I walked the end of the Camino Frances earlier this month, with the guidance of the pre-booked tour company Marly Camino. Here are my thoughts and insights...hope they help!
1) It is a HIKE, not a walk. Considerable slopes and rocky paths abound, making the journey tougher than expected--and I trained on hills in Missouri. In early April, we also found ourselves navigating around lots of thick mud and puddles, which slowed us considerably. That's not to say you should necessarily wear hiking boots, but consider waterproofing what ever shoes you do end up wearing.
2)You MUST prepare. If reading other posts on this forum hasn't convinced you, I will reiterate: you must practice walking long distances in the months prior to your journey. This will also break in your shoes. I wore a pair of Hoka Ones that I broke in for about 100 miles of walking prior to the trip, and had no blisters. One of my walking companions who decided to wear new hiking boots the first day was not as fortunate. Practice walking at least some on hills or stairs, also.
3) If you are a first-timer and at all unsure about your physical or walking ability, consider a tour company--they will drive your luggage from place to place and will give you brochures and advice as to what to expect along the way.
4)There are cows. Lots of cows. And great cheese. And seafood. And wine. Weight loss probably will not occur if you ate like we did! Most restaurants have a prix fixe "Pilgrim's Menu" with 3 courses and wine included which gives a lot of food for your money. Enjoy.
5) Speaking of cows, bring a scarf or Buff despite the weather, as the larger farms or barns can get smelly!
6) Pack enough clothes--laundry facilities were available occasionally along the way, but not as many as I thought there would be. The albuergues are chilly this time of year, so warm pj's help. The cathedral at Santiago was freezing cold when we arrived, and it was hard to sit through the mass without shivering, so would definitely wear more clothes or a thicker coat for that.
7) Would I go again? Maybe. I would go in a warmer time of year, and with my husband (went with a group of girlfriends this time.) It was not as meditative as I thought it would be due to the effort of the hiking, but there was beautiful scenery, interesting history, nice people, and great food.
1) It is a HIKE, not a walk. Considerable slopes and rocky paths abound, making the journey tougher than expected--and I trained on hills in Missouri. In early April, we also found ourselves navigating around lots of thick mud and puddles, which slowed us considerably. That's not to say you should necessarily wear hiking boots, but consider waterproofing what ever shoes you do end up wearing.
2)You MUST prepare. If reading other posts on this forum hasn't convinced you, I will reiterate: you must practice walking long distances in the months prior to your journey. This will also break in your shoes. I wore a pair of Hoka Ones that I broke in for about 100 miles of walking prior to the trip, and had no blisters. One of my walking companions who decided to wear new hiking boots the first day was not as fortunate. Practice walking at least some on hills or stairs, also.
3) If you are a first-timer and at all unsure about your physical or walking ability, consider a tour company--they will drive your luggage from place to place and will give you brochures and advice as to what to expect along the way.
4)There are cows. Lots of cows. And great cheese. And seafood. And wine. Weight loss probably will not occur if you ate like we did! Most restaurants have a prix fixe "Pilgrim's Menu" with 3 courses and wine included which gives a lot of food for your money. Enjoy.
5) Speaking of cows, bring a scarf or Buff despite the weather, as the larger farms or barns can get smelly!
6) Pack enough clothes--laundry facilities were available occasionally along the way, but not as many as I thought there would be. The albuergues are chilly this time of year, so warm pj's help. The cathedral at Santiago was freezing cold when we arrived, and it was hard to sit through the mass without shivering, so would definitely wear more clothes or a thicker coat for that.
7) Would I go again? Maybe. I would go in a warmer time of year, and with my husband (went with a group of girlfriends this time.) It was not as meditative as I thought it would be due to the effort of the hiking, but there was beautiful scenery, interesting history, nice people, and great food.