Cancelling Camino - Soliciting Advice

[ctwillie]

Greetings all.

I was scheduled to start in Porto in a few days. Went for a 20 km hike yesterday (my longest thus far) and almost didn’t make it. By the time I got home, I could hardly walk.

There was about 1200ft of elevation gain but the weather was perfect. I could be in better shape to be sure.

My current schedule calls for 20-25 km/day. After yesterday, that’s not possible.

I am limited to 12 days on the Way. I guess the advice I’m looking for is do I just postpone til later in the year? Try to work with current schedule and just shorten my daily distance? Postpone and train harder to reach the 20-25 km mark?

Really, if you’ve been in this position, I’d love to hear your experiences. Pretty bummed right now.

Thanks in advance.

 

[trecile]

The easy and obvious solution is to start closer to Santiago.

And I find that since my only "job" on the Camino is to walk from point A to point B that I can walk farther on the Camino than I can at home where I have a dozen other tasks that I need to accomplish.

Plus I look at my day as a series of shorter walks with breaks in between. I'm not walking 20 or more km in one go.

 

[Flog]

Don't be too hard on yourself! Have you already booked accomodation? If not, there are enough options to do shorter stages from Porto. You could book the first few nights closer together and then just walk what you can each day and see how it pans out. If you're prepared to be flexible, there are easy enough bus/train connections you can catch along the way to get to your airport connection home afterwards. The Portuguese way from Porto is fairly flat for much of the way, especially the first days..

Or as Trecile suggested, start closer to Santiago.. from Vigo or Tui perhaps, to take some of the pressure off..

 

[trecile]

Look at starting from someplace like Ponte de Lima which would give you an average daily distance of about 13 km.

Edited to correct 23 km to 13 km

 

[Antnix1]

Personally I'd try to walk what i could, even if I didn't reach the destination in one go.

Does your route/budget allow you to split stages? I'm not familiar with the route you're walking -is there an easier camino you could do instead?

Other than the incline, was your 20km hike leisurely or did you try to rush it?

 

[oursonpolaire]

Walk what you can at a pace which suits you best. You may not be able to reach Santiago this time, but there is often another year to finish it-- this is very common practice among Europeans. Or, as others have sugggested, start closer to Santiago.

Unless your confessor wants you to experience suffering, there is no need to do the painful and/or impossible.

 

[trecile]

Here's a 12 day plan from Ponte de Lima with the longest stage being 16.88 km

 

[woody66]

I was scheduled to start in Porto in a few days. Went for a 20 km hike yesterday (my longest thus far) and almost didn’t make it. By the time I got home, I could hardly walk.

Hi!
Did you break up that walk; or did you walk the 20k without a rest stop or four along the way?

 

[sugargypsy]

When I walked the Camino Frances in 2019, I wasn't particularly physically fit either. I therefore walked shorter stages at the beginning, which gradually got longer. I also started in Pamplona instead of SJPdP, because I wasn't sure whether I'd make the climb up the Pyrenees. Twice, when my planned etappas were too long and I was exhausted, I took a bus.

If I were you, I would set off since you have planned everything and either start closer to SdC, as others have already suggested. Apart from that, there are only a few climbs on the Camino Portugues, unlike your trial walk yesterday. And you have the whole day to walk, no other tasks. That also makes a big difference.

Or, alternatively, depending on where you arrive, you could walk the Camino Ingles or Finisterre & Muxia as a shorter Camino to start with. Your time slot is definitely sufficient for those and you would be walking a "complete" Camino, if that is important to you. (It was for me on my first Camino).

 

[trecile]

Your time slot is definitely sufficient for those and you would be walking a "complete" Camino, if that is important to you

The Camino Portugués starts in Lisbon, so starting in Porto is no more "complete" than starting from Tui, Barcelos, or Ponte de Lima. A "complete" Camino is one that ends in Santiago de Compostela, and if you want to receive a Compostela at the end must be at least 100km. Starting points are mostly arbitrary.

 

[unadara]

When I started in Porto I was with a Portugese friend who wanted to meet up for a while so I walked and then took a Train/Metro back into Porto for 2 days in a row. That would mean you could take a Train/transport if you were too tired to walk on to Booked accommodation, However there is no 1200m rise on the Porto and I barely noticed the distances as the Coastal scenery was so beautiful. You may not plan to walk the Coastal Littoral but it is an option. Don't worry, I've decided to do 17km first day on my next walk and take things easier if beds allow.

 

[ctwillie]

Thanks so much for the feedback.

Sooooo, I liked the idea of knowing that I’d have a place to lay my head every night. I have already made reservations for all the nights based upon my old schedule.

I guess my bottom line decision is whether I want to do like so many others and make whatever reservations I can and take the chance that there will be a vacancy in places where I can’t make a reservation.

Thanks again.

 

[Tincatinker]

Greetings all.

I was scheduled to start in Porto in a few days. Went for a 20 km hike yesterday (my longest thus far) and almost didn’t make it. By the time I got home, I could hardly walk.

There was about 1200ft of elevation gain but the weather was perfect. I could be in better shape to be sure.

