Navigation for a Newbee?!

[marcpointon]

Hello Everyone!

A little over 2 weeks till i Embark on my first Camino, I feel even though I've done basic planning ie: booked my first night in SJPDP, got my gear together, feeling physically fit enough etc. One thing which seems to be in the back of my mind is navigation, I plan on not taking any form of electronics to enjoy as much as possible a more human experience the camino can provide. I have a pilgrim guide to Spain from the Confraternity of St James and that's it really, maybe it's fear actually it is! But is it easy to navigate without really knowing many of the villages and towns? My basic knowledge is more about the regions..any help or sharing of experiences about how people navigated their first camino would be greatly appreciated.
Blessings
Marc

 

[stratophile]

Very easy to navigate. It is very well waymarked. If you are overly nervous, there are apps or printed maps you can take, but most people have no problem at all.

 

[Mark Lee]

Believe me, it's easy and you will have no problems. Basically follow the yellow arrows and shells.
Get a guidebook. Any guidebook. Doesn't matter if it's a few years old. As long as it has some type of map in it to help you out it will work. It doesn't even have to be precise. If not that, you can probably make your own guidebook by printing out maps of the Camino broken down in stages from the internet. You don't have to stick to the stages, but use the maps. Staple the pages together and keep them in a plastic bag in your pack. Also in SJPdP at the pilgrim's office they have a list of albergues in each town and elevation charts they will give you when you pick up your pilgrim's passport there.
cheers

 

[whariwharangi]

If you stray off the path, local people will tell you how to get back on it ... often without being asked.

 

[santiago_67]

I walked my first Camino in 2013 with no guide book, no maps and no elevation charts - I did get lost a couple of times, but locals and other pilgrims got me back to the yellow arrows. It was great fun not knowing exactly what to expect!

 

[Pattii]

Thats the way I like to take road trips. I don't think it will be any different there. Trust your instinct. Trust God. If all else fails and you end up lost think of it this way: things will be the way they are and nothing happens without a reason. Look for the adventure and the lesson or opportunity in everything. Enjoy it ...walk it and if all else fails ask for directions. And then look for the lesson or the opportunity in it. Just go! Have a safe Camino!

 

[Eileen W]

That's exactly how I want to walk my camino. I have a little problem called discalculia, which in my case affects anything digital and remembering numbers & icons. I don't use a mobile phone, and although I bought a small Fuji Finepix digi for things that don't need film, I can't get on with it and have to read the instructions everytime, lol, so I'll be taking my beloved 35mm camera. It'll be great to hear how you get on, and I wish you a fab time and buen camino.

 

[dougfitz]

My basic knowledge is more about the regions..any help or sharing of experiences about how people navigated their first camino would be greatly appreciated.

My take is that the CF is reasonably well marked, but once off route things become more difficult, particularly in areas not well frequented by locals. If this happens, your option is to go back to where you last saw an arrow, or at least to the point where you find one you missed.

How do you know you are off route? There are a couple of indicators - you get to path and road junctions that don't have any arrows or other signs, you are alone, the locals are waving frantically and shouting at you, there is a locked gate across the path (even better if it has a number of material hazard signs!) or the only footprints are the ones you made a little while before.

It's generally not too difficult when you are walking in company or there are other pilgrims about, but keeping an eye out for the signs is important. Check when you come to intersections or junctions particularly.

 

[Susan hopes]

I got "lost" only once, less than a half hour out of SJPP (quit laughing everyone!). It was my own misunderstanding and only 10 minutes total out of my way.

The camino is very well marked with those little yellow arrows.

I have a real phobia of getting lost, and other than the one time, I was fine.

 

[Devon Mike]

Hello Everyone!

A little over 2 weeks till i Embark on my first Camino, I feel even though I've done basic planning ie: booked my first night in SJPDP, got my gear together, feeling physically fit enough etc. One thing which seems to be in the back of my mind is navigation, I plan on not taking any form of electronics to enjoy as much as possible a more human experience the camino can provide. I have a pilgrim guide to Spain from the Confraternity of St James and that's it really, maybe it's fear actually it is! But is it easy to navigate without really knowing many of the villages and towns? My basic knowledge is more about the regions..any help or sharing of experiences about how people navigated their first camino would be greatly appreciated.
Blessings
Marc

Hi Marc

Last year I started from SJPP on 28th May for my first Camino and had no trouble finding the route. Plenty of waymarking and also a steady stream of Peregrinos to follow or to walk and talk with!!

Like you I carry no phone, ipod, music player or any such technology. Being fully disconnected for me is a huge part of the experience. The only concession was a small compact camera.

This year I will be back in SJPP to start on May 13th. 1,000kms over 7 weeks....

Buen Camino
Mike

 

[Al the optimist]

You could always wait until the sun goes down, get your torch out and go in that direction?

