Water, food and packing advice needed please!

[KayGoldfish]

Hi guys,

I have never done a walk like this and a friend and I are planning to do it in October. We are planning to do the Camino de Frances route.

Random questions, how much water do you recommend we carry? Are there fill up points in the way, and how far apart are they? And is it necessary to carry food? If so how much would you say? Hoping to carry as little as possible and get things as we go.

Can u camp anywhere along the route or must you use registered campsites and if so how much are they? These may seem like silly questions, but I literally have no idea!

Any other advice would be welcome! Thank you

 

[SYates]

Hello and welcome to the forum!
I suggest you buy yourself a guide book, then things become much more clearer ;-) The Camino Frances is what you could call a very civilised hike, with very few exceptions you will go every 5-10km through a village, where you can replenish food and water. Your guide book will tell you of the few exceptions. Camping along the road isn't necessary, there are enough affordable pilgrims hostels available. Buen Camino, SY

 

[Deleted member 43985]

Welcome to the forum. There are many questions and the free guide is another good place to begin your process. Click HERE to download it. Also, in the top right corner of each page is a search bar that will provide many/most of the answer you will come up with as there is rarely 'new' information. BTW, I agree with SY above regarding the guidebook and my suggestion is the Brierley (but others may have other opinions...!) as it does a pretty good job with history, prep and day-to-day maps, Albergues and more. Good luck and Buen Camino!

 

[KayGoldfish]

Thank you for the advice. Is there a particular guide book you would recommend?

Hello and welcome to the forum!
I suggest you buy yourself a guide book, then things become much more clearer ;-) The Camino Frances is what you could call a very civilised hike, with very few exceptions you will go every 5-10km through a village, where you can replenish food and water. Your guide book will tell you of the few exceptions. Camping along the road isn't necessary, there are enough affordable pilgrims hostels available. Buen Camino, SY

 

[jerbear]

Search the threads. All your awnsers lie on this site. You will learn very much information about the camino. Buen camino. Have fun.

 

[Smallest_Sparrow]

that is almost as dangerous as asking about what to wear on your feet around here. I used the Confraternity of St James guidebook (they often listed available camping) http://www.csj.org.uk/, this website: http://caminodesantiago.consumer.es/, and gronze.com; i sometimes found camping info in the two travel guides I used, but I don't think it was as up to date. the two websites I listed tended more to give info on albergues, pensions, etc (but I wasn't camping, and you might like a change from the tent some nights)

 

[Rick of Rick and Peg]

Can u camp anywhere along the route or must you use registered campsites and if so how much are they? These may seem like silly questions, but I literally have no idea!

Please say why you want to camp. That will help us give further advice. In general the advice would be not to camp but if you have some requirement for it (Money? Introversion? Late night partying?) we could tune the advice.

 

[domigee]

Is there a particular guide book you would recommend?

Look at the ones on sale in the forum, they're all good in their different ways.
The German one by Raimund Joos (translated), the one by Brierley, the CSJ guide....
In French there is the Miam Miam Dodo and in Spanish an App by Eroski caminos.....
Loads to choose from , I've probably forgotten a few

 

[C clearly]

Random questions, how much water do you recommend we carry? Are there fill up points in the way, and how far apart are they? And is it necessary to carry food? If so how much would you say?

In October, I would carry 500 mL water. There are only a couple of sections where there is not a village every 10 km or less. For the same reason, I would carry a chocolate bar and pack of nuts for "emergencies" and maybe an apple and banana to supplement the coffee and toast breakfast. Same as I might if I were going out for a long walk at home.

Your post is not clear whether you actually prefer to camp or you think it is necessary for some reason. The vast majority of people do not camp, even if they are on strict budgets, and there are very few official campsites.

 

[smj6]

Already so many offers of help/ support/ information, so I'll just welcome you to this forum but, more importantly, welcome you to the Camino. In whatever shape or form (or route) you may take, you're in for a GREAT adventure.
Ultreia. Suzanne

 

[Sparrow in Texas]

Two things that would be good to pack but are seldom mentioned on packing lists: one or two Cliff bars or similar energy bar and a small bottle of water. I had these stashed in my pack, in addition to my regular food and water, for "emergencies". As it turned out, I needed one of those Cliff bars myself on the first day crossing the Pyrenees. The other bar and the water were used to save a pilgrim who badly needed help when someone took her pack and she was left without, also on that first day in the Pyrenees.

 

[MTtoCamino]

Yep as Sparrow in Texas said along with a big grin.

 

[SYates]

As for guide books, this one https://www.santiagodecompostela.me...t-jean-pied-de-port-to-santiago-de-compostela is a favourite for many - I personally just skip the 'esoteric' stuff and just take note of the historic/practical stuff. As also mentioned, the CSJ publishes their own guide books, for example this one http://www.csj.org.uk/product/camino-frances/ and there are always the free resources found on this forum here: https://www.caminodesantiago.me/community/resources/

Happy reading and Buen Camino, SY

 

[The 5 McC's]

We used the book. Camino de Santiago. The way of St James. John Brierley. We thought it brill it has every stop terrian accommodation etc. One of my friends fellow pilgrim joked about it all the time and called it "THE BOOK". If someone asked a question like what's that building or whens our nxt stop it was normally followed by. " where's the book?".

 

[Deleted member 12253]

Hi guys,

I have never done a walk like this and a friend and I are planning to do it in October. We are planning to do the Camino de Frances route.

Random questions, how much water do you recommend we carry? Are there fill up points in the way, and how far apart are they? And is it necessary to carry food? If so how much would you say? Hoping to carry as little as possible and get things as we go.

Can u camp anywhere along the route or must you use registered campsites and if so how much are they? These may seem like silly questions, but I literally have no idea!

Any other advice would be welcome! Thank you

Hi guys,

I have never done a walk like this and a friend and I are planning to do it in October. We are planning to do the Camino de Frances route.

Random questions, how much water do you recommend we carry? Are there fill up points in the way, and how far apart are they? And is it necessary to carry food? If so how much would you say? Hoping to carry as little as possible and get things as we go.

Can u camp anywhere along the route or must you use registered campsites and if so how much are they? These may seem like silly questions, but I literally have no idea!

Any other advice would be welcome! Thank you

Wild camping not recommended may even be illegal. Except for first day in Pyrenees 500ml water all you need. Never carry food. Maybe apple or nuts. Water fonte frequent. On first day sjpdep to roncesvalles at least 3 so no problem. Never walked July August when very hot. Buen camino

 

[Anniesantiago]

In October I carry one small bottle of water and fill up in villages on the way.
If the rain is so hard that the rivers are running brown, I buy water, which is available all along the way.
In October, I would stay in albergues; I would not camp.
I like Brierley's Guidebook which can be purchased on amazon.com