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Sleeping solution... still confused!

Brian B 62

New Member
Time of past OR future Camino
2021
Hi, we are planning a first time walk from SJPdP to Santiago starting early September this year. Mostly staying in Alburgues we hope. We've done a lot of research online and are pretty happy with most items to pack - except for sleeping... liner only, liner and down quilt, or lightweight down sleeping bag? Needs to be light as we aim to meet the 10% rule, but seems to be such conflicting advice online, perhaps because it changes by season? What would you recommend for this time of year? Thanks!
 
The focus is on reducing the risk of failure through being well prepared. 2nd ed.
Hi, @Brian B 62,

Welcome to the forum!

I think you are confused about this issue because there is no single answer, it is totally dependent on your own sensitivity to or tolerance of temperature. I really think it’s silly to follow anyone else’s recommendation on this question. Not that we give bad information, it’s just that it’s way too idiosyncratic to be of any use in this situation. Here’s what I have written several times on past threads.

I think the "should I take a sleeping bag" question is the same as the "what are the best hiking boots" or "which backpack should I use" questions. This is a question that no one else can answer for you because it depends exclusively on your own body. I don't doubt that all of the posters have accurately reported on what feels good for them in those conditions, but they have their own unique internal heating and cooling systems. I always take a lightweight sleeping bag (850 grams), even last year arriving in Santiago in late July. But then I'm what the Spanish call "friolera", someone who gets cold easily. Only you know if that describes you too. If you're the one who always pulls out a sweater to warm up in summer air conditioning, or who needs extra layers when sitting around in the winter, then you will probably be very happy with the decision to carry a sleeping bag. If you sweat a lot and run around the house in shirt sleeves in winter, then you are likely to be fine with something much less.


And the good thing is that if you make the wrong decision, you will be fine. You can easily ship your bag ahead if you’re not using it, or buy a sleeping bag if you need one. Lots of options all across the camino.
 
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Hi, @Brian B 62,

Welcome to the forum!

I think you are confused about this issue because there is no single answer, it is totally dependent on your own sensitivity to or tolerance of temperature. I really think it’s silly to follow anyone else’s recommendation on this question. Not that we give bad information, it’s just that it’s way too idiosyncratic to be of any use in this situation. Here’s what I have written several times on past threads.

I think the "should I take a sleeping bag" question is the same as the "what are the best hiking boots" or "which backpack should I use" questions. This is a question that no one else can answer for you because it depends exclusively on your own body. I don't doubt that all of the posters have accurately reported on what feels good for them in those conditions, but they have their own unique internal heating and cooling systems. I always take a lightweight sleeping bag (850 grams), even last year arriving in Santiago in late July. But then I'm what the Spanish call "friolera", someone who gets cold easily. Only you know if that describes you too. If you're the one who always pulls out a sweater to warm up in summer air conditioning, or who needs extra layers when sitting around in the winter, then you will probably be very happy with the decision to carry a sleeping bag. If you sweat a lot and run around the house in shirt sleeves in winter, then you are likely to be fine with something much less.

And the good thing is that if you make the wrong decision, you will be fine. You can easily ship your bag ahead if you’re not using it, or buy a sleeping bag if you need one. Lots of options all across the camino.
Thanks, think we are cold sleepers too. Hadn't considered the sending forward if we get it wrong option, that takes a little pressure off.
 
The one from Galicia (the round) and the one from Castilla & Leon. Individually numbered and made by the same people that make the ones you see on your walk.
That's because any of those solutions can work well or work badly - depending on the weather, choice of albergue, and personal sleeping preference.

I'd suggest liner plus quilt, supplemented if necessary by layers of clothing.
Thanks, liner and quilt is currently my favourite option.
 
I'm team liner and down blanket. I use a tiny down blanket that's just big enough to cover me from shoulders to toes which I tuck inside my silk sleep sack.
I have this one
A larger size is also available
 
The focus is on reducing the risk of failure through being well prepared. 2nd ed.
I'm team liner and down blanket. I use a tiny down blanket that's just big enough to cover me from shoulders to toes which I tuck inside my silk sleep sack.
I have this one
A larger size is also available
Thanks, never thought about having it inside the liner, good idea as I was worried about the quilt just sliding off in the night!
 
