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Just returned from the Camino....Advice to others 60+ years

cloosh

Member
Time of past OR future Camino
April - May 2013
Well that was an experience of a lifetime and something nobody who seriously wants to do the Camino should turn from.
Was it difficult? Not overly so.
Sure there were days when I was tired, hot, wet, had sore feet and on onew occassion had a honking great blister that put me off the road for a day, but if you are even moderately in shape, and remember you are not in a race, and do only what you are capable of doing per day, you will have the time of your life!
I did not start as a pilgrim, but I ended up as a person who firmly believes that Christianity is alive and well in people who walk the Camino and that God is great, and I do not mean that in a great religious type of way, with visions, or Halleluja choruses echoing through the land, He just is great and exists. ( I still swear like a trooper when things go wrong btw)
I left St Jean Pied de Port on 6 April and arrived in Santiago on 12 May. I left on my own and met dozens of the best people I have ever met in my life. I laughed more heartily than I have done in many years, I learned that charity between friends is invaluable, I have dozens of Facebook friends thanks to the Camino, all of whom I would welcome to my home, I saw the beauty of Spain, the wonders of large cities, the delights of tiny villages, heard cuckoos calling, cows mooing and sheep bleating, and smelt for days, dung and slurry that was being spread on fields. I never heard a cross word, or felt that I was ripped off in any way,in fact I had people track me down if I had over paid. Not once did I see see a police car with its siren sounding, nor fear anything untoward was possible.
I had a Rastafarian Russian surf board instructor fellow Caminoist (that is a story in its self!) tend, with care and tenderness to a bad blister I developed, and he used up his own precious first aid kit helping me and gave me a great pair of socks, a man, a month before I would never have dreamt of even speaking with. Now I know I could trust him completely.
The food was first class, the albergues were better than I imagined they would be, the whole exercise was cheaper than I thought, and I did not want to come back home at the end of it.
Yes you will experience challenges such as loosing your underwear inexplicably, finding you have adopted someone elses socks and sweating like a pig, but it is only underwear and I feel the benefit of losing 28 lbs to the point I now take two steps before my pants start to move, but I also lived amongst men and women from their 20s to their 80s who were a joy to be with and shared happiness and stories. I had no trouble sleeping and no trouble getting up in the morning. I soon got used to having a shower with a woman in the stall next to me. Inserting earplugs at night was just as natural as brushing my teeth, and I missed nothing of the creature comforts of home, what ever that may have meant.
If you want the time of your life, if you want to learn something incredible, if you want to see something fresh and with a different outlook on life, travel the Camino, and dont worry about the little things. You dont need peanut butter or to phone home every night. Go on, do something different. All the information about what you should do or bring is extremely well documented on this forum ten times over. Just do it. Buen Camino....Neil:D
 
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Re: Just returned from the Camino....Advice to others 60+ years

Hi Cloosh

Glad you had a great time. Great uplifting story.
Don't feel as anxious as my own date draws closer (26th july 2013) after reading your story ...........


Thanks
 
Re: Just returned from the Camino....Advice to others 60+ years

Thank you for your wonderful and enthusiastic post. I walked half (230 miles) of the Camino in 2012 and plan on returning in May 2014 to walk the whole 800km. Your post just made me more excited about returning. I will celebrate my 72nd birthday on the Camino next year. You know what they say..."you don't quit walking because you get old...you get old because you quit walking"
 
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Re: Just returned from the Camino....Advice to others 60+ years

Well said! And just as appropriate for ANY age - so glad I read this post even though I'm only 43 :wink:
 
Re: Just returned from the Camino....Advice to others 60+ years

Really wonderful post cloosh!

It is a motivational, inspirational message to many.

Thank you.
 
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Re: Just returned from the Camino....Advice to others 60+ years

@cloosh

Well, uhhhh, that was really something. Perfectly put. And I should read it to my mother. Thank you. And glad for you to have that "time" of your life :)

Ultreia
 
Re: Just returned from the Camino....Advice to others 60+ years

Lovely put! I feel even more eager to start my 2nd Camino now. Thanks!
 
A great post. I'm not surprised you met and made friends all along the route.
 
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Thank you so much for the encouraging experience. I am starting June 5 from St. Jean and I am turning 50 and in moderate shape so your story resonates.
 
Re: Just returned from the Camino....Advice to others 60+ years

Thank you so much for sharing. I have 97 sleeps before my departure for my 1st Camino and am ever more excited now that I've read your post. I just turned 50, in pretty decent shape and I'm giving myself plenty of time (42 days) to walk St Jean to Finesterre. This is plenty of time, isn't it?

Would you do it again? :arrow:

Angela :wink:
 
Re: Just returned from the Camino....Advice to others 60+ years

Thanks Cloosh, so inspiring and helps with my own fears that creep up on my now and again. I leave next April and will keep your words with me.
cheers
Alex
 
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Re: Just returned from the Camino....Advice to others 60+ years

Loved your post! I begin the later part of August after walking trips in ireland and scotland but so looking forward to this camino!
 
Re: Just returned from the Camino....Advice to others 60+ years

Thank you so much, I am glad you had a great time. I will be 75 next week had a Hip replacement 3 month ago and will be walking for the 3rd time in September. :D Can hardly wait Harriet
 
Re: Just returned from the Camino....Advice to others 60+ years

What a fantastic post Neil. I love it all.

Good on you for giving back to the forum so others may find inspiration and have nerves calmed.

A few minutes ago I was writing about how we can still be on the Camino by extending the helping hand even though we physically aren't there (for the moment). :wink:

May you continue to spread your spirit now that you're home.

Ultreia,
Simeon
 
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Re: Just returned from the Camino....Advice to others 60+ years

BornToWalkAlone said:
I'm giving myself plenty of time (42 days) to walk St Jean to Finesterre. This is plenty of time, isn't it?

42 days will be wonderful. you will have lots of time. You will never have to worry "Will I get there? " No need to ever take a taxi or bus, Time to spare so that if you develop blisters, you can take a day or two off with your boots off and let the blisters dry up.

My guess is most pilgrims get from SJPP to Santiago in 30 to 35 days. Take a couple of days to celebrate in Santiago, then 3 days to Finisterre, and a couple more to see Muxia. You have lots of time.

