Combination Camino packing list for March

[nidarosa]

Hi peregrinas and peregrinos, I am very soon off on my honeymoon camino! Yes, soon means middle of March, so temps will be unpredictable. We start in Astorga, walk to Santiago, then go to Porto and fly down to the Algarve for a week of beach and vinho verde. So yes, I have to layer to cope with cold weather and also have suitable clothes for sitting in the sun by the beach bar and yes, vanity is an aspect here. So is weight and volume as we are traveling hand luggage only! The list is FSO, from skin out, meaning I am wearing some of it at any and all times.

My combination camino/beach holiday wardrobe is as follows:

1 Craghoppers Long Kiwi Pro trousers 380 g
1 Craghoppers Capri Kiwi Pro trousers 260 g
1 Icebreaker longjohns 135 g
1 Merino vest/strappy top 100 g
2 Icebreaker short sleeve tops 270 g
1 Icebreaker long sleeve top 215 g
1 Lightweight fleece jacket 275 g
1 Icebreaker very light racerback dress 135 g
1 Merino cardigan 195 g
1 Pertex windproof jacket 200 g
1 Altus lightweight Atmospheric poncho 225 g
1 pair Teva Terra Fi Lite for spares/beach wear 440 g
1 pair Salomon non goretex trainer type shoes 770 g
Buff, merino buff, softshell hat, fleece gloves, socks and underwear

Apart from this there is of course the medikit and toiletries which I've pretty much got under control, silk bags, Sea to Summit silnylon packable daybags, and money and valuables in a small cross body bag.
I have very little time to pack/repack the day before we go, I need to have everything ready a week in advance because of a works trip, so if I need to get or change anything I need to know as soon as possible. I think I have got it right - or am I missing something? Any comments very much appreciated.

 

[nidarosa]

Oh well, I'm off for a week now on a business trip and will just have to trust my instincts on the packing. Might get back with comments on our combined camino/honeymoon hand luggage after the fact.

 

[SYates]

Send the beach clothes ahead to Ivar and pick them up in Santiago ;-) and congratulations on getting married! Here my other thoughts on some of your items:

1 Icebreaker very light racerback dress 135 g - send ahead/leave at home
1 Merino cardigan 195 g - send ahead/leave at home
1 pair Teva Terra Fi Lite for spares/beach wear 440 g - eave at home

Apart from this there is of course the medikit and toiletries which I've pretty much got under control -and how heavy are they?
silk bags, Sea to Summit silnylon packable daybags - how many?
and money and valuables in a small cross body bag - hip belt or money belt?

What about hat/camera/phone/sun protection?

Buen Camino! SY

 

[nidarosa]

Sound advice as always @SYates! Between us we are taking medicine stuff at just under 500 g, toiletries about the same for two plus some sun cream and a 68 g daypack each. No hats apart from the windproof ones - I never wear a sun hat anyway. I am carrying the passports and tickets, phone, money and Anaya small guide in a cross body bag (hate money belts and bum bags) weighing about 500g. Both our packs weigh just over 5 kgs each without food and water and sleeping bags. Is it wise going without a spare pair of shoes though?

 

[nidarosa]

We are now (sadly) back from our three week honeymoon, starting in Astorga, walking to Santiago, having a whole day and two nights there, then bus to Porto for a short day trip before flying down to the Algarve for four days of sun, sand and even a dip in the sea!

The above packing list worked a treat, but then we had unusually good weather according to some other repeat pilgrims we met along the way. Only once did I have to wear everything that wasn't in the wash, that was a chilly evening in Melide, and only once did I get my silk bag out because there was no heating in the room where we slept. We stayed in private rooms, but the silk bags were our insurance in case we had to get an albergue and then wool long top and bottom, silk bag and a blanket would probably have got us through the night.

The lightweight dress was used as a tunic, after shower cover up instead of sitting in a damp towel, as an evening dress with wool longjohns under, and the only problem was it got a hole in it from the spitting fire in the corner in the Venta Celta, so that was worth it anyway I'll definitely bring it on my next camino whether I go alone or not. The cardi and scarf were brilliant as 'others' or second change of clothes, kept me warm and brightened my mood after a shower.

We didn't really miss anything, we were warm(ish) and dry all the time and would probably pack the same stuff again next time, though I might pack another or at least not a black strappy top if we are doing the camino/beach combo again. And it seems my new husband has got the camino bug! So we will be back as soon as finances allow.

As for superfluous stuff, we never used our Altuses/Alti, but they are of course a staple in the bag anyway, nor the silk bags or tech towels that were for albergue use if needed. Other than that my husband never used his summer tech shirt when we got to the blistering heat in the Algarve, but that was purely because he bought two T-shirts in Santiago and enjoyed wearing cotton again. Oh, and we only ever used one of the Sea to Summit 68 gram packs, so might just bring the one next time.

Other than that everything was used and worked well for us and covered temperatures from down toward zero in the morning in Rabanal - there was ice on the trail and some snow still at Foncebadón - which required polar buff, windproof hat, gloves, fleece and wind jacket, to 27 degrees C in the Algarve with capris, zipped off shorts, vest and T-shirt and of course our comfy Teva sandals! All in all it worked out well, and even if we hadn't had the good weather we should have managed well with what we had, we would just have had to wear more of it at any given time.

If I had to highlight one item of clothing that was praised more and more often than any other though, it would be our pertex wind jackets, weighing just 100 and 200 grams respectively. They really do keep the wind chill out of the equation, weigh nothing and are even lightly drizzle proof. Brilliant stuff.

 

[nidarosa]

Update: (someone brought this post up again which was interesting and brought back memories) The tunic worked so well that I have started wearing it for walking with running tights under, and I have also got another, slightly longer very light merino dress (166 g) for evening wear with or without merino leggings under, so no more trousers for me! My pack is lighter and less bulky too now. Apart from that I carry pretty much the same stuff - pertex wind jacket, poncho, Salomons, merino layers, lightweight après-shower bag and buffs. Lately I have brought Birkenstock EVA sandals instead of the Tevas, which I only use after walking anyway but would take on longer distances for backup, and I have had good results with Hoka One One shoes for my PF so might use them on short distances. And I am now a convert to Pacerpoles! A packing list, it seems, is an ever changing thing.

 

[trecile]

The tunic worked so well that I have started wearing it for walking with running tights under, and I have also got another, slightly longer very light merino dress (166 g) for evening wear with or without merino leggings under, so no more trousers for me!

That's good to hear, as that is what I plan on walking in. I'm going to make a couple of dresses with pockets that I can walk and sleep in. I'll use running tights when it's cool. I'd like your opinion on sleeves or sleeveless. Was your backpack comfortable with the racerback dress? I'm planning on bringing a lightweight long sleeve button up shirt for sun protection. I'll be walking from late August through September.

 

[nidarosa]

@trecile I am so sorry I missed your message! In short, I always wear a merino T-shirt over the tunic/dress so have no chafing issues. Have also used a sun protective shirt and that works well but I would make sure the dress covered all the pack straps. The T-shirt over might reduce friction just like double socks work in shoes. Pockets sound like a good idea and you can place them where it suits you. I'd love to see the final design!

 

[Saint Mike II]

Hola Nidarosa - thank you for posting the "after" Camino report (so many people get good advice but ignore the thank you's). I am sure a number of our "fairer" pilgrims will appreciate your practical advice. Cheers