• For 2024 Pilgrims: €50,- donation = 1 year with no ads on the forum + 90% off any 2024 Guide. More here.
    (Discount code sent to you by Private Message after your donation)

Search 69,459 Camino Questions

Reflections of a first-timer on the Camino Frances in 2020

IvanGrozni

New Member
Time of past OR future Camino
July [2020]
In the summer of 2020, I did my Camino, during the Corona pandemic.

I very impulsively decided to go to the Camino. One evening I went out for a walk and during the walk, I decided to go, out of the blue. It was quite impulsive because lots of people who go to the Camino plan it for a very long time, not to say a few years.

I didn’t know anything about Camino specifically, so I threw myself into planning and studying Camino.

And so I started planning my days. Here I would immediately point out that I had planned my days only till Pamplona, as it became complicated and quite unpredictable to plan further. Namely, I really couldn't imagine what it would all look like on the field.

Don’t plan home many Camino days. Plan your way to Pamplona too, and when you get to the Camino, you’ll see how easy it is to plan day after day. Many don’t even plan more days once on the Camino. When they get up in the morning, start walking, you will see how you feel, and that far you will go that day. You will always find a place to sleep! But let’s repeat, it’s still good to plan the first 2-3 days because you’re coming to unfamiliar terrain and have no idea what the Camino looks like.

Don’t plan how many miles a day you are going to do. Let's say that the daily average is 25 km, but there are days when it is only 21 km, but also as much as 31 km. At a normal pace, the pace of an average healthy person, 10 km is covered in approximately 2 hours. So you can finish your daily walk in 5-6 hours. But here you should also include breaks for coffee, refreshments, food, etc., so than daily walking actually depends on how long you stay in cafes and restaurants on the way. Or like me - in nature! And cafes and restaurants are located in all places you pass through on the Camino, which in turn come every few kilometers. So the Camino is very easy and comfortable from this aspect.

The goal of my Camino was threefold: a Christian pilgrimage, hike through Spanish landscapes and visit the beautiful Spanish medieval towns.

However, the fourth moment happened to me too - people! The fourth motive that was a real surprise to me - people on the Camino. Yes, I knew there would be other people on the Camino. Yes, I knew I would meet some and chat, but I thought it would be very superficial and quick. And yes, with the people I met on the Camino, we stay in touch on regular basis.

Camino met all my expectations and was one of the best experiences of my life.

And so, now that I have done my Camino, I decided to share my impressions, tips, suggestions with everyone who would like to go to the Camino. I wrote an extensive blog post, documenting each day on my 40 days long Camino de Santiago in hopes that somebody will find it useful and helpful.

Please let me know what you think and if you have any questions, I'd be happy to answer :)
Buen Camino everyone!
 
Down bag (90/10 duvet) of 700 fills with 180 g (6.34 ounces) of filling. Mummy-shaped structure, ideal when you are looking for lightness with great heating performance.

€149,-
You've done a great job Ivan of documenting your Camino. Good on you, well done! You have some great photos in there and I very much enjoyed seeing them. It brings back some wonderful memories of when I did the Camino with my wife a couple of years ago. Yes, you're absolutely right about all the things that make it a very rewarding and memorable experience. I can see from your photos that you loved it and gained a lot from it. Good on you for taking the plunge and going while you are in your early years. You have plenty of time ahead of you and you can go again and again on many different routes when this pandemic is over. The Camino has enriched many peoples lives. Welcome to the club of thousands who, like you, found great joy in the simplest of ways.
 
Very light, comfortable and compressible poncho. Specially designed for protection against water for any activity.

Our Atmospheric H30 poncho offers lightness and waterproofness. Easily compressible and made with our Waterproof fabric, its heat-sealed interior seams guarantee its waterproofness. Includes carrying bag.

€60,-
Do you think you will walk it (or another route) again?

By the way, your blog is very easy to read for a first time planner, since it starts at the beginning and goes straight through. People don't have to click around to get the sequence, as on most blogs.