Buen Camino,
David, Victoria, Canada
 
Re: Just returned from the Camino....Advice to others 60+ years

Thanks for the 60...+ info, I start my walk in a few days, I'm 68 and my feet are happy plus my heart & head are ready!
 
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A wonderful post. Thank you. You have summed up the Camino beautifully.
 
Re: Just returned from the Camino....Advice to others 60+ years

Yes! Re-starting from Leon June 21, aged 67!2
 
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Re: Just returned from the Camino....Advice to others 60+ years

Wow, just the post I needed. Planning on walking the camino when I retire @ 60 and I was starting to have doubts. Still a year and a half to go so I need this kind of inspiration. Thank you.
 
Re: Just returned from the Camino....Advice to others 60+ years

Thank you, thank you, thank you for your opening posting. I placed it on my private FB page, I hope you don't mind. But THIS is what everybody who has ever said to any of us "what do you want to do such a long trip for?" needs to read. If we weren't planning on doing the Camino, we certainly would be now!
 
Re: Just returned from the Camino....Advice to others 60+ years

I, too, just returned from the Camino and fit your category.....64. What you said is oh, so true although I managed to hold on to my underwear and my own socks. :D

The only thing I would add is to savor each moment, let what's around the corner come to you in its own time, and listen to your body.

I walked from Ponferrada to Santiago this May and am already planning my trip for next year from St. Jean.
 
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Re: Just returned from the Camino....Advice to others 60+ years

Wow....Thanks folks for all your comments. Glad I could inject some enthusiasm and help to you all.
In answer to a query.... Yes 35 days sounds a good average for the trip from St Jean to Santiago, but even taking longer if you have the time, has its benefits, as I would have preferred, upon reflection to explore more than I did, at some stops.
Something I had not considered, was that initially I was delighted to manage 20 kms per day, (I did 8 kms the first day to Valcarlos, and arrived like a blown horse!) but as my body became fitter and the weight began to drop off I reached the stage of 30 kms per day as being quite manageable. As a result in the early stages I began to worry about whether I would be able to make it in six weeks, so tended to walk eat and sleep only, being overly concerned about the distance and time I was making, which turned out to be unwarranted.
Ideally, give yourself lots of time, and allow for some free time at the far end as a cushion. (I ended up renting a car for $200 a week and visiting Porto in Portugal with a young German couple, which had the effect of me now researching the Portugese route as a further adventure!)
Would I do it again? .......Tomorrow would suit!! :)
 
Re: Just returned from the Camino....Advice to others 60+ years

Thanks for that! My wife and I leave Aug 20. We are both mid 60's and your post made shed my misgivings! :D
 
Re: Just returned from the Camino....Advice to others 60+ years

I set off on my first Camino in two weeks time and this has been a great help for my anxious and worrying soul LOL! Thank you so much for sharing Neil - I love it!
 
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Re: Just returned from the Camino....Advice to others 60+ years

And another Thank You for such a wonderful post. It did indeed get me excited, once again, about my upcoming Camino. My husband and I will be there this Fall of 2013 for our very first, and posts like these are great to read. :D
 
Re: Just returned from the Camino....Advice to others 60+ years

I copied your post and sent it to family and friends who can not understood why I did my first Camino the past 2 years and then plan to return in another month to walk from Porto to Muxia. I could never have put in words better than you. Thank you very much for your post. I'm 67 and ready to do a trek across Spain and France every year until kingdom come, I hope you are able to do the same. I've learned that my body and soul need a retreat like this each and every year because I begin to lose the message after living in the here and now after 10 months or so.
 
Re: Just returned from the Camino....Advice to others 60+ years

Cloosh,
I hope I feel and experience even half of that you have.
Best
John
 
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Re: Just returned from the Camino....Advice to others 60+ years

Just read the wonderful post from Cloosh (Neil) and want to thank you for the most uplifting and
inspiring words. We are planning to leave on September 1st, 2013 and allow ourselves 60 days to
do the walk. We do want to smell the roses along the way, and should we finish sooner, it will be
a bonus.
Roger and Carol
 
A beautiful commentary Neil.
A great lesson to allow the body to sweat-that will happen in any season- but don't sweat the small stuff!
A lose of undies is nothing that a gain in humanities kindness can't cure :grin:

Bless you Neil.
 
Re: Just returned from the Camino....Advice to others 60+ years

Neil,
Thank you. I am in process of finalizing my trip. What started out as a solo trip for me (age 58) has in the last week come to include my 16 year old nephew. And..........I have had to be flexible. We are now starting in Madrid instead of SJPP and will join the Frech way at Sahagun and or Leon. I am no longer sure the number of miles/kilometers but still would prefer to sleep in small B&B's rather than hostals............ Any ideas on this thought.
Today we received our Credencials and I am very excited. 19 days until we depart, thank you.
As for blisters what do you recommend. I have packed needle and thread, moleskin plus. skin tape, an Ace bandage, some band-aids, Lotrimin .....what else do I need or do you recommend?
I have 4 pair snug but not tight fitting wool hiking socks. I have worn them with my shoe/boots to see how they feel. Seems comfortable, not loose or too tight. I have packed 3 days clothes adn 1 set on. So EXCITED!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
 
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Re: Just returned from the Camino....Advice to others 60+ years

Dear Neil:
Thank you for the incredible post. I am 61 years old and have dreamed of walking the Camino for years and years. I am finally realizing my dream in late October 2013. I am walking Leon to Santiago for my first adventure. I was doubting my ability and age, but your post has given me inspiration and courage.
Peggy
 
Re: Just returned from the Camino....Advice to others 60+ years

This news is encouraging to me--as I will start the Camino in St. Jean in October this year and turn 62 years old while in the middle of the walk! Thanks so much for sharing your news! JStory
 
Re: Just returned from the Camino....Advice to others 60+ years

Thanks so much for your inormative and insightful post
I sit here recovering from cervical disc fussion and looking forward to our "camino" in May 15 2014
Going with my 67 y/o cousin my other 54 y/o cousin his son and my 65 y/0 spirit
Anxious and planning our options as we spend time together
Planning a short 3 day APT training walk in Oct from North Carolina
I would be interested in you review of "gear"---- pack ,packing list ,rain gear and foot wear,etc
Thanks so much. Great to read the spiritual and personal growth that can come with the committment :D
 