My current schedule calls for 20-25 km/day. After yesterday, that’s not possible.

I am limited to 12 days on the Way. I guess the advice I’m looking for is do I just postpone til later in the year? Try to work with current schedule and just shorten my daily distance? Postpone and train harder to reach the 20-25 km mark?

Really, if you’ve been in this position, I’d love to hear your experiences. Pretty bummed right now.

Thanks in advance.

Hmm. 20k hike and 360m ( I find it best to use only one scale of measurement) of elevation gain and, presumably 360m of descent which is usually harder on the legs than the ascent. That’s a pretty challenging hike.

How long did it take? How many bar breaks did you take? How much weight were you carrying? These are questions that will help others advise, but, if you’re not a seasoned hiker what you just did was bound to hurt. Why were you surprised?

You’ll be fine on the Portugueses. Nothing like those elevations, all day to walk, no rules against sitting down and resting for a bit…. No rules at all apart from the one about farting in the Albergue.

Relax, enjoy

 

[trecile]

Sooooo, I liked the idea of knowing that I’d have a place to lay my head every night. I have already made reservations for all the nights based upon my old schedule

You can cancel those reservations and make new ones. Or my preference would be to reserve the first two to three nights, then see how you are doing. You can then book a day or two ahead. But since you are concerned about covering the distances that you have planned I would definitely start closer to Santiago so that you can have a more relaxed walk.

 

[ctwillie]

Hmm. 20k hike and 360m ( I find it best to use only one scale of measurement) of elevation gain and, presumably 360m of descent which is usually harder on the legs than the ascent. That’s a pretty challenging hike.

How long did it take? How many bar breaks did you take? How much weight were you carrying? These are questions that will help others advise, but, if you’re not a seasoned hiker what you just did was bound to hurt. Why were you surprised?

You’ll be fine on the Portugueses. Nothing like those elevations, all day to walk, no rules against sitting down and resting for a bit…. No rules at all apart from the one about farting in the Albergue.

Relax, enjoy

Ok. I push myself. Took me five hours carrying 20lbs/9kg.

 

[trecile]

Took me five hours carrying 20lbs/9kg.

Lighten your load and take breaks!

 

[sugargypsy]

A "complete" Camino is one that ends in Santiago de Compostela, and if you want to receive a Compostela at the end must be at least 100km. Starting points are mostly arbitrary.

I know, that's why I've put the "complete" in quotation marks. Because for many people walking the Camino for the first time, it is often enough the case that they think they "have" to start at the usual starting points in order to arrive at SdC and get the Compostela, not knowing, that only the last 100 km are the important ones. That's why I wrote it respectively suggested it.

(I know how difficult it was for me to decide to start the CF in Pamplona instead of SJPdP.)

 

[KRA2018]

As has been said - it is the last 100 km that are important for the compostela. On my first week of the Norte I was so out of shape and it was tough. I stayed two days in markina and then taxied forward to Gernika to pick up the walk. A few days later I found my stride. Only you know if you are able to pace yourself and not afraid to rest or take the bus ( if you have accommodation booked). Take your time from Porto to Tui to find your pace, By time you get to the last 100km you will have hopefully got into a rhythm

 

[Tincatinker]

Ok. I push myself. Took me five hours carrying 20lbs/9kg.

Camino is a journey not a competition.

Take a serious look at your pack weight, unless you’re including water and lunch that’s heavy for a short hike in civilized country.

I can do that sort of distance and elevation in your timescale but I usually choose not to. 8 hours, a decent lunch break and stopping now and again just cos I can works better for me

 

[auburnfive]

You could also use a bag transport service for the first few days until you get your legs.

 

[J Willhaus]

@ctwillie ,
My husband and I walk don't walk long distances each day. Only about 16 km on average. Try not to be discouraged.

 

[ShoshTrvls]

I was not in the best shape for my first Camino, and was sick as well. You know what I did? I gave myself the grace to walk what I could, and took a cab to my accommodations when I got to the point of being miserable and couldn’t go any further. I did that three of six days. And I still had an amazing journey that I wouldn’t trade for anything.

 

[DoughnutANZ]

Ok. I push myself. Took me five hours carrying 20lbs/9kg.

Halve the weight that you are carrying. You don't need that stuff.

Start by walking 10-12 klms and listen to your body. If it is tired then stop and rest or stop for the day.

I don't like stopping until I have finished for the day but that is because I have arthritic joints and once my muscles are warm it is easier for me to just keep going rather than stop, cool off and have pain again until I warm up.

However, that would not be my advice to you and is not what most people do. Most people amble along at an easy pace, stopping for water, a chat, to take photos or for a coffee. Do this.

 

[dbier]

Thanks so much for the feedback.

Sooooo, I liked the idea of knowing that I’d have a place to lay my head every night. I have already made reservations for all the nights based upon my old schedule.

I guess my bottom line decision is whether I want to do like so many others and make whatever reservations I can and take the chance that there will be a vacancy in places where I can’t make a reservation.

Thanks again.

Ship your pack from place to place, if a service exists on your Camino.

