Camino Primitivo

[BlaBlah]

Four Scandinavian walkers planning to walk from Oviedo the week 8-16.4
8.4 Oviedo - San Juan 30
9.4 San J - Tineo
10.4 Tineo - Pola de Allend
11.4 Pola de Allanda - Grandas
12.4 Gr de Salime - Fonsagrada - O Cadavo 13.4 O Cadavo - Lugo 30 km - San Romao 14.4 San Romao - Melide
15.4 Melide - Pedrouzo - Santiago

 

[Pelegrin]

Days 12, 13 and 15 are 50 kms each. You must be in very good shape and think that in April there could be rain and mud.

 

[BlaBlah]

We have all 10 years+ long-distance walking experience, completed 100km/24 hrs (also this year) and done 850 km hikes at 50-70 km a day previously: one has done Makoni.dk four times.

 

[BlaBlah]

Here are photos from approx 100km walking in each of 9 countries: www.turl.no/2k5p

 

[Pelegrin]

It seems that the terrain that you have walked is rather flat.
Pola - Grandas is 1000 mts gain altitude acumulated.

 

[musicman]

There are no 59 km stages .

 

[BlaBlah]

We are actively discussing these valuable comments - with respect for the challenge ahead. The norwegians are familiar with 1000m (+) rises. Training: Currently doing 10/15 story staircases with weight vest, and walking with sack (8-12 kg), accumulating some km 4-5 days a week. Did you see the 6- month walking preparation recommended on the Makoni site? We have done this. (typically 10-15 km om the daily schedule - keeping over 40 km with high intensity per week for maintaing this capacity). The flat country of Denmark is a disadvantage for walkers from these countries/ so we will see how they cope.

 

[Pelegrin]

The 600 + mts climb from Pola to Puerto del Palo is beautiful and not difficult. But the final 300 + from the dam to Grandas is a boring road with some traffic.
In the middle ,100 mts after Berducedo and 175 after La Mesa . That is more or less1200 acumulated.

 

[brian560]

I'm walking from Leon 24 May and then onto the Primitivo. What do people recommend...hiking boots or trail runners. I'm thinking boots but they're hot.

 

[Flig]

We are actively discussing these valuable comments - with respect for the challenge ahead. The norwegians are familiar with 1000m (+) rises. Training: Currently doing 10/15 story staircases with weight vest, and walking with sack (8-12 kg), accumulating some km 4-5 days a week. Did you see the 6- month walking preparation recommended on the Makoni site? We have done this. (typically 10-15 km om the daily schedule - keeping over 40 km with high intensity per week for maintaing this capacity). The flat country of Denmark is a disadvantage for walkers from these countries/ so we will see how they cope.

With all that training are you sure your not Kystjegerkommandoen or FSK? Just kidding, it sounds like you are very physically prepared for the trip.

 

[BlaBlah]

I'm walking from Leon 24 May and then onto the Primitivo. What do people recommend...hiking boots or trail runners. I'm thinking boots but they're hot.

Camino? Never considered anything except boots: you need ankle support when walking in all-terrain and with even moderate weight. Trainers materials are not tough enough for these hills: you need leather or goretex - sturdy, even were you to avoid rain. Expect /be prepared for rain (which creates mud)- trainers are useless even in a drizzle. Make sure they are water resistant/ impregnated with shoecream: I am much more comfortable knowing shoes are waterproof through puddles(daily inspection/brush up over seams). Also look for metatarsal support in the insoles (marathon soles are too thin on the forefoot). Yes - your feet get hot:and still -also in this heat- you need wool. I will share the following advice in more detail: To know how your feet respond takes personal experience: add 1-2 shoe size up (or you will need two pairs on the road) - tested with insoles and double-later socks (fine meshed inner sock as 'lining'-and look carefully for seams:this is mm precision), you can do very fine adjustments with various socks. Importantly do not underestimate how feet swell if water/electrolyte balance is off:any long-distance multi-day participant will meet these challenges: whether the foot arch is flattened (you might think a foot does not grow longer/wider, and yet it ....does) or you have lost salt is crucial to blistering:A fine balance in the heat - (this is not contrary to advice on drinking enough) is also not to overhydrate:Swelling is not a good sign and can be managed. My advice is to measure water on a digital weight during training under similar conditions: nude body weight before and after 1 hr exercise: the change on the scales=runoff and an indicator of what you need to drink/replace per hour. You adjust your intake up or down according to the conditions but a constant reminder in the walk is to balance this with salt and you will remain comfortable. I have not seen this posted before but any day to day variation in body weight(e.g.morning/after voiding/just underwear)is indicative of your hydration state: many actually increase their weight first week walking- this is overhydration which takes a couple or more days to correct (after a walk). And if you drop a pound/kilo or more from one day to the next you should replace(drink) this deficit as soon as possible. All is transferrable to your feet

