Pending Pelligrino - March 2024

[Mcbarry355]

Hello everyone,

I’ve loved reading everyone’s thoughts on this site and thought I might voice some of my questions here.

I’m planning my journey from Porto to Santiago de Compostela (+/- Finisterre depending on how fast I can move) in early March 2024. I have 16 days for my journey and I have never done anything quite like this before - I admit I am a bit anxious, and hoping for recommendations for just about everything! I will be going a bit early in the Camino season so I am very curious to hear from anyone who has or is planning to journey in March.

A few of my concerns for the moment are:

1) I have celiac disease - how easy is it to find food options along the way that are gluten free

2) Any specific packing recommendations for journeying in March? All packing recommendations are welcome. I am trying to fit most of what I need into a 35 L backpack which feels overly optimistic.

3) I am on a strict budget and hoping to keep this journey as inexpensive as possible. Any tips on ways to save or places to stay would be much appreciated!

Grateful to connect with you all and for any recommendations you may have.

Peace!

 

[Peterexpatkiwi]

Greetings, and welcome to the forum. Can't help you with 1/ sorry, good luck.

2/ A 35l backpack should be fine, mine is 32. As regards the packing there are many, many packing lists here on the forum, just search and you'll find some excellent suggestions. I suggest you start the search by narrowing it to 'first posts only' and then choose from those that you wish to read further.
You will of course have to prepare a little more for the cold - it is the end of winter after all - but that's just an additional layer. Realistically that's just something like a warm hat, gloves, neck warmer/ gaiter? and a fleece in addition to rather than instead of a jacket. As you will see elsewhere layering is your friend. Layer, layer, layer!
I started the Inglès on the first of April this year and I experienced everything from frost ( -5) to 25 degrees over the course of five days. Hence me emphasising the layering. I would start with wearing all of my warm gear, within half an hour my woolen hat and ( light) puffer jacket would come off, 30 minutes later my (vest)fleece and I would be in just my t-shirt and long sleeve (both Merino) for the next one/two hours, if I was lucky just my t-shirt. Day 3 and at something like 11 am I was unzipping my pants to make shorts and was just wearing shorts and t-shirt. 22 degrees at 11.00 ! One quick point ALWAYS stow your gear securely, don't just hang it on the outside of your pack - to it's a sure way to lose it!!
I was very lucky and had no rain, people walking the very next week had three days of it and the rain in Galicia is quite something !
Good rain gear is essential, I prefer ponchos for the simple reason that they help keep your pack dry too and are very quick and easy to put on. (I don't even have to stop, let alone take my pack off). Altus is preferred by many here on the forum, you can buy them now directly from Ivar which also helps support this forum. Perhaps one additional pair of good Merino socks so that you've always got a dry pair. Either line your backpack with a large bin liner to ensure everything stays dry or use dry bag's. Rain covers help, but are really only good against light rain.
3/as you will also see elsewhere many choose to not eat out but instead buy the ingredients for their meals in the supermarkets. At my first supermarket I buy a sharp knife, I already carry a very small (12cm × 20cm) super light chopping board - it just makes my life easier it's not essential. Also a t spoon (yogurts etc).
As you have celiacs disease give serious thought to some simple meals that you can prepare using just basic ingredients that should be readily available in most supermarkets. You probably already have a large list of such items, most will be available in Portugal and Spain. If you have something like cupa soups that are gluten-free I suggest bringing a few packets they're light and very practical so long as you can access hot water. You could consider bringing a decent lightweight ( not plastic.!!!) mug and a heating coil they're increasingly popular nowadays on the forum!
Not all accommodations will have kitchens but you can always eat basic foods in your room.

 

[jungleboy]

Hello peregrino/a (in Spanish/Portuguese, pellegrino/a is Italian) and best of luck on your camino! Some basic answers to your questions:

1) I have celiac disease - how easy is it to find food options along the way that are gluten free

It's obviously something you will have to mention for all restaurant meals but the concept is generally known. In Portuguese the term is sem glúten (where the vowel in sem - meaning without - is a nasal sound, so it's more like 'seng'); in Spanish it's sin gluten. Major supermarkets in both countries typically have a gluten-free section. I am not gluten-free but I am a vegan so I am used to having to ask what options a restaurant might have, and in general I have found restaurants in both countries to be as helpful and accommodating as the circumstances allow.

2) Any specific packing recommendations for journeying in March? All packing recommendations are welcome. I am trying to fit most of what I need into a 35 L backpack which feels overly optimistic.

35L is generally possible (that is the size of my wife's pack), but it's true that in March you may need a bit more clothing. In general the best advice for cooler months is to use layers, which allows for more flexibility depending on the weather. So instead of bringing a warm but especially thick and bulky jacket, several lighter layers would be better. Other people here may recommend specific brands or items or materials.

3) I am on a strict budget and hoping to keep this journey as inexpensive as possible. Any tips on ways to save or places to stay would be much appreciated!

Supermarket picnic meals (or meals you cook yourself in albergue kitchens) will help you save money and help you stay gluten-free.

Regarding accommodation, albergues are the most economical place to stay, where you typically sleep in a shared dormitory. Broadly speaking there are three types: private albergues, which these days cost about €12-15 for a bed, government albergues (which are usually called municipal albergues in Spain, but Xunta albergues in Galicia, which is the part of Spain you'll be in), which are cheaper and more spartan, and are €8-10 for a bed, and donativo albergues, which may be run by a church organisation or similar, and for which you pay a donation of your choosing (note: donation does not mean free). Donativos are becoming a bit harder to come by these days so municipios will be your most reliable option for sleeping economically.

Bom caminho (Portuguese) and buen camino (Spanish)!