[Estados De Facebook Forever Alone
Amancio Mccrae
This 800 kilometre trek through the picturesque landscapes, culminates at the Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela. Its a journey that demands physical stamina but rewards you with a spiritual and emotional experience like no other.
The Camino de Santiago offers walkers an array of accommodation options to suit all budgets. There are caveats to this though, the lesser known routes will offer fewer options. Along the Camino Frances, the Portuguese, the Norte and the Primitivo there are choices and accommodation is generally plentiful, with a few exceptions.
Albergue offer basic accommodation at very reasonable rates. Much like hostels, you will probably sleep in bunk beds and quality can vary. There will also be rules such as when the door gets locked at night!
The Alojamiento Rural is usually a traditional house, usually found in a more rural setting. Casa Rurales are ideal for those looking to experience a little slice of authentic Spanish life, they are usually family-run, offer a homely atmosphere and often provide traditional Spanish cuisine. Some also offer services such as laundry at a small extra cost.
Parador Hotels are a chain of luxurious and historic Spanish hotels, usually found in older castles, palaces, monasteries or fortresses. They are owned and run by the government and offer a really unique experience. If you have the chance I thoroughly recommend a night in one!
Along the Frances, there is a Parador in Leon (featured in the film The Way), another in the centre of Santo Domingo de Calzada which is also wonderful (I stay here with my groups) and another in Santiago de Compostela, which books very quickly.
John Brierley is considered an authority on the modern Camino; indeed it is his recommended stages that most people follow today. The influence of these stages cannot be understated; you only need to see the accommodation choices at stage ends to see this.
No book list would be complete without a mention of my dear friend Maggie. I walked over 1000 kilometres with Maggie along the Via de la Plata and our lives will be forever joined. I met her on my second Camino Frances in 2015 and we became firm friends.
Solitude though is not a bad thing, many pilgrims seek this and many people prefer to hike alone. When deciding on which route you hike the time of year you walk will very much dictate your route choice due to the popularity at certain times.
I have started the Camino alone many times but ended the walk with a handful of now life long friends. Walking alone gives you freedom to choose where to sleep, when to rest, when to be quiet, when to get up, when to eat or when go to bed. And in that quiet space many people find a freedom on the Camino.
There is no right or wrong way to walk. Gerry is my favourite walking buddy and I LOVE our hikes and gosh I love walking with my groups. Alone or with friends you will find joy in this glorious route.
The most challenging aspect of your planning will be your accommodation. I have stayed in albergue with families with toddlers and babies and this option is totally possible, but I would recommend that you book ahead to ensure that you have the beds and the space that you need.
If you are travelling in a larger family group you may wish to reserve your accommodation in advance to ensure that everyone gets a bed. I will only walk with a group when all beds have been booked in advance. I understand that this can take away a little of the Camino spontaneity but it also offers peace of mind to larger groups.
Physically the best way to prepare for the Camino is to walk. I know that sounds a little simplistic but the best way to prepare is to get walking. There are many groups online that offer advice and support too. I would like to stress though that not all the advice online is good and not all of the advice online is true. So be discerning.
When I lead a group I recommend a training plan of between 8 to12 weeks but the longer you have then the more conditioned your body will be and the easier your hike will be. So if you plan to walk next year, use the year to get fit!
Consider how you will cope with tiredness, a different diet, missing home, not able to communicate. All of these factors will test you so thinking about them in advance can help you develop coping strategies.
This is personal choice. You can walk as fast or as slow as you like. There is no hard and fast rule about how much you walk each day but a great many people stick to the Brierley stages (roughly) and others opt to walk about 20 kilometres each day.
If you are booking onward flights, I recommend that you allow a few extra days for contingencies such as blisters or illness too. Being away from home for so long on such a long journey will inevitably throw you a few surprises, so if you can spare time, allow for this.
Again this is a totally a personal choice but the average will be between 20-25 kilometres, depending on the terrain, the weather conditions and your overall walking speed. Certainly on routes such as the Camino Frances, you can break the walking distances down to much shorter or longer distances.
