Newbie here

[she_real]

Hi All,
I have come across the 'Camino de Santiago' through a show I watched. Being a Catholic, i was not aware of this "way". Through my research I have come across this wonderful forum.
To tell you the truth just writing here makes me quite nervous. This post has imprinted my decision to do the camino.
I am not a hiker nor an avid walker. 3 years back, I climbed one rocky mountain in the desert and i knew then my body was not normal. Few months before the that climb i noticed changes but did not listen to my body. During the climb i experienced palpitations which later on i realized were the symptoms of Hyperthyroid. After treatment, it has been more than 1 year that my levels were normal.

I am a newbie here and would appreciate any advise from you all. For now i am at the planning stage. I have bought myself the 'guidebook' from the forum store and it will be reaching me in 3-4 weeks.

My Plan:
Duration: 20 days
Route: Caminho Portuguese
Tentative Month: either March/July/August
(i can only get leave from work on these months for this number of days)
Budget: ???
Limitations: overweight, left ankle issues, neither a hiker nor a 'walker' , not athletic and mostly sedentary; no present medical issues (was diagnosed with Hyperthyroid but now with normal levels)

My questions:
1. Any suggestions for an easy ( or easiest ) beginner's route which can be done in 20 days?
2. What is the estimated cost (not including the airfare) for a particular route, depending on your experience.
3. Best Months and weather to do a particular Route?

I have been reading through and making good use of the "Search" button and making notes of the answers.
I still hope you can help me out and guide me on my future Camino.
Suggestion and comments are highly appreciated.
Thank You in advance!
Buen Camino!

Sheryl

 

[andywild]

Porto to Santiago central route was easy enough. 10 days give or take plus you can add finisterra/muxia on. Which should give plenty of options to fill 20 days
25e a day should just cover it but depends how you spend.
I did it is September and it was spot on weatherwise. I guess march could well be rainy.
Andy

 

[Nana6]

Hi All,
I have come across the 'Camino de Santiago' through a show I watched. Being a Catholic, i was not aware of this "way". Through my research I have come across this wonderful forum.
To tell you the truth just writing here makes me quite nervous. This post has imprinted my decision to do the camino.
I am not a hiker nor an avid walker. 3 years back, I climbed one rocky mountain in the desert and i knew then my body was not normal. Few months before the that climb i noticed changes but did not listen to my body. During the climb i experienced palpitations which later on i realized were the symptoms of Hyperthyroid. After treatment, it has been more than 1 year that my levels were normal.

I am a newbie here and would appreciate any advise from you all. For now i am at the planning stage. I have bought myself the 'guidebook' from the forum store and it will be reaching me in 3-4 weeks.

My Plan:
Duration: 20 days
Route: Caminho Portuguese
Tentative Month: either March/July/August
(i can only get leave from work on these months for this number of days)
Budget: ???
Limitations: overweight, left ankle issues, neither a hiker nor a 'walker' , not athletic and mostly sedentary; no present medical issues (was diagnosed with Hyperthyroid but now with normal levels)

My questions:
1. Any suggestions for an easy ( or easiest ) beginner's route which can be done in 20 days?
2. What is the estimated cost (not including the airfare) for a particular route, depending on your experience.
3. Best Months and weather to do a particular Route?

I have been reading through and making good use of the "Search" button and making notes of the answers.
I still hope you can help me out and guide me on my future Camino.
Suggestion and comments are highly appreciated.
Thank You in advance!
Buen Camino!

Sheryl

Hello, Sheryl! Welcome to the forum
This a a great group of people who can help and advise
I am also a newbie and asked about the easiest physically way to walk. I also have a left ankle issue I am still deciding what is best for me
However, I started strength,and balance exercises, as well as walking. I make sure I do ankle strengthening exercises everyday
I have learned from the forum that The Camino Frances has the most services. You can start at any point you wish as long as it is 100 km from Santiago The CF gives you more places to stay at night if you need to stop early
It will really depend on how far you are able to walk in a day
For myself, I am looking at the Coastal Portuguese and the English because they are flatter but the places to stay at night if on a strict budget may be longer than I would want to walk

Wish you well in your research
Buen Camino!

