Only 3 days ... but hey it's a start !

[RebeccaGee]

I have never walked the Camino before but lately I just can't stop reading about it, googling it and checking for posts on Twitter. I have become seriously addicted to this forum as well.
I will find myself on my own in San Sebastian in early May and have decided to start my Camino journey in SJDPP on 10 May 2018 and will walk for 3 days to Pamplona. That's all the time I have but even now I'm making plans to go back later in the year.
I'm a pretty active and fit 56 year old woman from Ireland and have never undertaken a walk like this before. Yes I've walked from point A to B but never got up the next day and walked on again.
I'm excited but now doubting myself a bit. I won't be carrying much as I have pre-booked B&B/Hostal in Ronscesvalles and Zubiri. I'm not going to stress out about how long I will walk each day and figure if I just keep putting one foot in front of the other, I'll get there sooner or later and even if later, at least i'll have a bed booked.
How hard is the first day though?
Other question is; I've never walked with walking poles before, good idea to get them or not?

 

[Stroller]

Can be tough there is a lot of uphill so take it easy there's no need to hurry. Poles are good for uphill and even better, I think, for down hill. You need to use them properly and there are a lot of videos on You Tube showing good technique watch them and practice. If you buy some cheap poles they can always be dumped if you don't like them.

 

[Bradypus]

Congratulations on making your first Camino move! If you think that the forum is addictive then I think you may find the actual walking experience even more so

I think the difficulty of the first day is often exaggerated. Not deliberately of course but many people walk the Camino Frances with little or no previous walking experience and it comes as a big shock to them. They post their views as they see it which is fair enough but that can be misleading. Almost every day in the summer hundreds of people walk that stage with nothing more than a few stiff muscles, achy feet and a huge sense of achievement. For someone reasonably fit and used to full day walks in open hill country it is a long but not overly demanding stage. Having a bed booked in advance is a huge plus because you can take your time rather than panic and rush things to get ahead in the "bed race".

Until recently I resisted using twin poles and walked with a single pole or staff. Arthritis in one knee forced me to reconsider and try them again on the Via de la Plata and for 1200km in Japan. I have to admit I am now a convert. Well worth using them but they will only really be helpful if you learn how to use them properly. Lots of videos on Youtube showing how.

 

[tomnorth]

The absolute steepest ascent on the first day is a 25% grade. Thankfully that only lasts for a kilometer. The downhill section into Roncesvalles is tough, averaging a 10% grade over 5 km. Walking poles are extremely helpful on downhill stretches.

 

[Dorpie]

I have never walked the Camino before but lately I just can't stop reading about it, googling it and checking for posts on Twitter. I have become seriously addicted to this forum as well.
I will find myself on my own in San Sebastian in early May and have decided to start my Camino journey in SJDPP on 10 May 2018 and will walk for 3 days to Pamplona. That's all the time I have but even now I'm making plans to go back later in the year.
I'm a pretty active and fit 56 year old woman from Ireland and have never undertaken a walk like this before. Yes I've walked from point A to B but never got up the next day and walked on again.
I'm excited but now doubting myself a bit. I won't be carrying much as I have pre-booked B&B/Hostal in Ronscesvalles and Zubiri. I'm not going to stress out about how long I will walk each day and figure if I just keep putting one foot in front of the other, I'll get there sooner or later and even if later, at least i'll have a bed booked.
How hard is the first day though?
Other question is; I've never walked with walking poles before, good idea to get them or not?

Hi Rebecca,

Sounds like you'll have a great time with the attitude you have. As you say it's just putting one foot in front of the other. And frankly you'd be crazy not to take regular breaks to take in the view and see how far you've come, you'll be amazed.

Buen Camino,

Rob.

 

[RebeccaGee]

Hi all
Thank you for your help, advice and kind words. I'm really looking forward to it now and all going well will be back to the forum in the future to ask where to go next time! Typical me though; I'm not even there yet and I'm already wishing I could stay longer. I really need to stop thinking like that and enjoy the time I do have. But I suppose that's a symptom of our "always on" society.
So excited!!

 

[Former member 49149]

I have never walked the Camino before but lately I just can't stop reading about it, googling it and checking for posts on Twitter. I have become seriously addicted to this forum as well.
I will find myself on my own in San Sebastian in early May and have decided to start my Camino journey in SJDPP on 10 May 2018 and will walk for 3 days to Pamplona. That's all the time I have but even now I'm making plans to go back later in the year.
I'm a pretty active and fit 56 year old woman from Ireland and have never undertaken a walk like this before. Yes I've walked from point A to B but never got up the next day and walked on again.
I'm excited but now doubting myself a bit. I won't be carrying much as I have pre-booked B&B/Hostal in Ronscesvalles and Zubiri. I'm not going to stress out about how long I will walk each day and figure if I just keep putting one foot in front of the other, I'll get there sooner or later and even if later, at least i'll have a bed booked.
How hard is the first day though?
Other question is; I've never walked with walking poles before, good idea to get them or not?

... if I just keep putting one foot in front of the other... You got it in one, Rebecca. And take two walking poles, as another poster said, if you get cheap ones, it won't hurt you to leave them in analbergue for someone else. Buen Camino, and roll on your next one!

 

[Anamiri]

I would say yes to the walking poles, I am now a convert to two. Downhill into Roncesvalles , there is always the options of the road (I did that and I think my knees would have been grateful).
And the downhill into Zubiri the next day is reasonably steep as well.

 

[Rose Rubino]

The absolute steepest ascent on the first day is a 25% grade. Thankfully that only lasts for a kilometer. The downhill section into Roncesvalles is tough, averaging a 10% grade over 5 km. Walking poles are extremely helpful on downhill stretches.

I walked the Frances in May 2016, 5 months after breaking my left shoulder. First day was tough on one pole especially the long descent so I concur with Tom in that two poles will help and the booking of the Albergue on stage 1 so take your time and do the long downhill slowly.

 

[Vanozza]

I have never walked the Camino before but lately I just can't stop reading about it, googling it and checking for posts on Twitter. I have become seriously addicted to this forum as well.
I will find myself on my own in San Sebastian in early May and have decided to start my Camino journey in SJDPP on 10 May 2018 and will walk for 3 days to Pamplona. That's all the time I have but even now I'm making plans to go back later in the year.
I'm a pretty active and fit 56 year old woman from Ireland and have never undertaken a walk like this before. Yes I've walked from point A to B but never got up the next day and walked on again.
I'm excited but now doubting myself a bit. I won't be carrying much as I have pre-booked B&B/Hostal in Ronscesvalles and Zubiri. I'm not going to stress out about how long I will walk each day and figure if I just keep putting one foot in front of the other, I'll get there sooner or later and even if later, at least i'll have a bed booked.
How hard is the first day though?
Other question is; I've never walked with walking poles before, good idea to get them or not?

I took the Valcarlos Route over the mountain and split it into a two-day trek to give my 72-year old body a break. On 17-18 April the weather was outstandingly perfect, no rain, no mud, no unbearable heat. Although I had a second pole with me, I never used it, even on the downhill section into Roncesvalles.