Thanks, never thought about having it inside the liner, good idea as I was worried about the quilt just sliding off in the night!
That's exactly why I decided to put it inside!
On really hot nights I put it under my silk sleep sack as an insulating layer between myself and the sometimes sticky vinyl covered mattresses.
 
+1 for liner + quilt. I have been on the CF during September, October, and November. I am a cold sleeper, and it can get cool to cold late season. I put the quilt in the liner so that it does not end up on the floor in the middle of the night. My quilt is an EE Revelation 40 it is superlight and the material is slick. If it is too hot, I just push the quilt to one side inside the liner. If it is too cold, I put the quilt over me. Sometimes, it is just right.🤣

I also think putting your quilt may help deter someone from borrowing it when you are not around.🤔

PS: I also have some quilts made by hammockgear.
 
A selection of Camino Jewellery
+1 for liner + quilt. I have been on the CF during September, October, and November. I am a cold sleeper, and it can get cool to cold late season. I put the quilt in the liner so that it does not end up on the floor in the middle of the night. My quilt is an EE Revelation 40 it is superlight and the material is slick. If it is too hot, I just push the quilt to one side inside the liner. If it is too cold, I put the quilt over me. Sometimes, it is just right.🤣

I also think putting your quilt may help deter someone from borrowing it when you are not around.🤔

PS: I also have some quilts made by hammockgear.
Many thanks
 
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They also use a decent percentage of their profits to fund many varied groups who might not otherwise be able to get into ‘the great outdoors’. Used gear is refurbished and similarly donated.

The Cloud Cover is probably the only item I’ll invest in for our next Camino.
(Footwear is sorted 😉)
 
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.

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Everyone’s right and everyone’s wrong - its 100% personal choice, but all that talk about liners has me sweating already! I sleep hot so I take a large sheet to sleep on and occasionally wrap it over me too if I need to (and that was in the early spring). To each his or her own.
 
Whatever you get to sleep in, try it out in advance. I got a new sleeping bag this year, chosen for lightness and just marginally warm enough. I tried one night sleeping in a home-made cotton liner inside the new bag. I was in such a tangle that I had to rapidly dump the liner. Another night, I slept in the bag on top of my own bed and decided that it was comfortable enough by itself and fine in the summer warmth, but I must be prepared to wear an extra layer or two if the nights are cold. This choice (light bag, supplemented by warm clothes that I would take anyway) is my latest attempt to be comfortable while minimizing weight. Good luck in your experiments.
 
Hi, we are planning a first time walk from SJPdP to Santiago starting early September this year. Mostly staying in Alburgues we hope. We've done a lot of research online and are pretty happy with most items to pack - except for sleeping... liner only, liner and down quilt, or lightweight down sleeping bag? Needs to be light as we aim to meet the 10% rule, but seems to be such conflicting advice online, perhaps because it changes by season? What would you recommend for this time of year? Thanks!
 
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,-
Here is one idea to throw into the mix… On our first Camino I took a fleece sleeping bag liner only. It was a bit bulky to pack and I was so cold on a couple of nights in October that I wore all my clothes to bed. On our second I took a light sleeping bag. This time I am taking a silk sleeping bag liner with a light throw that I cut to fit just the top of the liner and will use eight safety pins to keep it from sliding off. It weighs 1 lb. less than my sleeping bag. If anyone thinks or knows this is a bad idea, please advise. Thanks! :)
 
Hi, we are planning a first time walk from SJPdP to Santiago starting early September this year. Mostly staying in Alburgues we hope. We've done a lot of research online and are pretty happy with most items to pack - except for sleeping... liner only, liner and down quilt, or lightweight down sleeping bag? Needs to be light as we aim to meet the 10% rule, but seems to be such conflicting advice online, perhaps because it changes by season? What would you recommend for this time of year? Thanks!
Lightweight down sleeping bag - hands down - covers all bases. Buen Camino.
 