Thank you very much for your comment and compliments!

I will for sure do Camino again. This is really unexpected because as I mentioned in my blog when I went on Camino, I never thought of doing it several times. People that I met along the way kept asking me how many times I did it. And I indeed couldn't understand why do they ask that, because, in my mind, it was my first, my last, and my only Camino. Then as I was approaching the end of the Camino I started to feel otherwise, I wasn't sure anymore that this was my first, my only, and my last Camino.

I made plans to do Camino again in June 2022, and it will be again Camino Frances :)
 
You've done a great job Ivan of documenting your Camino. Good on you, well done! You have some great photos in there and I very much enjoyed seeing them. It brings back some wonderful memories of when I did the Camino with my wife a couple of years ago. Yes, you're absolutely right about all the things that make it a very rewarding and memorable experience. I can see from your photos that you loved it and gained a lot from it. Good on you for taking the plunge and going while you are in your early years. You have plenty of time ahead of you and you can go again and again on many different routes when this pandemic is over. The Camino has enriched many peoples lives. Welcome to the club of thousands who, like you, found great joy in the simplest of ways.
Hi Jim, thanks a lot for your comment and nice words!
It was indeed a truly enjoyable and rewarding experience. So much that I decided to the Camino again. However, I want to do the Camino Frances because I really loved it
 
The focus is on reducing the risk of failure through being well prepared. 2nd ed.
In the summer of 2020, I did my Camino, during the Corona pandemic.

I very impulsively decided to go to the Camino. One evening I went out for a walk and during the walk, I decided to go, out of the blue. It was quite impulsive because lots of people who go to the Camino plan it for a very long time, not to say a few years.

I didn’t know anything about Camino specifically, so I threw myself into planning and studying Camino.

And so I started planning my days. Here I would immediately point out that I had planned my days only till Pamplona, as it became complicated and quite unpredictable to plan further. Namely, I really couldn't imagine what it would all look like on the field.

Don’t plan home many Camino days. Plan your way to Pamplona too, and when you get to the Camino, you’ll see how easy it is to plan day after day. Many don’t even plan more days once on the Camino. When they get up in the morning, start walking, you will see how you feel, and that far you will go that day. You will always find a place to sleep! But let’s repeat, it’s still good to plan the first 2-3 days because you’re coming to unfamiliar terrain and have no idea what the Camino looks like.

Don’t plan how many miles a day you are going to do. Let's say that the daily average is 25 km, but there are days when it is only 21 km, but also as much as 31 km. At a normal pace, the pace of an average healthy person, 10 km is covered in approximately 2 hours. So you can finish your daily walk in 5-6 hours. But here you should also include breaks for coffee, refreshments, food, etc., so than daily walking actually depends on how long you stay in cafes and restaurants on the way. Or like me - in nature! And cafes and restaurants are located in all places you pass through on the Camino, which in turn come every few kilometers. So the Camino is very easy and comfortable from this aspect.

The goal of my Camino was threefold: a Christian pilgrimage, hike through Spanish landscapes and visit the beautiful Spanish medieval towns.

However, the fourth moment happened to me too - people! The fourth motive that was a real surprise to me - people on the Camino. Yes, I knew there would be other people on the Camino. Yes, I knew I would meet some and chat, but I thought it would be very superficial and quick. And yes, with the people I met on the Camino, we stay in touch on regular basis.

Camino met all my expectations and was one of the best experiences of my life.

And so, now that I have done my Camino, I decided to share my impressions, tips, suggestions with everyone who would like to go to the Camino. I wrote an extensive blog post, documenting each day on my 40 days long Camino de Santiago in hopes that somebody will find it useful and helpful.

Please let me know what you think and if you have any questions, I'd be happy to answer :)
Buen Camino everyone!
Ivan, thank you for your beautiful account of your Camino and all of the lovely pictures. It was a joy to read.
 
