Strategy

[MarkCheeswright]

Hi guys,

Our Camino start date is coming up fast (end of May) and we have been practicing walking as much as possible weekends and holidays. We've got our kit pretty much nailed down and stripped down to strategic bare minimum in 35litre backpacks. I'm currently experimenting with hiking sandals (what a revelation!!) and sitting sipping a glass of Rioja by a river between Ronda and Benaojan (mid hike) which is absolute paradise.

So naturally I am thinking strategy!!

Mainly... Food! Do albergues, provide sandwiches for the road, or do pilgrims generally stop for lunch?

ive been told best strategy is to leave before sun rise which will guarantee you always arrive to your destination around lunch time, even for the longer more difficult hikes.

I am also concerned about water. We have been practicing carrying around 2.5 liters each at set off. I wonder if this is too much? Maybe the number of water fountains available make this an unreasonable amount of water to carry?

Any advice is appreciated!

Thanks,
Mark C

 

[Waka]

Hi

Your time of departure depends on how far you intend to walk that day and still guarantee a bed at the preferred Albergue, also how fast you walk.
On my journey I did leave early sometimes but that was specifically to experience the sunrise at various points along the camino.
My distances ranged from between 25 -30 km a day, and I finished most days around 2pm,, and during the 42 days never had a problem with finding a bed, having said that my journey was during Sept/Oct, so I can't vouch for May/June.
Regarding water, except for the Meseta you will find plenty of fountains along the way to fill up, although last year there was two places were people,e had set up facilities along the Meseta, this did make a difference.
I carried no more that a litre and for me it was sufficient, I could always top up on the way, but others water intake might be different to mine, therefore you may need more. I'd say carry what you are comfortable with.
Hope this helps, I'm sure more experienced pilgrims will be along shortly to offer more advice.

 

[Bradypus]

As you have posted in the Camino Primitivo section I'm assuming that is where you will be walking. No meseta there. Everything useful - food, water and accommodation - tends to be further apart than on the Frances. Having said that I think that there is only one part of the Primitivo where you might need 2 litres of water. If you walk the Hospitales route from Borres to Berducedo it is a stiff climb and steep descent over a LONG distance with no food or drink available. I took 1 litre and was very thirsty towards the end. Otherwise 1 litre would have been enough everywhere but I walked in April, not late May. I really do recommend the Hospitales route. Magnificent!

Albergues do not normally provide take-away food. Most do not provide food at all. The excellent private albergue at Bodenaya is a wonderful exception for evening meals, as is the private albergue at Ponte Ferreira. You can either eat at a bar/restaurant or buy food in local shops and picnic. Worth carrying a small store of food in any case - dried fruit, chocolate, biscuits. Quick light calories for a snack or in case you can find nothing more substantial. The bocadillos served in bars are usually generous enough for lunch and most places will wrap one up for you to take away if you ask for it "para llevar". The bar in Borres will make one for you at breakfast time.

I would be cautious about leaving too far before sunrise on the Primitivo. Could be quite easy to miss the yellow arrows in places until there is decent light. On the Frances you will probably only be a few metres from the pilgrim in front who you then hope is following someone who does know where he/she is going

 

[Anemone del Camino]

@Waka , I believe the OP is asking about the Primitivo.

Sandals: bravo, good for you!

Getting up in the middle of the night, or what may feel like it: please don't bring this horrible idea of the Frances to the Primitivo. If the warm weather concerns you walk shorter days, walk under a reflecting umbrella, bit don't make enemies in the albergues by waking them up early. Keep in mind the Primitivo is not the Frances, and no, you will not het to your destination by noon, unless you het up at 3am.

Water: I would love to tell you 2.5l is too much, and it would be on the CF where there are fountains and bars just about every 5 km, bit on the Primitivo distances are greater, and the up and downs are greater, so ypu may require more water than walking on relatively flat Frances land.

Therés a Web site that shows you water points, take a look at it and how you think you will do: urcamino.com , I think.

And albergues never make you a snack for the next day. If you want one you have to make it or buy it the night before. The bar in Borres will prepare something for you for breakfast/lunch. Bar Lucia, I thin it's called, will give you a fruit and small sandwhich for free if you have breakfast there.

You will love the Primitivo, just don't expect the Frances commodities.

