Hi all,
I just finished my first Camino. I was on the Portugues route from Porto to Santiago: Coastal till Vila do Conde after that Central till Santiago.
I would love to give back some of the learnings I had and help other beginners to prepare their trip. Therefore this is a summarized view on the preparation and learnings of a beginner.
Please keep in mind this is based on a beginner expierence. Set in the weather of May.
Of course it is subjective.
Structure of the following:
- About myself (to put things in perspective)
- Gear
- Route
- Learnings
About myself: To put things in perspective.
I am male, in my mid 30s , 1,84m about 70kg. I play Basketball 3 times a week. I am aktive but not super sportive.
Hiking experience: little
Preparation: 6x 12-16km with light additional weight. (wanted to do more but Basketball-Injuries kept me from it....)
Gear:
6,4-7kg net-weight in 34l Backpack (Backpack weight included):
- 3-4 clothes-peg
- 1x solid soap with case (for Showering)
- 1x Sunscreen (small tube) + had to buy a new one in Ponte De Lima)
- 1x Small Tube Washing-Gel (Rei)
- 1x Desinfection Spray (wounds)
- 1x nivea creme
- 1x box of Vitamin B and Magnesium for 14 days.
- Other Meds (Painkillers, Elektrolytes, Stomache-Stuff,....)
- 1x small tube of toothpaste
- 1x Microfibre-Towel
- 1x desinfection-gel (hands)
- 1x Guide-Book
- 1x Sunglases with Case
- 1x Book
- 1x Snap-Hook
- 1x Powerbank
- Multiple Plasters + Blister-Plaster + Plaster to soften shoe interior. + a Box for it.
- 1x Laundry-Net
- 1x Sink-Plug
- 1x Buff
- 1x Gym Sack
- 1x Toothbrush
- 1x Spoon/Fork/Knife camping thing
- 1x a small stainles steel lunch box
- 1x Locker-Lock
- 1x Knee-Bandage
- 1x Fleece-Pullover
- 2x Long-Sleeves
- 1x T-Shirt
- 1x Sleeping T-Shirt (a luxury which i found to be nice but you can also just wear next days clothes)
- 1x Under-Armour Tights
- 1x shorts
- 1x hiking-Trouser (zipp-offs)
- 1x Sun-Hat
- 1x Sleep-Liner
- 1x fanny pack
- 3x trekking socks
- 2x Underwear
- 2x 5l zip-bag
- 3x 1l zip-bag
- Diary and 1 Pen
- Rain Jacket
- Backpack
- USB-Charger + 2 Cables
- 1x Nail-Scissors
- 1x one-way razor
- 1x Flip-Flops
- 1x Hiking-Shoes
- 3 rubber bands (small)
- 2x insoles (shoes)
Overall I was happy with my gear choices. There was nothing that I did not use except for the Snap-Hook.
Next time I would probably prefer an e-reader over a book and leave the fanny pack. Also not sure a bout the Knife-Fork-Combo...it was rarely needed. More in the learnings section.
Route (accomodation) - distance (mainly from the Camino Ninja app):
Porto - Labrugge (Municipal) - 25,7 km
Labrugge - Rates via Vila do Conde (Municipal) - 22,5 km
Rates - Portela de Tamel (Municipal) - 25,6 km
Portela de Tamel - Ponte de Lima (Municipal) - 23,2 km
Ponte de Lima - Rubiais (Municipal) - 17,9 km
Rubiais – Tui (Private Albergue) - 20,2 km
Tui - O Porrino (Private Albergue) - 16 km
O Porrino - Redondela (Private Albergue) - 15,7 km
Redondela - Pontevedra (Shared Air BNB with other Pilgrims) Awesome place - 20,8 km
Pontevedra - Caldas de Reis (Private Albergue) - 21,4 km
Caldas de Reis - Padron ( Private Albergue) - 19 km
Padron - Santiago d.C. ( Private Albergue - single room) - 25,3 km
Learnings
Physical Condition:
- more training is certainly better but I made it. In general I think the Portugues one is beginner friendly.
However (besides training) it is important to limit the weight of your backpack, walk your pace and listen to your body. + Take precautions f.e. Bandages.
Me peronally i would train more for my next one as it will probably spare me trouble. (f.e. Blisters and Knee-Issues).
If your body is troubling you along the way you have several options to lighten the load: you can go down with the mileage, use a backpack transfer to move with less weight or do a rest day.
on Gear:
- Your feet will trouble you in ways you may not have imagined. So take Tape, Blister-Plaster and anything you can use to protect yourself from blisters or strains. I did not take tape and blister-plasters specifically for toes with me. I read the forum articles on that and was like "who the hell gets blisters on their toes....." Well as I said your feet will be up to something new everyday...
Most comon troubles in the conversations with other Pilgrims were blisters....
- EAR PLUGS: I thought I would not need them as I was used to people snoring and never had severe trouble sleeping when they do.... However BUY SOME AND TAKE THEM WITH YOU. My first night on the Camino ended at 4:30 AM as someone in my dormitory was snoring like I've never heard before.
Luckily 2 Days later i met a Pilgrim with an unused spare of Ear Plugs which he gifted to me. (The Camino provides
)
- Sleep-Liner or Sleeping Bag?: I had a liner and for my next journey I would take a Summer-Sleeping-Bag with me. Most Municipales have additional blankets. However not all do and a lot of the blankets provided did not look trustworthy to me (subjective).
I had 3 nights were I woke up from being cold and extra clothing did not do the trick... also hard to gasp what to put on if you are half awake...
Next time I would take the extra weight of a Summer-Sleeping-Bag.
