5-6 day walk -- The Camino Ingles
Nov 8th, 2008, 03:20 AM
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5-6 day walk -- The Camino Ingles
Hi, I know there have been some recent posts here about walking the Camino Frances, the most popular Camino de Santiago (I'm thinking especially of aduchamp's wife's report). I know that 30+ days walking 25 km a day may be daunting to some, so I thought I'd post a recommendation for a much shorter, much less crowded Camino, the so-called Camino Ingles (named the English Way because it starts at El Ferrol, where many of the boats of medieval English pilgrims landed).
My husband is not as avid a walker as I, so we decided that a tame introduction to Camino walking would be this 120 km route from El Ferrol to Santiago. We broke it into 6 days of walking, and on two of those days my husband caught a bus or a taxi to our final destination because he wasn't up for 30 kilometers. The scenery is very nice, especially in the beginning when you're near or along the coast. There are accommodations that, while not luxurious, are perfectly adequate and cheap. All you need is a backpack with a change of clothes in it, some toiletries, and some foot medication -- and oh yes, rain gear! We were lucky to only have one morning with a few rainy periods, but this part of Spain does get a fair amount of rain. The way is marked with yellow arrows, and the Confraternity of St. James, www.csj.org.uk sells a very detailed accurate guide of the walk for four pounds I believe. I’ve had a bunch of these guides sent to me from the Confraternity – very reasonable shipping charges, and the books arrive in a very short time.
Well, to start – I would recommend a day of sightseeing in A Coruna before starting to walk. We spent a very nice day enjoying the old town, the seafood, the fort, the walk on the water, the tower. It’s a very lovely city, really worth a leisurely day. The next day we took a bus to Ferrol and also spent the afternoon “seeing the sights” such as they are. Not as pleasant a place as A Coruna by any means. I was surprised not to find any mention of Franco anywhere, seeing as it’s his birthplace. The tourist office there will give you your official “Credential”, which is your "pilgrim's passport," which you get stamped along the way. And then, if you desire an official Compostela and have walked at least 100 km, you take this passport to the Pilgrim’s Office in Santiago. At the Ferrol tourist office, you can also get a good couple of booklets on the Way and some instructions on getting out of town.
Here are the stages we walked, distances are approximate:
Day 1 – El Ferrol to Neda (stayed in Pension in Neda)
Day 2 – Neda to Pontedeume 18 km (Pension Luis, 40E for two)
Day 3 – Pontedeume to Betanzos, 22 km (Hotel San Roque, special pilgrim price of 63.70 E)
Day 4– Betanzos to Meson do Vento, 31 km (Pension O Meson Novo, 26 E)
Day 5 – Meson do Vento – Sigueiro, anywhere between 22 and 27 km (Hostal Miras, 32 E)
Day 6 – Sigueiro – Santiago, 16 km (Hotel Costa Vella, 60 E)
We did a short 12 km day on our first day, to Neda, and another 13 or 14 the next day to Pontedeume. Many would do that in one day, it’s a very do-able day’s goal. Much of it is spent alongside the water, my only complaint is that it was virtually all pavement. That’s true for the first three days, there are very few parts of the path that are off-road, unfortunately.
A few comments on each day, high points and low points:
Day 1 – We didn’t start walking till about 6 pm, because the tourist office opens at 5:30 and we needed to get our Credential there. Very nice walk around the bay, on the Avenida del Mar. There is a wide paved walkway, and lots of residents were out walking at that time of day. Everything is very well marked. Luckily it was still summer, and we arrived just as it was getting dark into Neda.
Day 2 – We went through lots of small towns on our way to Pontedeume, mostly on paved roads, but all very pleasant. This was a very easy walk, we arrived in Cabanas (a beach town about 1-2 km from Pontedeume) around lunch time and had a picnic on a bench under a pine tree. This beaach is a popular Spanish resort, not many, if any foreigners. Pontedeume is just a stone’s throw across a long bridge, it’s a small town with a few things to see. I walked another 8 km to go up to see a romanesque church San Miguel de Breamo, a beautiful walk with views down to the bay.
