{"id":926,"date":"2017-05-06T08:11:22","date_gmt":"2017-05-06T08:11:22","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/2checkingout.com\/?p=926"},"modified":"2024-07-23T05:38:49","modified_gmt":"2024-07-23T05:38:49","slug":"2017-5-1-10-hot-tips-for-walking-the-camino-de-santiago-tg5sd","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/2checkingout.com\/?p=926","title":{"rendered":"The First-Timer’s Guide to Walking the Camino de Santiago – 8 Tips to Soothe your Worries"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t
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The First-Timer's Guide To Walking The Camino De Santiago - 8 Tips To Soothe Your Worries<\/h1>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t
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Embarking on an 800-kilometre (500-mile) walk across northern Spain is enough to create worries in any of us. \u00a0<\/p>

Am I fit enough?\u00a0 What gear should I take?\u00a0 Where will I sleep? \u00a0<\/em><\/strong><\/p>

What will I do if something goes wrong?\u00a0 Will I cope with walking alone?<\/em><\/strong><\/p>

All legitimate concerns, after all, good preparation for such an undertaking is essential.\u00a0 But tying yourself up in knots over-researching is not good for the nerves.\u00a0 So here are some not-so-typical tips to help alleviate any first-timer worries.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t

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1. Lean on your Camino Family<\/strong><\/p>

Who knew there was this big Camino family out there who want to help you?\u00a0 We didn’t before we started preparing for our Camino.\u00a0 Stumbling on the Camino de Santiago forum<\/strong><\/a> was a godsend. All manner of questions have been asked and answered here, giving you peace of mind that you are not the only one with that off-the-wall question. \u00a0<\/p>

The family vibes continue if you spend your first night at Beilari<\/strong><\/a> in St. Jean Pied de Port.\u00a0 Joseph and Elizabeth host a delicious vegetarian communal dinner with get-to-know-you games.\u00a0 Sound painful?\u00a0 Well, it wasn’t. It was perfect for focusing on why you are about to do this.\u00a0 Joseph created something that first night which lingered throughout our 37-day journey.\u00a0 Longer for us, life-long friends bonded from shared highs and lows.<\/p><\/div>

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2. Trust the Brierley Bible<\/strong><\/p>

A lot has already been written about John Brierley\u2019s Camino guides<\/strong><\/a>, and rightfully so.\u00a0 Pitched as the ‘practical and mystical manuals for the modern-day pilgrim’, they are right on the money for guiding you step by step through your Camino journey. \u00a0<\/p>

This book is all you need to plan your days, where to eat, sleep, and what to see. Everything.\u00a0 Painless and stress-free.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t

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3. Timings can Make or Break it<\/strong><\/p>

Timings can make or break your Camino experience. What time of year you walk, even the time of day you walk.<\/p>

Summer can be as busy as hell, which may be right up your street.\u00a0 But be prepared for competition for a bed for the night, and a noisier walk as pilgrims chatter away along the trails.\u00a0 It will be darn hot too, but probably rain free.<\/p>

The best option, in my opinion, is either Spring or Autumn, both of which are quieter people-wise and cooler too.\u00a0 You do need to prepare for chilly morning starts, warm afternoons and the occasional risk of rain.\u00a0 We got lucky with our mid-September start, only getting two short showers.\u00a0 Barely worth getting out the rain gear.<\/p>

I also recommend getting your butt out of bed early each morning.\u00a0 The earlier you start, the more peaceful the trails.\u00a0 You get to experience the sun rising and usually get the pick of the bunks and clean showers at your next hostel.\u00a0 Particularly important the closer you get to Santiago when the number of pilgrims increases considerably.<\/p>

This book is all you need to plan your days, where to eat, sleep, and what to see. Everything.\u00a0 Painless and stress-free.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t

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\u00a0<\/p>\n

4. Stop Chasing the Perfect Gear List<\/strong><\/p>\n

As a Camino virgin, you will find yourself pouring over every packing list you can find, trying to perfect your gear list.\u00a0 You will spend days looking at ponchos versus backpack covers, sleeping bags versus fleece blankets and sneakers versus hiking boots.<\/p>\n