Get a spanish phone number with Airalo. eSim, so no physical SIM card. Easy to use app to add more funds if needed.
I always carry a summer sleeping bag in summer, if I'm too hot I open the zip.

Other suggestions are also fine but I like the simplicity of just having a sleeping bag.
 
Thanks, never thought about having it inside the liner, good idea as I was worried about the quilt just sliding off in the night!
You can get a lightweight quilt online from Amazon for under $50 and easily add the snaps (buy snap tape). I am now also a quilt and silk liner user . I wear more of my clothes if cold and I walk in “Iberian winter” months (😂 spring or early fall weather for a Canadian). I had a seamstress attach the snap tape. I put the quilt inside the silk liner as the latter is roomier.
 
Lightweight down sleeping bag - hands down - covers all bases. Buen Camino.
This is true, but only if you are not allergic to down. I am severely allergic to down, and only found out about it over years of back-country camping, as the allergy worsened. I still talke down bags to the mountains, for the warmth and light weight that they provide, but over the course of a week to ten days I keep on upping my dosage of antihistamines. This would not be a practical thing to do on a long camino walk. Sleep in whatever you are taking before leaving, until you are confident that it works for you. And keep in mind that albergues may not always be heated, so a light sleeping system may need to be supplemented by wearing warm clothing to bed.
 
The one from Galicia (the round) and the one from Castilla & Leon. Individually numbered and made by the same people that make the ones you see on your walk.
This time I am taking a silk sleeping bag liner with a light throw that I cut to fit just the top of the liner and will use eight safety pins to keep it from sliding off. It weighs 1 lb. less than my sleeping bag. If anyone thinks or knows this is a bad idea, please advise. Thanks! :)

I used a homemade silk liner and a small down quilt when I walked in September ’19, and it worked well. I don’t have enough room in my liner to put the quilt inside, and I wanted the flexibility of sometimes not using the quilt, so I used large safety pins to keep it from slipping off. I was happy with this arrangement. I found that I only needed two pins, however. One at the center of the lower end and one at the center and about a foot down from the top, so I could flop the top down for some temperature control. The quilt is so light, it didn’t pull at all and two pins were sufficient.

I chose safety pins because I didn’t want to attach anything permanently to the liner or especially the quilt, but doing and undoing the pins every day was a bit tiresome (and only the two, not eight!), and I needed to do it to pack everything up compactly. I think next time I will add some Velcro or snaps for convenience in place of the pins.

I did worry a bit about the pins popping open in the night and jabbing me, but I had no problems. Maybe diaper pins would be safer.

ETA: I personally wouldn’t cut down a quilt to the same size of my liner. I would want it big enough to still cover me when I rolled over or tucked up my knees, so some overhang would be better. I suppose it depends on how wide your liner is. Mine is small.
 
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A selection of Camino Jewellery
Hi, we are planning a first time walk from SJPdP to Santiago starting early September this year. Mostly staying in Alburgues we hope. We've done a lot of research online and are pretty happy with most items to pack - except for sleeping... liner only, liner and down quilt, or lightweight down sleeping bag? Needs to be light as we aim to meet the 10% rule, but seems to be such conflicting advice online, perhaps because it changes by season? What would you recommend for this time of year? Thanks!
I totally understand your dilemma as we are first timers too. We had to use our best guess in relation to how we like to sleep and different regions vs average temps. We've been on camino almost 3 weeks now. We decided on a liner and a very lightweight sleeping bag in a compression bag as well as a travel pillow. We have not been disappointed by our choice. There have been some albergues the required a sleeping bag on the mattress. Some places we've been incredibly cold at night and used both liner and bag especially in the higher altitudes. Other places we've just about melted and slept on top of our liners. The liners we chose are by Craghoopers and are fantastic for repelling biting bugs at night. We tested them at home for a few weeks and they are great. The sleeping bag has been a nice padding on some really hard mattresses. If you choose a down quilt, try to find a compression bag to reduce bulk. We are in summer weather now and it's all over the place. The best advise is to have lightweight layers and build up with those. I found it very uncomfortable to sleep in my hiking pants (noise from fabric and not too stretchy). Whatever you think could work, try it at home for a week or more and see how it works for you. Best of luck and buen camino!😊
 
