Planning our first Camino trip: 12km per day, Tui to Santiago

[Ged]

Hi me and the boss are planning our first Camino trip next May. We are only able to walk a maximum of about 12km per day because of health and age. We have the bones of a plan walking from Tui to Santiago which we think will be approx 117km.
My question is are we allowed to stay more than one day in a place or do we need our passports stamped daily and because the distance is over the minimum will once per day suffice.
Thank you for you replies in advance

 

[dbier]

The first answer is that it depends on where you stay. From extensive reading here, some albergues will only let you stay one night. Hotels would be a different story.

Now, as to the second question, I am assuming that you mean the credencial and also assuming that you want to get either the Compostela or the distance certificate from the Pilgrim's Office in Santiago. In that case, you need one sello or stamp per day until you get to 100 kilometers from Santiago. At that point, you need two different sellos per day.

Bom Caminho/ Buen Camino

 

[Anamya]

I was typing an answer, but Dbier was quicker!
As said, once you reach 100km from Santiago, you need 2 stamps per day until you get to the cathedral, no matter how much you walked before that.

 

[dick bird]

I would make sure you get two stamps a day for the last 100kms, even if you take a rest day and don´t walk. If the person in the pilgrim office asks about this, explain your situation. I am fairly confident they will be understanding as I am sure it won´t be the first time this has happened.

As for staying two nights, the public albergues don´t normally allow this but as a matter of policy they definitely make exceptions in case of need e.g. sickness or injury. Of course, you can stay in a hotel or pension as long as you like, they´ll be happy to have you. Buen camino.

 

[Ged]

Thanks very much for your replies.
Based on what you have told us we are going to up our fitness levels a bit and aim to do this in 8 days with no breaks.
However we are not going to stop in the Albergues unless absolutely necessary so we were wondering how hard it is to get the stamps twice a day?

 

[dick bird]

how hard it is to get the stamps twice a day?

Not at all hard. The stamp does not have to be from an albergue. So long as it has the name of the town in it, it will be acceptable so it could be from your hotel. There are also cafés, bars, etc etc along the way not to mention public offices. Not only that, you don´t have to have stayed in an albergue for them to give you a stamp. Most hospitaleros will happily give you a stamp as you pass through.

 

[Ged]

Thank you for your reply. That's brilliant we were originally planning next October but have since become quite excited about the whole thing and our latest plan is now over Easter. We are going to fly to Porto from the UK and make our way up to Tui from there. Is it wrong to be this giddy at 63?

 

[dougfitz]

Is it wrong to be this giddy at 63?

If you were a bit older, maybe!!

 

[willydp]

My walking buddie 65y did SantiagodC - Muxia - Finisterre and back to SdC last year. Just a bit more than 200km and he had no problems.
We planned the route and made the necessary stops now and then in order to eat, drink and having a little rest also
You get your credential stamped also
So it is easy to get more then 2 stamps a day.
You can always send your luggage/suitcase ahead in Portugal and Spain. Do a search here on the forum when needed.
Disadvantage is non-public albergues and a fixed itinerary...you lose some freedom.
Most important is to enjoy your Camino without health issues

 

[Ged]

Thank you very much for your advice.
Honestly we can't wait.

 

[bprohs]

Thank you for your reply. That's brilliant we were originally planning next October but have since become quite excited about the whole thing and our latest plan is now over Easter. We are going to fly to Porto from the UK and make our way up to Tui from there. Is it wrong to be this giddy at 63?

We are planning our trip for Sept 2024 and I’ll be 77 then. So in answer to your question, I’m over the moon for this trip, but giddy is a good description as well. We will be taking the Porto coastal route and plan on 15 days for side trips and rest days. Please keep us informed on your journey, I’ll be interested how it all unfolds.

 

[Ged]

We are planning our trip for Sept 2024 and I’ll be 77 then. So in answer to your question, I’m over the moon for this trip, but giddy is a good description as well. We will be taking the Porto coastal route and plan on 15 days for side trips and rest days. Please keep us informed on your journey, I’ll be interested how it all unfolds.

We definitely will. Don't know were I have been all my life without coming across these routes. I have been trying to learn how to speak Portuguese and two of the tutors made a video of their camino from Porto. I am very grateful they did. Currently looking at Osprey bacpacks for the journey. Still giddy

 

[bprohs]

We definitely will. Don't know were I have been all my life without coming across these routes. I have been trying to learn how to speak Portuguese and two of the tutors made a video of their camino from Porto. I am very grateful they did. Currently looking at Osprey bacpacks for the journey. Still giddy

 

[bprohs]

This is the one I got. It fits me perfectly, and I’ll be loading it up with about 16-18 lbs for our practice hikes.

 

[henrythedog]

We definitely will. Don't know were I have been all my life without coming across these routes. I have been trying to learn how to speak Portuguese and two of the tutors made a video of their camino from Porto. I am very grateful they did. Currently looking at Osprey bacpacks for the journey. Still giddy

Any command of Portuguese will be much appreciated in Portugal but whilst you will be walking the Caminho Portuguese; you will on this first trip be walking entirely in Spanish-speaking Spain

 

[JabbaPapa]

Hi me and the boss are planning our first Camino trip next May. We are only able to walk a maximum of about 12km per day because of health and age. We have the bones of a plan walking from Tui to Santiago which we think will be approx 117km.
My question is are we allowed to stay more than one day in a place or do we need our passports stamped daily and because the distance is over the minimum will once per day suffice.
Thank you for you replies in advance

12K-13K is about my own current average due to disability, and if I had not learned how to hike long-distance and what it entails as a younger chap I couldn't do even that.

So, about 12K sounds right to me for you, even though you may occasionally surprise yourselves with a longer stretch on some of the easier sections.

There may be some spots where tarmac would be preferable to trail.

Yes, it is becoming easier than it was formerly to stay more than one day in the same place, except that it remains impossible in the Xunta Albergues without a medical certificate from a local doctor. May can be very crowded though, so be advised day-to-day.

If you stay two nights in the same place then you'll only need one stamp on the rest day. It's part of the general rule that if you suspend your Camino anywhere, then you need a stamp from that same place when you reprise it. Otherwise, on walking days two stamps, ideally one picked up somewhere along the way and one at day's end. Yes that's only within the final 100K, but 117K is close enough that it's good practice to get 2/day right from the start.

 

[Ged]

12K-13K is about my own current average due to disability, and if I had not learned how to hike long-distance and what it entails as a younger chap I couldn't do even that.

So, about 12K sounds right to me for you, even though you may occasionally surprise yourselves with a longer stretch on some of the easier sections.

There may be some spots where tarmac would be preferable to trail.

Yes, it is becoming easier than it was formerly to stay more than one day in the same place, except that it remains impossible in the Xunta Albergues without a medical certificate from a local doctor. May can be very crowded though, so be advised day-to-day.

If you stay two nights in the same place then you'll only need one stamp on the rest day. It's part of the general rule that if you suspend your Camino anywhere, then you need a stamp from that same place when you reprise it. Otherwise, on walking days two stamps, ideally one picked up somewhere along the way and one at day's end. Yes that's only within the final 100K, but 117K is close enough that it's good practice to get 2/day right from the start.

Thank you very much for your advice it is very much appreciated.