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Before You Begin

1. 1. • This post does mostly refer to the Camino Frances in the northern part of Spain, as it is the one I would recommend for your first walk of that kind. Yes, it is the most popular one and can therefore be a good bit busier. But the advantage this brings with it is that the infrastructure is amazing, which is something you want if you haven’t done anything like this before.
      • The focus of this post is not on the spiritual/religious aspect of the Camino. If this is a deal-breaker, you might as well stop reading here. But I hope that it’s not and that you will take something away from this.

OK, now that that’s out of the way, let’s get started.

Benefits of a Long-Distance Walk/Pilgrimage

• plenty of exercise
• fresh air
• social media/screen downtime
• it is meditative
• you learn a lot about yourself

Just to name a few.

It can be strenuous at times, sure. But believe me, I have never before been as relaxed (as an adult) as I was after my four weeks were up.

Below you will find the three most important decisions you want to make or boxes you want to check off before you go ahead with any further planning, like flights, etc.

3 Must-knows before you start your Camino de Santiago Preparation:

#1 – What does your doctor say? Go and get a Health Check first.

We are not talking about a walk around the block here.

And, in case you are within my target group, you are past your 45th birthday.

So please, be sensible and have a chat with your doctor about your plans to make sure you will not have a rude awakening en route.

She (he) can give you the go-ahead so you can go ahead with peace of mind. And if not, that’s even more reason to be glad you went for that check-up.

It has unfortunately happened quite a few times pilgrims passed away on the Camino because of health issues, which a check-up could have detected.

Your doctor can also give you some valuable advice on how to prepare for the walk and how to stay healthy along the way. Things to look out for, like signs of your body telling you that something is off and/or general health dangers an undertaking like this could bring along.

Here are a few examples of pilgrims I have met who had a medical condition of some sort:

Challenge:
A (now) friend I met on my second day was told by his doctor that he should not be carrying a backpack due to issues he had with his back. So what did he do?

Solution:
He got a pull cart, which solved the problem. It had a harness that went around his upper body and handles like on a wheelbarrow to give it more stability when needed. Problem solved. And believe me, everybody knew him along the way. His yellow pull cart was the perfect ice-breaker and made it, aside from his open and gentle personality, super easy to approach him.

Challenge:
This lovely lady from Virginia I met had a stress fracture on her foot. She got the go-ahead but wasn’t able to carry all her things on her.

Solution:
Instead, she had it forwarded to the next accommodation every day. This is a service that is provided along the Camino Frances.

Challenge:
The same for a German gentleman who only recently had a hip replacement. There was no way he could have walked 30 km/18mls. and carry all his belongings.

Solution:
The distances he walked were a good bit shorter than those of most other pilgrims. He “only” walked about 10km/6mls a day. And he too had his pack transferred.

Kudos to all three of them (and all the others in similar situations I didn’t meet)! They did what they could do to make the walk possible.

# 2 – Will you walk it solo or with (a) companion(s)

In my opinion, this decision is crucial.

We all have our individual reasons to go on that walk.

To make sure you get the best experience possible, you want to be very clear about whether you want to go it solo or would rather have some company.

For me, this had changed over time from when I first heard about it until I actually made the decision to walk it. And only due to a good portion of luck, I managed not to step on anyone’s toes regarding one of those decisions.

At first, I wanted to walk with my friends.

Two of my friends had walked the Camino. Their stories and experiences fascinated me. This would be something I’d like to do one day. It sounded like it would be a real challenge. Especially for someone like me who is not that much into sports and exercising. But I enjoy walking.

Hmm, who knows, maybe it would be something the girls and I could do. All the time we would have for properly catching up, having great laughs, and exchanging thoughts and views. And, of course, very important: All the lovely wine and food that we would have. Bliss.

So, I mentioned it to a few friends. They liked the idea. When we got together, it came up now and then. We all confirmed that we still wanted to do it one day.

And that’s as close as we got. None of us actually did anything about it. We were all caught up in our individual lives. And so it remained what it was, an idea. Until…

A few years down the road, the thought popped up in my head again – out of nowhere. Or so it seemed. Only this time, it stuck with me. My good old subconscious mind apparently had plans for me.

It felt like I was hooked and reeled in by some mysterious force (sounds cheesy; I know). Closer and closer. With every passing day, I thought about it more and more. But what was that?

Then I wanted to go solo.

I wanted to go alone. No friends, no husband, only me.

I had no explanation for any of it, the strength of the pull, the fact that there was no question about going it alone. I only knew that I would do this and that I would do it by myself. My mind was made up, and that was that.

So, think about it long and hard before you commit to anything to avoid possible disappointments.

It’s just as well that my friends and I never made any real plans. Otherwise, I would have been in a bit of a pickle.

Walking it Solo as a Woman

My answer to this is: Absolutely! Why wouldn’t I?

Luckily, my husband is very laid back when it comes to my traveling ideas.

I guess it was a bit odd at first since it would leave us (no, me) with little to no paid holidays for a proper vacation together. But when he realized how important this was to me, he was very supportive. 