Thank you Ivan for your beautiful narration of your Camino Pilgrimage. I cannot help but be impressed by your honesty. I am yet to walk my first Camino, and I will walk as a hiker, not a pilgrim, and I had not considered the difference, until you pointed it out. You photos are breathtaking, and I'm so pleased that you've changed your mind and will walk another Camino in the future.
Buen Camino
 
The 2024 Camino guides will be coming out little by little. Here is a collection of the ones that are out so far.
In the summer of 2020, I did my Camino, during the Corona pandemic.

I very impulsively decided to go to the Camino. One evening I went out for a walk and during the walk, I decided to go, out of the blue. It was quite impulsive because lots of people who go to the Camino plan it for a very long time, not to say a few years.

I didn’t know anything about Camino specifically, so I threw myself into planning and studying Camino.

And so I started planning my days. Here I would immediately point out that I had planned my days only till Pamplona, as it became complicated and quite unpredictable to plan further. Namely, I really couldn't imagine what it would all look like on the field.

Don’t plan home many Camino days. Plan your way to Pamplona too, and when you get to the Camino, you’ll see how easy it is to plan day after day. Many don’t even plan more days once on the Camino. When they get up in the morning, start walking, you will see how you feel, and that far you will go that day. You will always find a place to sleep! But let’s repeat, it’s still good to plan the first 2-3 days because you’re coming to unfamiliar terrain and have no idea what the Camino looks like.

Don’t plan how many miles a day you are going to do. Let's say that the daily average is 25 km, but there are days when it is only 21 km, but also as much as 31 km. At a normal pace, the pace of an average healthy person, 10 km is covered in approximately 2 hours. So you can finish your daily walk in 5-6 hours. But here you should also include breaks for coffee, refreshments, food, etc., so than daily walking actually depends on how long you stay in cafes and restaurants on the way. Or like me - in nature! And cafes and restaurants are located in all places you pass through on the Camino, which in turn come every few kilometers. So the Camino is very easy and comfortable from this aspect.

The goal of my Camino was threefold: a Christian pilgrimage, hike through Spanish landscapes and visit the beautiful Spanish medieval towns.

However, the fourth moment happened to me too - people! The fourth motive that was a real surprise to me - people on the Camino. Yes, I knew there would be other people on the Camino. Yes, I knew I would meet some and chat, but I thought it would be very superficial and quick. And yes, with the people I met on the Camino, we stay in touch on regular basis.

Camino met all my expectations and was one of the best experiences of my life.

And so, now that I have done my Camino, I decided to share my impressions, tips, suggestions with everyone who would like to go to the Camino. I wrote an extensive blog post, documenting each day on my 40 days long Camino de Santiago in hopes that somebody will find it useful and helpful.

Please let me know what you think and if you have any questions, I'd be happy to answer :)
Buen Camino everyone!
It is exactly how i walked my first Camino...flight to Bilbao, bus to Pamplona ..and off i went !!high spirit all the way and getting advice from the pilgrims i met and getting still in close touch with some of them!!
even though at 65yrs i found it not very difficult ;;; I didnt push myself at all but each day i could notice my body was strengtheneing and i went to 12 kms a day more or less to an average of 20!!
i just cant wait to be back again ! speaking spanish also helped me a lot since i had no stress or extra energy to dedicate to making me understood!!!Take Care
 
It is exactly how i walked my first Camino...flight to Bilbao, bus to Pamplona ..and off i went !!high spirit all the way and getting advice from the pilgrims i met and getting still in close touch with some of them!!
even though at 65yrs i found it not very difficult ;;; I didnt push myself at all but each day i could notice my body was strengtheneing and i went to 12 kms a day more or less to an average of 20!(my max was 29 kms a few times ...ah ah so proud of myself but i was worn out!
i just cant wait to be back again ! speaking spanish also helped me a lot since i had no stress or extra energy to dedicate to making me understood!!!Take Care Cant wait to look at your blog(plenty of time for me alone at home under lockdown!!
 
