paulanuran
New Member
- Time of past OR future Camino
- october 2022
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I’m planning to start walking the next day.Hi @paulanuran, if you can take it slow and steady, you are much more likely to enjoy the Primitivo and to actually complete it! I know that some forum members only recommend this Camino for experienced pilgrims, but I have walked many times on that route with people who had never walked a Camino before.
A couple of observations:
— whether you need a sleeping bag or not is an incredibly personal and body-specific question. I would never walk in any month without a sleeping bag, but I frequently get cold. If that’s not you, leave it at home.
-In my experience it’s harder to find small size toiletries in Spain. I would bring small containers with you, and you may find that when it’s time to refill, there is a big bottle left behind in an Albergue, or you can buy the big bottle and leave the rest for others.
-Again in my experience, bar owners are happy to give you ice when you patronize their establishment. I always have a plastic bag with me and ask them to put some cubes in there, because they may not have a bag supply. I will say that in some places, ice is a more precious commodity than in others. I have sometimes asked for ice and gotten a handful of cubes only. But I’m always thankful because I like to ice my shins after walking, especially on a Camino with a lot of asphalt.
— if you can tweak your schedule to allow more time in Oviedo, I don’t think you would regret it. Are you planning to arrive and start walking on the same day?
Buen Camino to you, it’s a lovely walk
@paulanuran, I can but echo @peregrina2000 re: sleeping bag, toiletries etc. (hardly surprising giving her many years of experience!).
I started from Oviedo injured, accompanied by a young woman on her first camino with zero training. We took our first day very slow, but we got there.
Ultimately she took a little longer than I to complete the Primitivo, but complete it she did. Take your time, keep your stages short at the beginning, and enjoy !
Poles - I used the cheapest Decathlon poles and their rubber tips. Worked very well. (Please, please buy the tips!!!)
I'd also say that if you can take a day in Oviedo, it's worth it. (Ditto with Lugo). But if that would mean pushing yourself then clearly just start walking.... .
Personally I carry three pairs of socks and underpants, occasionally it's hard to get stuff dry and damp socks and undies seriously suck.
Clothing. You're in the mountains, it's spring - you could easily get snow. Going up and over the Hospitales (highly recommended if the weather works for you) there is nothing for 25 kilometres. Zero, zip, nada. In July , the middle of summer, with a heat wave everywhere else - the mist rolled in and it got distinctly chilly. (8 degrees).
Your cal
I plan to collect the poles from decathlon and visit a pharmacy to pick up some supplies other than that will try to carry from home. My stages are not too long at beginning.@paulanuran, I can but echo @peregrina2000 re: sleeping bag, toiletries etc. (hardly surprising giving her many years of experience!).
I started from Oviedo injured, accompanied by a young woman on her first camino with zero training. We took our first day very slow, but we got there.
Ultimately she took a little longer than I to complete the Primitivo, but complete it she did. Take your time, keep your stages short at the beginning, and enjoy !
Poles - I used the cheapest Decathlon poles and their rubber tips. Worked very well. (Please, please buy the tips!!!)
I'd also say that if you can take a day in Oviedo, it's worth it. (Ditto with Lugo). But if that would mean pushing yourself then clearly just start walking.... .
Personally I carry three pairs of socks and underpants, occasionally it's hard to get stuff dry and damp socks and undies seriously suck.
Clothing. You're in the mountains, it's spring - you could easily get snow. Going up and over the Hospitales (highly recommended if the weather works for you) there is nothing for 25 kilometres. Zero, zip, nada. In July , the middle of summer, with a heat wave everywhere else - the mist rolled in and it got distinctly chilly. (8 degrees).
Your call.
Your stages are fairly typical, and don’t have anything extreme plotted out. I just wonder about arriving in Oviedo by 7 pm and leaving the next morning. Many people do it, no doubt about that, but if you are going to have to buy poles there as well as toiletries and other stuff, I think you may start out kind of frazzled. You should also plan to buy whatever food you will carry. And one more thing - are you going to buy a Spanish SIM card? If so, that’ll eat into those couple of hours.Here are my stages
I see you have a few long days - 20+kms - at the very beginning. If you are limited with time, it might be a good idea to bus half the distance that first week, and walk about 10kms a day. That will help you get acclimatized and avoid injuries like tendonitis. The Primitivo is challenging. Good luck and Buen Camino!Can’t say I have trained much but my average daily walking distance is about 6.5 to 7 kms. I have been walking with my backpack on Sundays. I am on the borderline of overweight/obese, so naturally I know it’s going to be tough for me;
This is a good point, Jill. Those could be long distances for those who start out without much distance walking in their portfolio. There are at least two easy ways to shorten that first day, by stopping at Escamplero or Paladín, and then go beyond Grado the next day to Cornellana or some of the many other options (one thing about the Primitivo is that the options have multiplied in recent years).I see you have a few long days - 20+kms - at the very beginning.
Ye
I plan to collect the poles from decathlon and visit a pharmacy to pick up some supplies other than that will try to carry from home. My stages are not too long at beginning.
