Barefoot Camino?

[inspiredjen]

Hi!

I'm planning to do the Camino Frances in April/May 2013. In preparation, I've been avidly slurping up books about the Camino experience as well as other long walks.

In that vein, I just finished The Barefoot Sisters: Southbound. These two 20-somethings walked the entire Appalachian Trail -- Maine to Georgia and back -- barefoot (with only a few exceptions). They weren't out to prove anything; they just had fond memories of going barefoot as kids all summer and decided to try it "as long as it's fun". In the end, their feet toughened, they avoided blisters entirely, and a fellow hiker and physical therapist confirmed that he'd never before seen healthier musculature in a person's ankles and feet.

Reading their story got me wondering: Have you met or heard of people going barefoot on the Camino?

- Jen

 

[MichaelB10398]

Yes, but the mere thought of doing so freaks me out.

Assuredly we don't see it now but rarely, but the history of the Camino is long and many a bare foot has walked the Way. One would need tough feet in deed when the trail is rocky or/and hard, hot asphalt.

 

[sillydoll]

From my book:

Dr. Renato Alvarado Vidal walked the Camino Frances barefoot in 2004.
‘The surfaces are all you can imagine, with the exception of sand. I met rock, snow, mud, grass, gravel, packed earth, water streams, and a little asphalt. I don’t want to be misunderstood, going barefoot is not a magical recipe, your soles must be well and long trained, the Camino is hard, in some stages very rough, with gravel similar to that used in railroads.’
http://www.barefooters.org/gallery/pilg ... index.html

Students walk the Camino barefoot
http://tinyurl.com/5wb6x75

A Filipino priest ran and walked most of the 800 km from St Jean Pied de Port to Santiago barefoot. His main objective was ‘for peace in the Philippines’.
http://tinyurl.com/6h754n4

Sue Kenney is training for a barefoot Camino. https://www.facebook.com/#!/suekenney1

 

[camino77]

Years ago in Lugo province i met a swedish pilgrim. He told me the thought of "walking barefoot" was on his mind for some time. So by the time he reached Lugo, he decided to give it a try. His aim was to finish his Camino barefoot. Although he already walked hundreds of km, his soles were not prepared for such conditions. He lasted about 3 days. His feet became sore and the pain was unbearable eventually. He gave up, but finished his Camino with his boots.

With the right amount of training, though its possible. In the past I did spent time in remote mountain areas in Southeast Asia. I always wear warm clothes and boots there as it is getting quite cold when the sun goes down. I remember once i was there in december when it was snowing. The hilltribe kids were runnning around barefoot with no sign of discomfort. I was impressed. Obviously they are perfectly adjusted and trained for such harsh conditions.

Buen Camino!

 

[Anniesantiago]

This feels like deja vu...

I met a young man at Monjarin who was walking barefoot and in silence.
His feet were bloody and torn even though he had thick callouses and had apparently done this before.
Before Molinaseca, we saw his footprints ahead of us, and finally came upon him going from puddle to puddle to soak his feet.
In Molinaseca, we saw him and he had given up. He was wearing shoes.


That's all I know.

 

[newfydog]

Here in Oregon 10,000 year old sandals have been found. We were given a good brain and soft feet. Use them accordingly.

 

[Anniesantiago]

Regarding the tribe kids, they've grown up without wearing shoes and probably have 1/2 inch thick callouses on the bottoms of their feet that are as hard as shoe leather .

That said, people do it.. and it is, after all, YOUR Camino!
So if you do walk barefoot, I hope you'll keep a blog.
Buen Camino.

 

[zzotte]

I also have fun memories of walking and playing bare footed, we played soccer, run, climbed trees and just played around barefooted, I lost count of how many toe nail I lost during that time, :lol: I visited many African countries I so lots people waking and running bare foot (most by necessity) just remember one thing it all happened gradually and only in dirty, I don't remember ever playing on cement or asphalt for more than 5 minutes tops. Now days they have barefoot running shoes like 5fingers etc. and I see a lots people running on sidewalks, I don’t know I guess time will tell how much damage that will do on the long term. Just have fun whichever way you choose.


Zo

 

[Deleted member 3000]

I have just walked through dozens of villages where the streets ran an inch deep in animal droppings during several days of rain.

Take some anti-bacterial ointment to treat any foot cuts.

 

[Abbeydore]

Suggest lots of Arnica Gel for all aches, it´s wonderful stuff, barefeet i could not do it, my boots double sox & vasoline marvelous

 

[Deleted member 3000]

Congrats, David. If you have a computer, you are in Santiago!

Tom

 

[inspiredjen]

Thank you for the wonderful responses!

It appears some of you misunderstood -- I plan to walk *with* shoes. Reading The Barefoot Sisters just got me thinking about the Camino.

One of the things that interested me was their slow, deliberate pace at first while their feet toughened. The bloody-footed man story made me think that you can't just switch to no shoes and expect it to go well. Our heels aren't designed for that kind of impact.

Sillydoll -- Your resources look fabulous. Thank you so much for sharing. I'll sate my curiosity for this topic yet!

Wonderful forum and community here. Thank you for responding to my first post!

