First Time Walker CF May 2018

[Uygsan]

Hi everybody

I am Glenda and I will be doing the CF 3rd week of May 2018. I will only be able to do a portion of the route due to other commitments. I am in an ok condition though i have not hiked multiple days for a while. The longest i’ve done was walking to Machu Picchu via the Salkantay Trail for 5 days a couple years ago - and I did carry my own pack. I still hike / walk but not on multi-days.

I have been reading a lot of the posts as preparation for my Camino - thanks so much to this forum. I still have some questions and I apologize if some were already answered in other posts. I plan to start on May 22 and pretty much open on the number of days until I have to be at the Lisbon airport morning of June 12 to pick-up my aunt. I am also hoping to spend a day or 2 in Porto after my Camino as that will be my way to Lisbon.

1. Burgos or Astorga as starting point. I hope to finish and arrive in SDC in 12 days. I have been planning Astorga until this afternoon
2. Recommended place to stay in Astorga- albergue, pensionne or even hotel - if I do start from here.
3. I have 3 more weeks of “family travel” after my Camino so I plan to send my bigger / heavier pack from Burgos to SDC with Correos. Will it be easy / quick to claim it at SDC? Any other company that can do this?
4. I also want to do the Finisterre and Muxia caminos - is this possible in 5 days if I average 20 -25 kms. per day.
5. Recommended app with detailed route and information of CF. Something that will work offline would be great. My biggest fear for this Camino is getting lost / off track since I will be walking on my own.
6. Anybody used “portable WiFi” recently? Which company did you obtain it from? Is this better than getting a local SIM?
7. How is the weather mid-May to early June along the CF?
8. Any other recommendation for my 1st day of walk? I have requested my credential from americanpilgrims.com (thanks guys) so no need to worry about that.

Le agradecemos de antemano todos. Your inputs are greatly appreciated.

Glenda

 

[domigee]

Hi Glenda and welcome!
4. Yes it is definitely possible. You can walk to Finisterra in 3 days, Muxía in 1 (it's about 30 km but easy walking) or stop in Lires if you prefer. You can then take a bus back to Santiago.
5. You really (really!) won't get lost on the Camino francés. I have heard that the 'wise pilgrim' App. Is good but never used it. I like the Eroski camino App. as a guide but it is in Spanish.
7. I don't have a clue. Impossible to tell especially this year!
I am sure others will step in and fill-in the gaps. Happy planning!

 

[Uygsan]

Hi Glenda and welcome!
4. Yes it is definitely possible. You can walk to Finisterra in 3 days, Muxía in 1 (it's about 30 km but easy walking) or stop in Lires if you prefer. You can then take a bus back to Santiago.
5. You really (really!) won't get lost on the Camino francés. I have heard that the 'wise pilgrim' App. Is good but never used it.
7. I don't have a clue. Impossible to tell especially this year!
I am sure others will step in and fill-in the gaps. Happy planning!

Gracias domigee.

 

[kelleymac]

Welcome! I'll give answering some your questions a go--
1. Burgos or Astorga as starting point. I hope to finish and arrive in SDC in 12 days. I have been planning Astorga until this afternoon

I'd walk from Leon or Astorga if I was planning 12 days.

2. Recommended place to stay in Astorga- albergue, pensionne or even hotel - if I do start from here.

We stayed here: http://www.caminodesantiagoastorga.com/index.php?ididioma=3&modulo=2
It is a great albergue, and has beautiful views.

3. I have 3 more weeks of “family travel” after my Camino so I plan to send my bigger / heavier pack from Burgos to SDC with Correos. Will it be easy / quick to claim it at SDC? Any other company that can do this?

You can send it to Ivan.

4. I also want to do the Finisterre and Muxia caminos - is this possible in 5 days if I average 20 -25 kms. per day.

You can at least do one way and then take the bus back.

5. Recommended app with detailed route and information of CF. Something that will work offline would be great. My biggest fear for this Camino is getting lost / off track since I will be walking on my own.

You won't get lost. You probably won't be alone the entire trip that time of year. That is, there will be other walkers ahead and behind you. There are a thousand arrows. You don't need an app. Turn off your phone. Connect with people if you can't find an arrow. (Me pierden. ¿Dónde es el camino de Santiago de Compostela? Gracias.)

6. Anybody used “portable WiFi” recently? Which company did you obtain it from? Is this better than getting a local SIM?

Nope. I got a local SIM in Leon when I arrived.

7. How is the weather mid-May to early June along the CF?
Beautiful. Count on rain.

8. Any other recommendation for my 1st day of walk? I have requested my credential from americanpilgrims.com (thanks guys) so no need to worry about that.

Take it easy the first few days! Go to the Pilgrims' blessings and mass even if you're not Catholic. Light a candle at the churches you pass.

 

[Grutch]

Hi everybody

I am Glenda and I will be doing the CF 3rd week of May 2018. I will only be able to do a portion of the route due to other commitments. I am in an ok condition though i have not hiked multiple days for a while. The longest i’ve done was walking to Machu Picchu via the Salkantay Trail for 5 days a couple years ago - and I did carry my own pack. I still hike / walk but not on multi-days.

I have been reading a lot of the posts as preparation for my Camino - thanks so much to this forum. I still have some questions and I apologize if some were already answered in other posts. I plan to start on May 22 and pretty much open on the number of days until I have to be at the Lisbon airport morning of June 12 to pick-up my aunt. I am also hoping to spend a day or 2 in Porto after my Camino as that will be my way to Lisbon.

