Hello to all from UK

[eileene]

Hello everyone!

My name is Eileen & I'm planning to do the Camino Frances in May 2012, hopefully with my husband Gordon who is a bit reluctant at present :? .

We live in East Anglia in the UK and are new to long distance walking, we are currently in training and walking about 10 miles twice a week at the weekends and hoping to increase this distance over the next few months.

I've been very grateful for all the advice on this forum, it's given me a good idea of what to expect. I'm also following some of the previous pilgrims videos on YouTube.

Reasons for doing the Camino - plentiful - I definitely echo some of the members wishes to experience something different from every day life. We are both in our late 50's so would like to grab life in all it's fullness before we get too decrepit! Retirement is on the horizon (or so we thought until the government moved the goalposts!) and we would like OUR Gap year - all of our children have had travelling experiences in their teens & twenties.

So hope to meet some of you on the Camino next year.

Blessings,

Eileen

 

[methodist.pilgrim.98]

Greetings Eileen from a fellow UKer.

10 miles twice a week sounds like a good starting place. If I am right East Anglia is a little flat. As you get fitter you might want to drive to some hilly places and build up your calves for the uphill stretches of the Camino. You still sound better prepared than I have ever been. :?

All being well I will be on the Camino in March, but May is a great time to walk.

 

[AnnieBobanny]

Hi Eileen,
Welcome to the forum and the Camino.

I'm in the UK too, heading out in 4 days (eeeek!) to do the Camino Frances.

It sounds like you're doing great preparation with the walking, and almost a whole year in advance! Wow, that's great.

I totally agree, life is short, embrace it with both arms and get the most out of it. If you've raised children and survived this long, you deserve it!

Buen Camino!

Annie

 

[Sagalouts]

Hi Eileen
reading your post put me in mind of preparing for my first Camino,I'm also from East Anglia (Norfolk)
many days were spent walking the area mostly the north Norfolk coast and the Pedders Way,many people said it was too flat to train in but it served the purpose,my blog below details our preparation ( 2008 blog start) if nothing else you may learn what not to do
Ian

 

[eileene]

Hi

Thanks for your replies.

Methodist Pilgrim - Thanks for your reply. Our eldest daughter lives in North Yorkshire so hope to spend some time walking up & down a different terrain, though there are a few challenges locally - I climb a 1:2 hill to get to work each day, it's about a mile long. It's tough before breakfast & a cup of tea! Though nothing to the Pyrenees! Maybe I need to tackle it at lunchtime too.

I've also followed some of the blogs posted here, it has given us inspiration to continue to prepare.

Annie - Thanks for your encouragement, we hope that your Camino is all that you hope for, Buen Camino!

Ian - we live on the Suffolk/Essex border & so will try the Pedders Way in the next few months. We've always loved the North Norfolk coast. Really like your blog, thanks. We loved the photography & humourous postings. Keep it coming.

We are going to try a 82 mile walk at the beginning of September over 8-10 days, staying at B & B's. Of course with backpacks, though without the regular opportunities to stop & have a coffee/tea as on the Camino.

Hope our determination survives the cold months Nov - Feb as last winter was bad. We hope that by May we will have built up enough stamina to cope with anything.

We've started to buy equipment, thought that lightweight boots were the way to go & then read a posting that suggested waterproof hiking shoes (lightweight) were better, so now confused.

Any suggestions? As we are travelling in May, are we likely to encounter snow? Expecting wet weather & mud.

from another lovely weekend in East Anglia,
Eileen