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Most people have a rough time two or three days in, as you hurt a bit and feel doubtful about it all, realising what you have embarked on. It's very common. But remember, there are no rules about the camino. We thought we might have to give up when we were about 100km from Leon. We were in pain...
We walked the Frances in the end of December, January and the first half of February. The most difficult was the two weeks between Christmas and 6th January (the Tres Reyes celebration), when many Spaniards go on holidays, so a lot of businesses are shut.
We walked it in January 2006. In those days the route was not closed in winter. We are Australian, so we were not used to snowy conditions, and there were no signs of bad weather when we set out. We had no idea that we were doing anything risky. But we really could have died - we were caught in...
We had to stay there, as it was winter and Orisson was closed for the season. Just one holiday family, the owners, and us in the house, all around the dining table together. It was the end of December. The food was farmhouse, but oh, so delicious, but no idea if there is a cafe in more normal...
A young friend of one of my daughters fell in love on the Camino Frances with a nice young man from the other side of the world. A sweet romance. It lasted to Santiago and beyond, and probably forever. They now live in Australia, happily married with three children.
There is quite a bit of useful information in various threads from people who have walked in winter. I would add that it is fantastic, but you do need to be prepared, as it is sometimes weather that could actually kill you - it is extremely cold and we were even in one blizzard (which was quite...
We both have 35 l - it's a good discipline to have that size, keeps the weight down. We just have 2 sets of clothes, one for day and one for putting on in the evening after showering. That means both sets can be worn for days on end in the winter, the evening one almost doesn't need washing at...
I used ultrafine merino clothes and my husband used hi-tech synthetic. Ultrafine merino is lovely to wear, almost as quick to dry as synthetic and naturally anti-B.O. You can see more about this on previous threads. We both had sleeveless fleece jackets (vests) and a 2-layer Goretex jacket...
We started on 27 December. It is indeed perishingly cold, but you do warm up as you walk, so you don't need many layers. I used two plus a goretex jacket, my husband added a thermal base-layer as well. You do need good gloves, (I used caving gloves which gave good grip) and fleece headband or...
We met a woman who was walking from her home in Germany to Santiago de Compostela, at the rate of 2 weeks a year in her annual holidays. When we met her in southern France she had a credencial that was about 2 metres long by then, quite a sight when she unfolded it, with someone at each end...
I had the traditional poles and had used them for years. I bought Pacerpoles after I broke my arm. I was worried that the wrist straps on my old ones with the normal design might cause pain on the break site, just under the wrist strap area. So after reading all the rave reviews I bought myself...
We have never walked in summer, so have needed to be canny. An elastic clothes line actually wrapped around the oil heater with the clothes sort of jammed between the line and the heater is the best option I have worked out. And (found this out the hard way very early on our first camino, in...
Like trecile, I have two sets of clothes. But I do it differently - I have one set for day and one for evening, which really cuts down the washing. The day ones can go for several days (I wash the undies and socks daily and shirt when it really needs it). I do wear ultrafine merino wool tops...
My husband and I have never booked ahead in Spain or Italy, we like not being tied to a particular time or place to stop, and we like the element of relying on fate - and it does turn up some very interesting and memorable surprises. It was different in the Le Puy route we took in France - we...
I'm pretty sure the name was Featherlight Freedom and 35 litres. There was also a larger model (called something different, I can't remember the name), which my husband bought at first, but it was too long for him - he's about 5ft 9. So he changed it for the same model as mine. Depends how tall...
We have used Aarn packs for three caminos and countless long bushwalks. My husband uses the balance packs on front. He carries all the water for both of us plus camera and a few other things in the front. The don't cover the whole front of you so you can still see your feet go go downhill. He...
Our shorter walking days (15 - 20 km per day) have paid off for us during three caminos and (like the turtle and the hare) we often see pilgrims with injuries who have tried to go faster and further each day than is right for their body , so they are laid up to recover, or worse, are having to...
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