 

[MaryLynn]

I agree with Nana6 that the Camino Frances has the most services along the way—albergues, bar/restaurants, medical clinics, grocery stores, and access to trains and buses—and it is one of the least expensive Caminos. I highly recommend it as a first Camino. You would also find stretches of easy or fairly easy walking but in any 20 day stretch, you would also encounter at least one steep part where you have to walk slow-and-steady.

I also suggest that before you leave, you make sure that your ankle issue is resolved and that you gradually work up to being able to walk comfortably for 15 - 20km for a few days in a row with your pack (although you can send it ahead each day). And if you start your Camino with a few short days (12-15km) and gradually work up to 20-25km/day, you will become stronger each day.

The best weather, in my experience, is in May and early June, or mid-September, October, and early November. March can be cold and wet, and July and August will be HOT.

You can walk from Leon to Santiago in less than 20 days. You receive a Compostela if you walk the last 100km, so from Sarria onward. Once your guide arrives you can start planning in earnest - it’s half the fun!

 

[freeflyer123]

Hi she_real and welcome. You will find some amazing advice here and there isn't much I can say with regard to your queries (you'll have loads more, trust me) that hasn't been said already.

First, though I know that no matter which route you finally decide on will be the right one for you and that the experience will completely change you (as a committed Catholic, even more so). We managed to ride the Camino from Bayonne to SJPdP then onto Santiago, taking 21 days. Walking of course you won't manage the whole distance. But we did meet up with some people who had been returning over and over again to walk for just one week, each time a different section. I believe they had expected to complete the whole course by 2017.

I so concur with marylynn above that the planning is part of the fun. As I say on my website where I write about our riding along the Camino (www.cyclingsofties.blog) "It's the journey that counts, not the destination". Sorry, couldn't help putting the link on as it was by far one of the most momentous experiences I have ever been privileged to have.

 

[she_real]

Porto to Santiago central route was easy enough. 10 days give or take plus you can add finisterra/muxia on. Which should give plenty of options to fill 20 days
25e a day should just cover it but depends how you spend.
I did it is September and it was spot on weatherwise. I guess march could well be rainy.
Andy

Thank You! I could do that,too.

 

[she_real]

Hello, Sheryl! Welcome to the forum
This a a great group of people who can help and advise
I am also a newbie and asked about the easiest physically way to walk. I also have a left ankle issue I am still deciding what is best for me
However, I started strength,and balance exercises, as well as walking. I make sure I do ankle strengthening exercises everyday
I have learned from the forum that The Camino Frances has the most services. You can start at any point you wish as long as it is 100 km from Santiago The CF gives you more places to stay at night if you need to stop early
It will really depend on how far you are able to walk in a day
For myself, I am looking at the Coastal Portuguese and the English because they are flatter but the places to stay at night if on a strict budget may be longer than I would want to walk

Wish you well in your research
Buen Camino!

Thank You.

 

[she_real]

I agree with Nana6 that the Camino Frances has the most services along the way—albergues, bar/restaurants, medical clinics, grocery stores, and access to trains and buses—and it is one of the least expensive Caminos. I highly recommend it as a first Camino. You would also find stretches of easy or fairly easy walking but in any 20 day stretch, you would also encounter at least one steep part where you have to walk slow-and-steady.

I also suggest that before you leave, you make sure that your ankle issue is resolved and that you gradually work up to being able to walk comfortably for 15 - 20km for a few days in a row with your pack (although you can send it ahead each day). And if you start your Camino with a few short days (12-15km) and gradually work up to 20-25km/day, you will become stronger each day.

The best weather, in my experience, is in May and early June, or mid-September, October, and early November. March can be cold and wet, and July and August will be HOT.