Jen

 

[marco peel]

Hi Jen,

Several people have done the Camino barefoot, and it is quite a unique experience. There are several routes, and I have done some of them, always barefoot. I will be on the Camino Frances again this year, this time with my family.

You can find a diary of my first Camino in 1996 on: https://sites.google.com/site/diaryofabarefootpilgrim

some more anecdotes along the Chemin de Arles in 2005:
http://www.barefooters.org/best-of/arles-mp.txt

and my novel "A Parallel Path", based loosely on my own encounters along the way:
https://sites.google.com/site/aparallelpath

Buen Camino,

Marco

 

[suekenney]

Jen,

The last few years I have been on the Camino and found that the soles/bones on the bottom of my feet were aching so much that at times it would bring tears to my eyes. I was beginning to think I wouldn't be able to walk in the future. Upon doing some research I found that when we wear boots or shoes, the soles cut off the sensory signals to the brain that come from the bottom of the feet that tell us how hard to press down on the ground depending on the terrain. I was stomping along the way. As soon as I took my shoes off my feet stopped aching. I have discovered that I love being barefoot. I walked this winter in the snow, sometimes I wore minimalist shoes, and even started running (it's childlike-not jogging-like). My feet, ankles and legs are stronger than they've ever been in my life and I have impeccable balance now. If you decide to try it, start very slow and go easy. 5 minutes a day at first. I do most of my barefoot walking in the forest so I'm on uneven terrain all the time. I'll be on the Camino starting in Ponferrada May 21. I will be barefoot. I'll be posting updates of my journey on FB.
Buen Camino, from the bottom of my feet!
Sue

 

[Tonyahobbs]

Sue, I'm very interested to know how things went for you. I'm currently training for my 6th half marathon in Fila Skele-Toes, and am thinking of taking them on the Camino in 2014. How was your barefoot Camino experience?
Tonya

 

[jefedelcamino]

do not walk the camino barefoot. find comfortable hiking shoes and the right insoles instead.

 

[amado]

I am the Filipino priest who ran/walked the Camino barefoot from SJPP to Santiago - MOST OF THE TIME - but not the whole time (It was around 90% barefoot). I was realistic enough to admit that it would be impossible for me to do the entire Camino barefoot - so I brought a pair of back-up sandals that I could wear just in case my feet hurt due to the harsh and hot gravel or asphalt path and for days when I need to give my sore feet a chance to recover. There were days when I could walk barefoot the whole day, some days when I could only do it for 5 hours, and a few days when I wore my sandals the whole day to give my feet a break. The most difficult parts were the freshly gravelled roads which was like walking on broken glass and hot coals. It was for me an overwhelming experience and I didn't get any blisters. I kept a diary of my barefoot pilgrimage:
http://amadopicardal.blogspot.com/p/cam ... diary.html
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=027c1O7TxmA&list=UUCrGILqlusprQm4xOu4ujqQ&index=10&feature=plcp[/youtube]

 

[ptakopishka]

Dear all,
I am doing Camino Portuguese in the end of february to mid March (somewhere along the lines of 22Feb-10Mar) from Porto to Santiago.
I have been flirting with the idea for almost 8 years now, until certain events transpired that pushed me on to making that decision. I also instinctively felt that I should do this barefoot and with minimal equipment (eg no rucksack, just sleeping bag and maybe jacket). My friends warned me that going barefoot is harder than expected and after having researched a bit, my only actual concern is asphalt and paved roads. Maybe someone who has been in a similar situation can shed some light on the following:

- how much asphalt/gravel/hard paved roads are there on Camino Portuguese and is it possible to walk beside the paved road on, say, grass?
- how cold is it in the end of February for bare feet (and other equipment)?

Thank you for your help, it is a fantastic forum
Siret from Estonia

 

[Stephen Nicholls]

In Feb/March it can be very cold [frosty] and also very wet. A proportion of the Portuguese is along made-up roads. You'd have to check a guide book. An absolute guess would be 30% along made up roads.

Buen camino!
Stephen
http://www.calig.co.uk/camino_de_santiago.htm

 

[musicman]

I walked the route that takes you inland,via Barcelos,Ponte de Lima,Caminha,last September.
It is a beautiful route except for the approach to O Porrinho- would not recommend bare feet at all.
Some rocky paths as well as highways.

Sturdy sandals at best. Good luck, john

 

[robhay60]

Its always interesting and sometimes slightly worrying when i read some of the post written by potential pilgrims...Barefoot on the Camino ??? Well i can only say that its hard enough on the feet with boots/shoes!! So unless you have spent a life-time going barefoot around the deserts and mountains of the world, then i would not recommend it... But hey each to there own ...Buen Camino!

 

[TerryB]

One more thing to be taken into consideration are the 'buttons' from the eucalyptus. In a past life I have known them to penetrate through the soles of espadrilles. They do land sharp point upper-most and at times the track can be covered with the things! (Our friends from the Antipodes will know more)
Could be avoided I suppose by sliding your feet slightly or watching every step you take.
Best not!
Blessings on your walking
Tio Tel

 

[Deleted member 3000]

Sue Kenney walked the entire camino barefoot last year. Perhaps she can illuminate the difficulties.