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Re: Just returned from the Camino....Advice to others 60+ years

Folks.....I thought I had mentioned it, but clearly I did not......Get yourself a copy of Brierley's guide book on the Camino Frances.....To me it was invaluable.....has everything from "suggested" daily journeys which you don't really have to follow if you want to take a lazy day walk....shows gradients along the path and believe me that is important....and also contains recommendations on what to carry in your backpack, which I pretty well followed and found perfectly adequate....other helpful information, even Spanish phrases, history of Spain, a whole ton of information, is included in the guide.....I got mine through Amazon....Well worth the money.
Foot care is vital. Remember you are using your little footy pegs to carry you and your back pack with all your needs inside for 800 kilometers.
Trouble with your feet is serious trouble.
What worked well for me was a very light skim of Vaseline on the soles of my feet each morning and evening. Seemed to keep the soles smooth yet tough. Met an ex French air force type who swore by rubbing lemon juice on the soles of his feet every morning during the Camino and for some time preceeding the start of the Camino.
I developed a blister, a bad blister. That I think was because I was walking with a French guy who was way taller than me, and being an old soldier, I could not help but walk in step with him, so in effect I was taking far too long strides, which I think, initially caused the blister.
I used compeed blister pads initially, which I bought in St Jean, but rather than doing the sensible thing and resting up to give the blister a chance to die down, I kept walking and one day really blew the blister apart and was down to the raw skin underneath.
My friendly Rastafarian Russian, previously mentioned, doctored me wonderfully.
In his first aid kit he had a nail varnish sized bottle and brush with an American product called "Second Skin" or maybe "Liquid Skin", I think only available from North America. It nipped like crazy when applied, but worked as an antiseptic skin over the raw skin beneath and with a day of rest and a compeed blister pad on top of the fake skin, allowed me to walk on, improving daily. I also wore two pairs of socks from that day on. A pair of ankle, light weight socks over my feet and a good pair of Forest River (?) trekking socks from the U.S. on top of those. Some people wore those pantihose type, anklet socks that older grannies seem to wear, as the under sock and again that seemed to have the rub/blister problem beat, but certainly I found two pairs of socks and the Vaseline smearing at least once a day did the trick for me.
Oh and another thing. Take your boots off at every break, even if you have stopped for a coffee in a bar and let your feet and boots breathe. Worked wonders for me after the initial blister attack which incidently happened weeks into the Camino, not as you would expect, on the first few days.
I suffered for a swollen left ankle initially, and figure that my water consumption was inadequate resulting in my body retaining water. Once I increased dramatically the amount of water I drank, my body stopped retaining water and the swelling decreased. I was also told by an albergue host to soak my swollen ankle in a basin of water with vinegar and salt added and that would reduce the swelling, which also seemed to help, but the major problem was, I believe, lack of water intake.
Once my mouth became dry, I would suck on my water hose leading to my water bottle, take a couple of mouthfuls and that seemed to do the trick as a guide to water intake, and at every opportunity, refilled my collapsible litre water bottle.
Remember folk this was done in a cold April and May, so as the weather warms up, I would need a lot more water.
Figured some days, I must have been consuming 6 litres of water either walking or stopping for refreshment.
Cloosh
 
Re: Just returned from the Camino....Advice to others 60+ years

Thanks Cloosh,

Have just taken the first step brought my ticket from Australia to Paris to walk from Sept (22) through to 3 Nov.
After a number of years with Anxiety and Depression I am going........need to meet some nice people.

Trevor
 
Re: Just returned from the Camino....Advice to others 60+ years

Thanks so much for your wonderful report and encouragement, Neil. I was planning on going this fall, but air fares from Canada are substantially higher in that season until you get late in November, so I am postponing until next Spring. A dear friend just completed her walk from StJPdP to SdC a couple of weeks ago, and found the April-May walk to be a wonderful time.
I am planning to walk from Lourdes via the Camino Francés then on to Fisterra and Muxía. Of course next Spring could bring me 8 weeks of rain, but that will be just another, different Camino
:) :arrow:
 
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Sv: Just returned from the Camino....Advice to others 60+ ye

Thanks for sharing and for the encouragement ! I am starting from SJPDP Monday and it's just so great to be reminded of the camino spirit and how important it is to follow your own pace. :)
 
Re: Just returned from the Camino....Advice to others 60+ years

I just found this site and registered. I am going to walk from Lugo to Santiago in November at age 67. I wish I had planned for a longer walk and maybe I still can do that. I am encouraged by your post.
 
Re: Just returned from the Camino....Advice to others 60+ years

I also returned recently, well relevantly recently, late night Easter Sunday. I also am over 60, 64 to be precise. I found this article to be exactly what I would have liked to have said. I had sore legs, sore back and at times soaked to the skin (never got a blister thankfully) and isn't it amazing to say that it was a marvellous experience. People look at me in wonder when I say how much I enjoyed it and then mention that there was a fair bit of pain and tiredness. Sounds mad but it is true. For reasons I wont go into I had to stop at Castrojeriz and come home but flight booked for return to Bilbao on Sept 5th and this time, God willing I will finish it. Also means I get to meet a second batch of absolutely marvellous people, Buen Camino
 
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Re: Just returned from the Camino....Advice to others 60+ years

Allow me to join the chorus of praise for your wonderfully inspirational, well-written post, Cloosh! I will walk the Camino this September-October-November, when I will be 68, and you give me confidence. I appreciate the practical advice as well as the more motivational part.

Buen camino a todos,

"Orafo"


[
 
Re: Just returned from the Camino....Advice to others 60+ years

I join with all of the other posts!

THANK YOU
:D
My husband starts at SJPP in August (he is 64), with his brother, who is 62.
My brother (62) and I (56) meet them in Leon in September.

I hope you don't mind, I shared your post with them, by way of encouragement and calming :lol:

As the time approaches, I have been getting concerned about "the details" - your post helped me to regain perspective and the joy of expectation, once again!
 
Re: Just returned from the Camino....Advice to others 60+ years

Hello Neil,

Yours is the BEST post so far regarding encouragement to 'just do it'. I am afraid. I'm not at my best fitness level, I'm closer to 60 (than 50) this year, I'm quitting a job that is draining my spirit and have no plan for when I return. I'm giving fear more credit that purpose. Thanks for rebooting my thinking with your insights. No more over analyzing what I may be without. I will focus more on my faith that the Camino will provide.
Thank you, wholeheartedly.

