coldweather
Member
I am a US woman in my 40s and I started in Pamplona in early May. I arrived in Santiago in early June. I have been home from my Camino experience for about 1 month. I gained a lot of advice and wisdom from this forum and I would like to give back in the hope that my experience will help others.
1. Training – I had never hiked prior to the Camino. I live in a cold weather climate and walked the Camino in May. I struggled with my training because my climate was cold and snowy and was not representative for the climate in May on the Camino. I did not walk outside enough. Upon hindsight, I would have walked outside more. Even though I would wear different (warmer) clothing that I would on the Camino, the outside walking would have helped. Be sure you have done at least a few 10 mile (17-18K) walks. (I didn’t and regretted it for the first week.)
2. Backpacks – I had never owned a backpack prior to the Camino. I followed the advice on this forum with great enthusiasm. Here is my advice. When selecting a backpack, be sure to know the weight of your pack. The first pack I purchased was a 38L. After a few practice walks it felt “heavy.” This pack was about 3lbs. I then discovered the Osprey Talon backpacks. They are very light and durable and were very, very popular this year on the Camino.
3. Weight is important and so is volume – I made the classic mistake of not packing my backpack until a few days prior to departure. I learned that my “stuff” although light didn’t fit in my pack. I had the Osprey Talon 33L pack. I ran to REI (outdoor store) and exchanged for the Osprey Talon 44L pack. If I could do it again, I would use the Osprey Talon 33L pack and attach my sleeping bag in a dry sack to the outside of the pack.
4. Backpack liner - I lined my backpack with a large garbage bag so if rain seeped into my bag my belongings would stay dry. In reality this means I only had access to my backpack from the top entry. When buying my pack, I noticed one of the selling features of backs is do they have bottom entry, side entry, etc. This method also meant that I was slow packing in the morning. Since my sleeping bag needs to be on the bottom of the pack, it meant unloading everything, putting in my sleeping bag and piling the rest of my stuff on top. It always seemed to be slow getting going in the morning.
5. Weather – I like others keep asking “what is the weather typically like in May” so I knew what to pack. My Camino started with a heat wave in the 30Cs (over 90F degrees). We had hard rain, hail, snow, wind, cold, etc. Multiple days the temperature was 3C when starting out in the morning (and this was on the Meseta). My conclusion is you need to watch the weather trends for a few months prior to your Camino. This past winter was very cold and spring was late. This told me that the weather in May would likely be unseasonable cool and it was. Also, it reinforces that you need to be prepared for anything.
6. Footwear – I couldn’t imagine walking the Camino in anything other than waterproof hiking boots. The terrain is mixed. Sometimes it is pavement and other times it is large rocks. I saw every kind of walking shoe. The one advice I wished I had followed is to add Crocs to my bag. I had Keen Newport sandals. I thought I would wear them to walk on some days. I never did because the terrain is so hard and unstable. I saw on this forum that people recommended Crocs but I didn’t understand that Crocs are very, very light. I easily would have saved ½-1 lb if I had Crocs vs. Keens.
7. Water – After 1 practice walk I realized that I cannot reach my water bottles when my pack is on. I thought about using a water bladder but I figured I would have trouble keeping the bladder clean for 30+ days of continuous use. Instead I bought a waist pack that has space for two ½ liter water bottles. I hooked this on my front and my backpack on my back. My water was easy to reach and I had the added benefit of a pouch to store guide book, tissues, lip balm, etc. With very few exceptions I was able to fill up my bottles multiple times per day at fountains or bars.
8. Package forwarding service – I used Ivan’s service to send a package of stuff to Santiago for pick up upon arrival. It worked well. I would use this service again.
9. Go Alone – The Camino is a very personal journey. I walked with my husband. Our walking pace is very different so on most days we walked alone and met up later. I met many people who came with someone else because they didn’t want to travel/walk alone. In many cases, both parties regretted this. It put a constraint on their walk. When someone was injured or slower/faster it impacted the other. They did not seem able to detach and let the Camino come to them. If you want to walk with a companion that is OK. Please just don't feel that you have to find someone and possibly drag them along. Don’t be afraid to walk alone. It is safe and there are many people around.
10. People in their 60s and 70s walk the Camino – Yes, this is true. I heard this prior to going and it gave me a false sense of the rigor of the journey. In my experience, the people in their 60s and 70s walking the Camino have been very active and walking their entire life. They are in great shape. They did not just get up off of the couch, train for a few weeks and go.
