15km a day? and another couple of questions...

[anjinxx]

Hi!

I'm doing my first pilgrimage, from Sarria to Santiago de Compostela about 115km, in a couple of weeks. I'm travelling solo, with my backpack (never done this before!) and I've planned to walk around 15km a day, and spread the walk over 8days/7nights. Is this a reasonable amount to walk per day? I'm aware that some people can probably walk more than others, I just wanted to pace myself and "enjoy" the road. I dont want to walk too "quickly" and sit around in an albergue waiting for the next day. I used the planner on godesalco.es which was fantastic, I just hope it's fairly accurate!

Also, how likely am I to get lost? I can't work out if the route is fairly straightforward or not, and how well it is marked or how many yellow arrows/shells are along the way. Plus I dont speak spanish... yet...

And does anyone know if there is a post office in Santiago? I was hoping to post (dirty) stuff home and maybe have some clean clothes sent to the travel centre.

Thank you!
Anji

 

[Frances73]

Untrained, unexperienced in pilgrimages, no Spanish, afraid to get lost: sounds a lot like me

But 15 km a day sounds very doable, especially if you're able to train a bit beforehand. I've started training today, with about 5 km. , which I'll keep doing for a few days. After that 10 km's, and after 1 week of that I want to try 15 km's a day.

How much luggage are you planning to take with you?

I think 15 km's take about 3 hours, which is not very much of course. But for me it's perfect, I like to look around in villages and towns and I'm not a morning person with starting problems so I'm not able to do very much before I've had a quiet coffee and a decent meal etc.

From what I've read on this forum and elsewhere, the camino Francés is very well marked.

 

[Deleted member 3000]

At last a pilgrim with a good attitude (apologies to all the rest of you). Fifteen kilometers per day is great. You may even want to start with ten if you have not trained. When I put it into high gear, I don't do 5 kph, so averaging 3 kph including break time is a dandy pace. That will be five hours on the trail, and you will be stopping in time to be guaranteed of getting a bed. You will find plenty of challenge in places like leaving Portomarin, where you climb for more than an hour. I think I finally achieved a stop at every watering hole from Sarria to Santiago in April; in one place it was only a few hundred meters. I cannot recommend that highly enough -- cafe con leche or Aquarius until I nearly burst. It was a bit expensive, I admit, but well worth it. Ask not how fast you can go, but how slowly?

 

[JohnnieWalker]

Hi

As has been said, go at your own pace. The route is well waymarked. You won't get lost. Promise.
There is a Post Office in Santiago.

Buen Camino!

John

 

[Frances73]

I think I finally achieved a stop at every watering hole from Sarria to Santiago in April; in one place it was only a few hundred meters. I cannot recommend that highly enough -- cafe con leche or Aquarius until I nearly burst. It was a bit expensive, I admit, but well worth it. Ask not how fast you can go, but how slowly?

Ah! This sounds great Especially the last sentence calms me down a bit, after stressing up all day about whether or not I would reach Santiago in time. In reaction to my introduction post today, someone posted that public transport in Spain is not very expensive. So even if you don't make 15 km's a day, it's not a disaster.

 

[dmmorris]

Hi Anji and Frances,

I'm new as well. I'll be starting around June 23rd or so. At first, I assumed I had to keep pace with the "norm" (don't ask "why"!!) until I read from other pilgrims that there is "no norm," ... we just go at our own independent pace... so simple and liberating that I'm embarrassed-- yet, that type of thinking reflects my lifelong tendency to "please others." Hoping the Camino will break this flaw!! So, it was quite refreshing to hear Anji how you started out with a "reasonable" goal. I too want to take time to see, smell, sense, and savor the moments in this experience!

I know my reasons for going and one is that of balance in my life. So I'm now going not with kilometers in mind to dictate my pace or schedule, but plan to let my body dictate to me each day's distance and where/when/or if I should skip ahead to meet my 5 wk. travel deadline.

As pilgrims say, "Ultreya!"

ps- Falcon- thanks for the apologies to all because I think it's a legitimate topic all pilgrims should consider.

Johnny W- wish I had your gift to say a lot with little words... Ha ha!

Ciao~ Denise

 

[anjinxx]

Thank you all! For being positive and reassuring, and also for being gracious with your time and bothering to reply back.

I have been training at the gym for about 6weeks, with and without my loaded backpack, so I hope I'll be alright :wink: . My backpack won't weigh more than 7kg, but it's good to know that there will be lots of stops along the way. I like the idea of a cafe con leche in every town, Falcon! I also like being told that I won't get lost. Ta, John!

I've toyed with the idea of this walk for the past 11 years, and the perfect time is now. I can't wait to travel the road!

Good luck Frances and Denise.

Anji

 

[sillydoll]

The municipal albergues in Galicia sometimes don't accept pilgrims who have walked less than 20km.
Don't plan on stopping at Ferreiros if you start at Sarria. There is a sign on the door telling pilgrims who have started at Sarria to walk on to the next town. They provide a list of taxi telelphone numbers in case you have an injury or are ill!
The next town after Ferreiros is Portomarin which is about 24km from Sarria.
You could get a taxi from there to Portomarin and then get a taxi back to Ferreiros the next day so that you don't miss any part of the route.

 

[Deleted member 3000]

One of the best albergues in that stretch is the new one at Mercadoiro, about an hour before Portomarin. If Ferreiros has an attitude, there are other places!

http://caminodesantiago.consumer.es/albergue-mercadoiro

 

[Rebekah Scott]

...there´s also Casa Banderas, in Vilachá, just a couple of km. before Portomarin --run by a friendly South African/Kiwi couple who fell for the Camino and decided to stay around.

Reb.

 

[Deleted member 3000]

I remember passing it:

http://www.casabanderas.com/index.php

 

[thea21]

Hi there

Very doable. I walked between 5 and max of 15km per day starting on April 29 and reaching Santiago on May 16 just gone. Can't recommend doing it slow highly enough. There was no trouble with accommodation and it was a very friendly way to do the Camino - meant stopped at places that others missed in their hurry to make the day's k's. There is no shortage of inviting places to stay that pop up along the way.

Also stayed at Jose's albergue in Mercadoiro that someone mentioned earlier and also highly recommend!

DItto recommend Maggie and Gordon's place at Casa Banderas, in Vilachá - was invited in for a coffee with them as had only just started for the day when I passed their place (too early to stay). They are still setting up and not running an official albergue yet but ever so welcoming.

Balboreta at Casanova also highly recommended - if you ring they will come and collect you from the xunta as they are a couple of kms off the camino.

Buen camino

 

[Manny D]

Hi Anji,

When I did the Camino last year, my first week was the most difficult because my body was still adjusting to the long walk and the weight of the backpack. I believe another reason was the number of kilometers I walked during the first week 27 kms the first day , 21 km the second day, etc. You're smart to plan to walk 15 km a day. Then you can pace yourself and walk leisurely. More than the kilometers, I believe you need to be more concerned whether there is an albergue or accomodation in the town you intend to spend the day after walking 15 kilometers.

Walking 15 kilometers a day would allow you to enjoy the moment of walking and not just rushing to reach Santiago de Compostela. There are just so many wonderful things along the way that you cannot afford to miss: the scenery and the people, the churches, the moments of silence or reflection or prayer, the fact of being alone and not lonely, the thrill of actually doing the Camino after so much hesitation, the pelegrinos you'll meet along the way and will soon become your friends, the food, etc... The Camino has lots of surprises, enjoy them! Buen camino!

Blessings of Peace,
Manny D.

 

[thea21]

Albergue near Casanova:
Bolboreta
Montse and Amador
e montse@abolboreta
p 609 124 717