 

[Simperegrina]

Please please don’t cancel

So many posts in reply, giving good advice

You don’t mention which route you’re doing from Porto - Central or Coastal?

Summarising options:

- ship your pack from accommodation to accommodation, so you’re only carrying a day pack. There are several companies that ship luggage in this way
- take things slowly - there’s no need to try to walk 4km/hr pace. Take plenty of stops. There’s absolutely no need to cover 20kms in 5 hours. It’s a journey, not a route march
- start out and see how you get on from day to day, with information to hand re public transport or taxis you can take to complete that day’s stage to your targeted stage end
- start closer to Santiago, eg Valenca or Tui

You mention the idea of pushing it back to later in the year…if you’re thinking summer, it will be a lot warmer. Would hotter temps be an issue for you? If you’re walking the Coastal, Jul and Aug would also mean a lot of holidaymakers in those Portuguese coastal beach towns.

But above all else, don’t be down-hearted! You can do this. As others have said, once you start walking, the excitement, the newness of the experience, the sights… it’s amazing how much you can surpass your own expectations of how far you can walk. Plus you’ll meet others because plenty of other people will be walking the route now, and there’s nothing like a chat with someone else as you walk, for those kms to fly by.

 

[Peterexpatkiwi]

@ctwillie , in July of last year I faced a similar dilemma. Just weeks before leaving I injured myself. Tickets paid for, the first couple of days booked. What to do?

In the end I went. I went not knowing if I could even walk the first day, let alone two weeks. I gave myself permission to quit, and just treat it as a holiday- to make the best of it in other words.

The first day I walked very, very slowly (for me). I took lot’s of breaks. And I took 9 hours to cover 20 kms - but cover it, I did. Every day after that things got better, I got faster, walked further. And I completed my Camino.

One advantage of having your accommodation booked, preferably just for the first couple of days, is that it doesn’t matter how long it takes you to get there.

Sure, you can push yourself until you drop - but why? Slow down, relax, enjoy.

Start slowly (15km or so) and take it from there. Take breaks - lots of them. There’s an excellent plan laid out for you by @trecile above, why not adopt the first few days of her plan, and then take it from there? You’ll get stronger as you walk, and your body gets used to the new reality.
The beauty of @trecile s plan is that you could easily combine days 6&7 for example, and still only walk 20km - or simply skip one of those early legs, to get you a day ahead. (earlier is better, you have to walk the last 100km if you want to earn your Compostela).

Consider the wise words of @DoughnutANZ , and try and shed a little of that 9kg pack weight. Although I personally prefer comfort over the bare minimum, so I’m happy with 7kg!

A couple of people have talked about baggage transfer- another advantage of having accommodation booked. Personally I carried mine, but had it been too hard, I would have definitely considered that, rather than quitting. Even if just for a day or two. (Hopefully you have a superlight daypack in your 9kg!)

You’ve had loads of encouragement and great suggestions, it’s your call!

 

[John Sikora]

Not sure I would cancel. First of all, the 1200 ft in elevation change is worth some k. If the change in altitude as a percent of walk is high that probably did you in.

The CP along the coast doesn't have anything near a 1200 ft up, so I wouldn't worry about that. The simplest solution would be to just walk. Plan a 2:00 PM village bail out where you can call a taxi from one of the local bars for each day. If you need it, use it. If not, just keep on walking.

 

[Camino Jim]

Greetings all.

I was scheduled to start in Porto in a few days. Went for a 20 km hike yesterday (my longest thus far) and almost didn’t make it. By the time I got home, I could hardly walk.

There was about 1200ft of elevation gain but the weather was perfect. I could be in better shape to be sure.

My current schedule calls for 20-25 km/day. After yesterday, that’s not possible.

I am limited to 12 days on the Way. I guess the advice I’m looking for is do I just postpone til later in the year? Try to work with current schedule and just shorten my daily distance? Postpone and train harder to reach the 20-25 km mark?

Really, if you’ve been in this position, I’d love to hear your experiences. Pretty bummed right now.

Thanks in advance.

It’s not how far nor how many days. You will love Spain and the Portuguese start in Biona, Vigo, Pontevedra it is an experience you’ll never regret

 

[LetItHappen]

How do you feel today? Are you more sore or less sore than yesterday? You did 20 km with a 20 lb pack in 5 hours that’s quite an accomplishment!

Along with all of the advice already given, I say keep your plans. Do you think you could do 20 km in 8 hours or 10 hours? Since you have accommodations booked, you can take your time. Definitely lighten your pack, you shouldn’t need 20 lbs of stuff.

 

[WayWalker]

Greetings all.

I was scheduled to start in Porto in a few days. Went for a 20 km hike yesterday (my longest thus far) and almost didn’t make it. By the time I got home, I could hardly walk.

There was about 1200ft of elevation gain but the weather was perfect. I could be in better shape to be sure.

My current schedule calls for 20-25 km/day. After yesterday, that’s not possible.

I am limited to 12 days on the Way. I guess the advice I’m looking for is do I just postpone til later in the year? Try to work with current schedule and just shorten my daily distance? Postpone and train harder to reach the 20-25 km mark?