Linkster is right. Your body exudes a lot of moisture during the night, no matter how cold. If you sleep in/under a vapor barrier, you will awake soaking wet. I am in the silk liner/ light quilt camp. I have walked in Galicia in early November and that was still adequate. If not, most cities in Spain have a Decathlon or other outdoor store where light sleeping bags can be bought quite reasonably. Plus, you should be carrying a light jacket except in summer. It is my pillow unless the night or the albergue is too cold.
 
Hi, we are planning a first time walk from SJPdP to Santiago starting early September this year. Mostly staying in Alburgues we hope. We've done a lot of research online and are pretty happy with most items to pack - except for sleeping... liner only, liner and down quilt, or lightweight down sleeping bag? Needs to be light as we aim to meet the 10% rule, but seems to be such conflicting advice online, perhaps because it changes by season? What would you recommend for this time of year? Thanks!
I walked September/ October and took a sleeping bag. A liner would have been enough for most of the time. September was hot - it got a bit cooler once I reached Galicia. Most albergues had blankets but doubt that is the case now. If I walk again, I would still take a light sleeping bag.
 
St James' Way - Self-guided 4-7 day Walking Packages, Reading to Southampton, 110 kms
I am getting ready to start walk CF by mid September. Just found out my old sleeping bag weights 1.2 kg.
Since the back up is starting to get heavy I decided to look for something lighter and not so expensive.
I found good reviews about the Aegismax Ultra light. Its weight is about 0.600 Kg and price is within my budget - about $ 110.00 shipping included. I hope I made a good decision. Any comments will be appreciated . Buen Camino Peregrinos !
 
Hi, @Brian B 62,

Welcome to the forum!

I think you are confused about this issue because there is no single answer, it is totally dependent on your own sensitivity to or tolerance of temperature. I really think it’s silly to follow anyone else’s recommendation on this question. Not that we give bad information, it’s just that it’s way too idiosyncratic to be of any use in this situation. Here’s what I have written several times on past threads.

I think the "should I take a sleeping bag" question is the same as the "what are the best hiking boots" or "which backpack should I use" questions. This is a question that no one else can answer for you because it depends exclusively on your own body. I don't doubt that all of the posters have accurately reported on what feels good for them in those conditions, but they have their own unique internal heating and cooling systems. I always take a lightweight sleeping bag (850 grams), even last year arriving in Santiago in late July. But then I'm what the Spanish call "friolera", someone who gets cold easily. Only you know if that describes you too. If you're the one who always pulls out a sweater to warm up in summer air conditioning, or who needs extra layers when sitting around in the winter, then you will probably be very happy with the decision to carry a sleeping bag. If you sweat a lot and run around the house in shirt sleeves in winter, then you are likely to be fine with something much less.

And the good thing is that if you make the wrong decision, you will be fine. You can easily ship your bag ahead if you’re not using it, or buy a sleeping bag if you need one. Lots of options all across the camino.
Such good advice! I tend to be chilly so have a thin sleeping bag, and a light blanket, and slept in clothes too once or twice.
I like the reminder that things can be obtained in Spain! I got my first pole on the way, bought shoes in Logrono when it was clear sneakers were not going to work. Found some gloves in a tiny shop on a day my hands were so cold. Each of these became a "souvenir" because of the contacts involved. But I had a lot of fun trying to be sure I had all I needed while I was first preparing. The story begins as soon as you decide to go......
 