Day 3 – A very nice day of walking. Nice wooded paths, near some rivers, some nice bay views. We had a coffee in Mino (sorry, I can’t put in the tilde), about 3 hours outside of Pontedeume. My husband had been thinking he’d take a bus from here to Betanzos, but decided to keep on walking a bit, there are regular buses, though. About 3-4 km later, in Vinas (again, tilde over the n), there was a bus stop and a bus coming in about an hour. So I walked the last 6 km or so on my own, a few ups and downs on small roads. We had reservations at the Hotel San Roque, which is a few minutes’ walk from the main tourist part. It’s very comfortable, nice bar/cafeteria. We spent the afternoon visiting the several gothic churches, walking through the old quarter, and the unusual “Indianos park” built by some loyal local men who made their fortune in America and came home to build a park in Betanzos.
Day 4 – This was the longest day, but that was offset somewhat by the fact that it was the first day with a large amount of off-road walking, either on grassy paths or through forests and meadows. But far too many eucalyptus for my taste. At about 18 km, we came to the Bar Julia, the owner called my husband a cab, and I went on for the last 13 km or so. This was where the one elevation gain comes, but it really wan’t much of anything. It was pleasant, and took me into the town of Hospital de Bruma. There is a very nice pilgrims’ albergue here, it was an old farmhouse renovated for walkers’ accommodations. The man in charge was very gabby and very helpful – too bad we couldn’t stay here but we had made the decision to leave the sleeping bags at home, so the albergue wasn’t an option. I walked another 2-3 km on to Meson do Vento where my husband was already napping in the pension. This town is right on some main road into Santiago, and there are many ATMs, bars, grocery stores, everything a pilgrim could need!
Day 5 – This day’s walk went through some nice small towns and villages. We bought bread and pastries from a traveling bread truck and some fruit from a traveling fruit and vegetable vendor. We had some rain (heavy for about 45 minutes, but we were able to take cover for part of that time in a bus stop. The last 5 or 6 km were on a wide track through forest land, easy walking, nice and shaded most of the time. We arrived in Sigueiro in late afternoon, stayed at the only place in town, the Hostal Miras (which would not make it onto Maribel’s list of recommended places, but it had beds, a bathroom down the hall, and usually electricity). Sigueiro isn’t much of a town, but it had the facilities we needed and we did have a good tapas dinner in a bar near the pension.
Day 6 – into Santiago. Walking into Santiago, since it’s a fairly large city, always involves walking through some kind of outskirts – if you’re lucky, you go through the residential outskirts (Camino Portugues, Camino Frances), but this Camino takes you through the industrial park. Nothing too horrible, and there were several bars/cafeterias scattered in there. The first 6-8 km were surprisingly rural, though, very nice. This is an easy walk, and we were in Santiago in plenty of time to enjoy the late afternoon and evening. The Hotel Costa Vella is right on the path into the cathedral, and I had stayed there before, so we were happy to learn they had rooms. I’m sure others have mentioned this hotel, it’s got a lovely garden with outdoor seating and the bar serves out there. It’s a very pretty place and well located. It has opened a more upscale sister hotel, the Altair, a few doors away. In contrast to the traditional Costa Vella, with flower pots and wooden furnishings, the Altair is sleek and shiny and minimalist. I didn’t see the rooms (just went there to use their internet, which the Costa Vella doesn’t have), but I’m sure they are nice.
Though the scenery may differ from one Camino to another, the routine is always the same – get up and hopefully have coffee before walking; walk/rest/snack/eat till your destination; take off pack, wash clothes, shower, put on clean clothes, shop for food for the next day, walk around to see the sights, to bed early, and the next day it starts all over again. On this camino we were not disturbed by the rustling of plastic bags so prevalent on the Camino Frances as people get up and get going as early as 5:30, if you can believe that. So that’s one advantage, but the downside is that we didn’t meet any other walkers, and that’s always one of the nicest parts of the Camino for me.
