As minimul climbing on this camino is required i do not need the dexterity of gloves.

Scarf? - I detest wearing scarfs (a personal pet hate lol). However I use one or more of the legs that unzip from my spare pair of DC Trousers if i really need a scarf. Again saves weight.

Beanie? - I have a hat and can use a leg that unzips from my spare pair of DC Trousers as a temporary beanie/head covering to wear under my hat if needed.
Remember snow does not mean excessive cold and unless temperatures on the Frances Camino fall well below freezing in March/April then a survival blanket, gloves, scarf and beanie is superfluous (in my oppinion and experience)..

Snow shoes? - If they become an essential then i will make my own. I have only needed to do this 3 times and always found saplings and other materials i needed to do so. In desperate times i will purchases them.

Most of the items you suggested Sil I do not count as requirements at the start of a trek such as this and at this time of year, in this climate and in these inhabited areas. As i described above most can be extemporised from items i already carry. Also this is a pilgrimage trek for me and without a little hardship it would just be a few days walk with a hotel and other pampering at the end of each day lol. I have stated that i will stay in certain albergues at times and will camp close by at other times. This along with my Kindle are already luxuries i allow myself after 20 years of wild camping and trekking

Silk liner? - Sorry- typo! 125g not 25g

Your photo's are lovely however
God bless you
C x

 

[sillydoll]

:? They are'nt my photos - but they are special - sent to me to add to the winter walking photos on my blog. There are a few youtube videos taken in March and April as well.

I wish you sunshine and dry paths! Open doors and warm fireplaces!

 

[Abijah]

:? They are'nt my photos - but they are special - sent to me to add to the winter walking photos on my blog. There are a few youtube videos taken in March and April as well.

Well the photo's are great whoever they belong to I try not to anticipate my treks/pilgrimages so do not look at photo's of other peoples journey. Every day is an adventure!

I wish you sunshine and dry paths! Open doors and warm fireplaces!

Well that WOULD make the journey easier, but would it be as exciting?
Seriously, thank you for you well wishes.
C