Hi, we are planning a first time walk from SJPdP to Santiago starting early September this year. Mostly staying in Alburgues we hope. We've done a lot of research online and are pretty happy with most items to pack - except for sleeping... liner only, liner and down quilt, or lightweight down sleeping bag? Needs to be light as we aim to meet the 10% rule, but seems to be such conflicting advice online, perhaps because it changes by season? What would you recommend for this time of year? Thanks!
I have been on the Camino in April, May, June, July, September and October and have always managed with just a liner. I do not generally feel the cold though.
Buen Camino
Vince
 
St James' Way - Self-guided 4-7 day Walking Packages, Reading to Southampton, 110 kms
Check out packable down blankets on Amazon beginning around $30. They used to carry them every year at Costco but I’m not sure they have them now. On my first Camino which began the end of August I took only a liner. It started off hot but as the time wore on it was quite cold at night and I used many albergue blankets. Now I bring my Costco blanket which I’ve sewn into something like a sleeping bag. Buen Camino
 
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I started out using a sleeping bag, but now have pared down to a down throw (from Costco, price I think was about $35) inside my silk sleeping bag liner.

I've seen similar down throws on Amazon and they are an amazing bargain. Ultra lightweight. Only problem is that the cover of the down throw is very slippery and falls off unless anchored in some way, which is why I put it inside my silk liner. The liner is quite big and there is plenty of room to push the down throw aside if it gets hot.

Initially I used snaps on the down throw to attach to the outside of the silk sleeping bag liner, but after reading (I think from @trecile ) about putting it inside I tried that. And it works.

In the interests of saving weight, I have now removed the snaps! every gram counts.
 
I read that down was not a good option if you found you had bed bugs and needed to wash/dry everything with high heat. Any thoughts on this? I'm thinking if you have not spent a fortune on down it would not be so bad if it was ruined?
 
Get a spanish phone number with Airalo. eSim, so no physical SIM card. Easy to use app to add more funds if needed.
@bonniegrace getting rid of bedbugs requires heat, not water. So on the times I've had to deal with them I put everything, dry, into a commercial dryer in a laundromat, for 20 minutes on high heat. The down is unaffected, and it does not seem to have damaged merino either. The only thing that was a problem was some tights, made out of ? and they turned into a molten lump!
 
I used both a silk liner and a Rumpl down blanket. I was happy with both. The only issue I had with the down blanket is that even with a compression sack, it took up too much space in my 40L backpack. In anticipation of doing another Camino in 2020, I purchased a sleeping bag from MEC in Canada. I believe it is named the Camino, or something that is reminiscent of the Camino. It is much smaller in stuffed size thant the Rumpl down blanket, and has a pocket that it stuffs into. Stuffed, it seems similar in size to the 50 to 60 E sleeping bags that seem to be for sale everywhere on the Camino. Next year I will use it and a silk liner on the Portugues.
 
It's called a Camino Traveller. I bought one too. I'm glad it is light, as I shall be walking the Levante and mostly staying in hotels. The albergues are largely closed and I feel safer from covid spread in hotels.
 
St James' Way - Self-guided 4-7 day Walking Packages, Reading to Southampton, 110 kms
As regards the present situation, there are some Albergues where you definitely need a sleeping bag, as they provide no blankets or ones so thin that they're supplemental to the bag.

And despite some heatwaves, 2021 is a cooler year generally in Europe, and some pilgrims are feeling cold in the night and mornings.

Of course, whether to take a lighter or a warmer sleeping bag is a matter for each to determine according to his own reasons, and what is good for one person won't always be good advice for another.

Except for the fact that on the Camino right now, in August 2021, a sleeping bag can be necessary ; as it was for my bed that I am lying on right now as I type this.
 
Technical backpack for day trips with backpack cover and internal compartment for the hydration bladder. Ideal daypack for excursions where we need a medium capacity backpack. The back with Air Flow System creates large air channels that will keep our back as cool as possible.

€83,-
I have a new mylar blanket packed with my other gear for possible use on my walk on the Levante, Wrapped around the outside of my sleeping bag, I am hoping that it will provide a little extra warmth if I am obliged to spend a night sleeping rough, or a night later in the fall in an unheated albergue. There are very few albergues open on the Levante, and a limit to what I can carry, so the blanket will provide a little extra protection against exterior chill and damp. Accommodation is limited in places, and sometimes far between.
 
That's because any of those solutions can work well or work badly - depending on the weather, choice of albergue, and personal sleeping preference.