My advice is don’t sweat it.\u00a0 You will be just fine.\u00a0 Yes, you need some essential items, but they don’t need to be fancy or expensive.\u00a0 Less is more for sure, when you have to carry it day after day. \u00a0<\/p>\n

Just make sure your backpack and boots\/shoes fit well and are comfortable.\u00a0 Practice with them on day hikes before you leave.\u00a0 Invest in good-quality socks and carry a small first aid\/feet care kit.\u00a0 A headtorch is handy for those pre-dawn starts, and walking poles takes the pressure of the joints and improve your endurance<\/strong><\/a>.\u00a0 See our complete packing list here<\/strong><\/a>.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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5. Keep your Feet Fantastic<\/strong><\/p>\n

Nothing really prepares you for the toll that walking 20-odd kilometres a day, day after day, takes on your feet.\u00a0 You will feel your fitness improve, your lungs and heart getting stronger, but your feet get increasingly grumpy with the daily toil. \u00a0<\/p>\n

Daily foot care helps to mitigate some of the issues.\u00a0 Rubbing Vaseline into our feet before heading out helped keep blisters at bay, with the odd exception.\u00a0 Washing and moisturising in the evening helped too.\u00a0 Our friend Ann swore by her Wrightsocks<\/strong><\/a>. She endorses their magical properties for keeping her feet blister-free.<\/p>\n

But the single best thing I found was some Camino-specific yoga stretches<\/strong><\/a> you can do from your bunk bed.\u00a0 Two exercises, in particular, were as painful as they were effective in stretching out the tops and bottoms of my feet.\u00a0 I don’t think I would have made it to the end without doing this torture at the beginning and end of each day.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t

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6. The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly<\/strong><\/p>

As with all of life, everything is not perfect.\u00a0 Your time on the Camino will be no different.\u00a0 For us, the good outweighed the bad and the ugly ten-fold. We loved the people we met, often our paths intertwining for days on end.\u00a0 Some have now become good friends.\u00a0 We loved the daily routine of walk, eat, sleep.\u00a0 The simplicity of it all is refreshing.\u00a0 We loved the actual walking with all its beauty, challenges, and rewards.<\/p>

The bad, well maybe not bad, but different was the last 100 kilometres.\u00a0 Quite a different experience than the previous 700.\u00a0 Busier, yes, of course, but also a different type of pilgrim.\u00a0 Larger groups are often noisier and less considerate.\u00a0 It took a lot of zen will-power to zone it out, that and starting super early in the morning.<\/p>

The ugly (and preventable) was the litter and graffiti.\u00a0 A personal bug-bear of ours sadly scarred the Camino landscape.\u00a0 In particular, the fairly new kilometre markers which had been defaced, often by the same person – we all know who you are, Julius!\u00a0 As for the loo paper – pick it up, ladies, compostable doggie poo bags are ideal.\u00a0 It’s not complicated.\u00a0 Anti-bac hand sanitiser is your friend.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t

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7. When Things Go Wrong<\/strong><\/p>

Your Camino experience is unlikely to be a total walk in the park.\u00a0 Things can and do go wrong.\u00a0 Adapting and rolling with the punches is the best approach.\u00a0<\/p>

On a small scale, watch out for Sunday nights.\u00a0 Despite the numerous hungry cash-carrying pilgrims heading through the towns looking for a feed, many restaurants and supermarkets close on Sundays.\u00a0 So plan ahead and don’t get stuck like we did, in the middle of nowhere, famished after a 22 km hike with only nuts and a pot noodle for dinner.<\/p>