Really, if you’ve been in this position, I’d love to hear your experiences. Pretty bummed right now.

Thanks in advance.

When I trained for the CF, I walked from my house to the next town where I live which is 20 kilometers with my pack. My mind filled with doubt when at the end of the day I asked myself if I could get up the next morning and do it again. Surely not and why would I even want to. The Camino turned out to be completely different. 4 different and even more difficult caminos later over the span of 10 years and another planned for summer, I have definitely learned that I am more capable than I ever gave myself credit for. You can get over this mind crunch. Lots of different variables. Bom caminho!

 

[Jodean]

Maybe walk up the coast for a few days then train to Valenca & finish from there. We did this in 2018 & it worked well

 

[Scoutbuff]

Caveat emptor... I have yet to do my Camino, but offer this perspective. While your recent training walk hurt and was difficult, you've demonstrated to yourself that you can bust out mileage at a very aggressive pace with a lot of weight and survive. I suggest that you think of this as a complete worst-case scenario and anything that you encounter on your Camino will be easier/better. Again, I've not done a Camino but an avid backpacker in Colorado. A day like you described is no small feat and you should feel some pride in what you did. Buen Camino!

 

[Rmarkob]

Maybe walk up the coast for a few days then train to Valenca & finish from there. We did this in 2018 & it worked well

My wife and I did something similar in July 2022 on the Coastal/Littoral. It was her first Camino (my second) and we soon learned her maximum comfortable daily distance, even with occasional bar/cafe/lunch breaks, was 20k due to long-term foot problems.

Our longest day until that point was 27k, which was too much for her. Once we recalculated our schedule for the lower distances, we realized we would need to leap-frog a section if we wanted to spend a couple of days in Santiago and take a side-trip to Finisterre and Muxia. So after reaching Vila Praia de Ancora, we took a bus to Valença the next morning and walked from there over the bridge to Spain. We still earned Compostelas, since we obtained two stamps per day from Valença onward. We also took a rest day in Pontevedra.

 

[Rex]

As I prepare to start another leg of the Via Francigena, I'm noting that my pack weight has dropped for each of the caminos I've done. Reduce that weight to 6 or 7kg and you'll be fine. Delayed onset muscle soreness (known as DOMS in the endurance fitness industry) is a feature of going too far too soon. It goes away in a couple of days and you'll find that the distance you did actually doesn't seem so bad if you do it again in two or three days.
The advice posted by everyone above is great: shorter stages, baggage transfer service, take a taxi/train/bus to the next town, stop and have a cerveza, etc... You got this!!
Buen camino!

 

[BarbaraW]

6 days before I was due to leave for Spain I found myself in great pain after doing just 12 miles. I have come nevertheless, with had two long but relaxed days on the train. I started walking yesterday and have done a couple of slow 10k days. Doing OK and enjoying stopping to smell the jasmine and wisteria. Go, and do as others have suggested. If you arrive early in Santiago you can always walk on to Finisterre.

 

[Gingerseed]

Greetings all.

I was scheduled to start in Porto in a few days. Went for a 20 km hike yesterday (my longest thus far) and almost didn’t make it. By the time I got home, I could hardly walk.

There was about 1200ft of elevation gain but the weather was perfect. I could be in better shape to be sure.

My current schedule calls for 20-25 km/day. After yesterday, that’s not possible.

I am limited to 12 days on the Way. I guess the advice I’m looking for is do I just postpone til later in the year? Try to work with current schedule and just shorten my daily distance? Postpone and train harder to reach the 20-25 km mark?

Really, if you’ve been in this position, I’d love to hear your experiences. Pretty bummed right now.

Thanks in advance.

I have donr this route as well as the camino Franc

Greetings all.

I was scheduled to start in Porto in a few days. Went for a 20 km hike yesterday (my longest thus far) and almost didn’t make it. By the time I got home, I could hardly walk.

There was about 1200ft of elevation gain but the weather was perfect. I could be in better shape to be sure.

My current schedule calls for 20-25 km/day. After yesterday, that’s not possible.

I am limited to 12 days on the Way. I guess the advice I’m looking for is do I just postpone til later in the year? Try to work with current schedule and just shorten my daily distance? Postpone and train harder to reach the 20-25 km mark?

Really, if you’ve been in this position, I’d love to hear your experiences. Pretty bummed right now.

Thanks in advance.

I have walked this route as well as the Camino Frances. It took me 11 days.
My suggestion is to surrender and go with what’s in your heart. The answer is within you. If you do go…your body will slowly adjust and things will get easier. Magnesium supplements help me with pain.
If you don’t complete it in 12 days, go back and start where you left off and add Finisterre and Muxia.
On all my caminos, I’ve never trained for them. I am about 40lbs overweight and not active.
I felt a push to just go. I didn’t plan accommodations I marched to the beat of my own drum and stopped just before or after the recommended Tapas. I found the albergues weren’t as crowded and was overall more peaceful.
The off time I tried keeping up with people I injured myself (walking 43km) I had to take a day off.
It’s not a race. It’s your camino.
You are stronger than you think and sometimes it’s fear that makes us second guess our decisions. I wish you all the best whatever you decide.
I believe you can do it.