You can walk from Leon to Santiago in less than 20 days. You receive a Compostela if you walk the last 100km, so from Sarria onward. Once your guide arrives you can start planning in earnest - it’s half the fun!

Thank You.
I should really have my ankle checked. i think mostly it's also due to my weight because i noticed during my foreign travels or any occasion whenever i needed to walk or stand long hours especially for the tours, it gets sore and painful especially the day after. i have to start training and resolve my weight issue as well.
thank you again!

 

[domigee]

Hi All,
I have come across the 'Camino de Santiago' through a show I watched. Being a Catholic, i was not aware of this "way". Through my research I have come across this wonderful forum.
To tell you the truth just writing here makes me quite nervous. This post has imprinted my decision to do the camino.
I am not a hiker nor an avid walker. 3 years back, I climbed one rocky mountain in the desert and i knew then my body was not normal. Few months before the that climb i noticed changes but did not listen to my body. During the climb i experienced palpitations which later on i realized were the symptoms of Hyperthyroid. After treatment, it has been more than 1 year that my levels were normal.

I am a newbie here and would appreciate any advise from you all. For now i am at the planning stage. I have bought myself the 'guidebook' from the forum store and it will be reaching me in 3-4 weeks.

My Plan:
Duration: 20 days
Route: Caminho Portuguese
Tentative Month: either March/July/August
(i can only get leave from work on these months for this number of days)
Budget: ???
Limitations: overweight, left ankle issues, neither a hiker nor a 'walker' , not athletic and mostly sedentary; no present medical issues (was diagnosed with Hyperthyroid but now with normal levels)

My questions:
1. Any suggestions for an easy ( or easiest ) beginner's route which can be done in 20 days?
2. What is the estimated cost (not including the airfare) for a particular route, depending on your experience.
3. Best Months and weather to do a particular Route?

I have been reading through and making good use of the "Search" button and making notes of the answers.
I still hope you can help me out and guide me on my future Camino.
Suggestion and comments are highly appreciated.
Thank You in advance!
Buen Camino!

Sheryl

Hi and welcome!
I’d recommend the ‘camino francés’ for a first Camino. You’ll hear lots of negative comments about it from ‘seasoned walkers/pilgrims’ on here but Imo it is still the best when you start. In July/August - whatever others say - I have found it very quiet, UP TO Sarria. Then it is bedlam, admittedly but quite enjoyable in its own way! (I think).
Lots of albergues, lots of cafes where to stop when you’ve had enough, you can’t beat it to ‘ease’ you into walking more longish distances than you are used to.
I would study that guidebook when you receive it and plan from there....
Happy planning!

 

[she_real]

Hi and welcome!
I’d recommend the ‘camino francés’ for a first Camino. You’ll hear lots of negative comments about it from ‘seasoned walkers/pilgrims’ on here but Imo it is still the best when you start. In July/August - whatever others say - I have found it very quiet, UP TO Sarria. Then it is bedlam, admittedly but quite enjoyable in its own way! (I think).
Lots of albergues, lots of cafes where to stop when you’ve had enough, you can’t beat it to ‘ease’ you into walking more longish distances than you are used to.
I would study that guidebook when you receive it and plan from there....
Happy planning!

Thank You for your insights!
Highly appreciated!
keeping notes.

 

[t2andreo]

Sheryl, we were all novice pilgrims before our first time on Camino. You will learn and adapt fast. I recommend probing this forum for all the answers you seek.

The search function is VERY good. Use selected keywords: ankle, training, overweight, backpack / rucksack... and so forth.

Others have correctly suggested you consider the Camino Frances, as it has the most developed infrastructure for pilgrims. However, I also recommend the Camino Portuguese from Porto to Santiago.

The amenities are near to what is available on the Frances, and there are fewer pilgrims (so far). This Camino is about 250 km and takes about 10 days, using the central / traditional route. You would love spend five-days in Portugal, then give rays in Spain.