I think this is a very nice 5 or 6 day walk (you could easily combine our days 1 and 2 into one day). I don’t think it really gives you the flavor of the Camino, but the towns of Pontedeume and Betanzos are both very nice and not heavily touristed.
We did this walk in late August-early September. In October, I walked another Camino, this time mostly by myself. I actually combined two Caminos, the Camino del Salvador (Leon to Oviedo), and the Camino Primitivo (Oviedo to Santiago). These route can be done in a total of about 14-15 days, but it's easy to break up some of the days into two shorter stages. I have notes on those walks as well, and would be happy to post if anyone is interested.
Buen camino, Laurie
My husband is not as avid a walker as I, so we decided that a tame introduction to Camino walking would be this 120 km route from El Ferrol to Santiago. We broke it into 6 days of walking, and on two of those days my husband caught a bus or a taxi to our final destination because he wasn't up for 30 kilometers. The scenery is very nice, especially in the beginning when you're near or along the coast. There are accommodations that, while not luxurious, are perfectly adequate and cheap. All you need is a backpack with a change of clothes in it, some toiletries, and some foot medication -- and oh yes, rain gear! We were lucky to only have one morning with a few rainy periods, but this part of Spain does get a fair amount of rain. The way is marked with yellow arrows, and the Confraternity of St. James, www.csj.org.uk sells a very detailed accurate guide of the walk for four pounds I believe. I’ve had a bunch of these guides sent to me from the Confraternity – very reasonable shipping charges, and the books arrive in a very short time.
Well, to start – I would recommend a day of sightseeing in A Coruna before starting to walk. We spent a very nice day enjoying the old town, the seafood, the fort, the walk on the water, the tower. It’s a very lovely city, really worth a leisurely day. The next day we took a bus to Ferrol and also spent the afternoon “seeing the sights” such as they are. Not as pleasant a place as A Coruna by any means. I was surprised not to find any mention of Franco anywhere, seeing as it’s his birthplace. The tourist office there will give you your official “Credential”, which is your "pilgrim's passport," which you get stamped along the way. And then, if you desire an official Compostela and have walked at least 100 km, you take this passport to the Pilgrim’s Office in Santiago. At the Ferrol tourist office, you can also get a good couple of booklets on the Way and some instructions on getting out of town.
Here are the stages we walked, distances are approximate:
Day 1 – El Ferrol to Neda (stayed in Pension in Neda)
Day 2 – Neda to Pontedeume 18 km (Pension Luis, 40E for two)
Day 3 – Pontedeume to Betanzos, 22 km (Hotel San Roque, special pilgrim price of 63.70 E)
Day 4– Betanzos to Meson do Vento, 31 km (Pension O Meson Novo, 26 E)
Day 5 – Meson do Vento – Sigueiro, anywhere between 22 and 27 km (Hostal Miras, 32 E)
Day 6 – Sigueiro – Santiago, 16 km (Hotel Costa Vella, 60 E)
We did a short 12 km day on our first day, to Neda, and another 13 or 14 the next day to Pontedeume. Many would do that in one day, it’s a very do-able day’s goal. Much of it is spent alongside the water, my only complaint is that it was virtually all pavement. That’s true for the first three days, there are very few parts of the path that are off-road, unfortunately.
A few comments on each day, high points and low points:
Day 1 – We didn’t start walking till about 6 pm, because the tourist office opens at 5:30 and we needed to get our Credential there. Very nice walk around the bay, on the Avenida del Mar. There is a wide paved walkway, and lots of residents were out walking at that time of day. Everything is very well marked. Luckily it was still summer, and we arrived just as it was getting dark into Neda.