I heard a lot of “What? Why would you want to do something like this on your own? All the things that could happen. Especially to a woman.” Or my husband was asked, “So, who is she going with? Surely you wouldn’t let her (!) be doing this on her own.”

It hadn’t crossed my mind that it might not be safe until it was mentioned to me/us. But then again, I was never one to worry much when it came to walking home alone in the dark or going anywhere on my own. There’s only one exception to this. That was when I was 17 and tricked into watching a horror movie at the cinema. For a while, after that, I was useless when I was alone in the dark. Other than that, I don’t really worry about it.

When reading up on it, I came across a few different articles saying that it was a lot safer to walk the Camino alone than it would be to walk along the streets of any city by yourself. This was down to the area in general, not being dangerous, and a certain camaraderie among pilgrims. Everyone kind of looks out for each other.

So I didn’t see a problem there. I would apply the usual common sense travel safety rules and be fine. Let’s face it, total security is an illusion, anyway. All we can do is our best to stay safe without cutting out all the fun from our lives. Here are some great tips on traveling solo.

Having said that, it is not for everyone. I get that. Not only for security reasons. And it doesn’t have to be. But hey, different strokes for different folks.

The PROs and CONs of Going Solo or with Company

Going solo:

PRO:

Freedom

This was probably the most appealing one for me. You alone are calling the shots.

No need to agree with anyone on where to stop for the night (with the exception of the host of course) or where to have a break for food/coffee/wine/sight-seeing, which route to take when there were more options. Anything. I never had that kind of freedom before for such a long time.

There was always someone I would consider when making a decision like that. Or I would feel bad in case I forgot, or simply messed up. Yes, it happened more times than I care to admit. But this would be totally different. There would be no one I would have to answer to and no one would expect me to be anywhere at a certain time. Again. Bliss!!!!

Time to think and just be

You get loads of time to think through whatever it is you want to figure out. If you want to have some me-time to do some thinking or to just be, you can have it. And if you are up for some company, you will come across loads of lovely people to have great chats or deep conversations with.

You are more likely to meet/get to talk to a friend you haven’t met yet

That is my experience anyway. When I was walking alone, I got to meet other pilgrims and sometimes walked with them for a while, depending on the vibes. No, you will not be best friends with everyone you meet on the Camino and that’s OK. There were even characters I couldn’t get away from fast enough. And I am convinced that some felt that way about me. And that’s fine.

However, when I was walking with someone or in a group which was the case for part of my walk, I didn’t get to meet/chat with people outside this companionship that much. I guess it’s the same principle as it would be at a bar: It is much easier to approach a stranger who is on her/his own than it is if they’re there with a group.

Your chances to find a bed are higher during busy times. 

OK, walking as a duet might not decimate those chances too much, but walking as a group sure does. And I know from experience.

It happened to me when I was walking with a group of 5 for a few days. We were in this little town some 40 km/24 miles from León and were pretty beat at the end of that day.

There was only the odd bed available in the entire town. But not five and let alone five in the same hostel. That one host was a darling and even called hotels and hostels in the next few towns within 10 km/6 miles, but it was the same everywhere.

The next availability was in León. So, no way we would make it there on foot that day as it was already between 5 pm and 6 pm. Not even the younger and fitter ones in our group.

Right, I mentioned there was a train station. As luck would have it, there were no more trains for that day. That would have probably worked out cheaper as we ended up paying €70.00 + tip. It’s actually not too bad.

We ended up taking a taxi. Something that didn’t sit well with me. The only consolation was that I didn’t do it out of laziness.

So, had I been by myself, I would have had a place to stay in this town or the next for that night.

CON:

It can be a bit lonely

Do you enjoy a lot of time to yourself? No? If you have a hard time approaching others and rely on others to take the first step, it can get a bit lonely walking it solo. Especially when you see others getting along great, having what seems to be interesting conversations and great laughs.

Lack of sense of security

If you are not comfortable making decisions or walking long stretches all by yourself, you are probably better off going with someone else or even an organized group. It wouldn’t be my cup of tea at all, but not everybody is like me. And that’s a good thing.

Can be more expensive

This heavily depends on what you have in mind regarding your accommodations, food, drinking, necessities like toothpaste, shampoo, soap, detergent or even the odd taxi. And this is not where it ends. That’s just to give you an idea.

Walking with a companion/group:

PRO:

If you’re a bit of a worrier, prefer to follow over leading, and are not a fan of decision making, this is probably the way to go for you.

You might feel safer

It can feel safer walking with someone else. You will not have to worry as much about leaving your backpack unattended or ending up still walking after dusk because of a mishap.

Not as lonely

Are you one of those peeps who doesn’t like being on her own? By going with a companion or in a group, you will have nipped the chance of maybe getting lonely out there in the butt right away.

It could work out cheaper

You might share the cost for the occasional private room, for food and drinks you prepare at the hostels. You can share the cost and the weight of things like shampoo, soap, toothpaste, etc. And, should you (fingers crossed you won’t) hurt yourself, be pressed for time, or just have a lazy streak, you can share the cost for a taxi.