 

[Kiwi-family]

Well I’ve walked the Primitivo once in trainers and once (including rain) in sandals. No regrets. Each to his own.

 

[camino07]

No boots for me either but good strong hiking shoes,Keen's Targees are my favourites.

 

[BlaBlah]

Yes: hiking shoes for trail (The word boots have a wider translation from norwegian). They are more sturdy than trainers (which are better on path/road surfaces ie smooth & at low risk for ankle inversion). Shoe weight and how sharp edges (stones) 'feel' through when trodding are additional factors. ("mountain" boots over say 800g become noticeably heavy when legs are weary). As for sandals or flip-flops, the story of the washing of the feet (John 13:14–17) comes to mind.
We hope to be in/attend Santiago on Maundy Thursday. "Maundy" comes from mandatum - the words Mandatum novum do vobis ut diligatis invicem sicut dilexi vos" ("I give you a new commandment .... (John 13:34) are sung at the ceremony of the washing of the feet. Such a ritual is appreciated - to me eye-opening - given the distances our predecessors walked. The kindest action- a first priority- to a visitor arriving by foot may be to provide a wash basin and treat sore feet. Also- after gaining walking experience I avidly study historical clues to shoes and how feet were cared for over these incredible distances : see this from the pilgrims statue in Leon(he appears to have wraps inside the sandals) or the roman shoes found in Vindolanda.

 

[peregrina2000]

I'm walking from Leon 24 May and then onto the Primitivo. What do people recommend...hiking boots or trail runners. I'm thinking boots but they're hot.

The most popular shoe worn by thru-hikers on both the Appalachian Trail and the Pacific Crest Trail is Altra trail runners. I think that in the US most of the people we would consider hard core hikers (and I am not in that group) have moved to trail runners. Hiking shoes and hiking boots are kind of persona non grata in those circles. Maybe this is a country-specific thing. But I have moved to trail runners and will never look back. Last year on the Mozarabe they were a godsend with all the walking in rocky river beds, and on the many off-road ascents they were fine.

If you do some searching on the forum, there are lots of great threads explaining why this shift to trail runners makes sense. For years, I wore boots thinking that I needed the ankle support. Well, @davebugg and @falcon269 burst that myth by showing me the studies that establish that boots simply don't give the support we think they do. If you need ankle support, a brace is the only way to go.

Another reason for trail runners rather than shoes or boots is because a lot of the camino primitivo is in fact on hard surfaces. From the time it enters Galicia, there is almost nothing but crushed rock, with maybe one or two logging trails through eucalyptus forests that are more dirt-like. And a fair amount of road walking in Asturias.

If you are inclined to go with trail runners, I would definitely go that route. Buen camino, Laurie

 

[brian560]

The most popular shoe worn by thru-hikers on both the Appalachian Trail and the Pacific Crest Trail is Altra trail runners. I think that in the US most of the people we would consider hard core hikers (and I am not in that group) have moved to trail runners. Hiking shoes and hiking boots are kind of persona non grata in those circles. Maybe this is a country-specific thing. But I have moved to trail runners and will never look back. Last year on the Mozarabe they were a godsend with all the walking in rocky river beds, and on the many off-road ascents they were fine.