Dorothy
 
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Re: Just returned from the Camino....Advice to others 60+ years

Thank you for sharing your wonderful story with us.This is also how I remember my first camino last year, and I look forward to the next stage regarding fourteen days! I can see you have had an experience of a lifetime and met new valuable friends in a special way. That is the most beautiful with the camino ...
 
Re: Just returned from the Camino....Advice to others 60+ years

Great post and love the comments. We walked into Santiago on May 24th, walked in snow for four days on two seperats parts of our Camino, I hated it and loved it.
Second time around, I only wish that adjusti.g afterwards was as difficult as the walk.
 
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Re: Just returned from the Camino....Advice to others 60+ years

As someone who walked sjpdep to Santiago for my 60 birthday in 28 days , you are never too old, 5 camino's later just finished in Santiago for my 64 birthday, this time 40 days but walked to finnestere and muxia, and muxia finnestere, no problems with feet and no blisters, I wear light hiking boots, wool socks . Rool on September and Porto to Santiago, Buen camino, you are as old as -------------- :arrow: :arrow:
 
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Re: Just returned from the Camino....Advice to others 60+ years

Your exuberance comes through in your writing.

I feel that you not only lost weight during your pilgrimage, you also lost years!

I sense a younger person talking to us.

Bill
 
Re: Just returned from the Camino....Advice to others 60+ years

Hi Cloosh!
Yours is a very encouraging message! I'll be turning 64 while on the Camino this year and expect the whole experience to be life-altering! Thank you for reassuring me that I'm able to complete this awesome pilgramage while having fun, enjoying new experiences and meeting wonderful people along the way!!
Sue
 
I too am 63 and in decent shape. I've been hiking every other day 9 to 10 miles with my 21 lb Atmos 50 back pack and feeling very comfortable. Today I decided to hike a local mountain that represents my first day out of SJPDP. Sea level to 3100 feet rising in just under 3 miles. It was strenuous, no dare I say brutal, a real gut check. Bottom line, don't forget to to train on a few hills:)
 
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Re: Just returned from the Camino....Advice to others 60+ years

hahaha I feel like a bit of a whimp - I am sitting here at the computer- was supposed to book my ticket to leave Australia on 13 sept - but I procrastinated- so I told myself DO IT TONIGHT- still here procrastinating and letting my head deal me the what IFS- this is usual for me - which is the VERY reason I push myself to do things like this - you would think it would get easier but each time I am out of my comfort zone - I go throught the same "Stuff".

I will turn 57 yrs on the Camino- IF I would just Bo0k the darn ticket :lol:


Annie
 
Re: Just returned from the Camino....Advice to others 60+ years

Annie Little said:
...you wouyuld think it owuld get easier but each time I am out of my comfort zone - I go throught the same "Stuff".
Annie

I'm afraid it gets even more difficult when you have to book the flight home again. :)

Buen Camino!
 
Re: Just returned from the Camino....Advice to others 60+ years

hahahaha I shall assume you mean BEcause I will have had a blast and will NOT want to go home :lol:

Anyway I have tickets now :)

Annie
 
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Re: Just returned from the Camino....Advice to others 60+ years

Larricka said:
I too am 63 and in decent shape. I've been hiking every other day 9 to 10 miles with my 21 lb Atmos 50 back pack and feeling very comfortable. Today I decided to hike a local mountain that represents my first day out of SJPDP. Sea level to 3100 feet rising in just under 3 miles. It was strenuous, no dare I say brutal, a real gut check. Bottom line, don't forget to to train on a few hills:)

Well Larricka...you have done way more "training" than I did. I went to the municipal gym pretty well daily for a couple of months using the treadmill and elliptical machine, and apart from that, little else.
I didn't find you had to be in fantastic shape, only moderate condition to enjoy the Camino.
The old pilgrims I am sure, didn't do much 'training" though of course they probably didn't eat as much as we do today, so would be thinner and fitter.
Its not a race....It is a journey, a daily journey with the odd day off, and hopefully having a lot of joyful experiences, which ends up by a person having walked a total of 800 kms in about 35 days.
I saw it as a daily experience, not an 800 kms assault.
It is great to train of course and there are a lot of people who should recognise their physical limitations before they start, and don't; and they are the ones that end up in trouble and perhaps have to pull out, or go to hospital. Sadly that can be avoided by the individual themselves, by just looking and listening to their bodies, taking proper care of aches and pains, (read about my blister to understand what I mean!) and taking the odd lazy day to smell the roses and contemplate. :idea:
 
Re: Just returned from the Camino....Advice to others 60+ years

Wow, I, too, just returned from the Camino. I took my time walking from St. Jean April 1, to Santiago on May 24, then on to Finisterre in 5 days rather than Brierly's recommended 3. Fantastic is all I can say! I'm 65 and was surprised to find that actually 60ish was pretty much the average age! We usually stayed in "habitations" - private rooms. Many albergues offer these, but they reserve quickly, so you have to plan ahead. We also used casa rurals, and pensions. If you can get a group of three or so, these are not much more than the private albergues. At one place we had a whole house with cooking and laundry facilities.

One of my group actually developed appendicitis in Pamplona and had it removed at the University Hospital there. We walked on while he recouperated, then he took a train and met us in Burgos and walked all the rest of the way!

We thoroughly enjoyed meeting all the people from everywhere! What an experience! I would love to do it again, and am thinking about the Portuguese Way or the Camino du North...
 
Re: Just returned from the Camino....Advice to others 60+ years

Another word of thanks for your encouraging, but realistic post. I am not over 60 but close enough, and not the fittest at that.

After a number of years of waffling and changing plans, it looks like I could be walking this time next year. Your post really makes me think....it is a matter of attitude! If you are a cup half full type..it will be, even if it us the same rain in the cup as the half empty guy has.

Trying to not over-think this. It really can become so consuming you start to miss the point. In the long term, some things Just. Don't. Matter. Liquid or bar soap? The Camino awaits.
 
