signage along the route

[Godwin Cutajar]

I plan to do the camino Frances starting from SJPP. I know I might sound silly but is it possible to lose your way along the camino? Another worry is that due to work constraints I plan to do the walk in 16 days or walking approx 50km per day. Is this crazy? My fitness is quite good because I train regularly to run marathons. i know I have to train differently for this walk. Any suggestions please?

 

[Kiwi-family]

Have you run a marathon every day for two weeks? And then done a 10km cool-down walk at the end of each? If so, you'll be fine!
Assuming you are looking at the Camino Frances, it is very difficult to get lost, although I imagine tiredness and speed might contribute to you missing the odd marker and needing to add a few kilometres to your day's total.

 

[NicoZ]

12 hours at 4+km/h for the whole period?.

It's not just the physical. It's the mental. If you can handle being on a long distance march then it's doable. But without somebody yelling at you to keep up I think most people would want a break sooner or later.

 

[Sixwheeler]

50 Km per day for 16 days; is this crazy? Yes!
Could possibly be done but what's the point, you'd have a horrible time and miss the whole point of a Camino pilgrimage. If all you want is a "tick" on a "been there, done that" list go ahead but for an experience do some now and the rest later.

 

[letendre]

For me, it's better to talk about duration to run per day instead of distance per day. 6 ou 7 hours walking or running it is enough to keep little a time to eat, drink, wash, sleeping and meeting others pilgrims. So if your speed average per hour is 7 km you can do 50 Km per day for 16 days. No, you are not crazy. Have good fun on the way.

http://alaquarelle.wordpress.com/?cat=407419

 

[Godwin Cutajar]

For me, it's better to talk about duration to run per day instead of distance per day. 6 ou 7 hours walking or running it is enough to keep little a time to eat, drink, wash, sleeping and meeting others pilgrims. So if your speed average per hour is 7 km you can do 50 Km per day for 16 days. No, you are not crazy. Have good fun on the way.



http://alaquarelle.wordpress.com/?cat=407419

For me, it's better to talk about duration to run per day instead of distance per day. 6 ou 7 hours walking or running it is enough to keep little a time to eat, drink, wash, sleeping and meeting others pilgrims. So if your speed average per hour is 7 km you can do 50 Km per day for 16 days. No, you are not crazy. Have good fun on the way.

http://alaquarelle.wordpress.com/?cat=407419

Thanks for the encouragement. My biggest worry is if there are adequate signs to follow the route correctly. Since it seems that we are going to be relatively walking faster than the other pilgrims on the way, we might finish having to find our way without any help from others. So can anyone put my mind at rest and assure if following the signs will get you along, or one might need a GPS.

Godwin

 

[letendre]

Thanks for the encouragement. My biggest worry is if there are adequate signs to follow the route correctly. Since it seems that we are going to be relatively walking faster than the other pilgrims on the way, we might finish having to find our way without any help from others. So can anyone put my mind at rest and assure if following the signs will get you along, or one might need a GPS.

It is impossible to lose the way, because the signs are very visible. In France, signs are white and red, in Spain these are big yellow arrows.

In Spain, the only problem is that the arrows are visible only in the sense of going to Santiago. So if we lose we must be careful to find the yellow arrows and return often.

The second reason that prevents losing the way, what are the signs that pilgrims leave on the ground in the countryside.

The third reason is the large number of pilgrims who walk to necks and you can follow at a distance.

One last tip is to identify the out of town and village where you will sleep before going to bed at night to go quiet in the morning.

 

[nreyn12]

It is impossible to lose the way, because the signs are very visible.

I am going to respectfully disagree with this statement, at least the absolute version of it. I recently watched about 30 people coming back from losing their way, because the person at the front of the line missed a trail marker.

If you are running, you will just have to be extra vigilant in looking for the trail markers. But I don't think a GPS is necessary at all; in fact, it might be a hindrance more than a help.

 

[Godwin Cutajar]

Dear All,
I joined this forum only a fcew days ago, and I really am amazed at the interest so many persons show towards the difficulties of someone who is embarking on such a feat. I wish to thank everyone who took the time to answer to my queries. I shall cherish all the advise I am receiving.

Regards
Godwin