YOU on the Camino de Santiago Nancy @ The Camino Experience

YOU on the Camino de Santiago, that’s why we are here.
You, taking your first steps on the trail, full of excitement and anticipation, and perhaps feeling a little anxious about what lies ahead.
Imagine, you are in Saint Jean Pied de Port, France, or Porto, Portugal, or Oviedo, Spain, or wherever you will be starting your Camino walk. Backpack loaded, trail before you, and you, unsure of what is to come, yet somehow so determined to do this. researched, you’ve prepared, you’ve planned, you’ve packed, and you have tackled another of many hurdles: you have gotten yourself to your starting point.
Can you see it? Can you imagine yourself there? Imagine yourself full of emotions, maybe a little jet lagged, possibly hungry and wondering where to find breakfast. You probably know your destination for the day, but you’re not entirely sure how to get there.
You look around you and – thankfully – you are not alone: there are other pilgrims! They, like you, are eager to connect, make friends, and perhaps most important, not walk out of town alone.
How did you get there, to Saint Jean, or Porto, or Oviedo, or wherever you will be starting your Camino journey? How did you decide when to go, and which route to walk, and where to start on your chosen route? How did you end up there on your own, or with the group you will be walking with? How did you work out your budget or how far to walk that first day, and every day after? How do you know where to sleep and where to find food?
See, that first step you are going to take on the trail, leaving Saint Jean Pied de Port, or wherever, is by far and away, not the first step of your Camino journey.
I am here to talk with you about those first steps and all the steps you need to take to get you to your starting point and on your Way.
The goal of this podcast takes you from idea . . . to saying YES! . . . to your first steps on the Camino trail. Whether you will walk in Spain, France, or Portugal, this podcast gives you a planning roadmap and practical tips, plus heartwarming and helpful stories from others who, like you, are getting ready for their first-ever pilgrimage on the Camino.
HI, I’M NANCY REYNOLDS, GUIDE AND LONG-TIME PILGRIM ON THE CAMINO DE SANTIAGO IN SPAIN.
Are we meeting for the first time? Yay! Welcome to the “YOU on the Camino de Santiago” podcast! I’m glad you’re here. It will be my pleasure to walk with you as you plan and prepare to walk your chosen Camino route.
In case you’re wondering who I am and why I have so much to say about the Camino, you can learn more here.
 
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Would you like to share your experience of getting ready to walk the Camino de Santiago and receive some personalized guidance on your planning and preparations?
If you have not yet walked a Camino and would like to be a guest on this podcast, please let me know you are interested here.
I hope you enjoy the podcast!
~ Nancy
 
 


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In this episode we will explore some basic questions:

What is the Camino?

Why do people walk the Camino?

What does it mean to “do” the Camino?

And what is it like, what is the experience of walking the Camino?

And we will get personal – why would you walk the Camino? What experience are you seeking?

Pilgrim Grace Talks About Getting Ready to Walk the Caminho Português
Bed bugs, luggage transport, finding food . . . it's all part of the Camino experience! Join me for a conversation with soon-to-be-pilgrim Grace from Queens, New York, as she prepares to walk the Caminho Português.
The Caminho Português has become one of the most popular of the many Camino routes that lead to Santiago de Compostela. Who wouldn’t want to take a long walk through the countryside of Portugal?!
Grace will be stepping away from work for the typical two-week American vacation . . . but what she will be doing is anything but typical. And it probably will feel completely different from any other vacation Grace has taken.
YOUR Camino Pilgrimage
When will you walk the Camino de Santiago? Which route will you take? When you are ready to get ready, I would love to hear from you! Let’s make your dream of walking the Camino a reality.
Related: If you would like to learn more about the Caminho Português and ask some questions, check out this Facebook group.
 
