Top five suggestions for a first time Pilgrim

[Jorge Moré]

I have just returned from doing the St Jean to Burgos section of the Camino Francés. I owe much of this fantastic experience to all the information in this forum. As a way to partially repay for all the advise, I am offering my top five suggestions for a first time pilgrim based on my experience.

- Pack light. This has been mentioned many times in this forum, but the suggested packing lists do not provide a weight for each item. Below is my packing list with weights; total weight was about 10 pounds or about 4.5 kg.

- Dress in layers. I felt chilly in the morning in 50F, and needed to wear two T-shirts, a light fleece jacket, and a shell. I should have had a thicker mid-layer. Choose your layering carefully because you are likely to experience temperature variations of 30F or more.

- Avoid blisters by using medical tape on your sensitive spots and stopping every 2 hours to air your feet. I also tended to change socks once during the day.

- Bring ear plugs. I was able to sleep every night because I had good ear plugs. You are likely to have super-heavy snorers near you, and without ear plugs, you will not sleep.

- Get the Wise Pilgrim and Camino de Santiago Companion apps. They both have lodging information. They also let you know where you are relative to the Camino, an essential feature in sections of the Camino that are not well marked. For the Wise Pilgrim app you need an internet connection; the Camino app lets you preload the maps. Moreover, it tells you how far away you are from the Camino. Get both of them and learn how to use them before you go. I preferred the Camino app, but both are good.

Below is my packing list, and the approximate weight of each item

35 oz … Osprey Exos 38 backpack
14 oz … T-shirt (2) and underwear
13 oz … Long travel pants
12 oz … Altus atmospheric poncho
9 oz … Fleece Jacket
9 oz … Three pairs of socks
7 oz … Toiletries (toothbrush, toothpaste, floss, razors, deodorant, ear plugs, sunscreen)
7 oz … Rain/cycling jacket
7 oz … Tiva sandals
7 oz … Microfiber travel towel
7 oz … Documents: Passport, Journal and Credencial de Peregrino
5 oz … Electronics (electrical plug, dual port USB charger, cables)
5 oz … Pajamas
5 oz … Sleeping bag liner
5 oz … Hydrapak reversible reservoir
5 oz … Medical supplies (3M paper tape, antiseptic cream, nail trimmer, foot powder, band-aids)
5 oz … Fels Naptha soap (laundry, body, hair) cut into 3 smaller pieces for management
3 oz … Cloth line, 10 safety pins, 4 plastic clamps, aluminum spoon and knife
3 oz … Trekology inflating travel pillow (a luxury)
1 oz … Plastic bags (quart-size for your supplies, food or laundry)

The total actual weight was 161 oz, or about 10 pounds or 4.5 kg.

This list is minimal, you can easily add to this and keep it to a reasonable weight. Served me well for early September with temperatures in the morning of about 50F.

The Altus poncho worked well, but was expensive. A lighter, cheaper poncho should suffice. I wanted slits for the hands, but the Altus did not have them.

I did not include items that I carried outside of the backpack, like my clothing, a wide-brimmed hat, my iPhone, or hand-sanitizer (important).

I should have brought an LED light. I thought that I could get by with the light from my cell phone, but it was too bright. You need one for packing and night runs to the toilet.

I should also have brought an USB external battery. My cell phone battery tended to die towards the end of the day; an external battery would have relieved this bit of stress.

 

[MikeOK]

Thanks great list.

Regarding your packing list. Very similar to mine waiting to start the adventure. However, You state that you didnt include items you carried outside your backpack e.g. Clothing. Does this mean that you brought more clothes than on the list e.g. 3 t-shirts in total?

 

[Rick of Rick and Peg]

I should also have brought an USB external battery. My cell phone battery tended to die towards the end of the day; an external battery would have relieved this bit of stress.

I suggest having a battery that will charge your phone twice. Give it a full charge when you get get to your albergue (but not your phone, keep it on you.) At night charge your phone from the battery while you sleep (do it in the sleeping bag of course.) In the morning, if you don't think you will forget it and leave it behind, try to top off the battery again. Sometime on your walk before getting to the next albergue use the battery to charge your phone again. This should keep your phone always ready (and safe.)

 

[Jorge Moré]

Thanks great list.

Regarding your packing list. Very similar to mine waiting to start the adventure. However, You state that you didnt include items you carried outside your backpack e.g. Clothing. Does this mean that you brought more clothes than on the list e.g. 3 t-shirts in total?

I should have been clearer on this point. My packing list was for items in the backpack. I did not list my standard walking uniform: shorts, underwear, 1 T-shirt, socks, shoes, a muff, and my wide-brimmed hat. So, in total, 3 t-shirts, 1 pair of shorts, and 4 pairs of socks.

I can almost guarantee that you will have a wonderful time. I loved it. Buen Camino!

 

[BPG2017]

Wow, you've found light stuff! My list was almost exactly the same (plus just a tablet, and some toiletries/first aid items), and my pack weighed 7 kg.!

I will add a point, from sad experience.

- During the first days especially, stop BEFORE you are tired, and stop EARLY. Do not give in to the city-kid thought "what on earth will I DO all afternoon if I stop already?"

I passed up a stop at 1 p.m. on my first day, walked on until 4 p.m., did the same the next day, and the third day I had a tendonitis which kept me nailed to a bed in a pension for three days, and on buses and trains - with some light sightseeing in the important centres, hobbling with sticks - for five days after that. And then a week of walking no more than 10 km. a day. (OK, I'm 64. Others might get better faster.)