I'd suggest liner plus quilt, supplemented if necessary by layers of clothing.
I just finished the Norte and I used my liner only one time. There were numerous days along the coast the temps were cool. Lower 60s f or 17c. My friend brought his Nemo disco sleeping bag, and said he wouldn't bring it if he had to do it again. I had a light weight very thin quilted blanket that I used that was enough for me but I get warm easy.
 
I can always get cool. But being warm is another thing. Once I think I am cold, it's too late and I never get warm.. This year it's cold in the mornings. 50degree in santiago. In the mornings.
I never travel without sleep bag. Albergues with stone walls are like refrigerators.
 
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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,-
Hi, we are planning a first time walk from SJPdP to Santiago starting early September this year. Mostly staying in Alburgues we hope. We've done a lot of research online and are pretty happy with most items to pack - except for sleeping... liner only, liner and down quilt, or lightweight down sleeping bag? Needs to be light as we aim to meet the 10% rule, but seems to be such conflicting advice online, perhaps because it changes by season? What would you recommend for this time of year? Thanks!

If you are in the UK, perhaps you could practice by sleeping at home. August in the UK will not be unlike Spain in late September.

Your personal experiment will be rather more reliable than anyone else’s opinion.

(Personally: private room and attired as recommended by Marilyn Monroe. It’s not cold.)
 
Hi, we are planning a first time walk from SJPdP to Santiago starting early September this year. Mostly staying in Alburgues we hope. We've done a lot of research online and are pretty happy with most items to pack - except for sleeping... liner only, liner and down quilt, or lightweight down sleeping bag? Needs to be light as we aim to meet the 10% rule, but seems to be such conflicting advice online, perhaps because it changes by season? What would you recommend for this time of year? Thanks!
Hi Brian. I am also planning my Camino ( starting 8 September), and going through the same ( and other!) dilemmas. I yesterday bought myself a light, small packed sleeping bag. I also have a silk liner. My thought is that if in the Pyrenees it’s not warm enough then I will wear more clothes. After that I’m hoping the issue won’t be a problem as the temperature should be better. Will watch out for your posts as interested to see how your planning shapes up
 
Hi Brian. I am also planning my Camino ( starting 8 September), and going through the same ( and other!) dilemmas. I yesterday bought myself a light, small packed sleeping bag. I also have a silk liner. My thought is that if in the Pyrenees it’s not warm enough then I will wear more clothes. After that I’m hoping the issue won’t be a problem as the temperature should be better. Will watch out for your posts as interested to see how your planning shapes up
Hi there, we've gone down the silk liner and down quilt route, all from Amazon, so fingers crossed. Pretty much all ready to go now. We fly out to Biarritz from Stansted on the 7th, start walking on the 8th with a first night in the New hostel near Orisson to break up the Day 1 Pyrenees assault. We're planning to take a cab from the airport to SJPdP on the 7th in case you are on the same flight and fancy sharing?

Cheers, Brian
 
St James' Way - Self-guided 4-7 day Walking Packages, Reading to Southampton, 110 kms
Hi there, we've gone down the silk liner and down quilt route, all from Amazon, so fingers crossed. Pretty much all ready to go now. We fly out to Biarritz from Stansted on the 7th, start walking on the 8th with a first night in the New hostel near Orisson to break up the Day 1 Pyrenees assault. We're planning to take a cab from the airport to SJPdP on the 7th in case you are on the same flight and fancy sharing?

Cheers, Brian
Brian, you may not already know about Express Bouricott shuttle van that runs between BIQ and SJPdP. They take reservations which takes care of you trying to find someone to share a ride with. I have used them several times, and they provide excellent service.

 
The focus is on reducing the risk of failure through being well prepared. 2nd ed.
Hi there, we've gone down the silk liner and down quilt route, all from Amazon, so fingers crossed. Pretty much all ready to go now. We fly out to Biarritz from Stansted on the 7th, start walking on the 8th with a first night in the New hostel near Orisson to break up the Day 1 Pyrenees assault. We're planning to take a cab from the airport to SJPdP on the 7th in case you are on the same flight and fancy sharing?

