For those of you considering walking the Camino for the first time, I thought I would add my thoughts to the various pilgrims who have done the same. I found lots of the posts very useful and interesting and thought it right to do something similar. I’m not saying this is the right way, it was just my way and worked for me.
I walked the Camino Frances last year from Roncesvalles to Santiago, starting in April. I was away for 36 days. It was my first long distance walk other than the Sunday ones that are designed to end up in the pub for lunch after a couple of hours! I’m in my 60s and had just retired following major heart surgery, so it was my celebration of being alive.
Training.
I put in a fair few days before hand, but almost everyone on the Camino I met said “I wish I’d trained for more hills”. Take note! I started walking daily for 2 hours or so and as the departure date got closer, I put in a few 20km walks. I got down the gym too and spent time on the treadmill and doing leg and calf strengthening exercises. In fairness, I was pretty unfit to start with, but had the time and inclination to do something about it.
Feet.
The best thing I did was visit a podiatrist before I went, had my feet and “gait” checked out. For about £30, they made some insoles to correct my falling arches. Who knew I had those?? Money well spent. I walked in some Asics gel trainers and very good they were too. Spend enough time breaking you shoes in. As many others mention, you don’t need big hiking boots and a lot walk in trail runners now. The vast majority of walking is on firm, well-trodden paths (obviously) and pavement. It did get a bit muddy on the Meseta after heavy rain though! I wore 1000 mile socks, which are double layered. I smeared my feet with Vaseline before starting out each day and followed the suggestion not to shower in the morning. Make sure you do the night before though or you will become unpopular! The theory is that makes your feet soft and soggy and more likely to blister. Anyway, in 800km I had one minor blister. The other useful advice I can give is the minute you get a hot spot, deal with it there and then, not at the end of the day. Take plenty of Compeeds and tape with you. Overall if you’ve never walked 30km before, on the Camino in new boots really isn’t the place to try it, trust me on this. I met a number of people who had tried and very painfully failed. Have some light and comfy footwear to change into at day’s end.
Equipment
There’s a lot written about this and YouTube videos helpfully showing you what to pack, so I won’t repeat all that. I carried my own pack, an Osprey 36, but you don’t have to and can get your bag sent from stop to stop for Euro 5 a day. This allows you just to walk with a day pack with essential items in. If you are carrying it all, as everyone has said a hundred times here, keep your pack to what you can comfortably carry. One of the key things I took away from the Camino is how little you need to carry with you and in life in general! I didn’t stay in alburgues, more on that later, so I didn’t need a sleeping bag, but I had my pack at around 7kg and I weigh around 110kg. Pack your bag in advance and then try some long walks in it as part of your training. You’ll soon find out if it’s too heavy
Accommodation
I am fortunate that budget wise, I wasn’t confined to alburgues. I spent nine of my most formative years in an English boarding school, sharing a dormitory with 20+ other guys. Having just done the maths, that’s about 2,500 nights. Frankly, the novelty has worn of for me. I’ve also got to an age where I need a pee in the middle of the night, sometimes twice and the idea of clambering down from bunks with a head torch on wasn’t for me. Accordingly, I can’t comment on Camino dorm life, but plenty here do. It still sounds like a boarding school! I tended to plan 2-3 days ahead, using booking.com or using one of the guides to find a recommended place and phoning ahead to book.. Even better, if your Spanish isn’t that good, ask the host where you are to make the call for you to the next place. I confess that I also spoilt myself occasionally with a Parador or similar.
Language
Talking of Spanish, try and make the effort to learn a little. I met people on the Camino who didn’t have a word, not one. I looked it as part of my training and spent 10 minutes a day on the duolingo app, getting the basics down. It stood me in good staid and the Spanish appreciated it, although they all want to practice their English!
Timing
I had the luxury to be able to take my time. I understand that many people don’t. I was always sad to see those people who were so busy getting the miles in that they forgot to enjoy what was a round them, for whatever reason. If time is short and you’ve only got, say 3 weeks, enjoy the walk, do half of it and come back next time. If you’ve gone to all the time, trouble and expense to get to and walk the Camino, take your time and enjoy the beauty of it.
Overall tips
I walked the Camino Frances last year from Roncesvalles to Santiago, starting in April. I was away for 36 days. It was my first long distance walk other than the Sunday ones that are designed to end up in the pub for lunch after a couple of hours! I’m in my 60s and had just retired following major heart surgery, so it was my celebration of being alive.