1. Burgos or Astorga as starting point. I hope to finish and arrive in SDC in 12 days. I have been planning Astorga until this afternoon
2. Recommended place to stay in Astorga- albergue, pensionne or even hotel - if I do start from here.
3. I have 3 more weeks of “family travel” after my Camino so I plan to send my bigger / heavier pack from Burgos to SDC with Correos. Will it be easy / quick to claim it at SDC? Any other company that can do this?
4. I also want to do the Finisterre and Muxia caminos - is this possible in 5 days if I average 20 -25 kms. per day.
5. Recommended app with detailed route and information of CF. Something that will work offline would be great. My biggest fear for this Camino is getting lost / off track since I will be walking on my own.
6. Anybody used “portable WiFi” recently? Which company did you obtain it from? Is this better than getting a local SIM?
7. How is the weather mid-May to early June along the CF?
8. Any other recommendation for my 1st day of walk? I have requested my credential from americanpilgrims.com (thanks guys) so no need to worry about that.

Le agradecemos de antemano todos. Your inputs are greatly appreciated.

Glenda

Hi Glenda

My suggestion would be to not over plan. I did the Camino in 2016 during the same weeks your planning to be there. The Camino is a very magical place and this might sound crazy but whatever you need you'll find there. This will make more sense to you after your done. Some albergue's are better than others but some nights you may not have a option. When you get where your going look around. If there is more than one Hostal with beds then you get to pick. If your getting that last bed at the last place then that's the best albergue! When I was there you had to start looking for a bed by about 3pm, much later than that and you might find yourself on the floor. About 1/2 way through some girls that were from Spain and spoke Spanish feel in with our group. They would call ahead for everyone the night before and reserve beds. That worked out great for us. Like you I went to the Camino solo but no one is ever really alone on the Camino. It's an individual effort performed by a group. My son did it last year. No one could have been less prepared for it than him and he had a blast. You wont get lost (at least not for long) and everything will come together once your there as long as your open to it. Being open to the experience is the most important thing in my opinion. The weather is mild but it will rain and you will get wet. Do all you can to keep your feet dry. Wet feet will result in blisters for sure and pain will take some of the fun out of it. Make sure you have good hiking boots and some other footwear you can change into at the end of the day so your feet can get a break from your boots. If your excited and nervous that's how your supposed to feel. Everything will be great and your going to have the time of your life. Enjoy.

 

[Uygsan]

Welcome! I'll give answering some your questions a go--
1. Burgos or Astorga as starting point. I hope to finish and arrive in SDC in 12 days. I have been planning Astorga until this afternoon

I'd walk from Leon or Astorga if I was planning 12 days.

2. Recommended place to stay in Astorga- albergue, pensionne or even hotel - if I do start from here.

We stayed here: http://www.caminodesantiagoastorga.com/index.php?ididioma=3&modulo=2
It is a great albergue, and has beautiful views.

3. I have 3 more weeks of “family travel” after my Camino so I plan to send my bigger / heavier pack from Burgos to SDC with Correos. Will it be easy / quick to claim it at SDC? Any other company that can do this?

You can send it to Ivan.

4. I also want to do the Finisterre and Muxia caminos - is this possible in 5 days if I average 20 -25 kms. per day.

You can at least do one way and then take the bus back.
5. Recommended app with detailed route and information of CF. Something that will work offline would be great. My biggest fear for this Camino is getting lost / off track since I will be walking on my own.

You won't get lost. You probably won't be alone the entire trip that time of year. That is, there will be other walkers ahead and behind you. There are a thousand arrows. You don't need an app. Turn off your phone. Connect with people if you can't find an arrow. (Me pierden. ¿Dónde es el camino de Santiago de Compostela? Gracias.)

6. Anybody used “portable WiFi” recently? Which company did you obtain it from? Is this better than getting a local SIM?

Nope. I got a local SIM in Leon when I arrived.

7. How is the weather mid-May to early June along the CF?
Beautiful. Count on rain.

8. Any other recommendation for my 1st day of walk? I have requested my credential from americanpilgrims.com (thanks guys) so no need to worry about that.

Take it easy the first few days! Go to the Pilgrims' blessings and mass even if you're not Catholic. Light a candle at the churches you pass.

Thank you Kelley. I do light candles in most of the churches I visit when travelling.

 

[Uygsan]

Hi Glenda

My suggestion would be to not over plan. I did the Camino in 2016 during the same weeks your planning to be there. The Camino is a very magical place and this might sound crazy but whatever you need you'll find there. This will make more sense to you after your done. Some albergue's are better than others but some nights you may not have a option. When you get where your going look around. If there is more than one Hostal with beds then you get to pick. If your getting that last bed at the last place then that's the best albergue! When I was there you had to start looking for a bed by about 3pm, much later than that and you might find yourself on the floor. About 1/2 way through some girls that were from Spain and spoke Spanish feel in with our group. They would call ahead for everyone the night before and reserve beds. That worked out great for us. Like you I went to the Camino solo but no one is ever really alone on the Camino. It's an individual effort performed by a group. My son did it last year. No one could have been less prepared for it than him and he had a blast. You wont get lost (at least not for long) and everything will come together once your there as long as your open to it. Being open to the experience is the most important thing in my opinion. The weather is mild but it will rain and you will get wet. Do all you can to keep your feet dry. Wet feet will result in blisters for sure and pain will take some of the fun out of it. Make sure you have good hiking boots and some other footwear you can change into at the end of the day so your feet can get a break from your boots. If your excited and nervous that's how your supposed to feel. Everything will be great and your going to have the time of your life. Enjoy.

Thank you so much for the kind words Gregg. I am looking forward to this Camino and will tackle it as how you mentioned which is normally to how I go about most of my travels - embrace the experience and learn from it.

 

[fraluchi]

From mid-May to mid June you can expect all sorts of weather conditions: sunny, hot, windy, rainy, cold, etc. conditions depending upon the area and which don't last long. Be prepared. Check the daily/weekly forecasts on www.aemet.es for the area (town, province) you will walk through.