Cheers, Brian
Hi Brian. I am on the same flight! Would be absolutely brilliant for me if I could share a cab with you. I didn't want to spend that much just for myself, but split 3 ways would be great if you don't mind sharing with me. I was worried about missing the last train and not getting to SJPP that evening. That solution would be then so much better, so if you are ok with it then yes please to sharing. We should try and identify each other before departure in Stansted.
I'm going for the full distance on first day (8th) up to Roncesvalles. Must admit i'm a little nervous about it, as its a big hard day for a first day, but I think I can do it, and the way my itinerary is working i need to get this day done. Look forward to comparing notes when I meet you both. Will confirm closer to the time. There's loads more I could ask/share but will spread it out!
Are you going through to Santiago??
 
I'm going for the full distance on first day (8th) up to Roncesvalles. Must admit i'm a little nervous about it, as its a big hard day for a first day, but I think I can do it, and the way my itinerary is working i need to get this day done.

Brian, the large majority of people walk the entire distance up near Col de Loepeder and then down to Roncesvalles.

Perhaps some of these tips I've posted before may help.
----------------------------------

With some level of cardio fitness, making it up a long uphill grade is a matter of pace, maintaining calorie intake, hydration, and utilizing meaningful breaks.

1. As you head uphill, adjust your pace to a comfortable level which you are able to maintain without needing to frequently stop and start. Frequent stops and starts adds to exhaustion. It doesn't matter if your pace is 4 miles per hour or 0.5 miles per hour. What matters is continuously walking between planned breaks.

Set a planned interval for a short and deliberate break -- say every 20 minutes, for five minutes. Set your pace so that you can walk until that break time.

Setting your pace is a dynamic process, you need to adjust it as circumstances dictate. Please set your pace based on what you need, not on how you feel.

How do you maintain a pace at a set speed? My trick is to periodically check myself by silently hum a tune... the same tune.... which is easy to sync to each step I take. Don't laugh, but I use 'Hark The Herald Angels Sing'. It is NOT the speed of the tune that determines my pace, but my pace will determine the speed of the tune. Once that pace is determined, then you can use the speed of the tune to check yourself.

Some folks may view this as too formulaic or too rigid, but that is not the case. It is simply a self-determined tool to assist in understanding your body's rhythm while walking. The more familiar you become with your body's needs while hiking -- which happens as your experience grows -- the less need there is for such help.

As the grade uphill gets steeper and I need to slow, I don't necessarily slow how fast I take a step, I adjust the length of each step. In other words, in keeping time with my song, I might go from, say, 10 inches between one footstep to the next, to only 5 inches between steps. That will automatically slow how fast I am moving, and still keep me in step with my song.

Inexperienced folks will start out fast and try to maintain that pace because they are fresh, full of energy, and not at all tired. Yet. They want to keep up with those in better shape. They are in a race for beds. They are worried about being caught in the rain. Whatever.

They will start to crump within a fairly short distance up the hill; and the crumping will become cumulative with each step, even if they slow down later, because they have burned through their energy producing stores with that initial fast pace. They not only will crump, but they are now going to stay in a state of depleted energy which only a very prolonged break can solve.

So, start slower than you feel is normal for you. Let people pass you by, and see how that pace feels as you continue uphill. If you start feeling too out of breath, slow down. If your leg muscles start feeling too fatigued, slow down.

Also, be aware the above occurring AFTER a break, too. You will feel refreshed and you will be tempted to start out faster than you should. RESIST. :)

2. At every short break time, eat something. Your stomach and GI tract can only process food at a specific rate of time, so you want to match your intake of food to that optimum time frame. 100 calorie increments of food every 20 to 30 minutes is a good time frame. A quarter of a Snicker bar and a bite of cheese, or a handful of trail mix, or a bit of bocadillo,or some Peanut M&Ms, or some energy gel with some nuts, etc.

The idea is to replenish your energy producing stores that your muscles will need in the next 25 to 30 minutes. In addition to hydrating during the break, you also need to be sipping and drinking water as you are walking. You need to stay hydrated without overdoing water consumption.