 

[Gerard Griffin]

Use a bike . . . and do the Meseta. Or go all the way to the Dark Side and use an ebike. It's not the same, but it'll do, and it beats hell out of staying home. Good luck

 

[MichelleElynHogan]

My first try at CF was 2016. I was overweight and my pack was too. I made it about 50 km and my left IT Band blew out.

My second try was in 2018. I walked daily and over 1,100 km here in a year, up to 7 km. My pack was slashed down to 10 lb plus water...I made it from SJPdP ro Maneru, about 100 km and then, what happened to my IT Band, happened to my left Quads. I went home.

Now, I have not healed and the weight is still an issue.

GO now, do what you can but do not injure yourself like I did. Then, you will always have what you were able to do.

 

[NancyZ]

When I walked the Camino Frances in 2019, I wasn't particularly physically fit either. I therefore walked shorter stages at the beginning, which gradually got longer. I also started in Pamplona instead of SJPdP, because I wasn't sure whether I'd make the climb up the Pyrenees. Twice, when my planned etappas were too long and I was exhausted, I took a bus.

If I were you, I would set off since you have planned everything and either start closer to SdC, as others have already suggested. Apart from that, there are only a few climbs on the Camino Portugues, unlike your trial walk yesterday. And you have the whole day to walk, no other tasks. That also makes a big difference.

Or, alternatively, depending on where you arrive, you could walk the Camino Ingles or Finisterre & Muxia as a shorter Camino to start with. Your time slot is definitely sufficient for those and you would be walking a "complete" Camino, if that is important to you. (It was for me on my first Camino).

The ingles has a few steep inclines…

 

[Cynistra]

I'm not sure it has been explicitly said yet, so I'll just say it here: take breaks!
You don't need to walk 20km in one go - and only very few people would on the Camino. There is nice places to stop and enjoy the view, there is bars, etc. For me walking 20km would probably be something like: walk 9km. Take break. Walk 6km. Take break. Walk 5km. You're done.
If you can actually walk 20km in one go, you should find it much easier with regular breaks. The same goes for pace - the pace you can walk 5km at is not necessarily comfortable for walking 20km in a day. You may find if you slow down a bit you find it much easier.
I'm currently 1250km into my camino. In all that distance the longest I've ever walked in one go was 16km - and I'm not entirely sure I could walk much further in one go. And still, I have walked some 35+ km days. I'm not saying you should try this, but I'm saying it to let you know that for most people there's a big difference between what you can walk in one go, and what you can walk in one day if you allow yourself sufficient breaks.

 

[Martin Burnham]

Go and allow the Camino to provide. You will have the accommodation you need. You will also walk what was intended for you to walk. It is so much easier to let go of expectations and embrace the Camino as it unfolds. You will see this in hindsight after you return.

 

[Rita Flower]

Here's a 12 day plan from Ponte de Lima with the longest stage being 16.88 km

View attachment 167800

This looks my kind of camino. I stopped at O Milladoiro when I walked Camino Portugese. The albergue is fabulous and the slow early morning walk into sleepy Santiago the next morning was Divine. I was all alone, finding my way, asking for directions, watching Santiago wake up. Just before I reached the square I saw a pilgrim (with pack) in a coffee shop. I joined him and discovered he was a fellow Aussie going home. A great synchronistic connection and conversation.
Start closer - enjoy.
Buen Camino

 

[williamlittig]

Greetings all.

I was scheduled to start in Porto in a few days. Went for a 20 km hike yesterday (my longest thus far) and almost didn’t make it. By the time I got home, I could hardly walk.

There was about 1200ft of elevation gain but the weather was perfect. I could be in better shape to be sure.

My current schedule calls for 20-25 km/day. After yesterday, that’s not possible.

I am limited to 12 days on the Way. I guess the advice I’m looking for is do I just postpone til later in the year? Try to work with current schedule and just shorten my daily distance? Postpone and train harder to reach the 20-25 km mark?

Really, if you’ve been in this position, I’d love to hear your experiences. Pretty bummed right now.

Thanks in advance.

Take care of yourself. Go later after more training. This isn’t one day, it repeats for several days. You might consider the Portuguese Litoral( along the coast) no hills for several days.

 

[henrythedog]

You’re going to find more Camino enthusiasts on here than if you just asked a random sample of the population.

It’s not compulsory. If you don’t think it’s right for you, just now or ever, don’t do it. Take a vacation somewhere else.

Otherwise: there are no rules, no judgement and you can walk whatever you want whenever you want. The only stipulations concern the compostela, and that’s a made-up certificate anyway. If you are religious you’ll know that your God will not ask to see the paperwork.

 

[MarkyD]

Look at starting from someplace like Ponte de Lima which would give you an average daily distance of about 13 km.

And Ponte de Lima is worth visiting for a day at least!

 

[TheBigT]

Here's a 12 day plan from Ponte de Lima with the longest stage being 16.88 km

View attachment 167800

Could not agree more with this post. Just walk shorter stages and start closer. IMO, Do not cancel! You have no idea what life may throw at you in the meantime. Go!