If you do some searching on the forum, there are lots of great threads explaining why this shift to trail runners makes sense. For years, I wore boots thinking that I needed the ankle support. Well, @davebugg and @falcon269 burst that myth by showing me the studies that establish that boots simply don't give the support we think they do. If you need ankle support, a brace is the only way to go.

Another reason for trail runners rather than shoes or boots is because a lot of the camino primitivo is in fact on hard surfaces. From the time it enters Galicia, there is almost nothing but crushed rock, with maybe one or two logging trails through eucalyptus forests that are more dirt-like. And a fair amount of road walking in Asturias.

If you are inclined to go with trail runners, I would definitely go that route. Buen camino, Laurie

Thanks. Runners it is and there shouldn't be much rain.

 

[Ecuador12]

Thanks. Runners it is and there shouldn't be much rain.

Brian, I am doing the Primitivo on approx. May 1 from Leon, with Salomon Trail runners with mid height gaiters to hopefully prevent the mud from getting in my shoes. I've heard there will be lots of rain and mud this time of year.

 

[brian560]

I'm starting 25 May. Boots would be useful but awkward to carry afterwards as I am meeting a friend in SdC and then travelling through Europe. I walked the Norte in runners last year and it was very muddy for the first week. I bought newspapers and stuffed my runners every night which helped dry them out a bit for the next day. I'll just have to hope for good weather. Cheers.

 

[BlaBlah]

Hello: we are through! Thank you for all comments.
We walked in 8 days approximately as sketched above. It is possible to do double-stages also on the Primitivo (shorten another day or two on top of the schedule above). All four went as a team - oldest 65 years. Beautiful route. We had some hours of rain - only a few hours of heavy rain, mostly great weather / were lucky over the hospidales. last day complicated by a chest infection - still coughing but immensely impressed by this camino and will be back for more (Norte!) B ))

 

[BlaBlah]

some more images

 

[Mikel Olivares]

Scott Jurek, Appalachian Trail record. 3,500 Km
46 days, 8 hours, 10 minutes.
I wonder if he will have seen anything.

 

[Flig]

Brian, I am doing the Primitivo on approx. May 1 from Leon, with Salomon Trail runners with mid height gaiters to hopefully prevent the mud from getting in my shoes. I've heard there will be lots of rain and mud this time of year.

Let us know how it goes/is going!

 

[DSouthard]

The most popular shoe worn by thru-hikers on both the Appalachian Trail and the Pacific Crest Trail is Altra trail runners. I think that in the US most of the people we would consider hard core hikers (and I am not in that group) have moved to trail runners. Hiking shoes and hiking boots are kind of persona non grata in those circles. Maybe this is a country-specific thing. But I have moved to trail runners and will never look back. Last year on the Mozarabe they were a godsend with all the walking in rocky river beds, and on the many off-road ascents they were fine.

If you do some searching on the forum, there are lots of great threads explaining why this shift to trail runners makes sense. For years, I wore boots thinking that I needed the ankle support. Well, @davebugg and @falcon269 burst that myth by showing me the studies that establish that boots simply don't give the support we think they do. If you need ankle support, a brace is the only way to go.

Another reason for trail runners rather than shoes or boots is because a lot of the camino primitivo is in fact on hard surfaces. From the time it enters Galicia, there is almost nothing but crushed rock, with maybe one or two logging trails through eucalyptus forests that are more dirt-like. And a fair amount of road walking in Asturias.

If you are inclined to go with trail runners, I would definitely go that route. Buen camino, Laurie

I also walked the Mozarabe and tried light hikers for a week. No good. It wasn't the ankle support that I needed; what I required was the sturdy support of hiking boot soles because of the rocks, both in the dry river beds and in the mountains between Almeria and Granada. I met some people who wore lighter shoes, but I found a good hiking boot necessary for my feet. Even on hard surfaces, because of my flat feet I needed the extra support I found in hiking boots with custom arch supports. Only experience will tell what works best for an individual.