Rationing

[Kev&Kath]

While I appreciate it is always prudent to carry some rations (and I'm talking food in this sense) at all time while walking in Spain, I'd be interested to hear from those pilgrims that have walked on their identification of those specific towns where you ABSOLUTELY must visit the supermercado before walking to the next town. While a good few guides provide caution on water, I've not noted similar advice on food rations. Is it just a given, with the VdlP, that you carry, as a minimum, your lunch requirements?

In typing this question it all sounds a bit silly...and I think I've answered my question just in this process of putting it down in writing (yes...carry enough food for at least lunch), but I'd still appreciate VdlP veteran's thoughts on how they managed their daily rations.

Thanks in advance. Kev

 

[Bradypus]

The Gronze Via de la Plata guide is very useful in showing where there are bars or shops in intermediate towns and villages. There are certainly long stages without services where food and water are necessary. The ones which immediately spring to my mind are Castilblanco to Almaden, Casar de Caseres to Cañaveral, Carcaboso to Baños de Montemayor, and Villafranco de los Barros to Torremejia. There will be others. Of course a lot depends on your own ideas of what constitutes a long time/distance between food stops.

 

[Former member 92300]

Yes - I recommend looking at gronze or a guidebook/app to see what services are available in each town and simply use that to decide when you need to buy food. Believe it or not - this was a HUGE struggle for me on the FRANCES of all routes! Yes - the most popular route with the most amenities. Why? Because it was when Spain had just reopened to vaccinated tourists and LOTS of bars were still closed or didn't open until later and many grocery stores were small and open at odd hours at the time. Then on the Norte (a year later) I found that I had no problem going to a grocery store nearly every afternoon/evening when I stopped for the night. Nice big grocery stories quite often with plenty of selection. Anyhow - I do recommend always having a little something that is always there for "just in case"... And for me it is very important so I simply learned - if you pass a supermarket or a bar - assess what is in your bag and whether it is enough to get you to where you are going for the night. When you get to your final destination - assess to see if you have enough to get you through the next morning. I always knew what I had in my bag - so I didn't have to unpack to check or anything - I just thought about it for a minute before passing the bar/supermarket by.

 

[Kev&Kath]

The Gronze Via de la Plata guide is very useful in showing where there are bars or shops in intermediate towns and villages. There are certainly long stages without services where food and water are necessary. The ones which immediately spring to my mind are Castilblanco to Almaden, Casar de Caseres to Cañaveral, Carcaboso to Baños de Montemayor, and Villafranco de los Barros to Torremejia. There will be others. Of course a lot depends on your own ideas of what constitutes a long time/distance between food stops.

Thank you so much. This was exactly the feedback I was hoping for! I had heard there were certain legs where caution on food was needed, but never identified. Thank you!

 

[Kanga]

I walked the Via de la Plata and never carried food (as far as I recall). I am over the healthy weight range and doing without the occasional meal is good for me. I did carry extra water on some stages.

 

[C clearly]

I try to carry enough calories (nuts, dried fruits, chocolate are convenient) to get me through a missing meal. You never really know when circumstances might conspire to make it difficult to buy food. My worst meal was on Easter Sunday in a town where only the gas station was open. And it was running very low on supplies at the end of Semana Santa, That was part of the adventure.

 

[roving_rufus]

I am of the camp to always carry supplies, enough for the day eg nuts, muesli bar, fruit, crackers, biscuits etc but always carry something for dinner just in case (eg dried soup, cous cous, tin of sardines etc). I've got caught out before by a holiday or because the bar or shop is closed due to illness or a family death etc so I am always glad to have something in my rucksack.

 

[MikeJS]

I tend to prefer the less walked routes so always carry some food. I keep a small stock of energy bars for emergencies. I always carry a tin of tuna so any type of bread makes a reasonable meal. I also carry a few oranges as they do not need to be washed before eating. Besides that, I do not find it overly important. We can easily go for a day or two without food and it is water that is most important. I always drink as much water as I can before I leave in the morning and carry about 2l.

 

[Kev&Kath]

I tend to prefer the less walked routes so always carry some food. I keep a small stock of energy bars for emergencies. I always carry a tin of tuna so any type of bread makes a reasonable meal. I also carry a few oranges as they do not need to be washed before eating. Besides that, I do not find it overly important. We can easily go for a day or two without food and it is water that is most important. I always drink as much water as I can before I leave in the morning and carry about 2l.

Great advice…thank you!

 

[cbacino]

While I appreciate it is always prudent to carry some rations (and I'm talking food in this sense) at all time while walking in Spain, I'd be interested to hear from those pilgrims that have walked on their identification of those specific towns where you ABSOLUTELY must visit the supermercado before walking to the next town. While a good few guides provide caution on water, I've not noted similar advice on food rations. Is it just a given, with the VdlP, that you carry, as a minimum, your lunch requirements?