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Re: Just returned from the Camino....Advice to others 60+ years

Great post !
I got into SdC on 18th May having left SJPdP on 11th April this year ( Class of 2013). I had been able to do no training whatever, was overweight and unfit but got into the "just do it" mind set, and at 55 I got away with it by taking the advice on kit and pacing given in this forum, I am much fitter and 28 pound lighter. I am still mulling this pilgrimage over in my mind but what I value most and remember most vividly is the many instances of kindness that I saw, the opportunities to help others that I was privileged to be able to do, that the Camino provides in an almost magical, mystical way that would need a thread all of its own. That the trip gave me +28C to -5C, many days of sunshine, and a little snow, hail, rain and a biting north wind on the Meseta but by then I welcomed the variety and valued how the experience changed, you would have heard me moaning but actually I loved how it brought the pilgrims, hospitaleros, and even farmers and locals closer together. When I reached SdC I had enough of walking and welcomed the break. Now back home I'm still on the forum and talking to my wife about her joining me in the future. What is clear is that the richness of the experience, the variability in weather, people, and what the Camino decides to share with you , mean you could go back time and time again.
 
Re: Just returned from the Camino....Advice to others 60+ years

Fantastic post and i could not agree more with all the comments you made.
Lots of great people, a real cameraderie on the Camino and lots of laughs, history, food, drama and whatever else you want! I wanted to keep walking at the end in Santiago last October, so much so, that I am going back in September to do the Portuguese Camino from Porto and this time will get to Finisterre and will hopefully do the Mesetta if time allows! Considering i had not heard of the Camino's before May last year I now can't get enough of them:) I walked with people of all ages and some in their 80's and age was not a barrier. I only hope i can still be walking Camino's when i reach that age. Get out there and have the time of your life!
 
Re: Just returned from the Camino....Advice to others 60+ years

Couldn't have said it better myself! I walked the whole camino in May & October 2011 and then in one long go in April-May 2012. Last year I walked the whole distance with two young guys, a Dane (22yrs old) and a German (29 yrs old)--I was 65 last spring--but we three connected because of who we were inside, not because of age and interests and experiences, and we had a fantastic time together. I'm leaving in about three weeks to walk the Arles/Aragones Camino with a young Danish woman (now 44) who I met on my first Camino two years ago and walked with her for only my last four days, but we have kept in touch via email. I have met people of all ages from all over the world on the Camino - from as remote a place as Greenland to as close as 2km from my house. It is a special experience--not always easy, but very special. I am going to give a copy of your post to my kids, so maybe they will begin to understand what it is that keeps drawing me back to the Camino. Thank you for your wonderful writing!
 
A selection of Camino Jewellery
Re: Just returned from the Camino....Advice to others 60+ years

great post you guys .. thanks ausmark and others

I am doing my first Camino in sept BUT...... having said that I DO realize that my whole life has a been about The Camino....... I am very happy to be doing this... I am very happy to be travelling with people of all race, al religion, all socioeconomics, alll ages ..... HOW MUCH BETTER CAN IT GET ??

My family is a league of nations, league of religious backgrounds, and league of ages and experiences ..... I am happy to represent my family and all their leagues on the Camino and am looking forward to it >> :):)

Annie
 
Re: Just returned from the Camino....Advice to others 60+ years

Emelle.......You reflect my feeling perfectly as to what you saw on your Caminos. I can only hope others pick up on your feelings and experience the same euphoria.
cloosh
 
Re: Just returned from the Camino....Advice to others 60+ years

I too just returned from hiking the camino, Burgos to Finnisterre this year;St Jean Pied de Port to Burgos last year. I had some more time before my flight home so I did a little of the Camino Sanabrens south of Santiago near Ourense. I just love hiking through the small ,old villages . The farming communities are like going back in time, not just because the buildings are old, the farmers still have a work ethic that doesn't seem to belong in this day and age. Very hard workers tilling their soil with a hoe and shovel and planting their seeds by hand. The food and wine is always fresh,the people friendly and my fellow peregrinos ALWAYS stimulating. I can now see from my pictures that everyone is genuinely HAPPY. Glowing !! It's a great feeling to belong to this peregrino community. I am already looking fwd to next year. now, which camino shall I do?
Mike from Florida
 
St James' Way - Self-guided 4-7 day Walking Packages, Reading to Southampton, 110 kms
Re: Just returned from the Camino....Advice to others 60+ years

Me too, I just returned a week ago. I felt that at 60 we were the majority on the camino and we joked it was the hare and the tortoise game with some groups. Sure I was slower but I kept seeing the same people during the day. Next day it was a different group and always connecting at some level with them.

Loved all the comments and proud to be part of the 2013 pilgrims.
 
Re: Just returned from the Camino....Advice to others 60+ years

Fantastic post ,we made a very brief visit to Santiago in jun 2011 as we had heard about the way of St James ,since returning home I have been revisiting the idea of doing the camino and i think at last it may happen in may 2014 .
I now have such a strange need to do the Camino as when we visited the Cathedral I felt like I was invading the pilgrimages territory and it did not feel right being there in a car, almost an imposter .
My husband is not keen to do Camino so may do it on my own ,but would make it hard when home again to not have shared this experience ,any one else with this problem ,should I keep trying to get him to go ?
we are in our 50s , this post has been a great boost to making it happen
 
Re: Just returned from the Camino....Advice to others 60+ years

2kiwis,
Even your forum name is hopeful!
You could search "leaving someone behind" and you'll find a few threads on exactly that issue. There are quite a number of people here who walk without their spouses. Or sometimes the spouse comes to meet them at the end. I walked from Astorga with husband, 8 kids and father-in-law last year. We're now planning for me to do a mixture of routes totalling 1,000km next year with just the four youngest kids - and hubby will join us for as long as he can get off work. It probably helps that we have already done it together, so he and the older children (all in their teens) will know what we are experiencing, but at the same time I am a little disappointed that we will not be doing it together. It's a first for us.

My hubby was convinced it was a good idea when I showed him these photos:

http://www.pvv.org/~bct/camino/

We watched The Way when we returned - not sure if that would inspire or scare your husband! I find that sometimes enthusiasm can be catching.
 
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Re: Just returned from the Camino....Advice to others 60+ years

My husband is not keen to do Camino so may do it on my own ,but would make it hard when home again to not have shared this experience ,any one else with this problem ,should I keep trying to get him to go ?