On a slightly larger scale, I had to suck up my pride and adapt.\u00a0 After 10 days, just as we were about to hit the Meseta, my achilles started to give me grief.\u00a0 Each day it got progressively worse with my pace dropping to about 2 km an hour.\u00a0 Gutted at the thought of not being able to finish, I took a curveball option and decided to bike the Meseta, whilst Steve continued to walk.\u00a0 It added a new dimension to my Camino, giving my feet a rest but creating aches and pains in new places!\u00a0 It was fun and challenging despite the supposed flatness of the Meseta.\u00a0 I also got a couple of rest days in Le\u00f3n waiting for Steve to catch up.\u00a0 By then my achilles problem had eased off, and the chance of finishing the Camino seemed possible again.<\/p>

My advice is don’t beat yourself up if you need to adapt – hire the bike, ship your pack, take the bus.\u00a0 Do what you need to do.\u00a0 It’s not a competition with anyone else or yourself.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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8. Emotional Rollercoaster<\/strong>\u00a0<\/p>

One thing that is hard to prepare for is the emotional rollercoaster you may feel as you walk day after day.\u00a0 Camino wisdom states that you will go through three stages as you progress along the trail – physical, emotional, and spiritual. No doubt it is different for everyone, but for me, it was physical, physical, physical!\u00a0 It is hard to stop your brain from dwelling on every little ache, pain or niggle.\u00a0 Every. Single. Day. In the end, I just accepted this for what it was, which allowed me to focus on everything else around me.\u00a0 The undulating countryside, the farming villages, the bustling cities.<\/p>

That said, I did have the odd emotional experience.\u00a0 Usually, when walking alone along the alternative tracks.\u00a0 Solitude has a way of allowing our deepest thoughts to surface for consideration.\u00a0 It’s good to get yourself some alone time, even if you are walking with a friend or partner.<\/p>

As for the spiritual side, this only hit home as we limped into the plaza in front of the Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela on day 37.\u00a0 A heady mix of emotions collectively shared by grinning pilgrims sunning themselves in little groups scattered across the square. Intoxicating.<\/p>

Whatever your journey brings, keep your mind and heart open.\u00a0 Walking the Camino de Santiago will be one of the best things you have ever done.\u00a0 You will find yourself dreaming of returning to enjoy the simplicity of walk, eat, sleep, day after day.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t

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Buen Camino!\u00a0<\/b><\/p>

Please note that some of these are affiliate links, so we earn a small amount if you buy anything through them, at no extra cost to you. Thank you for supporting this site!<\/em><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Planning your first Camino de Santiago can be quite daunting. These not-so-typical tips will get you started and take away some of your first-timer nerves.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":25,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"elementor_header_footer","format":"standard","meta":{"site-sidebar-layout":"default","site-content-layout":"","ast-site-content-layout":"default","site-content-style":"default","site-sidebar-style":"default","ast-global-header-display":"","ast-banner-title-visibility":"","ast-main-header-display":"","ast-hfb-above-header-display":"","ast-hfb-below-header-display":"","ast-hfb-mobile-header-display":"","site-post-title":"","ast-breadcrumbs-content":"","ast-featured-img":"","footer-sml-layout":"","ast-disable-related-posts":"","theme-transparent-header-meta":"","adv-header-id-meta":"","stick-header-meta":"","header-above-stick-meta":"","header-main-stick-meta":"","header-below-stick-meta":"","astra-migrate-meta-layouts":"default","ast-page-background-enabled":"default","ast-page-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"ast-content-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"footnotes":""},"categories":[711,29],"tags":[712,706,707,710,261,156,709,262,708],"class_list":["post-926","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-camino-de-santiago","category-travel","tag-camino","tag-camino-de-santiago","tag-camino-frances","tag-first-timers","tag-hiking","tag-spain","tag-tips","tag-walking","tag-walking-the-camino"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/2checkingout.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/926"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/2checkingout.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/2checkingout.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/2checkingout.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/2checkingout.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=926"}],"version-history":[{"count":9,"href":"https:\/\/2checkingout.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/926\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":973,"href":"https:\/\/2checkingout.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/926\/revisions\/973"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/2checkingout.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/25"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/2checkingout.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=926"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/2checkingout.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=926"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/2checkingout.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=926"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}