Santiago de Compostela Travel Forum

I'm thinking of walking part of this route with a friend in the summer. We aren't sprightly old codgers, although we are over 60, but fit, kinda. We're thinking of walking a fortnight. Is 20km a day a realistic target? If we want to end in Santiago, where should we think of starting? Is there a better forum for this?

There's lots of info, maps, detail and a dedicated forum (very new though) here:

http://www.caminodesantiago.me.uk/

20km is around 10 miles, innit? In which case, as long as you are ok with the heat, it should be ok. You'll maybe need to get ready for a few weeks before though, perhaps 2/3 miles a day or so. You could plan in a rest day or two along the way.

I know my first few proper 'walking' days can leave me very tired &, sometimes, achy (depending on how much i've been walking beforehand); preparing a bit would help, I think. It's useful for sorting out/breaking in footwear too.

Maybe invest in a 'platypus' rather than carry water bottles. It's a rather nifty plastic bag which goes in your backpack, with a tube you suck from as and when it suits. Less hassle and more comfortable to carry.

Sounds like a really enjoyable thing to do.

Better calculate your metrics or you'll end up walking too long distances :-)
20 kms is nearly 12.5 miles.
1 mile = 1.6 km

I am full of admiration though. Even at planning it, let alone walking! :-)

This is the best website, I've been studying it for years:

http://www.pilgrimage-to-santiago.com/

It has a really great forum. Also it will tell you all about distances, albergos, blisters, pack weights etc. really anything you want to know is there. Look no further. I have actually met up with people who have walked the camino and whom I met through this website.
I have driven the Camino and it is really fabulous. It has always been my dream to walk it but my health won't allow it. In any event my travel buddy will be walking it in September, 2009 from Jean-Pied-de-Port in the South of France along the Frances way and all being well I intend to be in Compostela to meet him when he gets there. How envious I am of anyone who has this fabulous experience. Most pilgrims do a minimum of thirty kms a day as the ideal is to do it in around thirty days from St Jean. Go to it and have a ball.

Just to make it clear - I'm not a pilgrim, I just want to get a long way from the Chinese Olympics!

30Km a day sounds like pushing too hard - we might manage that for one day but not thirty consecutive. Anyway we really only want to do a couple of weeks. At a gentlemanly pace!

Thanks, leics, that website looks like what I want, at first glance. I thought there might be something better in VT than the Santiago forum.

Hi have you started walking or maybe you have finished
beginning in Leon
20Km is very realistic, this could even include about 2 to 3 rest days if needed

mag oz (camino Dreamer )

i am also a 60+, read about the Pilgrimage a few years back and now studying the routes and resources with an attempt within 18 months, probably Sept 2009 or even 2010 during the July crunch ;-)))

May I give some advice as someone who has walked it? If you can avoid, do not go in July, there are way too many people and instead of enjoying the walk it will end up being a rush to get a bed in the albergue.

The perfect time, people and temperaturewise, would be end of May - beginning of June or the second half of September and October. Unless Fortuna decides to be totally blind and mean, like last year, the weather is perfect for walking.

20 km per day are perfectly feasible even for non trained people, you'll find that you end up doing between 25 and 30 km very leisurely and relaxed after a couple of days training.
A MUST: the most lightweight backpack you can manage. There will be lists in most forums which give ideas.

And if you want away from too many people but have to go during high season, then you might want to think about alternative routes, such as the camino del norte, camino della plata or camino de madrid.

I'd be more than happy to give you more information.

Utreia y buen camino