My wife did not come with me. It just wasn't her thing.
I didn't mind. Sometimes it does you good to do something only you want to do. It gave me a sense of freedom. I only had to do what I wanted to do, and frankly I had a blast. Because I only had myself to consider, I took advantage of that and feel revived, more knowledgeable and to be honest, feeling a personal achievement.
No, you can't share totally your enthusiasm when you come back, but I expected that and have kept a lot of the Camino stored up inside me, the goodness of which I will eke out in the years to come as I refresh my enjoyment of my solo journey.
Go do it on your own! Why not? You will never be lonely, you will live a tremendous experience, you will come back physically, spiritually, mentally enriched.
Just yesterday, an acquaintance met me at a gathering and asked if I had been sick, because I had lost weight and "looked different"! Others have said, how well I look, as well as "different".
If you have the time, the financial wherewithal, the gumption and a little sense of adventure, you will never regret doing the Camino.
 
Re: Just returned from the Camino....Advice to others 60+ years

Thank you so much for your wonderful post, Cloosh!

I just renewed my commitment to walk the Camino Frances yesterday. Your post just reinforced that decision.

I'm 62ish but will be 64 by the time I'm able to walk in the fall of 2014. Working on getting fit so that I can walk with less difficulty on the trail.

Right now it looks as though I will only have 15-17 days actual walking time when factoring in travel time and a rest day or so along the way and at the end. So i won't be able walk the whole way. Not sure yet if I will start from SJPP and just get as far as I get and come back for other sections until i complete the whole thing :?: Or start from somewhere west of Leon, probably Astorga or Ponferrada and walk to SdC :?:

I am hoping that there will be a way that I will be able to do the whole thing from SJPP to SdC.
 
Re: Just returned from the Camino....Advice to others 60+ years

A good post to read! :)

(I will be 61 this summer and will go back there ...)
 
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Re: Just returned from the Camino....Advice to others 60+ years

"""Just yesterday, an acquaintance met me at a gathering and asked if I had been sick, because I had lost weight and "looked different"! Others have said, how well I look, as well as "different". ""

hahahah that is priceless really... :lol: others do not know that which we know :D

A
 
Re: Just returned from the Camino....Advice to others 60+ years

Now that post of yours pumped me up ... loved it :)
 
2kiwis said:
My husband is not keen to do Camino so may do it on my own ,but would make it hard when home again to not have shared this experience ,any one else with this problem ,should I keep trying to get him to go ?

My opinion, for what it's worth, is not to push him. The camino is something you do for yourself. It is a personal journey, and physically not a walk in the park. Not something to be undertaken reluctantly. My own husband had no desire to walk the camino and no emotional attachment to it. Just to make sure his mad wife would be OK on this weird quest she was on, he walked happily with me for a week or two, on my first camino. When he left I was liberated because I was now totally responsible for myself, completely free to make decisions (and mistakes) and to make my camino in my own way. Since then he has often walked with me, but I could never describe him as a "pilgrim". To illustrate the difference, the first time I walked into Santiago (alone) It was the most amazing emotional extraordinary experience. On my second camino he joined me for the last two weeks. When we reached Santiago all he cared about was finding decent accommodation and having a shower.... Now I am still hopelessly enthralled to the camino, will bore listening victims senseless if given a chance, am always on the lookout for other addicts. Some people "get" the camino. Some people do not. My husband loves my camino stories, but to him they are no more than interesting traveller's tales. I'm not being judgmental, we are all different. And I love my husband deeply and (I think) he does me. Even if I can't understand the rules of football, or how to fly a plane, I love his passion for both. And he indulges my need to keep walking.
So my advice is to follow your heart.
 
The focus is on reducing the risk of failure through being well prepared. 2nd ed.
Re: Just returned from the Camino....Advice to others 60+ years

gypsyscholz said:
Neil,
Thank you. I am in process of finalizing my trip. What started out as a solo trip for me (age 58) has in the last week come to include my 16 year old nephew. And..........I have had to be flexible. We are now starting in Madrid instead of SJPP and will join the Frech way at Sahagun and or Leon. I am no longer sure the number of miles/kilometers but still would prefer to sleep in small B&B's rather than hostals............ Any ideas on this thought.
Today we received our Credencials and I am very excited. 19 days until we depart, thank you.
As for blisters what do you recommend. I have packed needle and thread, moleskin plus. skin tape, an Ace bandage, some band-aids, Lotrimin .....what else do I need or do you recommend?
I have 4 pair snug but not tight fitting wool hiking socks. I have worn them with my shoe/boots to see how they feel. Seems comfortable, not loose or too tight. I have packed 3 days clothes adn 1 set on. So EXCITED!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Hi gypsyscholz. My wife and I (both 68 years young) did about 200 km of the Camino Frances. We walked the Pyrenees from St.-Jean via Orisson on April 25 and (scary) 26. We walked all of Galicia from Sarria to Santiago from May 9 to May 16 - enough to earn our Compostelas :) In between we walked some long stages - those that we had a particular interest in, such as Foncebadón to Molinaseca past the Cruz de Ferro, and took public buses between some spots because of physical limitations. We feel proud of our accomplishment, not guilty about so-called cheating. We planned the route beforehand and modified it along the way when necessary. The entire experience was wonderful and we have grown even closer because of it. We stayed in every type of place: public and private refugios, pensións, casas rurales, hotels and even the Parador in León, which was less expensive than one might think when booked two days ahead on expedia.es. We were blessed with plenty of moisture all across the route ;) What I learned the hard way (two dizzy spells after two 20+ km stages) was to drink at least one litre of water for every three hours of walking even on a miserably cold and rainy day. The advice of a pilgrim MD named Serge is as good as it gets. Being a willing, desperate listener also helps. The last thing I felt like doing was taking a drink. I have posted a simple, concise, daily list of our trip on my website: mightyturk.wordpress.com. It includes where we stayed and how we got there - what buses, etc. I was OK with three pairs of moisture-wicking "Thousand-Mile" socks and three pairs of underwear, but I'm a guy. No blisters and no bed bugs for either of us. Good boots well worn in.
 
Re: Just returned from the Camino....Advice to others 60+ years

Kanga said:
2kiwis said:
My husband is not keen to do Camino so may do it on my own ,but would make it hard when home again to not have shared this experience ,any one else with this problem ,should I keep trying to get him to go ?