CONs:

Sacrifice of freedom

I know, this sounds dramatic, but this is a big one for me. You will have to take your companion’s needs and wishes into account. Sounds as if this is something bad, which it’s not. After all, you’d expect the same from her/him. However, it can be limiting at times. This can go from having a small break, taking a little detour to look at some sights along the way, whether to have the big meal during the day or at the end of it, how far you walk that day, all the way to where you will stay.

So make sure you talk about these things before you head off together. If you are a suitable match, this can be an amazing experience. If not, the entire trip can turn sour. I’ve heard of decade long friendships ending because things went south along the way.

Not as much time to think

Depending on who you are going with, you will probably have a lot less time to yourself. Unless you agree on giving each other as much space as you need.

Less likely to bond/get in touch with pilgrims outside your group

Walking with someone else or in a group makes it a bit “harder” for others to approach you. Of course, it all depends on how outgoing one is. But there will be some very interesting characters out there whom you will not meet because they will not approach you and you might not even be aware of their existence because you’re just too engaged in the interesting conversations you have with your peers.

I’m fairly sure meeting others is not one of the top reasons anyone would walk the Camino. However, in my experience, it added so much value that I thought I’d include it on the list. Just in case. It’s like the salt in your soup if you will. You eat the soup to still your hunger, but the salt in it makes it so much more enjoyable and interesting.

# 3 – What’s your budget and time allowance?

What’s your budget for this adventure?

How much time can you/do you want to invest in this?

Do you have two weeks and €2,000 at the ready? If so, you can really live it up.

But if you have six weeks and want to go the whole 800 km/500 miles from St. Jean Pied de Port to Santiago on a budget of approx. €800 (not including the flight) that’s a different story. It’s doable, but you will most likely spend six weeks of very, very, very basic living.

Therefore, you want to give this some extra thought. Do you have those six weeks at your disposal next year as well? Would you be willing to wait that long and save up some more money to have more choices? Maybe you want to split it up into two three-week-trips or three two-week-trips.

Or, would you consider saving the two weeks you have and wait until next year to accumulate the paid holidays in order to give you a longer experience and still live comfortably during that time? Given, of course, that’s an option.

Only you know your priorities and what’s most important to you.

I had 4 weeks and €1,5oo to spend, including the flight, excluding the gear I had to get. I was comfortable with the occasional single room (like once a week) and mostly having “menus del día”, but nothing too fancy.

In case you were wondering if being Catholic is mandatory to walk the Camino?

I never thought about this until I found a discussion on the forum at Caminodesantiago.me.

To be honest, I was rather surprised to see that there are folks out there who wouldn’t even have to think about it. For them, it is a clear “Yes, of course. If you’re not a practicing Catholic, you have no business on the Camino.”

To me, that was not a very Christian approach.

Only then did I ask myself: Would I be an intruder? I was christened Catholic but am not practicing it.

After that inner debate went on for a while, I decided that this would not determine whether I will go. If someone has a problem with it, it’s their problem, not mine. And that’s that.

I generally strive to be a good person. The live-and-let-live, treat-others-the-way-you-want-to-be-treated kind. I love helping people, treat them with respect and try not to hurt anyone. That would have to do.

I never had one weird or unpleasant encounter on my whole way.

Helpful Sources of Information

Online forum

Since I’m an E (in case you are familiar with the Myers Briggs typology system) I needed to talk about my upcoming adventure a lot. Like almost. All. The. Time.

Had I gone with someone else, they would be the ones I would have been talking about it to. But in this case, my husband had the prime seat in my audience.

I have to hand it to him. He had the patience of an angel. But he’s only human and therefore has his limits.

So for the sake of our marriage, I had to look elsewhere. I had to make sure I had more than one person onto whom I could unload my verbal Camino diarrhea 🙂

That’s how I came across my favorite Camino forum.

There are loads of them out there. The one I found invaluable is the one on www.caminodesantiago.me.

I learned most of what I needed to know (and then some) through this forum. Every question I had had already been asked and answered before.

And after a while, I felt like I have been there already. Sounds weird, I know.

Books

A really good book on how to prepare is “Camino de Santiago – Pilgrim Tips & Packing List” by Sybille Yates.

Again, there is a plethora of books out there. This and John Brierly’s guide were the most helpful ones for me personally.

Next steps in your Camino de Santiago preparation:

Right, since you’re still here, my guess is that you are planning to go on that walk. Or maybe I’m just such a compelling writer that you simply couldn’t stop 😉 If the former is the case, your next steps would be to:

• make an appointment with your doc to discuss your plans with him.
• check your finances and see how much money you have available to spend on this adventure.
• look into the time you can/want to afford to spend on it.
• think thoroughly about going on that walk solo, with (a) companion(s)
• read up on how to plan your first Camino here.

What about you?:

Are there any more things you would add to this list? I’d love to hear about it. So, please don’t be shy and let me know in the comments below.

Have a lovely day!

Rena xx