 

[Felipe]

Well, middle of May... if in doubt, just wait five minutes and other walkers will appear, some of them carrying bulky guides and every imaginable type of orientation electronic devices

 

[jefferyonthecamino]

Hello Everyone!

A little over 2 weeks till i Embark on my first Camino, I feel even though I've done basic planning ie: booked my first night in SJPDP, got my gear together, feeling physically fit enough etc. One thing which seems to be in the back of my mind is navigation, I plan on not taking any form of electronics to enjoy as much as possible a more human experience the camino can provide. I have a pilgrim guide to Spain from the Confraternity of St James and that's it really, maybe it's fear actually it is! But is it easy to navigate without really knowing many of the villages and towns? My basic knowledge is more about the regions..any help or sharing of experiences about how people navigated their first camino would be greatly appreciated.
Blessings
Marc

Navigation is really that easy, just follow the arrows. That said, it's nice to have a rough idea what towns are ahead of you. Buen Camino!

 

[Devon Mike]

That's exactly how I want to walk my camino. I have a little problem called discalculia, which in my case affects anything digital and remembering numbers & icons. I don't use a mobile phone, and although I bought a small Fuji Finepix digi for things that don't need film, I can't get on with it and have to read the instructions everytime, lol, so I'll be taking my beloved 35mm camera. It'll be great to hear how you get on, and I wish you a fab time and buen camino.

Hi Eileen

Good to find a Devon local on the Forum.

When are you off on the Camino?

 

[Anemone del Camino]

Marc, that guide will be plenty. If you start in SJPP go to the pilgrim office and pick up 2 documents, each 1 page: an elevation chart per "stage" - they do have to break it up somehow, and the list of albergues. It may be more up to date then the guide book and will allow you to decide where to end you day as you go along.

 

[Eileen W]

Hi Eileen

Good to find a Devon local on the Forum.

When are you off on the Camino?

Lovely to meet you, Mike.

Sadly, I have CFS and Fibromyalgia plus a back injury, so it's not really feasible at the mo. However, I'm managing it much better this year and I'm walking really well, so I'm just biding my time and I reckon I'll go when it feels right. I'm thinking of all the different ways to make it easier and I'm determined to go one day. Meanwhile, the CdS forum keeps my goal in mind.

I see from your avatar that you're walking this year. Hope you have a great time and buen camino.

 

[Devon Mike]

Lovely to meet you, Mike.

Sadly, I have CFS and Fibromyalgia plus a back injury, so it's not really feasible at the mo. However, I'm managing it much better this year and I'm walking really well, so I'm just biding my time and I reckon I'll go when it feels right. I'm thinking of all the different ways to make it easier and I'm determined to go one day. Meanwhile, the CdS forum keeps my goal in mind.

I see from your avatar that you're walking this year. Hope you have a great time and buen camino.

Sorry to hear that Eileen.

One day I'm sure it will be your time.

 

[Al the optimist]

Good to find a Devon local on the Forum.

In case you are not aware Mike. There is a group that meet in Devon. PM Tia Valeria for details.

 

[Devon Mike]

In case you are not aware Mike. There is a group that meet in Devon. PM Tia Valeria for details.

Thanks for the info. I was aware of the local group but have not been able to make any of their meets yet.

 

[SYates]

... One thing which seems to be in the back of my mind is navigation, ...I have a pilgrim guide to Spain from the Confraternity of St James and that's it really, maybe it's fear actually it is! But is it easy to navigate without really knowing many of the villages and towns? ...

You will be fine, just follow thge yellow arrows, sometimes they will divert you to a bar where you can drink a cafe con leche, but it really isn't a wilderness walk and you really can't get lost easily.
Buen Camino, SY

 

[november_moon]

I liked having a guidebook for a few reasons - I rarely actually needed it for navigation though - the path is well marked. Like others have said though, it's nice to have an idea of what sorts of towns and things are coming up, what the elevation looks like, etc. A little planning can be nice. If you know about how far you like to walk in a day, you can look ahead a bit to see where the towns are located and have an idea ahead of time about where you might want to stop - this can be especially helpful to know if there are big gaps between towns close to the end of your walking day, that if you pass up an albergue in one town, you need to be prepared to walk another 10km before you are likely to find another place - helps with decision making. Also, if there are significant distances between towns, then you will know you probably need to bring your lunch. On the other hand, in some areas, there is a town every few km, so you are never far from food if you get hungry, so no real need to carry anything if you don't want to. I also liked the context provided by our guidebook - points of interest along the way, historical information, etc.

 

[Eileen W]

@november_moon Those are exactly the reasons why I like using guidebooks too.