My opinion, for what it's worth, is not to push him. The camino is something you do for yourself. It is a personal journey, and physically not a walk in the park. Not something to be undertaken reluctantly. My own husband had no desire to walk the camino and no emotional attachment to it. Just to make sure his mad wife would be OK on this weird quest she was on, he walked happily with me for a week or two, on my first camino. When he left I was liberated because I was now totally ...
Hi Kanga,
My experience is similar to yours, after walking pieces of the camino in 2007 and 2009 my wife expressed an interest in joining me last year. We walked in France where, I thought, the accomadation and meals would be more satisfying for her. She had a wonderful time and as soon as we returned home she was on me about when we could return. l was fortunate enough that she let me go by myself and I guess it was my stories and my love of it and her love for me that drew her in.
longwalker
 
Longwalker, thanks for the reply - it's nice to know when someone reads a post!
Interesting that for the last few years we have also walked in France and for the same reasons.
 
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€46,-
Re: Just returned from the Camino....Advice to others 60+ years

How is it going Jim Kasczynski? You will need a coin from someone for computer time, but would be interesting to hear if pilgrims are disappointing you.
 
Re: Just returned from the Camino....Advice to others 60+ years

Great post! All that can be said has been said....I walked my first camino at age 60 in 2009, and intend to walk out of SJDPP on September 8th 2013 for my second camino, and reading your post just reinforced my enthusiasm to do it again. In 2009 I took 32 days to Santiago, then another four to Finisterre, taking my time and taking a day off here and there. That is the best way to do it, at our age or any age: stopping occasionally to "smell the roses", and give the old body a break.

Thanks for sharing your experience, greatly motivating and a confirmation of everything I remember about my 2009 walk.

Cannot wait for September,

Alan Peterson
Grand Forks/Victoria BC
 
Re: Just returned from the Camino....Advice to others 60+ years

Hi Alan, Greetings from Comox. Noticed you'll be starting out on September 8th ... as will I. Perhaps our paths will cross. In the interim, wishing you peaceful moments of anticipation.
 
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Re: Just returned from the Camino....Advice to others 60+ years

Truly encouraging post. I started to browsing this forum recently, seriously building on the decision to do The Way in near future. Walked 18km on a flat stretch in under 4 hours to test my fitness. Today I can hardly move and deal with a nasty blister. An active golfer with at least one weekly 18hole, I am very disappointed and while my mind is getting strong on the idea, I (69) wonder if my feet really are up to the challenge. I am sure that my anxiety is shared by many. Any advise, encouragement?

Pierre
 
Re: Just returned from the Camino....Advice to others 60+ years

IMHO (at coming up 65) 3kms per hour is a better speed, so you maybe walked a bit far too fast.
Blister - ouch - we wear 3 layers of socks, one thin tec, one middle light, one outer cushion-sole. Never had blisters, but I sympathise as town shoes have given me blisters at home.

If you check out some of the various sock threads and camino reports they will hopefully help and encourage you. Also you don't have to walk any further than you want or any particular Camino, so long as you do walk the last 100kms of your chosen Camino.

Buen Camino
 
Re: Just returned from the Camino....Advice to others 60+ years

Tia Valeria, love your numerous posts. I walked my first Camino for only 9 days in 2011 and had to retire due to killer blisters, I learned the lesson about applying Vaseline + liner socks + merino wool socks too late and then used that formula for the 32 days I walked last year blister free. Please remember, it is also necessary to change out of wet and/or sweaty socks every so many hours. Speed had little to do with producing blisters, I walk a tortoise's pace under 3k/hr and realize if I'm feeling a hotspot somewhere on my feet to apply a Compeed just in case as a prophylatic. :wink:
 
St James' Way - Self-guided 4-7 day Walking Packages, Reading to Southampton, 110 kms
Re: Just returned from the Camino....Advice to others 60+ years

Thanks for the compliment.
Just to clarify - I meant that walking too fast was the reason for hardly being able to move. I assumed that this was due to aching joints etc.

I agree totally about wet/sweaty socks, and that speed and distance of themselves don't cause/prevent blisters. My new boots this year were far more sweaty than my previous boots and my feet felt damp and soft by the 10km stage. Last year I walked 20kms some days without that happening, in similar weather conditions. Fortunately this year we were only walking short distances - around 10 -11kms a day so I didn't have to change until we arrived at the next stopping place when I put my 'Crocs and socks' combination on.

Personally I don't like Compeed, but suitable sticking plasters would do the same, and also be removeable :) I like waterproof ones, Terry prefers fabric as the others (like Compeed) won't stick to him.

Another thing to consider Pierre is building up the ability to carry a pack (even a day pack). Start low weight and build up to Camino weight. That might mean just waterproofs and provisions if you plan on sending your main pack/bag on ahead each day.
 
Re: Just returned from the Camino....Advice to others 60+ years

Tia .. What was the Brand of your previous boots?

"blisters. My new boots this year were far more sweaty than my previous boots"

Thanks
Joe
 
Re: Just returned from the Camino....Advice to others 60+ years

DeadFred said:
Tia .. What was the Brand of your previous boots?

"blisters. My new boots this year were far more sweaty than my previous boots"

Thanks
Joe
Our previous boots were Hi-Tec Altitude IV and were excellent. We couldn't find a pair to fit when we bought the other brand. However we just managed to source a new pair of Hi-Tec each ready for next year, mine being the older discontinued ones. The latest boots from Hi-Tec for men in the style are V-Lite Altitude seen here. Sometimes they are available from Amazon.
For folk in the UK we can recommend the Old Barn at Castleton as being very helpful with boots. They were having a sale too when we bought ours 3 weeks ago. :)
 
The one from Galicia (the round) and the one from Castilla & Leon. Individually numbered and made by the same people that make the ones you see on your walk.
Re: Just returned from the Camino....Advice to others 60+ years

Tia Valeria said:
Another thing to consider Pierre is building up the ability to carry a pack (even a day pack). Start low weight and build up to Camino weight. That might mean just waterproofs and provisions if you plan on sending your main pack/bag on ahead each day.