In typing this question it all sounds a bit silly...and I think I've answered my question just in this process of putting it down in writing (yes...carry enough food for at least lunch), but I'd still appreciate VdlP veteran's thoughts on how they managed their daily rations.

Thanks in advance. Kev

I walked Gibraltar to Muxía, mid-April to late May. I found that carrying food for at least one meal was prudent. Sometimes breakfast was available early morning, but most often not, especially mid-section of the Via and Sanabrés. Bars and grocers yet to open at 9 or 10 am. The guide may show food available, but timing matters. I tried to keep food to last me through 24 hours.
P.S. Restaurant kitchens often close 3:00-3:30 and reopen about 7:30. If you are an early to bed - early to rise as I was, making it to a restaurant before it closes for the afternoon was/is imperative.

 

[Kev&Kath]

I walked Gibraltar to Muxía, mid-April to late May. I found that carrying food for at least one meal was prudent. Sometimes breakfast was available early morning, but most often not, especially mid-section of the Via and Sanabrés. Bars and grocers yet to open at 9 or 10 am. The guide may show food available, but timing matters. I tried to keep food to last me through 24 hours.

Thank you. Good point on timing. Pilgrim hours sometimes don’t readily align with traders. Something to keep in mind

 

[Bradypus]

Thank you. Good point on timing. Pilgrim hours sometimes don’t readily align with traders. Something to keep in mind

That is one of the differences between the VdlP and the Camino Frances. The more-or-less all day menu peregrino has not really made itself felt on the VdlP. Bars, restaurants and shops operate on traditional Spanish hours.

 

[Tandem Graham]

I walked Seville to SdC in April this year. I carried some snack food (nuts, dried fruit, biscuits or cake and sometimes a couple of bananas), so it didn't matter if I found no breakfast/lunch. I did consume and replenish it several times. Even where there were bars/restaurants on the way, there was rarely a cooked plate available before 1.30, except in major towns. And in small villages with albergues, often the only bar would be unable or at best reluctant to serve a full menu until 8.30pm.

If it sounds like I'm grumbling, I'm not! The food was wholesome, tasty and good value when it was available, and all the more appreciated after worrying whether there would be anything at all!

 

[Rita Flower]

While I appreciate it is always prudent to carry some rations (and I'm talking food in this sense) at all time while walking in Spain, I'd be interested to hear from those pilgrims that have walked on their identification of those specific towns where you ABSOLUTELY must visit the supermercado before walking to the next town. While a good few guides provide caution on water, I've not noted similar advice on food rations. Is it just a given, with the VdlP, that you carry, as a minimum, your lunch requirements?

In typing this question it all sounds a bit silly...and I think I've answered my question just in this process of putting it down in writing (yes...carry enough food for at least lunch), but I'd still appreciate VdlP veteran's thoughts on how they managed their daily rations.

Thanks in advance. Kev

As with previous responses and all things Camino, food is a personal thing. I always carry food (eg tuna, apple, bread, nuts, yogurt, banana etc) as I tend to eat every few hours while walking. On this current VDLP I found that if I didn’t eat enough in the day and/or had to wait till 8.30 for an evening meal I got extremely cold in the late afternoon and also didn’t feel great the next day. I walk around 20 km per day and tend to snack all day - then have a Menu del Dia around 3.00 pm - then that’s me done eating for the day.
Sometimes a Bar is closed or there is no shop or it’s Sunday or you are walking a long stage with no services or ….
So I always have food in my pack. For me it’s better to have more than less and of course my pack gets lighter as I eat my way through my supplies during the day.
And with all that eating I have still lost weight since Sevilla.
PS Was just checking my route for tomorrow and saw there are no services for the whole 18 km. Good to know I have bread, cheese, tuna, apple, tomato in my pack. It means I can take it easy and stop for a picnic or two as desired.

 

[amrmeaner]

I walked Gibraltar to Muxía, mid-April to late May. I found that carrying food for at least one meal was prudent. Sometimes breakfast was available early morning, but most often not, especially mid-section of the Via and Sanabrés. Bars and grocers yet to open at 9 or 10 am. The guide may show food available, but timing matters. I tried to keep food to last me through 24 hours.
P.S. Restaurant kitchens often close 3:00-3:30 and reopen about 7:30. If you are an early to bed - early to rise as I was, making it to a restaurant before it closes for the afternoon was/is imperative.