In preparation for the camino, and to get myself into good walking habits, I've decided to do some of the South West Coast Path stretches that I haven't done yet (I live on the path...well, in a house really and not exactly on the path, lol). So I've been sat in bed this afternoon on a grey, rainy day, surrounded with os maps, useful books and a notebook planning which bits to do. I'll be taking the os map with me too when I go because of the detail of places and also ancient churches, quarries, tumuli and other stuff that I'd like to make a diversion for.

I've made such a huge headway in the planning today that I think I deserve a rest now!

 

[Devon Mike]

@november_moon Those are exactly the reasons why I like using guidebooks too.

In preparation for the camino, and to get myself into good walking habits, I've decided to do some of the South West Coast Path stretches that I haven't done yet (I live on the path...well, in a house really and not exactly on the path, lol). So I've been sat in bed this afternoon on a grey, rainy day, surrounded with os maps, useful books and a notebook planning which bits to do. I'll be taking the os map with me too when I go because of the detail of places and also ancient churches, quarries, tumuli and other stuff that I'd like to make a diversion for.

I've made such a huge headway in the planning today that I think I deserve a rest now!

Hi again Eileen

The South West Coast Path is a great choice for training walks. The south Devon and Dorset coast has some pretty challenging sections! I remember it all well as I walked the whole path from Minehead to Poole 11 years ago.

Good luck with it
Mike

 

[Eileen W]

Hi again Eileen

The South West Coast Path is a great choice for training walks. The south Devon and Dorset coast has some pretty challenging sections! I remember it all well as I walked the whole path from Minehead to Poole 11 years ago.

Good luck with it
Mike

Thanks Mike. I've walked sections either side of Seaton where I live, including the famous Undercliff, plus some bits in North and South Devon, so now I'm planning to fill in the rest of East Devon and Dorset. Well done for walking the whole amount. I'm not sure I can do that logistically, but it would be nice to at least get the Devon & Dorset south coast finished.

 

[Thornley]

Hello Everyone!

A little over 2 weeks till i Embark on my first Camino, I feel even though I've done basic planning ie: booked my first night in SJPDP, got my gear together, feeling physically fit enough etc. One thing which seems to be in the back of my mind is navigation, I plan on not taking any form of electronics to enjoy as much as possible a more human experience the camino can provide. I have a pilgrim guide to Spain from the Confraternity of St James and that's it really, maybe it's fear actually it is! But is it easy to navigate without really knowing many of the villages and towns? My basic knowledge is more about the regions..any help or sharing of experiences about how people navigated their first camino would be greatly appreciated.
Blessings
Marc

The best parties are never planned Marc.
Thus go as you wish and you will have a ball.
Too many are guided by stages , certain albergues and distances.
You just walk and stop when comfortable.
If you come across an old Miam Miam Do Do buy it.
The accommodation listed there is better than anything BUT the information centres.

Allow yourself 35-40 days mate and have the time of your life.
Whats that old saying;
How do you make GOD laugh.............tell him your plans.
Go without one mate.
Buen Camino , Buen Courage
Good weather is all you need.
David

 

[Peter Fransiscus]

Hello Everyone!

A little over 2 weeks till i Embark on my first Camino, I feel even though I've done basic planning ie: booked my first night in SJPDP, got my gear together, feeling physically fit enough etc. One thing which seems to be in the back of my mind is navigation, I plan on not taking any form of electronics to enjoy as much as possible a more human experience the camino can provide. I have a pilgrim guide to Spain from the Confraternity of St James and that's it really, maybe it's fear actually it is! But is it easy to navigate without really knowing many of the villages and towns? My basic knowledge is more about the regions..any help or sharing of experiences about how people navigated their first camino would be greatly appreciated.
Blessings
Marc

Just follow the yellow arrows. I'm almost in Santiago and I had no problem what so ever. Good markings every where. Never got lost. Wish you a Buen Camino, Peter.

 

[mspath]

Look at a map each morning or evening for a basic understanding of the sequence of the towns you will pass through daily. As Peter noted follow the yellow arrows or at tmes the iconic shells and remember as Horace Greeley may have said "go west young man".

 

[Thornley]

Hello Everyone!

A little over 2 weeks till i Embark on my first Camino, I feel even though I've done basic planning ie: booked my first night in SJPDP, got my gear together, feeling physically fit enough etc. One thing which seems to be in the back of my mind is navigation, I plan on not taking any form of electronics to enjoy as much as possible a more human experience the camino can provide. I have a pilgrim guide to Spain from the Confraternity of St James and that's it really, maybe it's fear actually it is! But is it easy to navigate without really knowing many of the villages and towns? My basic knowledge is more about the regions..any help or sharing of experiences about how people navigated their first camino would be greatly appreciated.
Blessings
Marc

You keep in touch Marc , its wonderful getting feed back and it will help newbies