Training.
I put in a fair few days before hand, but almost everyone on the Camino I met said “I wish I’d trained for more hills”. Take note! I started walking daily for 2 hours or so and as the departure date got closer, I put in a few 20km walks. I got down the gym too and spent time on the treadmill and doing leg and calf strengthening exercises. In fairness, I was pretty unfit to start with, but had the time and inclination to do something about it.
Feet.
The best thing I did was visit a podiatrist before I went, had my feet and “gait” checked out. For about £30, they made some insoles to correct my falling arches. Who knew I had those?? Money well spent. I walked in some Asics gel trainers and very good they were too. Spend enough time breaking you shoes in. As many others mention, you don’t need big hiking boots and a lot walk in trail runners now. The vast majority of walking is on firm, well-trodden paths (obviously) and pavement. It did get a bit muddy on the Meseta after heavy rain though! I wore 1000 mile socks, which are double layered. I smeared my feet with Vaseline before starting out each day and followed the suggestion not to shower in the morning. Make sure you do the night before though or you will become unpopular! The theory is that makes your feet soft and soggy and more likely to blister. Anyway, in 800km I had one minor blister. The other useful advice I can give is the minute you get a hot spot, deal with it there and then, not at the end of the day. Take plenty of Compeeds and tape with you. Overall if you’ve never walked 30km before, on the Camino in new boots really isn’t the place to try it, trust me on this. I met a number of people who had tried and very painfully failed. Have some light and comfy footwear to change into at day’s end.
Equipment
There’s a lot written about this and YouTube videos helpfully showing you what to pack, so I won’t repeat all that. I carried my own pack, an Osprey 36, but you don’t have to and can get your bag sent from stop to stop for Euro 5 a day. This allows you just to walk with a day pack with essential items in. If you are carrying it all, as everyone has said a hundred times here, keep your pack to what you can comfortably carry. One of the key things I took away from the Camino is how little you need to carry with you and in life in general! I didn’t stay in alburgues, more on that later, so I didn’t need a sleeping bag, but I had my pack at around 7kg and I weigh around 110kg. Pack your bag in advance and then try some long walks in it as part of your training. You’ll soon find out if it’s too heavy
Accommodation
I am fortunate that budget wise, I wasn’t confined to alburgues. I spent nine of my most formative years in an English boarding school, sharing a dormitory with 20+ other guys. Having just done the maths, that’s about 2,500 nights. Frankly, the novelty has worn of for me. I’ve also got to an age where I need a pee in the middle of the night, sometimes twice and the idea of clambering down from bunks with a head torch on wasn’t for me. Accordingly, I can’t comment on Camino dorm life, but plenty here do. It still sounds like a boarding school! I tended to plan 2-3 days ahead, using booking.com or using one of the guides to find a recommended place and phoning ahead to book.. Even better, if your Spanish isn’t that good, ask the host where you are to make the call for you to the next place. I confess that I also spoilt myself occasionally with a Parador or similar.
Language
Talking of Spanish, try and make the effort to learn a little. I met people on the Camino who didn’t have a word, not one. I looked it as part of my training and spent 10 minutes a day on the duolingo app, getting the basics down. It stood me in good staid and the Spanish appreciated it, although they all want to practice their English!
Timing
I had the luxury to be able to take my time. I understand that many people don’t. I was always sad to see those people who were so busy getting the miles in that they forgot to enjoy what was a round them, for whatever reason. If time is short and you’ve only got, say 3 weeks, enjoy the walk, do half of it and come back next time. If you’ve gone to all the time, trouble and expense to get to and walk the Camino, take your time and enjoy the beauty of it.
Overall tips
- Get some training in to get “match” fit.
- The first week is a physical challenge, after that it’s a mental one.
- The recuperative powers of a hot shower, a good meal and a large glass of Rioja are amazing. Gin and Tonics work well too and are usually enormushhhh (hic).
- Look after your feet
- Keep your pack to what you can comfortably carry
- Learn some Spanish
- Take time to enjoy what’s around you
- Everyone got the idea of walking the Camino from Martin Sheen.
- Take rest days somewhere nice.
- Collect as many stamps as you can for your Credencial. They look great framed on your walk at the end of the trip.
- Buen Camino
you are also right about albergues.
I found out from my neighbor's mom who walked it in the year 2000. We had a dinner to celebrate her return. At the time I never even thought about doing it until in 2010 being miserable in my job and not knowing what to do it crept back into my head.
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