- Reach Oviedo by 7 pm
- Walk to Grado (25 km)
- Walk to Salas/(23
- Walk to Tineo/(20
- Walk to /Colinas de Abajo (/24 km)
- Walk to La Mesa (20 km)
- Walk to Grandas de salime (16 km)
- Walk to Fonsegrada (/23 km)
- Walk to O Cádavo Baleira(24)
- Walk to Vilar de Cas (15 km)
- Walk to Lugo (15 kms)
- Walk to Ferreira (27 km)
- Walk to Boente (27 km)
- Walk to A rua (27 km)
- Walk to Compostela (20 km)
Thanks, I would very much like to spend a day in Oviedo. I’m debating whether to cut a day of walk by taking a bus, not sure which stage would that be at this point. Or I can change my flight timings to see if I can reach oviedo earlier. I’m assuming I only have to carry food for the day’s walk? I plan to use US sim card and will likely carry some toiletries from US except sunscreen and vicks vapor rubYour stages are fairly typical, and don’t have anything extreme plotted out. I just wonder about arriving in Oviedo by 7 pm and leaving the next morning. Many people do it, no doubt about that, but if you are going to have to buy poles there as well as toiletries and other stuff, I think you may start out kind of frazzled. You should also plan to buy whatever food you will carry. And one more thing - are you going to buy a Spanish SIM card? If so, that’ll eat into those couple of hours.
The train and bus station in Oviedo are well situated at one end of the commercial area, so you won’t have a long walk, and trains are usually very timely (buses less so), but especially if you arrive in the morning from the US and get to Oviedo at 7 pm after a long travel day, it could be a less than idyllic start. But I know people are frequently locked into less than ideal schedules. No doubt you’ll do what you gotta do.
Two other things —
Oviedo is a BEAUTIFUL little city, with good food. You would not likely regret spending time there.
And I always buy my sunscreen in Spain, because it is cheaper to get some of the safer sunscreens like Avene in Europe. Years ago my dermatologist scared me off the major commercial US sunscreen brands by telling me that in her opinion the risk of cancer from the chemicals they contain was just as high as the risk of cancer from sun damage. Half joking, maybe, but I took the lesson to heart.
Buen camino!
Thanks, yes I’m thinking about that. Specially the first day since I think it would be fruitful to spend a day in OviedoI see you have a few long days - 20+kms - at the very beginning. If you are limited with time, it might be a good idea to bus half the distance that first week, and walk about 10kms a day. That will help you get acclimatized and avoid injuries like tendonitis. The Primitivo is challenging. Good luck and Buen Camino!
I agree I have my options open. My health is most important if anything goes south I will do less and fly to Granada to watch the AlhambraPaula, I walked the Primitivo in September last year, and everyone on these boards knows what a hard time I had. I, too, was borderline obese, and I was 61 when I started. The few posts I made are still out here somewhere.
What worries me for you is that you have not admitted to double digit walking with a pack over multiple days, and yet you, like I did, think that Oviedo to Grado and Grado to Salas aren't bad. Spoiler alert: they were bad for me.
Let me strongly, strongly encourage you to be flexible, particularly in the first week.
Let go of punishing expectations, like I did. If you're flagging on day 1, don't go on to Grado. Stop in Escamplero or Paladin (?) instead. If the stupid steep little hill outside Grado ( see how well I remember it?) punches you down, stop short of Salas. If you can't face carrying your pack, grab a reservation and a day pack, and ship your bag ahead a day. Or every day. Doesn't make you less a pilgrim, despite the Facebook judgements.
You will make it; I did. But again, let go of any punishing expectations, and walk your Camino. Not mine, or anyone else.
I have never walked the Primitivo, so my knowledge is second hand. I walked the Norte in 2018. At the split of the primitivo 4 pilgrims I was "loosely" walking with. That is to say I saw them almost daily and we shared many dinners together walked the Primitivo while I stayed on the Norte. Only saw 3 pilgrims the rest of the way. When I got to Arzua I saw all of them at a pizza place. It was wonderful to see them again. They were constantly torturing me (playfully of course) yelling at me on the Norte to get up the hill old man, or you better not drop dead on this hill coming up, we don't want to have to be the ones to tell Silvia, (my wife). etc etc. I loved the Norte but I an not a big fan of long, steep hillsThis is a good point, Jill. Those could be long distances for those who start out without much distance walking in their portfolio. There are at least two easy ways to shorten that first day, by stopping at Escamplero or Paladín, and then go beyond Grado the next day to Cornellana or some of the many other options (one thing about the Primitivo is that the options have multiplied in recent years).
I always have a plastic bag with me and ask them to put some cubes in there, because they may not have a supply of bags.
The few posts I made are still out here somewhere.
Are you flying into the Asturias airport? The. bus service is good into Oviedo, but as you mayt already know, it’s about a 45 minute ride.Or I can change my flight timings to see if I can reach oviedo earlier.