11. Go to the Pilgrim Mass/Blessing – Remember, this is not a hiking trip it is a pilgrimage. I needed reminding of that a few times myself. Now that my Camino is complete, the most memorable times were during the pilgrim blessing. Sometimes they are short and sweet. Other times they are a bit more focused. One time we had a peace prayer lead by monks, other times we heard Gregorian chant, other times we had hands on blessings. The pilgrim blessing is open to all. You do not need to be Catholic or speak Spanish. Give it a try. It is unique to the Camino.
12. Things I am glad I brought from home:
a. (a) I had about 20 large safety pins that I used for hanging laundry. Alburges had lines but few pins. Many times the clothes were blown to the ground.
b. (b) Sleeping bag, liner and blow up pillow. I figured that I would spend 30% of my day sleeping (8 hours). It was important to be comfortable. As the weather changed a lot I was glad to have a bag and a liner. Yes. The algurges provide pillows but they are not sanitary. I am glad I had my own inflatable pillow. It was only a few ounces.
c. (c) Suncreen – yes it is sold in Spain but the price is much higher than in the United States. I brought a 3oz tube.
d. (d) Elastic Knee brace – I used 2 every day. Some pilgrims had to buy them in Spain. They cost about 30-40 Euro in Spain. Much cheaper in the US.
e. (e) Sink stopper. About 20% of the time, the hand washing sinks did not have a stopper. I brought a flat stopper.
f. (f) Medicine – yes, you can buy medicine in Spain. I liked having the brands of allergy and decongestant medicines that I know especially that I had the kind that don’t make you sleepy.
g. (g) Rain pants – I almost didn’t bring them. I was very thankful that I had them in my pack. Remember, you will be walking 5-7 hours per day. It is not fun to walk that long in the rain and be wet and cold.
h. (h) Electrolyte tablets – I suggest you consider bringing electrolyte tablets to dissolve in your water. They do sell them in Spain but they are different. The ones I found in pharmacy’s are loaded with sugar and don’t contain potassium. I prefer the brand I am used to so I was happy to have a tube of sugar free tablets in my pack.
I hope you find this post helpful and are not put off by the length.
Buen Camino!
1. Training – I had never hiked prior to the Camino. I live in a cold weather climate and walked the Camino in May. I struggled with my training because my climate was cold and snowy and was not representative for the climate in May on the Camino. I did not walk outside enough. Upon hindsight, I would have walked outside more. Even though I would wear different (warmer) clothing that I would on the Camino, the outside walking would have helped. Be sure you have done at least a few 10 mile (17-18K) walks. (I didn’t and regretted it for the first week.)
2. Backpacks – I had never owned a backpack prior to the Camino. I followed the advice on this forum with great enthusiasm. Here is my advice. When selecting a backpack, be sure to know the weight of your pack. The first pack I purchased was a 38L. After a few practice walks it felt “heavy.” This pack was about 3lbs. I then discovered the Osprey Talon backpacks. They are very light and durable and were very, very popular this year on the Camino.
3. Weight is important and so is volume – I made the classic mistake of not packing my backpack until a few days prior to departure. I learned that my “stuff” although light didn’t fit in my pack. I had the Osprey Talon 33L pack. I ran to REI (outdoor store) and exchanged for the Osprey Talon 44L pack. If I could do it again, I would use the Osprey Talon 33L pack and attach my sleeping bag in a dry sack to the outside of the pack.
4. Backpack liner - I lined my backpack with a large garbage bag so if rain seeped into my bag my belongings would stay dry. In reality this means I only had access to my backpack from the top entry. When buying my pack, I noticed one of the selling features of backs is do they have bottom entry, side entry, etc. This method also meant that I was slow packing in the morning. Since my sleeping bag needs to be on the bottom of the pack, it meant unloading everything, putting in my sleeping bag and piling the rest of my stuff on top. It always seemed to be slow getting going in the morning.
5. Weather – I like others keep asking “what is the weather typically like in May” so I knew what to pack. My Camino started with a heat wave in the 30Cs (over 90F degrees). We had hard rain, hail, snow, wind, cold, etc. Multiple days the temperature was 3C when starting out in the morning (and this was on the Meseta). My conclusion is you need to watch the weather trends for a few months prior to your Camino. This past winter was very cold and spring was late. This told me that the weather in May would likely be unseasonable cool and it was. Also, it reinforces that you need to be prepared for anything.