 

[Denise63]

Greetings all.

I was scheduled to start in Porto in a few days. Went for a 20 km hike yesterday (my longest thus far) and almost didn’t make it. By the time I got home, I could hardly walk.

There was about 1200ft of elevation gain but the weather was perfect. I could be in better shape to be sure.

My current schedule calls for 20-25 km/day. After yesterday, that’s not possible.

I am limited to 12 days on the Way. I guess the advice I’m looking for is do I just postpone til later in the year? Try to work with current schedule and just shorten my daily distance? Postpone and train harder to reach the 20-25 km mark?

Really, if you’ve been in this position, I’d love to hear your experiences. Pretty bummed right now.

Thanks in advance.

I would not cancel, but change my starting location and shorten the daily distance.

 

[SoulDesire]

Greetings all.

I was scheduled to start in Porto in a few days. Went for a 20 km hike yesterday (my longest thus far) and almost didn’t make it. By the time I got home, I could hardly walk.

There was about 1200ft of elevation gain but the weather was perfect. I could be in better shape to be sure.

My current schedule calls for 20-25 km/day. After yesterday, that’s not possible.

I am limited to 12 days on the Way. I guess the advice I’m looking for is do I just postpone til later in the year? Try to work with current schedule and just shorten my daily distance? Postpone and train harder to reach the 20-25 km mark?

Really, if you’ve been in this position, I’d love to hear your experiences. Pretty bummed right now.

Thanks in advance.

My situation exactly. Due to start from Porto in a few days, but fractured a bone in my foot a few weeks ago and still not right. Can walk about 5 km at most with difficulty. I plan for September and will do the Francis (all going well).

 

[Peterexpatkiwi]

@SoulDesire, I feel for you. Wishing you a speedy recovery

 

[walkingstu]

Ship your pack, start at sunrise, take lots of pictures, stroll to your destination, and if you have to, take a cab the last bit. Just do it, you will love it!

 

[pjacobi]

The Camino has been around for over 1200 years. It will be there next year, too! Why go now and risk injury to yourself?

Spend this year training for the Camino at home. Then go to Spain next year with complete confidence that you can walk the required mileage, with much less chance of injury.

The more effort that you put into the Camino before Spain, the more you will get out of it while you are there. It's awful hard to appreciate the Camino or anything when sick or injured!


-Paul

 

[trecile]

Why go now and risk injury to yourself?

I really don't think that @ctwillie is risking any injury. They just got some pre-Camino jitters when a 20 km hike was more difficult than expected. If they alter their plans to start closer to Santiago and walk shorter stages everything should be fine, barring any accidents or illness. If we all waited until we were in ideal condition very few of us would ever walk the Camino!

 

[laurenligreci]

Here's a 12 day plan from Ponte de Lima with the longest stage being 16.88 km

View attachment 167800

Hello! I’m wondering what app or website you used to get these distances? I’m a bit lost when it comes to fine tuning my route with distances and would love to use this tool as I am planning half stages! Thanks!!

 

[trecile]

Hello! I’m wondering what app or website you used to get these distances? I’m a bit lost when it comes to fine tuning my route with distances and would love to use this tool as I am planning half stages! Thanks!!

I used the Buen Camino app's stage planner.

Godesalco is a good stage planner too:

Planificador - Godesalco.com

Perfil altitudinal, lista de albergues, planificación de etapas, itinerario y archivos GPS para tu Camino.

godesalco.com

 

[laurenligreci]

I used the Buen Camino app's stage planner.

Godesalco is a good stage planner too:

Planificador - Godesalco.com

Perfil altitudinal, lista de albergues, planificación de etapas, itinerario y archivos GPS para tu Camino.

godesalco.com

Ooo thanks! I just checked Godesalco and didn’t see the coastal way on there but I also just downloaded Buen Camino app. I’m excited to check it out, thank you!

 

[laurenligreci]

I used the Buen Camino app's stage planner.

Godesalco is a good stage planner too:

Planificador - Godesalco.com

Perfil altitudinal, lista de albergues, planificación de etapas, itinerario y archivos GPS para tu Camino.

godesalco.com

Hi! Me again so I’m doing the coastal + spiritual. After playing around with Buen Camino (which seems SO cool by the way!) it doesn’t look like it has that ability? Would love any advice as it’s been hard for me to track down the km’s and see exactly what I’m planning … would love any guidance you can provide.

 

[trecile]

Hi! Me again so I’m doing the coastal + spiritual. After playing around with Buen Camino (which seems SO cool by the way!) it doesn’t look like it has that ability? Would love any advice as it’s been hard for me to track down the km’s and see exactly what I’m planning … would love any guidance you can provide.

You're right, it doesn't have the capability of combining routes. In that case I use all the tools that I can to determine distances and put them in a spreadsheet.

The Wise Pilgrim app has all the Portuguese routes in one app, but I'm not sure how easy it is to combine them in that app.