If there were any way to add a few days to your itinerary you would immediately have a cushion and not have to worry about these stages so much. The absolute ideal way to walk a camino is to walk without having to be pressured to make it to a particular spot or a particular bus. I know, because for unavoidable reasons, the camino I’m planning this year will have a few of those “pressure spots” and it doesn’t feel as good.I agree I have my options open. My health is most important if anything goes south I will do less and fly to Granada to watch the Alhambra
Thank you, yes I plan to increase the distance of my walks in the last monthHaving walked the Primitivo as a first Camino and starting in late April I found that starting slow - shorter early days was a good idea. Also at that time of year a light sleeping bag was needed - but watch its weight so as not to overload your pack.
I too was over 60 when I first walked and found that it was fairly easy to add about a third as many kms per day to my practise walks, then building up distance from that.
I had 3 pairs of underwear and socks as already suggested, so that they dried before wearing again. Trousers and shirt I had one pair on and one pair in my pack. My own preference also was to take a very light weight set of long-johns and long sleeved vest(T-shirt) which doubled for sleepwear or on really cold days post walking. (Think silk or light polyester)
My final thought would be to take a pair of lightweight waterproof over trousers. I would wear mine to start in the morning and remove them as I warmed up - better than wearing the long-johns while walking.
Buen Camino
Based on the first day I plan to keep my options open. Maybe if I feel tired, I will just walk to Lugo with less kms per day; all options on table.I have never walked the Primitivo, so my knowledge is second hand. I walked the Norte in 2018. At the split of the primitivo 4 pilgrims I was "loosely" walking with. That is to say I saw them almost daily and we shared many dinners together walked the Primitivo while I stayed on the Norte. Only saw 3 pilgrims the rest of the way. When I got to Arzua I saw all of them at a pizza place. It was wonderful to see them again. They were constantly torturing me (playfully of course) yelling at me on the Norte to get up the hill old man, or you better not drop dead on this hill coming up, we don't want to have to be the ones to tell Silvia, (my wife). etc etc. I loved the Norte but I an not a big fan of long, steep hills. At the pizza place they all immediately said that the Norte was easy compared to the Primitivo and they would have had to carry me, ha ha haaaaaa, Schmucks I said to my young friends!
Anyway I digress. @paulanuran stated that he is borderline "overweight/Obese" and has done very little training. I am sure we have all seen overweight or obese pilgrims struggling to walk especially up and down the steep hills of the caminos. I must say they may struggle and we may offer assistance or concern but I have never met an overweight pilgrim that wasn't fighting like so many of us without complaint and with dignity. (As opposed to myself who has been known to swear like a drunken sailor after going up a long hill and then seeing another when I get to the top of the first one).
I wonder if it would be better for our pilgrim friend to do another camino that may not be as challenging but will afford him a great experience along with the type of scenery he desires.
I also know that this may be difficult as I have often heard the Primitivo is considered by many to be one of the most, if not most beautiful camino many pilgrims have walked. Just my thoughts.
Yes those pressure spots are horrible. i do have a flexible ticket so will see if there is wiggle room. Right now I have 3 days after the day i enter santiago de compostelaHere’s @dbier’s thread, which was posted live from the camino, and which you might find very helpful, @paulanuran.
Are you flying into the Asturias airport? The. bus service is good into Oviedo, but as you mayt already know, it’s about a 45 minute ride.
If there were any way to add a few days to your itinerary you would immediately have a cushion and not have to worry about these stages so much. The absolute ideal way to walk a camino is to walk without having to be pressured to make it to a particular spot or a particular bus. I know, because for unavoidable reasons, the camino I’m planning this year will have a few of those “pressure spots” and it doesn’t feel as good.
Like you, I come over from the US, and what I always try to do is have 4 days “in my pocket” so that if I need to add more days to my camino than I had thought, I can still keep to my original camino goal. If I am lucky and make it to Santiago with those days unused, I head for Finisterre and/or Muxia. If I just have a few left over, an extra day or two in Santiago isn’t a punishment, or I can head to Madrid to visit friends and the city, which I love.
Buen camino, Laurie
Seriously this forum is amazing, so many fellow peregrinos willing to help. Good luck for your camino, and happy healingI plan to leave Oviedo on April 19th as my first Camino. I have been training with pack up to 16 kilometers a day. I’m 66 and slightly overweight. I’ve given myself up to 24 days because I want to enjoy the beauty, towns and heal from my son’s death 3 years ago. I’m also hoping that will give me time to reach Muxlia. Thank you for all of this information. It’s helped me decide to bring my lightweight sleeping bag and made me think about a few other of my choices.
That is a great attitude. I wish you all the success and happiness in your Camino.Based on the first day I plan to keep my options open. Maybe if I feel tired, I will just walk to Lugo with less kms per day; all options on table.
Thank you this is so helpful:::chuckle::: Actually, that thread was Grizzlybero' s. I was quite jealous of them.
Mine was this one:
Paulanuran...believe me, you can do this. I just want you to remember that you can take it slow until you get used to it, IF you need to. And, although some would not, you * can* choose to ship a pack ahead, if you need a break.
Again, give yourself permission to walk your Camino your way. Heck, it may be easy for you. But if it's not, as it wasn't for me, don't judge or punish yourself. Adapt, and overcome.
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