Before I walked my first Camino I had never walked 20 kilometres in my life. My plan was to walk between 15 to 20 kilometres a day and yet by day 5 I was walking 26 and then 28 kilometres. I surprised myself; my training and eventually finding the right shoes paid off and I was at ease with those distances.
For those with very little money to spare, there are Donativo albergue. They exist specifically for pilgrims who genuinely cannot afford a bed and need financial assistance in order to complete their pilgrimage.
If you opt to stay in a Donativo but if you can afford to stay in a hotel, the correct payment should be what you would have paid for you hotel. The idea is that whatever money is collected today, will be in the pot for tomorrow.
One very real safety concern that is often overlooked is that of road safety and hazards underfoot. Many pilgrims feel so at ease with their walking that they sometimes forget that they may be walking on a road. Make sure you keep good road-sense about you, be on the look out for traffic, take care when crossing the road and generally remember that on rural roads cars may be travelling at speed.
I never recommend walking in the dark. I know that some folks like to start early to avoid the heat of the day but you are limiting your vision. Tree roots, uneven pavements and lose gravel could mean that your biggest danger is tripping; and a fall can certainly end your Camino.
I also hear pilgrims saying the water causes problems. Can I state that it is absolutely fine to drink tap water in Spain! There are also many drinking fountains and if they are marked as suitable for drinking then they will be.
Remember to drink plenty of water every day to avoid dehydration and do protect yourself from the hot sun. We love our Tilley Hats and I would not have completed the Via de la Plata without my UV umbrella.
Finally, we also forget folks get sick when walking the Camino de Santiago. Colds and bugs spread easily in shared bedrooms. If you are feeling unwell then it might be wise to spend a night in a hotel or a private room and rest for a day. Give yourself a chance to recover and help prevent the spread of illness between other pilgrims and staff.
Be honest about your ability and your time constraints and plan accordingly. Some routes are less strenuous than others. The Meseta on the Camino Frances is ideal for those looking for something a little less physical and the coastal Portuguese Camino offers a less demanding route.
You can make the Camino as difficult or as less strenuous as you want. I recommend that you take your time, walk at a pace that suits you, walk shorter days, take rest days and simply enjoy the beautiful Spanish countryside. If you know that this is how you wish to walk then plan accordingly and slow down.
If you are planning to carry your gear on your back then you will want a pack with hip and chest straps to distribute the weight evenly. A 40-liter backpack should suffice, although some folks are happy with 30 litres. Your pack should be waterproof or at the very least have a rain cover.
Your first decision will be are you having luggage transported? Once you know what kind of pack you need and for what purpose you should try on lots of different packs, and remember to wear the cloths you plan to wear on the Camino. Go into shops and ask them to add weight to the pack. A good shop will be able to measure you to ascertain the right pack. Try on several and see what feels most comfortable.
My first Camino almost ended after a few days because my boots were too heavy and too snug. I had blisters on blisters and I had to stop for two days to let them heal. I had no idea at that stage if I could continue onwards and for a little while had to contemplate the idea of just going home.
Some very popular brands include Altra, Salomon, Merrell, Hoka One One, New Balance and La Sportiva but if you have a standard width shoe and no oddities then there are plentiful options for you to test. I have a very wide foot and I have worn and loved :
For example, St Jean Pied de Port can get very busy and you should always reserve in advance. I like to break day one from St Jean Pied de Port to Roncesvalles and there is very limited accommodation in the mountains. I also very much recommend that you book your accommodation at Roncesvalles and the for the following 2 days
Even if you wish to be flexible with your bookings, booking just one day ahead can also give you peace of mind. Otherwise, you might find yourself having to walk on. On quieter routes and during low season it should be less busy but you may wish to call ahead to check the accommodation is open.
Hiking the Camino de Santiago is an amazing experience that will test you both physically and mentally. Your journey will be peppered with breath taking views, moments of self-reflection, and interactions with pilgrims from all over the world.
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