Day 2 – We went through lots of small towns on our way to Pontedeume, mostly on paved roads, but all very pleasant. This was a very easy walk, we arrived in Cabanas (a beach town about 1-2 km from Pontedeume) around lunch time and had a picnic on a bench under a pine tree. This beaach is a popular Spanish resort, not many, if any foreigners. Pontedeume is just a stone’s throw across a long bridge, it’s a small town with a few things to see. I walked another 8 km to go up to see a romanesque church San Miguel de Breamo, a beautiful walk with views down to the bay.
Day 3 – A very nice day of walking. Nice wooded paths, near some rivers, some nice bay views. We had a coffee in Mino (sorry, I can’t put in the tilde), about 3 hours outside of Pontedeume. My husband had been thinking he’d take a bus from here to Betanzos, but decided to keep on walking a bit, there are regular buses, though. About 3-4 km later, in Vinas (again, tilde over the n), there was a bus stop and a bus coming in about an hour. So I walked the last 6 km or so on my own, a few ups and downs on small roads. We had reservations at the Hotel San Roque, which is a few minutes’ walk from the main tourist part. It’s very comfortable, nice bar/cafeteria. We spent the afternoon visiting the several gothic churches, walking through the old quarter, and the unusual “Indianos park” built by some loyal local men who made their fortune in America and came home to build a park in Betanzos.
Day 4 – This was the longest day, but that was offset somewhat by the fact that it was the first day with a large amount of off-road walking, either on grassy paths or through forests and meadows. But far too many eucalyptus for my taste. At about 18 km, we came to the Bar Julia, the owner called my husband a cab, and I went on for the last 13 km or so. This was where the one elevation gain comes, but it really wan’t much of anything. It was pleasant, and took me into the town of Hospital de Bruma. There is a very nice pilgrims’ albergue here, it was an old farmhouse renovated for walkers’ accommodations. The man in charge was very gabby and very helpful – too bad we couldn’t stay here but we had made the decision to leave the sleeping bags at home, so the albergue wasn’t an option. I walked another 2-3 km on to Meson do Vento where my husband was already napping in the pension. This town is right on some main road into Santiago, and there are many ATMs, bars, grocery stores, everything a pilgrim could need!
Day 5 – This day’s walk went through some nice small towns and villages. We bought bread and pastries from a traveling bread truck and some fruit from a traveling fruit and vegetable vendor. We had some rain (heavy for about 45 minutes, but we were able to take cover for part of that time in a bus stop. The last 5 or 6 km were on a wide track through forest land, easy walking, nice and shaded most of the time. We arrived in Sigueiro in late afternoon, stayed at the only place in town, the Hostal Miras (which would not make it onto Maribel’s list of recommended places, but it had beds, a bathroom down the hall, and usually electricity). Sigueiro isn’t much of a town, but it had the facilities we needed and we did have a good tapas dinner in a bar near the pension.
Day 6 – into Santiago. Walking into Santiago, since it’s a fairly large city, always involves walking through some kind of outskirts – if you’re lucky, you go through the residential outskirts (Camino Portugues, Camino Frances), but this Camino takes you through the industrial park. Nothing too horrible, and there were several bars/cafeterias scattered in there. The first 6-8 km were surprisingly rural, though, very nice. This is an easy walk, and we were in Santiago in plenty of time to enjoy the late afternoon and evening. The Hotel Costa Vella is right on the path into the cathedral, and I had stayed there before, so we were happy to learn they had rooms. I’m sure others have mentioned this hotel, it’s got a lovely garden with outdoor seating and the bar serves out there. It’s a very pretty place and well located. It has opened a more upscale sister hotel, the Altair, a few doors away. In contrast to the traditional Costa Vella, with flower pots and wooden furnishings, the Altair is sleek and shiny and minimalist. I didn’t see the rooms (just went there to use their internet, which the Costa Vella doesn’t have), but I’m sure they are nice.