 

[frida1]

I just want to say that I don't think any "app's" are necessary. I have nothing against them, just to say that as a woman in my 60's without much navigational skill, I negotiated the Frances and the the Portuguese camino from Lisbon without needing anything more than the Brierley guide. I wouldn't know an app if I saw one. There are lots of yellow arrows to follow. While I had to backtrack a short ways once in awhile, it was never a problem.

 

[Panama Francis]

Recommend.....a fleece that zips up from bottom to top. I'm going crazy taking off and putting on my fleece that only zips part way down. Bring large diaper pins or hanging up laundry, a buff (which I had never heard of before this forum), a small container of super glue which can fix almost anything and walking poles! Buen Camino

 

[Antonius Vaessen]

How do you know that you will not be able to sleep without earplugs if you had them in your ears all the time?

 

[trecile]

Recommend.....a fleece that zips up from bottom to top. I'm going crazy taking off and putting on my fleece that only zips part way down. Bring large diaper pins or hanging up laundry, a buff (which I had never heard of before this forum), a small container of super glue which can fix almost anything and walking poles! Buen Camino

I know what you mean and have passed up many otherwise perfect tops because they are only half or quarter zip. I really don't understand this design. A top that zips all the way is much, much more functional!

 

[Satírico]

I just want to say that I don't think any "app's" are necessary. I have nothing against them, just to say that as a woman in my 60's without much navigational skill, I negotiated the Frances and the the Portuguese camino from Lisbon without needing anything more than the Brierley guide. I wouldn't know an app if I saw one. There are lots of yellow arrows to follow. While I had to backtrack a short ways once in awhile, it was never a problem.

Very true. As one peregrina remarked to me the first time, the CF is one of the best waymarked routes in the world. I saw one young lad walking and he never took his eyes off his google whatnot app. As Brierley says, break the dependency.

 

[Bala]

I suggest having a battery that will charge your phone twice. Give it a full charge when you get get to your albergue (but not your phone, keep it on you.) At night charge your phone from the battery while you sleep (do it in the sleeping bag of course.) In the morning, if you don't think you will forget it and leave it behind, try to top off the battery again. Sometime on your walk before getting to the next albergue use the battery to charge your phone again. This should keep your phone always ready (and safe.)

This is a great suggestion, and not just for the Camino! So simple, but for the technologically challenged, not an obvious one. Thanks.

 

[Jorge Moré]

Wow, you've found light stuff! My list was almost exactly the same (plus just a tablet, and some toiletries/first aid items), and my pack weighed 7 kg.!

I will add a point, from sad experience.

- During the first days especially, stop BEFORE you are tired, and stop EARLY. Do not give in to the city-kid thought "what on earth will I DO all afternoon if I stop already?"

I passed up a stop at 1 p.m. on my first day, walked on until 4 p.m., did the same the next day, and the third day I had a tendonitis which kept me nailed to a bed in a pension for three days, and on buses and trains - with some light sightseeing in the important centres, hobbling with sticks - for five days after that. And then a week of walking no more than 10 km. a day. (OK, I'm 64. Others might get better faster.)

Excellent point. I tended to start with sunrise at around 7, and managed to stop by 2 pm or so. This is probably another reason why I did not get blisters. I tended to walk about 25 km/day but had a couple of days with less than 20 km. My feet liked that.

 

[Jorge Moré]

How do you know that you will not be able to sleep without earplugs if you had them in your ears all the time?

I definitely heard the heavy snorers since they tended to go to bed early and fall sleep in an instant. I would then put my ear plugs, and the noise would drop to acceptable levels. Heaven. I do think that most people cannot sleep with loud noises; I am in that category.

 

[MikeOK]

I definitely heard the heavy snorers since they tended to go to bed early and fall sleep in an instant. I would then put my ear plugs, and the noise would drop to acceptable levels. Heaven. I do think that most people cannot sleep with loud noises; I am in that category.

Believe it or not, but this is my biggest worry about the camino - Give me rain and hunger, I dont care. But I'm a very light sleeper and always the last person to fall a sleep. Currently, I have packed 3 different types of earplugs - hopefully one of these will allow me to sleep even when staying in the same room as a couple of major walruses.

 

[Jorge Moré]

I just want to say that I don't think any "app's" are necessary. I have nothing against them, just to say that as a woman in my 60's without much navigational skill, I negotiated the Frances and the the Portuguese camino from Lisbon without needing anything more than the Brierley guide. I wouldn't know an app if I saw one. There are lots of yellow arrows to follow. While I had to backtrack a short ways once in awhile, it was never a problem.

I am impressed! But I had a different experience. On two occasions I "rescued" pilgrims that had gone the wrong way because they were in a conversation, or just not paying attention. I was also "rescued" twice for the same reason. I also "rescued" a couple that were confused by the Brierley guide. Many like the Brierley guide, but it is almost 11 oz and not available in electronic format. I also felt that Brierley's listing of places to stay could be expanded considerably.

 

[trecile]

Rather than earplugs I use my earbuds and listen to podcasts. I find that listening to something rather than trying to not listen to something make it easier to fall asleep.

 

[HedaP]

I am impressed! But I had a different experience. On two occasions I "rescued" pilgrims that had gone the wrong way because they were in a conversation, or just not paying attention. I was also "rescued" twice for the same reason. I also "rescued" a couple that were confused by the Brierley guide. Many like the Brierley guide, but it is almost 11 oz and not available in electronic format. I also felt that Brierley's listing of places to stay could be expanded considerably.

Hi Jorge
Thank you for posting your list.
I'd add try to learn some Spanish before you go, even just a few words, but with your name I suspect that piece of advice may be unnecessary.
BTW I have an electronic form of Brierley. It's on a platform app called TrailSmart. I also have the WisePilgrim app.