The Camino de Santiago is a compelling prospect for a summer sabbatical. It’s a network of routes with historic import, an opportunity to explore the wonders of Spain on foot, and a chance to marry adventure holiday tourism with something altogether more profound. But it’s all too easy to start preparing for such a trip without actually, meaningfully preparing for it.
Camino holidays are wondrous opportunities for exploration and reflection, but not something to be entered into lightly. There are many rookie errors awaiting in what could well be your first ever walking holiday – so read on to get some serious tips on how best to prepare for your own boutique Camino pilgrimage, in order to ensure the experience is enjoyable as can be from start to finish.
Packing Too Much
In what ought to come as a surprise to absolutely no one, one of the most common mistakes first-time walking vacationers – or, indeed, pilgrims, to make it a little more official – make is that of overpacking. The Camino de Santiago, whichever route you take, promises to be a serious physical effort, one which is not made any easier by the luggage you’ll be carrying along with you. Every pound counts, particularly when you’re several days in and exhausted.
The culprits for such unnecessary weight tend to be clothing, gadgets, and “just in case” items; it’s hard to kick the habit of overpacking when we’re so used to the convenience of public transport and a hotel base. The trick is to focus on essentials: enough clothing and underwear to last three days; the means to wash said clothes regularly; bare essential toiletries; key documents and payment cards; and a phone bank to keep your smartphone charged. A small, light first aid kit would also be a good idea!
Starting With Unrealistic Daily Distances
Ambition extends far beyond your rucksack when it comes to starting a pilgrimage, though. Your route, for instance, is often an opportunity to get overzealous. There’s no problem with being ambitious in plotting the route, but living it – and attempting consecutive days of high-mileage walking – may change your mind a little.
Planning a long trip is perfectly fine, of course! It would just benefit you to build a realistic itinerary for said trip, with manageable distances each day that enable you to enjoy the scenery, local culture and experience without unnecessary strain.
Wearing Untested Footwear
The Camino de Santiago may seem like the perfect excuse to invest in some new walking boots – and it is. The only problem is that many people with the same idea neglect to break them in first. Those people are always in for a nasty surprise (typically: blisters). If you are buying new footwear before you commence your trip, be sure to spend some time walking around in your chosen footwear well ahead of time, before departure, to ensure a comfortable fit.
Focusing Only on the Destination
Last but most certainly not least, while reaching your final destination is an exciting achievement, the Camino de Santiago is a journey – and is really about the journey, too. By becoming focused on completing the route, you miss the real reward along the way: the local villages, the fellow walkers and those incomparable landscapes.