Though the scenery may differ from one Camino to another, the routine is always the same – get up and hopefully have coffee before walking; walk/rest/snack/eat till your destination; take off pack, wash clothes, shower, put on clean clothes, shop for food for the next day, walk around to see the sights, to bed early, and the next day it starts all over again. On this camino we were not disturbed by the rustling of plastic bags so prevalent on the Camino Frances as people get up and get going as early as 5:30, if you can believe that. So that’s one advantage, but the downside is that we didn’t meet any other walkers, and that’s always one of the nicest parts of the Camino for me.
I think this is a very nice 5 or 6 day walk (you could easily combine our days 1 and 2 into one day). I don’t think it really gives you the flavor of the Camino, but the towns of Pontedeume and Betanzos are both very nice and not heavily touristed.
We did this walk in late August-early September. In October, I walked another Camino, this time mostly by myself. I actually combined two Caminos, the Camino del Salvador (Leon to Oviedo), and the Camino Primitivo (Oviedo to Santiago). These route can be done in a total of about 14-15 days, but it's easy to break up some of the days into two shorter stages. I have notes on those walks as well, and would be happy to post if anyone is interested.
Buen camino, Laurie
Nov 8th, 2008, 12:44 PM
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Hi Laurie,
Thanks for posting this. I would be interested in your other walks as well if you have time to write about them.
Thanks for posting the places you stayed. Are the towns you stayed the recommended ones for lodging, restaurants, groceries, etc. You mention albergos. Are they like pensions or like refugios (dormatories)? Do you speak Spanish and can you get by without knowing any Spanish?
I'm not getting any younger so I think if I'm going to do a walk like this I'd better stop just thinking about it and start doing it soon.
Thanks for posting this. I would be interested in your other walks as well if you have time to write about them.
Thanks for posting the places you stayed. Are the towns you stayed the recommended ones for lodging, restaurants, groceries, etc. You mention albergos. Are they like pensions or like refugios (dormatories)? Do you speak Spanish and can you get by without knowing any Spanish?
I'm not getting any younger so I think if I'm going to do a walk like this I'd better stop just thinking about it and start doing it soon.
Nov 9th, 2008, 11:21 AM
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We stayed at the places we did, both because of the distances but also because they were in many places the only options. There are many small villages without many facilities. Albergues are places where only walkers ("pilgrims"
can stay. You need a document called a credencial that you get when you start (we got ours in Ferrol at the tourist office).
I do speak Spanish, and I think that walking the Camino Ingles with no Spanish would be a challenge -- doable, but a challenge.
Here's something about accommodations I copied from an online guidebook:
On the Ferrol arm of the route there are currently albergues in Neda, Miño and Hospital de Bruma - these have been established through the enthusiasm of local Amigos Associations rather than an overall plan of accommodation needs on this route. This is only now emerging. Therefore most modern pilgrims use the following stages using hostal or hotel accommodation at each stage or either hostal accommodation or the excellent albergue at Hospital de Bruma:
Ferrol – Pontedeume25 kms
Pontedeume – Betanzos 20 kms
Betanzos – Hospital de Bruma 29 kms
Hospital de Bruma –Sigüeiro 24 kms
Sigüeiro – Santiago de Compostela 16 kms
For those wishing to use albergues:
Ferrol – Neda – 11kms
Neda – Miño – 27 kms
Betanzos (planned from September 2009). 9 kms from Miño
Miño – Hospital de Bruma – 38 kms
Laurie
can stay. You need a document called a credencial that you get when you start (we got ours in Ferrol at the tourist office).I do speak Spanish, and I think that walking the Camino Ingles with no Spanish would be a challenge -- doable, but a challenge.