Thanks Tia. I did another turn right next day; (after all, this is what I'll have do on the actual walk) Following your advise I carried a backpack with about 10% of my weight and no prob with that. But the feet continued to suffer severely although my quality walking boots are worn-in. (I use orthopedic inlays) No such problems with my golf-shoes and Adidas running shoes. I am contemplating of using the latter for The Walk sometime in July, they are so much more comfortable, aired, light and dry fast.
Would it be sensible to leave the boots (too heavy to carry!) out altogether? Any Alternatives?

Advise is much appreciated, thanks

Pierre
 
Re: Just returned from the Camino....Advice to others 60+ years

I suppose the thread is "60+" because the hubris of youth prevents taking good advice? :D

I am wrapping up 80 days walking, again without a blister, and there is a lot of good advice in this thread for all ages. Younger walkers recover faster, so their warm up days can be fewer, but it always is a good idea to start slowly.

Youth do not recover any faster from blisters, however. My lubricant of choice is petrolatum with silicone. Liner socks. Medium weight wool blend socks. I let the SportsSlick lubricant stay in the liner socks by washing them without soap. Water removes the dirt and salt (and the smell), but leaves some of the grease. Washed separately, the liner socks do not transfer the grease tony other clothes either.
 
Re: Just returned from the Camino....Advice to others 60+ years

PANO said:
Would it be sensible to leave the boots (too heavy to carry!) out altogether? Any Alternatives?

Advise is much appreciated, thanks

Pierre
I just weighed my Hi-Tec boots and the 'other brand' pair, which I wore this year.
The Hi-Tec weigh 490gms each, the others 615gms each. Apart from anything else the weight of the former will save me a total of 250gms. I think anything heavier then the latter would give me problems.

Falcon has always favoured vaseline etc, but I cannot stand having my feet and socks greasy. Nor can I afford to buy new ones for each Camino, which I suspect others may do using this system. However everyone to their own choices. I'll stick with my 3-socks system

I like the support given by boots. I actually tripped and fell this year without real injury, except to my pride, but would probably have twisted my ankle in shoes/trainers etc. My 'out of walking hours' shoes are Crocs - the clog type, and I wear them with socks, liners and middle pair (see above).

At the end of the day it is really what you find suits best during training and preparation
 
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Re: Just returned from the Camino....Advice to others 60+ years

Actually, I would not use just Vaseline. I advocate silicone or it's relatives. I have a silicone roll on that is great and greaseless.
 
Re: Just returned from the Camino....Advice to others 60+ years

Falcon
How long does the half ounce solid stick last? Is there any advantage to using the roll-on versus the gel? I'm wondering whether it would be better for us to get the large tube (3.8oz so not too heavy, but only twice the cost of the tiny stick - and there are five of us so I'm trying to work out how much we might need over 70 days) Thanks for your assistance
 
Re: Just returned from the Camino....Advice to others 60+ years

My large tube of SportSlick will last three months applied lightly daily.
 
The focus is on reducing the risk of failure through being well prepared. 2nd ed.
Re: Just returned from the Camino....Advice to others 60+ years

Falcon..

Are you using the .5 solid roll on or the 3.8 tube of gel?

Where do you buy in the U.S.?
 
Re: Just returned from the Camino....Advice to others 60+ years

I know Falcon has his preference for silicone. My own preference is for foot powder - usually something talc-based with an additive that depends on brand. Shake some on the feet, rub it in, sprinkle some in the (inner) sock. No mess, absorbs moisture, lightweight.
 
Re: Just returned from the Camino....Advice to others 60+ years

Yes! 'Fungusol en polvo' - recommended and sold by Spanish farmacias is good. It can be sprinkled in boots too to help keep then fresh, and dry.

[Note this is sold as foot powder to pilgrims not as a 'fungicide'.
 
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Re: Just returned from the Camino....Advice to others 60+ years

Amazon.com has SportSlick and I have the free shipping plan. REI has it, and many running stores, too. I buy the 3.8 oz. tube. Liberally applied, you should get a Camino from a tube.

Talc repels moisture, though it may appear to be absorbing it from the build up of residue. If you have a powder that IS absorbing moisture, you may have corn starch, so check the ingredients. Corn starch makes a great gravy, but may cause blisters.
 
Re: Just returned from the Camino....Advice to others 60+ years

And for those of you who just want to be comfortable, without looking for the magic elixir of foot protection, I again state...... a decent pair of comfortable boots or shoes, a light smear of $2.00 Vaseline in the evening and morning on the soles of your feet, a pair of light undersocks and a decent pair of heavier socks on top, a decent wash of feet and airing of boots whenever possible, keep your toenails trimmed = problem free feet for the Camino.......It ain't rocket science folks!
 
Re: Just returned from the Camino....Advice to others 60+ years

just the encouragement I needed! Your narrative flowed like a melody and eased all doubts. Turning 71 headed out for Sept. 2013
 
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Re: Just returned from the Camino....Advice to others 60+ years

Go for it Jeffrey, stop when you are tired, remember to smell the roses, and enjoy it. You will have one if not THE trip of a lifetime!
Good luck.
Neil
 
Re: Just returned from the Camino....Advice to others 60+ years

Jeffreykelley said:
just the encouragement I needed! Your narrative flowed like a melody and eased all doubts. Turning 71 headed out for Sept. 2013


Good for you, Jeffrey. I'm going back in May 2014 to do the entire 790K and will go on to Muxia and Finistere and will celebrate my 72nd birthday somewhere along "the way". I walked 320K last year to celebrate my 70th. I'll repeat my favorite mantra..
"you don't quit walking cause you get old..you get old cause you quite walking"

Ultreia and Buen Camino

Patty
 
Re: Just returned from the Camino....Advice to others 60+ years

Patty I have just repeated your mantra to some others last week :)

Jeffrey I also will be on Camino Sept 2013- hope to meet you. leaving St jean Sept 18th :)

Annie
 
The one from Galicia (the round) and the one from Castilla & Leon. Individually numbered and made by the same people that make the ones you see on your walk.
Re: Just returned from the Camino....Advice to others 60+ years

Leaving Australia on the 17th Sept., but at the moment my training has been interrupted with a week in Hospital to remove some skin cancer on my shin, in bed for a week no movement followed by 2 weeks taking it easy.
Which gives me more time to think about leaving, time really slows down in hospital (first time in 50 years) but it will come time soon enough, those on the walk all the best.

Trevor
 

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