In the summer of 2020, I did my Camino, during the Corona pandemic.

I very impulsively decided to go to the Camino. One evening I went out for a walk and during the walk, I decided to go, out of the blue. It was quite impulsive because lots of people who go to the Camino plan it for a very long time, not to say a few years.

I didn’t know anything about Camino specifically, so I threw myself into planning and studying Camino.

And so I started planning my days. Here I would immediately point out that I had planned my days only till Pamplona, as it became complicated and quite unpredictable to plan further. Namely, I really couldn't imagine what it would all look like on the field.

Don’t plan home many Camino days. Plan your way to Pamplona too, and when you get to the Camino, you’ll see how easy it is to plan day after day. Many don’t even plan more days once on the Camino. When they get up in the morning, start walking, you will see how you feel, and that far you will go that day. You will always find a place to sleep! But let’s repeat, it’s still good to plan the first 2-3 days because you’re coming to unfamiliar terrain and have no idea what the Camino looks like.

Don’t plan how many miles a day you are going to do. Let's say that the daily average is 25 km, but there are days when it is only 21 km, but also as much as 31 km. At a normal pace, the pace of an average healthy person, 10 km is covered in approximately 2 hours. So you can finish your daily walk in 5-6 hours. But here you should also include breaks for coffee, refreshments, food, etc., so than daily walking actually depends on how long you stay in cafes and restaurants on the way. Or like me - in nature! And cafes and restaurants are located in all places you pass through on the Camino, which in turn come every few kilometers. So the Camino is very easy and comfortable from this aspect.

The goal of my Camino was threefold: a Christian pilgrimage, hike through Spanish landscapes and visit the beautiful Spanish medieval towns.

However, the fourth moment happened to me too - people! The fourth motive that was a real surprise to me - people on the Camino. Yes, I knew there would be other people on the Camino. Yes, I knew I would meet some and chat, but I thought it would be very superficial and quick. And yes, with the people I met on the Camino, we stay in touch on regular basis.

Camino met all my expectations and was one of the best experiences of my life.

And so, now that I have done my Camino, I decided to share my impressions, tips, suggestions with everyone who would like to go to the Camino. I wrote an extensive blog post, documenting each day on my 40 days long Camino de Santiago in hopes that somebody will find it useful and helpful.

Please let me know what you think and if you have any questions, I'd be happy to answer :)
Buen Camino everyone!
An engaging blog! I read the whole blog in one evening and enjoyed reading about your experiences. I am planning my own first Camino for summer 2022. Thank you for writing this!
 
New Original Camino Gear Designed Especially with The Modern Peregrino In Mind!
I wrote an extensive blog post, documenting each day on my 40 days long Camino de Santiago in hopes that somebody will find it useful and helpful.

Please let me know what you think and if you have any questions, I'd be happy to answer :)
Buen Camino everyone!
That journal was the best I could have read. It has so many tips to prepare me for my walk this summer. No one I'v read but you so candidly mentions the cold in July, the dislike for municipal albergues and the love of booking.com, the routine of what happens in the hours after arriving, the emptiness of many towns and the names of all your friends.

Regarding the friends, I do wonder how you all could find each other after walking separately. It has to be more than luck, I would love to know how you did it.

My plan is Pamplona in early June, hopefully following your path.
 
Last edited by a moderator:

Most read last week in this forum

I'm sure many of you like me have followed the writing of Anton Pombo, who is currently lecturing in the United States. See this interview...

❓How to ask a question

How to post a new question on the Camino Forum.

Forum Rules

Forum Rules

Camino Updates on YouTube

Camino Conversations

Most downloaded Resources

This site is run by Ivar at

in Santiago de Compostela.
This site participates in the Amazon Affiliate program, designed to provide a means for Ivar to earn fees by linking to Amazon
Official Camino Passport (Credential) | 2024 Camino Guides
Back
Top