Here's something about accommodations I copied from an online guidebook:
On the Ferrol arm of the route there are currently albergues in Neda, Miño and Hospital de Bruma - these have been established through the enthusiasm of local Amigos Associations rather than an overall plan of accommodation needs on this route. This is only now emerging. Therefore most modern pilgrims use the following stages using hostal or hotel accommodation at each stage or either hostal accommodation or the excellent albergue at Hospital de Bruma:
Ferrol – Pontedeume25 kms
Pontedeume – Betanzos 20 kms
Betanzos – Hospital de Bruma 29 kms
Hospital de Bruma –Sigüeiro 24 kms
Sigüeiro – Santiago de Compostela 16 kms
For those wishing to use albergues:
Ferrol – Neda – 11kms
Neda – Miño – 27 kms
Betanzos (planned from September 2009). 9 kms from Miño
Miño – Hospital de Bruma – 38 kms
Laurie
Nov 10th, 2008, 02:22 PM
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I LOVED this trip report! lreynold, thank you for taking the time and posting this awesome info. This is on my List of MUST DO and I am so glad to learn on alternatives to El Camino Frances. Please I hope is not too much to ask to please post about Camino del Salvador and Camino Primitivo. There are many outfits that would provide baggage transfer type service for the last 100 Kms; did you made advance hotel reservations?
Nov 11th, 2008, 12:08 AM
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Hi, Viajero2,
Glad that this report might be of some help to you. I'm actually not sure if there are a lot of companies that carry baggage on these lesser traveled Caminos. Cabs will do it of course, I think that longer distance cab rides in Spain tend to be about 1E a km. Not cheap, but if several share the cost of transporting packs, it wouldn't be outrageous. You'd be surprised, though, at how little you need -- I think my pack was around 7 kilos. One change of clothes, small containers of essential toiletries, rain gear, camera, and foot stuff (moleskin, bandages, etc.).
As far as accommodations, we didn't make any reservations except for our first night in A Coruna before we started walking. I don't think it's necessary on these secondary Caminos. And, if you stay in albergues (the pilgrims' hostels), no reservations are possible in those that are run by municipalities or other Camino associations or religious orders. In the private, for profit albergues, reservations can be made, but there are very few of those on the three Caminos I'm talking about.
I have finished my reports on the other Caminos and will post them separately. I will then try to link them to this report for easier access. Laurie
Glad that this report might be of some help to you. I'm actually not sure if there are a lot of companies that carry baggage on these lesser traveled Caminos. Cabs will do it of course, I think that longer distance cab rides in Spain tend to be about 1E a km. Not cheap, but if several share the cost of transporting packs, it wouldn't be outrageous. You'd be surprised, though, at how little you need -- I think my pack was around 7 kilos. One change of clothes, small containers of essential toiletries, rain gear, camera, and foot stuff (moleskin, bandages, etc.).
As far as accommodations, we didn't make any reservations except for our first night in A Coruna before we started walking. I don't think it's necessary on these secondary Caminos. And, if you stay in albergues (the pilgrims' hostels), no reservations are possible in those that are run by municipalities or other Camino associations or religious orders. In the private, for profit albergues, reservations can be made, but there are very few of those on the three Caminos I'm talking about.
I have finished my reports on the other Caminos and will post them separately. I will then try to link them to this report for easier access. Laurie
Nov 12th, 2008, 07:41 AM
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laurie-- did you do any physical training specially for this trip? I am a very active jogger (Track & Field Team in HS and College, mind you... 
), but still feel a bit intimidated by the physical demand El Camino(s) represents. Do you mind talking a bit about footwear, etc...Thanks Girl!
), but still feel a bit intimidated by the physical demand El Camino(s) represents. Do you mind talking a bit about footwear, etc...Thanks Girl!
Nov 12th, 2008, 10:58 AM
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Hi, Viajero2,
I walked my first Camino from Roncesvalles to Santiago in May 2000 -- to celebrate my 50th birthday. I trained a lot for the first walk. Over the course of many months, I did a 12 mile hike once a week (the only place near my home in Illinois with any elevation gain has a 12 mile loop, so that's what I did) with a fully packed backpack. This in addition to my regular workouts -- I do an hour on the elliptical every day at my gym. I did not have any problems that came from lack of stamina or strength, and since then I have never done any camino-specific training, just keeping at my regular routine.
