Walking the Camino de Santiago

Ms. Jo, you've chosen an interesting challenge. I was on a RS tour there In the Basque Country two years ago. We visited Pamplona and walked a couple of miles of the Camino. The trail from Pamplona heads uphill for a couple of miles, then goes downhill over rocks for a while. We got rain and hail on our brief walk, so go prepared with rain gear and decent footwear. The landscape was green with wheat or oat crops and the temperature was mild in May. There are books dedicated to providing info about walking the Camino. If you watch the movie "The Way," you might get some idea about the reality of the experience. Most of the people I saw in the hostel/cafe where we stopped seemed fairly young, and were from various countries. I would recommend taking a good supply of cash in small denominations for food purchases and lodging expenses.

In Pamplona, visit the cafe where Hemingway and his pals hung out. It is amazingly well preserved. The only addition I noticed was a TV high up overhead. The cafe is on the big square not far from City Hall.

Please return to this site and report on your Camino experiences. I was tempted to try it myself, but have limited mobility now.

Hello Ms Jo -

I am several years older than you Jo, but I too have been thinking a lot about walking the Camino. If I do so, it will probably be next year, in the spring. The traditional starting point for the French Way (which I assume from your post is the Camino you intend to walk) is across the border in France. It can be reached from Pamplona by bus or even taxi.

You mentioned registering for a Camino Forum. Could you please either post it or PM that website info to me?

Buen Camino,
Jack

RyanAir flies from Santiago de Compostela to Hahn airport, if you don't need to return to Madrid (which would be 6 hours by day train or overnight train still available at this time).

View the Martian Sheen movie "The Way".
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1441912/
A father heads overseas to recover the body of his estranged son who died while traveling the "El camino de Santiago," and decides to take the pilgrimage himself.
Good scenery. Interesting story where the people are bigger than the scenery.

Jo,

I imagine you've already been browsing sites related to the Camino de Santiago, so are probably familiar with many of them. A movie on the walk was released last year, and it featured a couple of older guys from this area (one of whom I know). Here's some information.....

http://www.princesscinemas.com/movie/walking-the-camino-six-ways-to-santiago

It may be possible to watch the movie online (not sure).

Lufthansa fly direct Frankfurt-Bilbao to give you an alternative to Madrid.

When do you plan to go? I will be doing the same next May (and for the same reason)!

Here is a post that someone wrote called celebrate your retirement and walk the Camino - http://www.caminoadventures.com/celebrate-your-retirement/

I am over 50 and have walked the main route that you are talking about twice, the Camino Frances, and then walked the Le Puy Camino - which is quite different, but just as enjoyable.

Regarding your choice of flights, if you are starting in Pamplona rather than St Jean Pied de Port or Roncesvalles, then Madrid is the way to go. If you start before Pamplona then maybe, depending on cost, consider Biarritz. Getting from Santiago back to Madrid is really easy and a nice journey.

I would plan on going during the shoulder season, April, May, September or October. During these months it is not so hot and it is much less busy. During July and Aug it can be very hot and sometime difficult to get a bed for the night - which was fine when I was 20 - not now.

Buen Camino

Thanks for all the responses. Plan now is to go the last week of Sept. and through Oct. I didn't really feel like starting in France and walking over the Pyrenees, which is why I chose Pamplona and then walk on through to Finesterre after Santiago.

Since St. Leonhards in Frankfurt is part of the Jakobs Way trail here in Germany, have been rather familiar with it for a long time. Watched "The Way" a few months ago and just decided to go do this thing.

Reading this forum which I have now joined.
http://www.caminodesantiago.org.uk/
and this website:
http://www.caminosantiagodecompostela.com/

Purchased my hiking boots this afternoon. Now to start breaking them in tomorrow. Shouldn't take long, I racked up 14 km today, or 206 km this past month. Love my Fitbit.

Ms. Jo, the film that Ken referenced is worth watching, we were able to stream it on Amazon here in the U.S.

Our daughter just completed her solo Camino a few weeks ago, starting at Leon and going to the coast at Finistierre. She used the John Brierly book, which is excellent. Do note that there have been some issues reported of harassment of female walkers in the area just west of Astorga, best to walk in a group through there. Otherwise the only advice I will give is to walk, walk, walk, a lot, with a loaded pack, in your new boots before setting off. There is an interesting looking book by David Downie called Paris to the Pyrenees, in it he documents his journey, setting off from Tour Saint-Jacques in Paris. Downie wrote the very enjoyable Paris, Paris.

Jo,

One of the points I noted when speaking with my friend, is that it's a good idea to pack some Moleskin or Band-Aids.

Re your feet – at the first sign of foot trouble or discomfort STOP and adjust your shoes, don’t keep going. Once a blister starts you’re in trouble and that’s what you don’t want, never let a blister develop.

Take the time to wear your boots in and learn to adjust them for the best feel.

If you are unlucky enough to develop a blister use these - Compeed Blister Plasters, they come in various shapes and sizes and they are the best. Buy a couple of packets and leave where you can get them easily. You can buy them in Spain at a chemist shop or they may be available in the US.

Having your feet in good condition is so important, whenever you have a break take time to take your boots and socks off & massage your feet at every opportunity. At the end of the day really lavish attention on them – it will pay off.

Buon Camino

Mounted police to patrol Spain's Camino de Santiago amid security fears

http://www.theguardian.com/world/2015/aug/11/mounted-police-patrol-spain-camino-de-santiago-security-fears

Thanks for the link, it is a common theme on the Camino forums and I will do my best to be aware and safe. Good reason to use walking sticks!

Flight purchased today Frankfurt to Pamplona on 21 Sept. and then return from Madrid on 31 Oct. Going with Iberia Airlines so hope this works out ok.

Gear is being purchased, so far I have a Deuter 35+10 l. backpack, Meru ultra-light sleeping bag (860gr.) light hiking pants, 2 light shirts, Swiss Army knife, long fleece jacket, and a silk money belt. Walking lots of km. in my Meindl boots almost every day even tho this heat wave makes it tougher. They got to see Limburg on Tues.

Just as an update. Everything is ready to go and I fly on the 21st, all gear is purchased, have put about 260 km on my boots walking 10-15 km at a time (with no blisters), weight of back pack and everything in it including water, is about 7 kg or so. German Jakobs Weg book purchased, (available in English on Kindle if you have one of those) and the excellent English map sold on this Camino forum:
https://www.caminodesantiago.me/community/
From the same forum, I was able to purchase my Pilgrim credential and the plastic cover for it.
There are a lot of FB pages about walking the Camino, so joined one for Americans and from there found one that is for women, called the Buddy System. Thus, women who are walking alone, have the chance to meet up with other women for safety reasons if they desire. Meeting one of the women from this FB page my first night in Pamplona, where we will be staying in a cute, budget pension where singles run just 20 €.

Such a lot of great information on all of those sites about feet, packing, random questions, bedbugs, alberques, and more.

How exciting. Best of luck to you, Jo! I hope you will post a trip report. I would love to hear all about it.

Auf Wiedersehen! Will be back on the forum in November. Trip report is a given.

Ciao Jo. Take care. Thinking of you and looking forward to your report.

Good luck! You can do this! I hope you're going to be posting on FB. I hope to follow your adventure.