- Time of past OR future Camino
- June: Camino Frances from Pamplona
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There is a risk of falling while walking any Camino route. I am a relatively experienced walker and a reasonably healthy if overweight 61 year old. Even so I slipped and fell twice in one day on fairly level footpaths on the Camino Frances during very heavy rain in September. If you absolutely must avoid slips and falls then perhaps you should reconsider your intention to walk a Camino.
Not sure what setts are to you. Google says they are badger dens, and that is not an issue on the Camino! Cobblestones, on the other hand... even with thick soled good quality hiking boots (a brand I have used for years and years with 0 issues), my feet were screaming in pain after a few days of hiking on them. It is what it is; the price of the caminho português. It's not a falling hazard; it's just that after hours and hours of walking on them, your feet ache.I’ve heard a lot about cobblestones and setts, about how they are a nightmare, etc. How true is this? My wife and I are both 76 and my wife simply cannot afford to fall due to osteoporosis and vertebral fractures. How safe would it be for us the walk the coastal root?
The sidewalks and Camino in Portugal are paved with setts, which differ from cobblestones because they are not natural rounded rocks.Not sure what setts are to you.
As so many cyclists competing in races in northern France and Belgium will happily attest.Cobblestones/setts, whatever: They are one of the Devil's masterpieces.
I think the issue is that cobblestones/setts can become quite slippery when wet which poses a challenge.I just walked a hybrid Portuguese Camino: Senda litoral - central - coastal - spiritual variant. I think the board walks of the Senda litoral would be safest.
I really don’t understand all the hoopla about setts and cobblestones. When my feet hurt ANY hard surface was painful. And I didn’t encounter that many true cobblestones, most were setts which are pretty flat.
I would suggest walking the literal route out of Porto,for the few days or so its mostly along wooden boardwalks and is pretty flatI’ve heard a lot about cobblestones and setts, about how they are a nightmare, etc. How true is this? My wife and I are both 76 and my wife simply cannot afford to fall due to osteoporosis and vertebral fractures. How safe would it be for us the walk the coastal root?
Stone is very slippery when wet. Worn stone is really bad.I’ve heard a lot about cobblestones and setts, about how they are a nightmare, etc. How true is this? My wife and I are both 76 and my wife simply cannot afford to fall due to osteoporosis and vertebral fractures. How safe would it be for us the walk the coastal root?
Trekking poles are the greatest invention in the world to me for so many reasons but mainly for fall prevention. We just did the Norte and they were vitally important. I too have osteoporosis and had no problems. Also, others talked about painful feet. Hokas really do a lot to address this issue because of their padding and they also have a pretty skid-free vibram sole. I never slid even in rain. Don't give up on what makes life fun!I’ve heard a lot about cobblestones and setts, about how they are a nightmare, etc. How true is this? My wife and I are both 76 and my wife simply cannot afford to fall due to osteoporosis and vertebral fractures. How safe would it be for us the walk the coastal root?
Setts are what much of the Portuguese route is paved with, and what most are referring to as cobblestones.The Coastal route is indeed mostly cobblestone, even in the sections away from towns (we figured the only reason was the "power that be" had good friends in the cobblestone business), but I don't know what "setts" are...
The sidewalks and Camino in Portugal are paved with setts, which differ from cobblestones because they are not natural rounded rocks.
Here are a couple of definitions:
Setts are square or rectangular quarried stones most commonly made from Granite or Limestone that are cropped / cut into sizes ranging from 100mm to 300mm in depth and width, these have been used in a vast range of paving installation for centuries.
Cobbles are quite often used to refer for something that is actually a sett, but the word cobble derives from the word cob which means a rounded lump. Cobbles and setts are both used traditionally in road construction, which could be where the confusion may arise, but the main difference is that setts are square and cobbles are round.
Setts
View attachment 159449
Cobbles
View attachment 159448
Neither are the greatest walking surface, but setts are easier to walk on.
I did not like the Central Route from Porto because of the cobblestones on paths/roads often winding up and down hills through villages. Also a difficult mountain section later on.I’ve heard a lot about cobblestones and setts, about how they are a nightmare, etc. How true is this? My wife and I are both 76 and my wife simply cannot afford to fall due to osteoporosis and vertebral fractures. How safe would it be for us the walk the coastal root?
I walked the Central route, but thankfully took the first couple of days along the river to the ocean boardwalks before turning inland after reading reports from others on the forum.take the route along the beach that features wooden boardwalks.
I'm 75 and just finished the Portuguese coastal route. I have an ankle joint replacement, foot and balance problems. I was the one in the group with no falls, blisters, foot pain. The cobblestones/setts can cause foot pain after a long day, but I also had Hokas with orthotics and they worked really well. Members of my group had three falls, mostly going too fast on slippery downhills. The bigger stones especially are slippery even when dry. I would say, go for it and be careful and slow down in potentially risky areas.I recently finished the Camino Portuguese…yes there were times with plenty of cobblestones on paths. I’m 72 and had no problems slipping on them or pain from them. I attribute the pain free part not to thick soled hiking boots but to Hoka running shoes (model was the Clifton) with good insoles (the brand I used was Super Feet). The shoes were very supportive with good traction. I also noticed that most people, of all ages, carried their poles rather than using them as aids as the route is mostly flat.
Perhaps even a four-legged walker.As others have posted, if it is critical that there be no falls, then use hiking poles, even on level ground.
I’ve walked the CF twice. I read several posts calling the cobblestones “nightmares.” Just checking for other opinions, yours for example. Thanks for giving it, BTW.There is a risk of falling while walking any Camino route. I am a relatively experienced walker and a reasonably healthy if overweight 61 year old. Even so I slipped and fell twice in one day on fairly level footpaths on the Camino Frances during very heavy rain in September. If you absolutely must avoid slips and falls then perhaps you should reconsider your intention to walk a Camino.
I wouldn't call them a nightmare, but I was happy to see the end of the cobblestones/setts when I passed over into Spain. As you know from walking the Francés, there are some pretty rough parts of that route that are worse than the cobblestones.I’ve walked the CF twice. I read several posts calling the cobblestones “nightmares.” Just checking for other opinions, yours for example. Thanks for giving it, BTW.
And let's not talk about "Roman roads" on the various Camino routes.A new thread could be started for posting only nightmarish cobblestone and rocky paths...there are plenty of those peppered in with all the easier walking stretches.
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