A Complete Guide to the Caminos to Santiago de Compostela

A complete guide to the Camino de Santiago, including accommodation on the Camino Francés, Camino del Norte, Camino Portugués, Camino Primtivo, Vía de la Plata, Camino de Invierno, Finisterre & Muxía, San Salvador, Camino Olvidado, Caminho Nascente, Camino da Geira, Camino Inglés, Vía Podiensis...

wisepilgrim.com

The Stingy Nomads blog also has good information about combining routes on the Portuguese Caminos.

The Portuguese Camino de Santiago - a 2024 guide - STINGY NOMADS

Portuguese Camino de Santiago - a detailed guide & walking stages from Porto to Santiago. Maps, distances, free downloadable PDFs

stingynomads.com

 

[sharonmonty]

Thanks so much for the feedback.

Sooooo, I liked the idea of knowing that I’d have a place to lay my head every night. I have already made reservations for all the nights based upon my old schedule.

I guess my bottom line decision is whether I want to do like so many others and make whatever reservations I can and take the chance that there will be a vacancy in places where I can’t make a reservation.

Thanks again.

Based on what others have said on this forum about beds there will be availability and that should not be your worry.
I walked from Valenca to Tui 2 years ago doing about 15-18km a day. It was a lovely route. Took about 6 days. You could start earlier as Trecile said or carry on after Santiago. There are lots of options. Go for it! It’s so easy to be scared about whether you can walk the distances but when you are there it’s different to walking at home.

 

[BRSmith13]

Greetings all.

I was scheduled to start in Porto in a few days. Went for a 20 km hike yesterday (my longest thus far) and almost didn’t make it. By the time I got home, I could hardly walk.

There was about 1200ft of elevation gain but the weather was perfect. I could be in better shape to be sure.

My current schedule calls for 20-25 km/day. After yesterday, that’s not possible.

I am limited to 12 days on the Way. I guess the advice I’m looking for is do I just postpone til later in the year? Try to work with current schedule and just shorten my daily distance? Postpone and train harder to reach the 20-25 km mark?

Really, if you’ve been in this position, I’d love to hear your experiences. Pretty bummed right now.

Thanks in advance.

Go! You have made your arrangements. Shorten your daily stages. Start closer to Santiago - avoid the very hilly areas by taking another route or other transport. Have your bag transported for you (some albergues don’t accept transported bags). Good for you to understand your limitations. The weather now will be perfect - not the blasting heat of the summer. Maybe choose to walk the Portuguese route from Porto? Or even closer. Buen Camino.

 

[RowenaH]

Hello! Currently writing from the Portuguese Central. One month before I was scheduled to depart I had to go to Australia for a family emergency. This meant very little walking or testing my pack or logistics. I packed and prepped as if I was going but decided the day before my flight that I would actually go. I cut down my planned distances massively walking 11km on my first two days to get used to everything, especially my pack - which is only 5.5kg (10% body weight) but felt heavy. After that I only planned my destination for the next day by feel; I did a 21km stage the other day! Shorten the overall route and give yourself time to ease in. People are starting at different distances I find all the time, some have even taken buses and cabs till they find their feet. A few people pointedly tell me I am walking very short distances but I let it slide off me; they don't know me or my story. Also I notice those without experience doing a longer stage now have blister issues so being the tortoise rather than the hare you'll get there. Bom Caminho.

 

[william thomas]

Greetings all.

I was scheduled to start in Porto in a few days. Went for a 20 km hike yesterday (my longest thus far) and almost didn’t make it. By the time I got home, I could hardly walk.

There was about 1200ft of elevation gain but the weather was perfect. I could be in better shape to be sure.

My current schedule calls for 20-25 km/day. After yesterday, that’s not possible.

I am limited to 12 days on the Way. I guess the advice I’m looking for is do I just postpone til later in the year? Try to work with current schedule and just shorten my daily distance? Postpone and train harder to reach the 20-25 km mark?

Really, if you’ve been in this position, I’d love to hear your experiences. Pretty bummed right now.

Thanks in advance.

I disagree with walking to a schedule on pilgrimage, and especially aiming for a daily mileage. It's not an Olympic sport. Walk short days, stop when you feel like it (lots of options after Pamplona) see how far you get, come back another time and resume. Read "Ithaca" by Cavafy - better to arrive after years, old and grey.

 

[Lowtide]

Lots of advice, here's my 2 cents worth. Go for it, if after a couple of days, you are struggling, consider luggage transfer. If that doesn't work, hop on the bus/train and take a day off. Don't cancel, use it as a test/learning experience.
Enjoy

 

[MariaDunlop]

Greetings all.

I was scheduled to start in Porto in a few days. Went for a 20 km hike yesterday (my longest thus far) and almost didn’t make it. By the time I got home, I could hardly walk.

There was about 1200ft of elevation gain but the weather was perfect. I could be in better shape to be sure.

My current schedule calls for 20-25 km/day. After yesterday, that’s not possible.

I am limited to 12 days on the Way. I guess the advice I’m looking for is do I just postpone til later in the year? Try to work with current schedule and just shorten my daily distance? Postpone and train harder to reach the 20-25 km mark?

Really, if you’ve been in this position, I’d love to hear your experiences. Pretty bummed right now.

Thanks in advance.