6. Footwear – I couldn’t imagine walking the Camino in anything other than waterproof hiking boots. The terrain is mixed. Sometimes it is pavement and other times it is large rocks. I saw every kind of walking shoe. The one advice I wished I had followed is to add Crocs to my bag. I had Keen Newport sandals. I thought I would wear them to walk on some days. I never did because the terrain is so hard and unstable. I saw on this forum that people recommended Crocs but I didn’t understand that Crocs are very, very light. I easily would have saved ½-1 lb if I had Crocs vs. Keens.
7. Water – After 1 practice walk I realized that I cannot reach my water bottles when my pack is on. I thought about using a water bladder but I figured I would have trouble keeping the bladder clean for 30+ days of continuous use. Instead I bought a waist pack that has space for two ½ liter water bottles. I hooked this on my front and my backpack on my back. My water was easy to reach and I had the added benefit of a pouch to store guide book, tissues, lip balm, etc. With very few exceptions I was able to fill up my bottles multiple times per day at fountains or bars.
8. Package forwarding service – I used Ivan’s service to send a package of stuff to Santiago for pick up upon arrival. It worked well. I would use this service again.
9. Go Alone – The Camino is a very personal journey. I walked with my husband. Our walking pace is very different so on most days we walked alone and met up later. I met many people who came with someone else because they didn’t want to travel/walk alone. In many cases, both parties regretted this. It put a constraint on their walk. When someone was injured or slower/faster it impacted the other. They did not seem able to detach and let the Camino come to them. If you want to walk with a companion that is OK. Please just don't feel that you have to find someone and possibly drag them along. Don’t be afraid to walk alone. It is safe and there are many people around.
10. People in their 60s and 70s walk the Camino – Yes, this is true. I heard this prior to going and it gave me a false sense of the rigor of the journey. In my experience, the people in their 60s and 70s walking the Camino have been very active and walking their entire life. They are in great shape. They did not just get up off of the couch, train for a few weeks and go.
11. Go to the Pilgrim Mass/Blessing – Remember, this is not a hiking trip it is a pilgrimage. I needed reminding of that a few times myself. Now that my Camino is complete, the most memorable times were during the pilgrim blessing. Sometimes they are short and sweet. Other times they are a bit more focused. One time we had a peace prayer lead by monks, other times we heard Gregorian chant, other times we had hands on blessings. The pilgrim blessing is open to all. You do not need to be Catholic or speak Spanish. Give it a try. It is unique to the Camino.
12. Things I am glad I brought from home:
a. (a) I had about 20 large safety pins that I used for hanging laundry. Alburges had lines but few pins. Many times the clothes were blown to the ground.
b. (b) Sleeping bag, liner and blow up pillow. I figured that I would spend 30% of my day sleeping (8 hours). It was important to be comfortable. As the weather changed a lot I was glad to have a bag and a liner. Yes. The algurges provide pillows but they are not sanitary. I am glad I had my own inflatable pillow. It was only a few ounces.
c. (c) Suncreen – yes it is sold in Spain but the price is much higher than in the United States. I brought a 3oz tube.
d. (d) Elastic Knee brace – I used 2 every day. Some pilgrims had to buy them in Spain. They cost about 30-40 Euro in Spain. Much cheaper in the US.
e. (e) Sink stopper. About 20% of the time, the hand washing sinks did not have a stopper. I brought a flat stopper.
f. (f) Medicine – yes, you can buy medicine in Spain. I liked having the brands of allergy and decongestant medicines that I know especially that I had the kind that don’t make you sleepy.
g. (g) Rain pants – I almost didn’t bring them. I was very thankful that I had them in my pack. Remember, you will be walking 5-7 hours per day. It is not fun to walk that long in the rain and be wet and cold.
h. (h) Electrolyte tablets – I suggest you consider bringing electrolyte tablets to dissolve in your water. They do sell them in Spain but they are different. The ones I found in pharmacy’s are loaded with sugar and don’t contain potassium. I prefer the brand I am used to so I was happy to have a tube of sugar free tablets in my pack.
I hope you find this post helpful and are not put off by the length.
Buen Camino!
Well done! All very sound advice to prospective pilgrims particularly to those of us in our senior years. 