3. If it starts to become very difficult to walk 20 minutes without stopping in between, then lengthen your break from 5 minutes to 8 minutes, or 10 minutes. Give your calorie intake a longer period to do its job, and for you to re-oxygenate and fuel your muscle cells. If you find that it fairly easy to walk 20 minutes before stopping, then add 5 more minutes to your walk time between breaks. Still fairly easy? Then keep adding 5 minutes to the interval before stopping. However, I would advise not going longer than 1 hour without taking a break. I usually break every 55 minutes or so.

4. It is understandable if you have some jitters about a physically demanding and prolonged walk up into the mountains or hills. Or even on less aggressive elevations.

CAN I DO THIS????!!!! is Doubt's piercing and persistent blathering which forces one's mind and gut to focus on perceived inadequacies. Doubt doesn't wait for evidence of one's ability to perform, or to look at what actually will occur during your hike. Nope, all Doubt is concerned with, is making you feel inadequate and insecure.

So as you prepare for your Camino, and those physical challenges that are part of it, you can either let Doubt have its fun with you, or you can push Doubt to the background and tell it to, "Shut up; you just wait and see what I can do!!!".

I go through at least a portion of the above every time I go on a multi-day backpacking trek. I went through that for my Caminos. I am hearing those voices again this year as I am planning on a Camino for next early Spring or late Fall.

I just simply respond to the question of 'can I do this?' with the answer,"I am as prepared as I can be, I will be flexible to things happening around me, and regardless of what happens life will continue on".

After all, I am not going into combat, or heading into a burning building; I am just going for a walk. :);)
 
Also think about bed bugs ;)
Already discussed above

I read that down was not a good option if you found you had bed bugs and needed to wash/dry everything with high heat. Any thoughts on this? I'm thinking if you have not spent a fortune on down it would not be so bad if it was ruined?

@bonniegrace getting rid of bedbugs requires heat, not water. So on the times I've had to deal with them I put everything, dry, into a commercial dryer in a laundromat, for 20 minutes on high heat. The down is unaffected, and it does not seem to have damaged merino either.
 
The one from Galicia (the round) and the one from Castilla & Leon. Individually numbered and made by the same people that make the ones you see on your walk.
Hi Brian. I am on the same flight! Would be absolutely brilliant for me if I could share a cab with you. I didn't want to spend that much just for myself, but split 3 ways would be great if you don't mind sharing with me. I was worried about missing the last train and not getting to SJPP that evening. That solution would be then so much better, so if you are ok with it then yes please to sharing. We should try and identify each other before departure in Stansted.
I'm going for the full distance on first day (8th) up to Roncesvalles. Must admit i'm a little nervous about it, as its a big hard day for a first day, but I think I can do it, and the way my itinerary is working i need to get this day done. Look forward to comparing notes when I meet you both. Will confirm closer to the time. There's loads more I could ask/share but will spread it out!
Are you going through to Santiago??
Excellent, chat later. And yes, plan is to go on to Santiago if we can. No hurry though. Cheers, Brian
 
Hi, we are planning a first time walk from SJPdP to Santiago starting early September this year. Mostly staying in Alburgues we hope. We've done a lot of research online and are pretty happy with most items to pack - except for sleeping... liner only, liner and down quilt, or lightweight down sleeping bag? Needs to be light as we aim to meet the 10% rule, but seems to be such conflicting advice online, perhaps because it changes by season? What would you recommend for this time of year? Thanks!
I would opt for the lightest option possible. Since you are going in September, I would forego the liner. I brought a liner in 2018 and I did not use it - even on cold days. Sleeping systems are personal so beware about other people's advice. If you are a cold sleeper then by all means a down filled bag and maybe a liner. If you are a warm sleeper then I recommend a cheap light synthethic bag or maybe only a liner. If you like to move around alot when you sleep then a wide bag is recommended.
 
Ideal sleeping bag liner whether we want to add a thermal plus to our bag, or if we want to use it alone to sleep in shelters or hostels. Thanks to its mummy shape, it adapts perfectly to our body.

€46,-

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