My first thought was, why could you barely finish? Medical reason? Heart problems. Joint issues? No breaks during your walk? Too far too fast? Dehydrated?
A lot of folks have have given you sound advice, but what was the underlying cause?

 

[clarkandkaren]

Greetings all.

I was scheduled to start in Porto in a few days. Went for a 20 km hike yesterday (my longest thus far) and almost didn’t make it. By the time I got home, I could hardly walk.

There was about 1200ft of elevation gain but the weather was perfect. I could be in better shape to be sure.

My current schedule calls for 20-25 km/day. After yesterday, that’s not possible.

I am limited to 12 days on the Way. I guess the advice I’m looking for is do I just postpone til later in the year? Try to work with current schedule and just shorten my daily distance? Postpone and train harder to reach the 20-25 km mark?

Really, if you’ve been in this position, I’d love to hear your experiences. Pretty bummed right now.

Thanks in advance.

You might consider having your pack transported for you each day, assuming you were walking with your pack on your 20km. If not, and it was without a backpack, then.. yes… serious concern. Otherwise, the only thing I can think of would be getting up each day, as the sun rises… set a slower pace and stop whenever you feel the need.
The good thing is.. after 3-4 days you should find your stamina slowly increasing!

 

[AlexHamilton]

Greetings all.

I was scheduled to start in Porto in a few days. Went for a 20 km hike yesterday (my longest thus far) and almost didn’t make it. By the time I got home, I could hardly walk.

There was about 1200ft of elevation gain but the weather was perfect. I could be in better shape to be sure.

My current schedule calls for 20-25 km/day. After yesterday, that’s not possible.

I am limited to 12 days on the Way. I guess the advice I’m looking for is do I just postpone til later in the year? Try to work with current schedule and just shorten my daily distance? Postpone and train harder to reach the 20-25 km mark?

Really, if you’ve been in this position, I’d love to hear your experiences. Pretty bummed right now.

Thanks in advance.

“To thine own self be true”. If you’re having trouble now you’ll have trouble on The Camino. My spouse decided to push thru pain and ended up needing to come home early. The Camino is a journey both physically, mentally and emotionally. You’ll have to answer that question for yourself.

 

[Raulvamir]

Greetings all.

I was scheduled to start in Porto in a few days. Went for a 20 km hike yesterday (my longest thus far) and almost didn’t make it. By the time I got home, I could hardly walk.

There was about 1200ft of elevation gain but the weather was perfect. I could be in better shape to be sure.

My current schedule calls for 20-25 km/day. After yesterday, that’s not possible.

I am limited to 12 days on the Way. I guess the advice I’m looking for is do I just postpone til later in the year? Try to work with current schedule and just shorten my daily distance? Postpone and train harder to reach the 20-25 km mark?

Really, if you’ve been in this position, I’d love to hear your experiences. Pretty bummed right now.

Thanks in advance.

I just finished my first camino from Baiona. I walked almost every day much more than what I walked while training. It is all about speed. If you walked the 20 Km too fast may be that was the problem. I walked the camino slowly with many stops and short breaks. I had a longer break for lunch. You need to observe your body. Hydration and electrolytes are also very important.

 

[HeidiL]

Excuse me, but are you walking with or without poles? Many people find them indispensable, including me...

 

[Trekker One]

Walk as far as you can comfortably each day and then call a cab to take you to your destination each day.
I met a couple of ladies from the US in 2017, one was 71 and the other was 79. In their earlier years they had walked the entire Francis route multiple times.
On the Portuguese route they were doing the 'Camino Princess' tour and typically walked 12 to16 k's and then cabbed it for the balance of the day.
They got to experience the entire route and finished in Santiago in perfect health.

 

[ctwillie]

Greetings all.

First, I’d like to thank everyone who chimed in on my post. I received a ton of advice and all of it, no matter what it said, was posted with the intent of trying to help me. I’m grateful for that.

So, just checking in to let you know how it went (I know you all have been anxiously awaiting my post). I went and I did it, that’s the abbreviated version.

I left Porto on 4/30 and arrived in SdC May 12. Got rained on a lot. No major health issues. The main thing is I “got my mind right”. And I had a great experience doing it.

Thanks again for all your help.

Tim

 

[sharonmonty]

Greetings all.

First, I’d like to thank everyone who chimed in on my post. I received a ton of advice and all of it, no matter what it said, was posted with the intent of trying to help me. I’m grateful for that.

So, just checking in to let you know how it went (I know you all have been anxiously awaiting my post). I went and I did it, that’s the abbreviated version.

I left Porto on 4/30 and arrived in SdC May 12. Got rained on a lot. No major health issues. The main thing is I “got my mind right”. And I had a great experience doing it.

Thanks again for all your help.

Tim

So good to hear this. Would be interested in more details in how you got on. Did you end up doing 20km + each day?

 

[BarbaraW]

Thank you so much for reporting back, and so glad you had a great experience.

 

[Rita Flower]

Fabulous. Thanks for the update.
I think ‘getting the mind right’ is the greatest Camino gift.
Love and blessing for everything that comes next.

 

[VNwalking]

Well done! So good you went.