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Selecting Your Boots & Socks for Your Walk on the Camino de Santiago
[For the Love of Your Feet (and Entire Body)]
If you are planning to walk the Camino de Santiago, you are going to be asking your feet to do something extraordinary. You are about to put them to the greatest test they likely will ever be put to.
How do you prepare your feet for this strenuous journey? With the right socks and boots, and more importantly, by getting your feet - and your body - fully acquainted with your Camino footwear.
Why is this discussion so important? I have some pretty beat up feet over the years. And I have heard numerous stories of pilgrims who had to get off their feet for several days while they waited for blisters to heal, throwing off their rhythm and schedule, while their friends walked on.
I’ve even heard of pilgrims who had to stop walking entirely, Camino over, because their blisters had become infected. So this isn’t a tutorial on how to care for blisters once you get them; rather, it’s a guide for how to prevent them in the first place.
A typical day on the Camino will have you walking for four to six hours. On your feet, moving, with breaks throughout the day. You will be carrying something – whether that’s a fully loaded backpack weighing 10-12% of your body weight, or a day pack with just a few pounds or a couple kilos.
You will be walking on a variety of surfaces. If you are walking the Camino Frances, about 30% of your walk will be on paved surfaces – which includes cobblestones, one and two lane country roads and motorways which are asphalt, plus sidewalks, and stairs, and a few old Roman bridges. The other 70% will be on unpaved surfaces which will include dirt, small rocks, scree, and gravel.
Some of these surfaces will be slippery, and many will be uphill or downhill. By the way, I got these statistics from the guidebook by John Brierley, so if you are walking a route other than the Camino Frances, you should be able to figure out the percentages for your route using that book.
You likely will be walking in different kinds of weather – it could be hot, cold, wet, and dry.
What does all this mean for selecting your boots for the Camino? Let’s find out in this episode of the “YOU on the Camino de Santiago” podcast.
Walking the Camino is About More Than Which Boots You Choose to Walk In
What will it be about for you? How do you discover and then honor what you want for your first-ever walk on the Camino de Santiago? Let’s explore that together and get you off on a great start for your Camino experience.
Related: It was years before I learned there were many different ways to lace up hiking boots to cater to the specific needs of your feet. Here is the link for the article on how to lace your hiking boots, as promised in this episode.
 
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Pilgrim Kathie Talks About Getting Ready to Walk the Camino Francés
What are your fears and concerns about walking the Camino? Pilgrim Kathie from Dallas, Texas, shares her pre-walk worries and also how she addresses the concerns of her husband and kids as she heads off on her own on a six-week, 500 mile adventure in France and Spain.
Kathie will be staying at Refuge Orisson her first night on the trail. The Refuge is located just under eight kilometers past Saint Jean Pied de Port, and features incredible views overlooking the Pyrenees Mountains. Advance reservations are highly recommended, and you can get yours on the Refuge Orisson website.
About two hours after Kathie leaves Refuge Orisson, on her second day of walking, she will come to the first of many highlights on this journey: the statue of the Virgin Mary, set off to the side of the trail. Why is this so significant to Kathie? Find out in this episode of the “YOU on the Camino de Santiago” podcast.
Related: What is the terrain like going over the Pyrenees mountains from Saint Jean Pied de Port? Find out here, in photos.
 
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When Is The Best Time To Walk The Camino . . . For You?
When people ask “when is the best time to walk the Camino”, what are they really asking? When is the best weather? When is it least crowded? When can I be certain to find food and a place to sleep? Yes, yes, and yes.
And at least as important is the question of when is the best – or right – time for you to walk the Camino, given your reasons for walking and what’s going on in your life. That’s why I think this question deserves more than just a discussion of weather patterns in Spain and Portugal.
The first thing I do when I am considering walking the Camino is break out my calendar. I look at upcoming birthdays, holidays, family events, work commitments, vacation plans, volunteer gigs, and things I don’t want to miss out on. With all of those, when can I get away to walk the Camino? And who do I need to talk to if I want to be away for an important day or event?
Sometimes the answers come easily. In March 2022 I found myself completely uncommitted. Find out why, what I did about it, and what questions you need to ask to determine the right – best – time for you to walk the Camino, in this episode of the “YOU on the Camino de Santiago” podcast.
How do you book trains and buses in Spain and France?
As promised, here are the websites I use to book my ground transportation to my Camino starting point and from my ending point back to my airport departure city.
*Note that train timetables and tickets sometimes are not available until 30 to 60 days before departure. To get an idea of what will be available on your travel date, check the same day of the week but within two to three weeks of today’s date.
To book trains within Spain
To book buses within Spain, specifically from Madrid to points on the Camino and from Pamplona to Saint Jean Pied de Port:
To book trains within France
To book trains and buses in Europe
Walking in the Winter
For those thinking of walking in the winter months, check out this resource from American pilgrim Anne Born: Buen Camino: Tips From a WINTER Pilgrim. You can buy the book by following this link to my ever-expanding guidebook and product page.
 
Related:  Want to know more about the Camino de Santiago and what it means to embark on this ancient pilgrimage?
 
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