 

[Waka]

@Waka , I believe the OP is asking about the Primitivo.

Sandals: bravo, good for you!

Getting up in the middle of the night, or what may feel like it: please don't bring this horrible idea of the Frances to the Primitivo. If the warm weather concerns you walk shorter days, walk under a reflecting umbrella, bit don't make enemies in the albergues by waking them up early. Keep in mind the Primitive is not the Frances, and no, you will not het to your destination by noon, unless you het up at 3am.



Water: I would love to tell you 2.5l is too much, and it would be on the CF where there are fountains and bars just about every 5 km, bit on the Primitivo distances are greater, and the up and downs are greater, so ypu may require more water than walking on relatively flat Frances land.

Therés a Web site that shows you water points, take a look at it and how you think you will do: urcamino.com , I think.

And albergues never make you a snack for the next day. If you want one you have to make it or buy it the night before. The bar in Borres will prepare something for you for breakfast/lunch. Bar Lucia, I thin it's called, will give you a fruit and small sandwhich for free if you have breakfast there.

You will love the Primitivo, just don't expect the Frances commodities.

Silly me, I've just noticed that. Note to myself, pay more attention.

 

[MarkCheeswright]

Guys, thank you all for your input!

Yes we are planning to do Camino Primitivo.

I am probably worrying unnecessarily.

I guess I will take 2 liters instead of the 3.5 liters I am currently practicing with!

With regards to food, I assume then that if the albergue doesn't do food there is usually a bar or shop close by which does? Otherwise I suppose we will have to play by ear, and take opportunities as and when they are available in between stops?

I am starting to get slightly concerned that this will be much more difficult than I first imagined!

 

[Albertagirl]

With regards to food, I assume then that if the albergue doesn't do food there is usually a bar or shop close by which does? Otherwise I suppose we will have to play by ear, and take opportunities as and when they are available in between stops?

Mark:
I am not familiar with the primitivo, but that is what I did on the frances. You cannot always find food when you want it and you cannot walk without it. Keep with you a reasonable supply of whatever nutritious snack food you like, that you can top up when you find a store. For example, I always carried hard cheese and apples for lunch and granola bars as my emergency supply. If you have a little extra of your lunch food and enough to get by with of your snack food, you don't have to worry or plan ahead obsessively. But don't carry more than you think you will need. You can adjust to your own requirements once you are on the camino and familiar with the situation there.

 

[Anna Machial]

My daughter and I walked the Primitivo the beginning of last May. We carried a liter and a half each and found that adequate. There was always some place during the day that we could stop for a drink. When we walked the Hospitales the weather was sunny but cool so more water may be needed on a warmer day. Just a warning - as the day warmed up and my daughter shed clothes she ended up with a nasty sunburn, though it didn't feel hot enough for that to happen. We saw some even nastier sunburns on other pilgrims.

Since we were both burned out from our non-pilgrim lives, we never got up early. We'd leave our accommodation around 8 and then head to a cafe for a cafe de leche. We would get to our next nights accommodation later than most but we stayed where ever there was room even though it was more costly. After a week we started to book ahead so we didn't have to worry.

Our strategy for food was to buy a coffee and pastry for breakfast, something for lunch and then have a pilgrims meal at a restaurant. The grocery stores were usually closed in the morning so we'd buy non-perishables the night before. The next morning we would find the local bakery, sometimes by following the locals.

You'll have a very good time. This was our first camino and we were very pleased with our experience.

 

[MarkCheeswright]

Great advice, thank you all.

I have decided to downsize the size of our water bottles to two 1Litre bottles each. The 1Litre size fits much easier in our bags and also brings down max weight by approx. 1kilo each, which is a decent amount when considering everything else together probably weighs under 10kilo.

As fas as food is concerned, I am now feeling much more confident we will be able to get by comfortably and not have to starve it out.

Regarding sun burn: the sun really is so much more powerful than it seems. I am lucky that my partner takes suncream use very seriously. Here in Andalucía it can be quite severe even on a cold day, as long as skies are clear. We walked Pelayo to Tarifa back in March (didnt take suncream) and got severely burned, I felt terrible for days afterwards. I've since invested in a particularly large SPF50+ sombrero!

Thanks again everybody for your input and advice, it is very helpful.

Mark C