Questions, just ask. There are over 80,000 forum members who will be pleased to help you sort through your issue and concerns.

Welcome to our magnificent obsession!

Hope this helps.

 

[she_real]

Sheryl, we were all novice pilgrims before our first time on Camino. You will learn and adapt fast. I recommend probing this forum for all the answers you seek.

The search function is VERY good. Use selected keywords: ankle, training, overweight, backpack / rucksack... and so forth.

Others have correctly suggested you consider the Camino Frances, as it has the most developed infrastructure for pilgrims. However, I also recommend the Camino Portuguese from Porto to Santiago.

The amenities are near to what is available on the Frances, and there are fewer pilgrims (so far). This Camino is about 250 km and takes about 10 days, using the central / traditional route. You would love spend five-days in Portugal, then give rays in Spain.

Questions, just ask. There are over 80,000 forum members who will be pleased to help you sort through your issue and concerns.

Welcome to our magnificent obsession!

Hope this helps.

Indeed it helps!
I’m making good use of that wonderful SEARCH button and taking notes along the way. Happy to read experienced peregrinos’ personal insights and from newbies such as myself. Simply happy to be here in this community. Looking forward to my pre departure post someday.
Thank You for the warm welcome!

 

[bbrSF18]

Hi all! This is my first Camino, as well! I am starting the CF late June...I only have 8 days. I am training--but I am so anxious about the 18-26KM/day! Can I really do this?? I am starting to get cold feet! (no pun intended!!) Can one really get in a taxi if need be?? BUT if one does get a taxi to get to the next destination--does one still get their certificate?? (after Sarria, that is) Any and all advice is SO welcome!! )))

 

[nycwalking]

Hello @bbrSF18,

Welcome to the forum.

The last 100kms must be walked no cabs, buses, et cetera.

On the last 100kms there is an albergue every 10-12 kilometers if you need.

If you are concerned about daily mileage use all eight days from Sarria onwards.

If you arrive with time to spare in Santiago you can sightsee, or walk on to Fisterra.

Buen camino.

 

[bbrSF18]

ok, that's really helpful. even if i could get 6 days out...that seems manageable km for me. (10mi a day seems much more manageable! )
thank you!!!

 

[HeidiL]

Welcome on board!

Regarding the time of year - it depends on your heat tolerance. (I usually walk in March/April and have had to interrupt a summer pilgrimage in Germany - quite a lot further north - for temperature reasons.)

I warmly support the people who recommend Camino Francés for a first Camino - lots of infrastructure, possibility to walk short days, lots of company - even in March, when there will be less of a bed-race.

 

[she_real]

Hi all! This is my first Camino, as well! I am starting the CF late June...I only have 8 days. I am training--but I am so anxious about the 18-26KM/day! Can I really do this?? I am starting to get cold feet! (no pun intended!!) Can one really get in a taxi if need be?? BUT if one does get a taxi to get to the next destination--does one still get their certificate?? (after Sarria, that is) Any and all advice is SO welcome!! )))

Through research, I found this website very helpful in planning the route. The duration depends on how many kilometers you can do per day. So this website helps in planning and gives information of the accomodations available per village also. The homepage is in spanish, but the planner converts into english. Hope this helps!

Planificador - Camino de Santiago - Godesalco.com

Perfiles altitudinales, planificación de etapas y archivos GPS para el Camino de Santiago.

godesalco.com

Buen Camino!

 

[bbrSF18]

Hello @bbrSF18,

Welcome to the forum.

The last 100kms must be walked no cabs, buses, et cetera.

On the last 100kms there is an albergue every 10-12 kilometers if you need.

If you are concerned about daily mileage use all eight days from Sarria onwards.

If you arrive with time to spare in Santiago you can sightsee, or walk on to Fisterra.

Buen camino.

ok, that's really helpful. even if i could get 6 days out...that seems manageable km for me. (10mi a day seems much more manageable! )
thank you!!!