I am thinking of walking Gibraltar to Muxia.
Do you have a log or a blog to share your experience.
Thanks

 

[Dodger]

While I appreciate it is always prudent to carry some rations (and I'm talking food in this sense) at all time while walking in Spain, I'd be interested to hear from those pilgrims that have walked on their identification of those specific towns where you ABSOLUTELY must visit the supermercado before walking to the next town. While a good few guides provide caution on water, I've not noted similar advice on food rations. Is it just a given, with the VdlP, that you carry, as a minimum, your lunch requirements?

In typing this question it all sounds a bit silly...and I think I've answered my question just in this process of putting it down in writing (yes...carry enough food for at least lunch), but I'd still appreciate VdlP veteran's thoughts on how they managed their daily rations.

Thanks in advance. Kev

Hi Kev, I walked this year, water is a must depending on time of year. As for food, I never eat lunch, and I did not carry food with me. But my walking schedule was early start, eat if possible along the way, and finish walking around 1300-1400 plenty of time to ensure I had the menu da día with light dinner at night. Buen Camino

 

[Mycroft]

While I appreciate it is always prudent to carry some rations (and I'm talking food in this sense) at all time while walking in Spain, I'd be interested to hear from those pilgrims that have walked on their identification of those specific towns where you ABSOLUTELY must visit the supermercado before walking to the next town. While a good few guides provide caution on water, I've not noted similar advice on food rations. Is it just a given, with the VdlP, that you carry, as a minimum, your lunch requirements?

In typing this question it all sounds a bit silly...and I think I've answered my question just in this process of putting it down in writing (yes...carry enough food for at least lunch), but I'd still appreciate VdlP veteran's thoughts on how they managed their daily rations.

Thanks in advance. Kev

I found when I walked the Camino Portugues from Porto on the coastal route in 2019 I had no problem finding shops and restaurants and water, nicely spaced along the way. On the Invierno this year, there were sections noted in the Brierley guidebook where there would be no food available, and I usually could be prepared except once or twice when I forgot the next day was Sunday. Some of the water taps he said were available were not, but I heard he is updating this guidebook now.

 

[geraldkelly]

Look at the length of the stage and look at the facilities along the way and in your destination and make a decision based on that.

On the Via it's always important to have some food on you because you never know when a bar or shop may be closed and you'll be left with nothing.

 

[Jeff Crawley]

Walking into San Juan de Ortega can be a bit of a disappointment if you've not stocked up.
Similarly Cacabelos but that was on a Sunday.
I usually take stout ziploc bags that I can fill from frutos secos stores and I always carry a tin of sardines in olive oil. Sometimes they even get eaten, but not always:

 

[cbacino]

I am thinking of walking Gibraltar to Muxia.
Do you have a log or a blog to share your experience.
Thanks

I kept a notebook journal, but haven’t published it. Let me know if you would be interested in a recap (food & water situation, closed hostels, bedbugs, weather, nice towns, etc) or have questions.
cbacino at gmail.com.
Craig

 

[JennyH94]

Hi @Kev&Kath -

Yours is a great question to pose - and yes, I’ll confirm that you do need at least lunch supplies on the VDLP and Sanabres.

For my VDLP and Sanabres camino to Ourense in April and May I made it a daily practice to buy bread, cheese and fruit for both breakfast and lunch the next day. I did this late afternoon. I’d buy a medium-sized baguette style loaf and a packet of sliced cheese, make up the bread slabs, secure tightly in plastic bags and place them in a fridge if there was one. If not I’d leave them in the coolest place possible.

@wanda from here on the Forum - hello dear peregrina! - gave me a great tip for a different snack meal which became addictive! It was Isabel canned salads - here’s a photo -



They were so good! I always made sure that I had one on hand. They even have their own little fork in the can but I used my spork.

I loved the food on The VDLP and Sanabres - there were some outstandingly delicious meals - absolute perfection - but I so enjoyed my simple meals on those magical paths too - looking around me in the most beautiful of landscapes, feeling such quiet joy and counting my blessings.

Cheers from Oz -

Jenny

 

[backpack45]

While I appreciate it is always prudent to carry some rations (and I'm talking food in this sense) at all time while walking in Spain, I'd be interested to hear from those pilgrims that have walked on their identification of those specific towns where you ABSOLUTELY must visit the supermercado before walking to the next town. While a good few guides provide caution on water, I've not noted similar advice on food rations. Is it just a given, with the VdlP, that you carry, as a minimum, your lunch requirements?

In typing this question it all sounds a bit silly...and I think I've answered my question just in this process of putting it down in writing (yes...carry enough food for at least lunch), but I'd still appreciate VdlP veteran's thoughts on how they managed their daily rations.

Thanks in advance. Kev

We have always, on every Camino hike, carried a few snacks and often cheese, salami or other lunch meat, and bread from shops along the way. If we expected there not to be supplies as we continued along the way, we had enough of the above for several days.