Most of the walkers you will meet are Europeans who have never set foot inside a gym but for whom lots of walking is a normal part of their lives. So I guess I'd say that if you are in good shape and exercise regularly, a lot of practice Camino walking isn't necessary. Having said that, every time I walk I meet people who have to stop because they are not physically up to the challenge, but they are usually people who had not been exercising regularly. There are not many days with a lot of elevation gain, but there is plenty of up and down, but nothing too hard for someone in good shape.
But I don't think you can prepare for the stress and toll this will put on your joints, your knees, your feet. 800 or more km is a LOT of steps. On my second Camino, I got the equivalent of carpal tunnel in one of my feet, tarsal tunnel it's called, and the podiatrist said it was a not surprising reaction to the repetitive stress of however many million footstrikes you will take in one Camino. What I have done since then is go to great lengths to avoid pavement walking -- if there's a tiny narrow earth shoulder, I'll try to stay on it. I also ice my feet at the end of the day (I found that bars/cafes are always happy to give me a bag of ice to plunk my feet on while I sit outside and have a drink). With those two precautions, I haven't had any more heel problems, knock on wood. I also (though I never tell my European walker friends, because they would all be very disapproving) take 6-8 200 mg ibuprophen a day while walking and for a few days afterward. I know there are many who know a lot more about medicine than I do who think this is outrageous and risky, but I have never had any of the typical reactions, and my doctor told me that she thinks it's fine. So since I like that opinion, I won't seek a second one.
Aside from the bad luck of a fall or other injury, things like tendonitis,knee pain, and disgustingly oozy enormous blisters are common. Taking good care of your feet is the single most important daily task, I think. I always take my shoes and socks off for at least two 20 minute breaks during the day. I use Sportslick (some use vaseline) daily, and I make sure to get moleskin on top of any little hot spot I start to feel before it develops into a blister. Even so, I'm never blister-free.
Footwear is a perennial topic on the board at pilgrimage-to-santiago.com and you will see as many opinions as there are types of shoes. It's a very personal thing -- some walk in flip flops, some walk in heavy leather boots, and you'll see everything in between. Trial and error and a little bit of luck will give you the perfect shoe. I used to use regular Mephisto or Vasque hiking boots, but have recently switched to a low, more "shoe like" North Face that I love.
I don't think anyone who was a college athlete and is still fit should be intimidated by the physical challenge. If you plan your trip so that you have a couple of days for rest or short distances if you need them, and listen to your body, you'll be fine. I have met people in their 70s, even 80s, walking the Camino -- they walk far fewer km per day than everyone else, but they can do it. And so can you! Laurie
I walked my first Camino from Roncesvalles to Santiago in May 2000 -- to celebrate my 50th birthday. I trained a lot for the first walk. Over the course of many months, I did a 12 mile hike once a week (the only place near my home in Illinois with any elevation gain has a 12 mile loop, so that's what I did) with a fully packed backpack. This in addition to my regular workouts -- I do an hour on the elliptical every day at my gym. I did not have any problems that came from lack of stamina or strength, and since then I have never done any camino-specific training, just keeping at my regular routine.
Most of the walkers you will meet are Europeans who have never set foot inside a gym but for whom lots of walking is a normal part of their lives. So I guess I'd say that if you are in good shape and exercise regularly, a lot of practice Camino walking isn't necessary. Having said that, every time I walk I meet people who have to stop because they are not physically up to the challenge, but they are usually people who had not been exercising regularly. There are not many days with a lot of elevation gain, but there is plenty of up and down, but nothing too hard for someone in good shape.