 

[ptakopishka]

Thank you all for replies.
It' is comforting to know that there are people who have walked the camino barefoot, and I am sure it will be fine (after all, the human foot was designed for walking, wasn't it).
I didn't think it would be frosty and cold in Portugal at that time of the year. Since I can play around with the dates just a little, maybe i will start more in the end, maybe right before the start of March and it will be warmer then.
The road part is alarming, because walking barefoot on asphalt or hard paved road does suck hard, pardon my vulgarity. Nevertheless, I hope that if I go slow enough the first 2-3 days and take affluent resting breaks, I should be fine.
Since I live in Bordeaux, I thought about walking the camino through the city once barefoot, the route is 8,4km and I suppose the weather is similar (always raining, ca 10 degrees).

Would really appreciate comments from someone who has done it barefoot!
Warm regards,
Siret

 

[marusia]

Sue Kenney, from Canada, has walked the Camino barefoot. She is very enthusiastic about it. Her website is http://suekenney.ca/ and her email is kenneysue@gmail.com. She is holding a conference call about walking the Camino this evening, Thursday January 31 5pm local time. 1415 363 0833
PIN: 199018

 

[ptakopishka]

Thank you so much for all the kind replies, especially for referring to Sue.
It is trully weird how I just felt this instinctive urge to go barefoot, and now from reading what Sue had to say, I researched many others - had no idea of the "barefoot" movement, and that is exactly what I feel like, the need to get back into touch with ground and the earth.

This is truly a magnificent forum, I will let you know when I have finally bought the flight ticket - hopefully I will get to meet some of you on my journey!
Good luck,
Siret

 

[acdbee]

My husband and I have done a fair bit of walking, mostly in very warm countries like India and Thailand and areas around there. We are thinking of walking the Camino this year in Sept-October and are also considering wearing Chaco sandals for the duration. So we would be sockless in our sandals for awhile (thought not barefoot). Are our feet going to freeze off if we have Chacos and socks on in October?

I'm loving this site! Thanks for all the great advice and tips!

 

[Kiwi-family]

We are thinking of walking the Camino this year in Sept-October and are also considering wearing Chaco sandals for the duration. So we would be sockless in our sandals for awhile (thought not barefoot). Are our feet going to freeze off if we have Chacos and socks on in October?

We walked in September/October (and then went on to London for a couple of weeks where it was much colder), wearing just socks and Keens Newport sandals. Not too cold at all.

 

[nreyn12]

I am another pilgrim who saw someone walking barefoot but wouldn't dream of doing it myself. But why not? I am currently in India, and I see many Indian pilgrims in the town of Rishikesh who are making pilgrimage barefoot, some possibly all the way from their home villages in other parts of the country. It would just require some preparation and training.

I did have a chuckle when I passed the barefoot pilgrim just before Carrion de los Condes on the meseta, and he was singing AC/DC's 'Highway to Hell.'

 

[tericarns]

We walked from Pamplona to Santiago in September 2012 and I wore Chacos. The first couple of weeks I went without socks (preferable), but then started getting sore spots on my heels, so wore low socks the rest of the way. Without socks, it had a real Biblical feel -- washing the dust off at the end of every day. The Chacos got rinsed off along with my feet, and dried very quickly. It rained for four days in Galicia, but everyone else's feet were wet too, and it wasn't too cold to be uncomfortable. I loved the Chacos, and am told by the staff at REI in Alaska that people here wear them all winter with wool socks.

 

[Buckeroo]

My husband and I have done a fair bit of walking, mostly in very warm countries like India and Thailand and areas around there. We are thinking of walking the Camino this year in Sept-October and are also considering wearing Chaco sandals for the duration. So we would be sockless in our sandals for awhile (thought not barefoot). Are our feet going to freeze off if we have Chacos and socks on in October?

I walked the Camino last October and saw some ripper frosts in Galicia including frozen puddles near Fonfria. At over 1200m that is to be expected though. I walked through fields of white near Sarria too and that is only at 500m. I think thick socks might come in handy if you are only wearing sandals.

 

[Deleted member 3000]

More interesting than cold are the villages where the cow dung runs an inch deep, and probably carries bacteria that would seriously infect any open wound on feet.

 

[Hedley49]

Try the next best thing to Barefoot with a pair of Merrill Barefoot's. There is an assortment of styles to suit most. As good as walking barefoot but with the protection for the sole of your feet when the going gets tough or Hot. Keep in mind there are some extended sections either on pavement or gravel roads which could get very hot or gnarly. Hope this helps.

 

[Pilar]

I walked 97% of my September/October 2012 Camino Frances in Chaco sandals. I used socks in the morning and took them off in the afternoon. In rain, I had my socks on and my feet got wet but only got cold one day on the way to Fisterre. I will continue this pattern if and when I return to walk again. You won't be sorry.

 

[k-fun]

Nancy,

I walked the Camino in Sept and Oct 2011. After outgrowing my shoes, I walked in sandals and wool socks and did not have cold feet even though my body was chilled. Guess all the walking helped to keep them warm.

Buen Camino