But I don't think you can prepare for the stress and toll this will put on your joints, your knees, your feet. 800 or more km is a LOT of steps. On my second Camino, I got the equivalent of carpal tunnel in one of my feet, tarsal tunnel it's called, and the podiatrist said it was a not surprising reaction to the repetitive stress of however many million footstrikes you will take in one Camino. What I have done since then is go to great lengths to avoid pavement walking -- if there's a tiny narrow earth shoulder, I'll try to stay on it. I also ice my feet at the end of the day (I found that bars/cafes are always happy to give me a bag of ice to plunk my feet on while I sit outside and have a drink). With those two precautions, I haven't had any more heel problems, knock on wood. I also (though I never tell my European walker friends, because they would all be very disapproving) take 6-8 200 mg ibuprophen a day while walking and for a few days afterward. I know there are many who know a lot more about medicine than I do who think this is outrageous and risky, but I have never had any of the typical reactions, and my doctor told me that she thinks it's fine. So since I like that opinion, I won't seek a second one.
Aside from the bad luck of a fall or other injury, things like tendonitis,knee pain, and disgustingly oozy enormous blisters are common. Taking good care of your feet is the single most important daily task, I think. I always take my shoes and socks off for at least two 20 minute breaks during the day. I use Sportslick (some use vaseline) daily, and I make sure to get moleskin on top of any little hot spot I start to feel before it develops into a blister. Even so, I'm never blister-free.
Footwear is a perennial topic on the board at pilgrimage-to-santiago.com and you will see as many opinions as there are types of shoes. It's a very personal thing -- some walk in flip flops, some walk in heavy leather boots, and you'll see everything in between. Trial and error and a little bit of luck will give you the perfect shoe. I used to use regular Mephisto or Vasque hiking boots, but have recently switched to a low, more "shoe like" North Face that I love.
I don't think anyone who was a college athlete and is still fit should be intimidated by the physical challenge. If you plan your trip so that you have a couple of days for rest or short distances if you need them, and listen to your body, you'll be fine. I have met people in their 70s, even 80s, walking the Camino -- they walk far fewer km per day than everyone else, but they can do it. And so can you! Laurie
Nov 12th, 2008, 03:43 PM
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More great information Laurie. Thanks so much! And thanks for the to the camino forum.
To link to another thread on this board:
- Open another browser sessions for fodors forum
- Find and open the thread to link to
- Right click on title (in right hand window)
- Click on "copy shortcut"
- Paste link into originating thread
Here's a link to the Camino Primitivo to keep them together.
http://www.fodors.com/forums/threads...p;tid=35166695
To link to another thread on this board:
- Open another browser sessions for fodors forum
- Find and open the thread to link to
- Right click on title (in right hand window)
- Click on "copy shortcut"
- Paste link into originating thread
Here's a link to the Camino Primitivo to keep them together.
http://www.fodors.com/forums/threads...p;tid=35166695
Nov 13th, 2008, 12:29 AM
#12
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Thanks for the instructions on copying. I will now try to put a link here to my report on the Camino del Salvador. It's a four or five day walk between Leon and Oviedo, at which point you can hook up with the Camino Primitivo in Oviedo and continue on to Santiago.
I forgot to tag the report with "spain" so it may otherwise get lost.
http://www.fodors.com/forums/pgMessa...&start=150
I'll keep my fingers crossed that I did it right. Thanks for the help, guys. Laurie
I forgot to tag the report with "spain" so it may otherwise get lost.
http://www.fodors.com/forums/pgMessa...&start=150
I'll keep my fingers crossed that I did it right. Thanks for the help, guys. Laurie
Nov 13th, 2008, 04:07 AM
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Hi Laurie,
Your link to the Camino del Salvador did work. I'm glad you included the link as I had missed that report. Now that you've become an expert in linking, can you link the Salvador walk to the other two walks please.
Your link to the Camino del Salvador did work. I'm glad you included the link as I had missed that report. Now that you've become an expert in linking, can you link the Salvador walk to the other two walks please.