- Poncho or Rain-Jacket + Rain-Cover:
Definately team Rain Jacket: The closer you get to Spain the more often the weather is changing (Mix of Light-Rain, Rain, Sun: but as soon as the sun came out it was very warm). The rain jacket gives you flexibility as you can let air in while not having to take it off => you can adjust the air flow (let some air in if needed)+ it is easy to put on and off again. In the End I walked with two people with Camino Frances experience and they agreed on Rain Jacket over Poncho.
=> In the Forum I read people taking umbrellas with them. I would say if you can take the extra weight it is probably the most comfortable solution. But you may still need additions for very bad weather (jacket/poncho).
Zip-Bags or any form of Bags:
I found them to be very usefull. They help you to organize your backpack. This helps you in finding you stuff but also makes other Pilgrims happy as it helps you to pack your stuff quick and silently when leaving the dormatory.
on Route:
- Profile is mostly coble-stone and asphalt. I had low profile hiking shoes which were allright. If I would do the Portugues again I would probably go for Trail-Runners due to the extra cushioning on coble-stone and asphalt. (Be Aware: Trade off is less water-proofness)
- While Ponte de Lima - Rubiais is one of the most challenging parts of this route I would see to find a stop after Rubiais or be prepared for cooking in the Albergue + not staying in the Municipal.
Rubiais has very little to offer (1 Restaurant in walking distance of the Municipal - mediocre at best.... Take-Away quality with Restaurant prices, and a Coffee place which is nice but little options for dinner). And the Municipal was not a nice place at all.
- Overnight in Tui or Valenca: I would recommend Tui. Valenca seemed very Touristy to me. Tui is very nice with an charming old-town. I stayed there in an Albergue called: Ideas Peregrinas which was just an awesome bang for the buck! very nice place.
- Albergues/Accomodation- (remember this relates to MAY)
In Portugal there was no issue in getting a bed in the Municipales and except for Rubiaes all of them were nice places.
However starting with Spain I would recommend booking in advance. Especially for the last 100km.
A. it makes your day more relaxed as you do not have to worry about arriving early enough.
B. In Spain the way becomes more crowded especially on the last 100ish km. In Spain the coastal and the central route unite again which puts more pilgrims on the route. With the last 100km there will be additional people on the route... f.e. we had organized travel groups on there which only do the last 100 but were 20-40 People per group...
=> for me it was enough to book the night before except for the last 3 Stages: here 2-3 days in Advance are probably good. Especially true for Santiago!
Nicest Albergues/Accomodations:
- Municipal in Ponte de Lima: If I remember correctly it costs 5€, you have a single bed in a dormatory. It is overall a nice place. it is located at the old bridge directly across the old town. At night the old town is illuminated which gives you an spectacular view from the Municipal.
- Ideas Peregrinas Albergue in Tui: Awesome design, confy and nice rooms, small ammount of beds per room and spacious rooms. Curtains on the bunk and lockable drawers under the bunk (own lock required). With Shop and Cafe in the Building.
Paid 16€ for a bed in a 5 Bed-Room.
- Air BNB in Pontevedra. HyP- Mo 's House. Nice Flat, 3 Bedrooms, 2 Bathrooms, Kitchen + living Room. Washing Maschine included.
Honorable Mentions: Municipal in Rates and Tamel as they had a very nice compound. + the volunteer host in Rates made curry-sausage for everyone as he wanted the pilgrims to have a snack when they arrive.
Experience as a Ovo-Vegetarian:
- Did have to leave a lot of nice pastries behind...as they sadly sat behind the counter untasted by me.
- Do-able if you know some words and can make aware of your preferences (sin queso/sin leche was mostly understandable) but your choices are limited.
- If you cook for yourself no problem at all.
- If you do milk than no issue at all => welcome to a paradise of nice pastries
- Vegan: I assume my friends you will have the same issues as I had just a bit harder. People will understand your preferences more easily but from my experience your choices will be more limited (Applies to restaurants/bakeries)
--------------------------------------------------------------
I think this is all for now.
Best Regards.
I just finished my first Camino. I was on the Portugues route from Porto to Santiago: Coastal till Vila do Conde after that Central till Santiago.
I would love to give back some of the learnings I had and help other beginners to prepare their trip. Therefore this is a summarized view on the preparation and learnings of a beginner.
Please keep in mind this is based on a beginner expierence. Set in the weather of May.
Of course it is subjective.
Structure of the following:
- About myself (to put things in perspective)
- Gear
- Route
- Learnings
About myself: To put things in perspective.
I am male, in my mid 30s , 1,84m about 70kg. I play Basketball 3 times a week. I am aktive but not super sportive.
Hiking experience: little
Preparation: 6x 12-16km with light additional weight. (wanted to do more but Basketball-Injuries kept me from it....)
Gear:
6,4-7kg net-weight in 34l Backpack (Backpack weight included):
- 3-4 clothes-peg
- 1x solid soap with case (for Showering)
- 1x Sunscreen (small tube) + had to buy a new one in Ponte De Lima)
- 1x Small Tube Washing-Gel (Rei)
- 1x Desinfection Spray (wounds)
- 1x nivea creme
- 1x box of Vitamin B and Magnesium for 14 days.
- Other Meds (Painkillers, Elektrolytes, Stomache-Stuff,....)
- 1x small tube of toothpaste
- 1x Microfibre-Towel
- 1x desinfection-gel (hands)
- 1x Guide-Book
- 1x Sunglases with Case
- 1x Book
- 1x Snap-Hook
- 1x Powerbank
- Multiple Plasters + Blister-Plaster + Plaster to soften shoe interior. + a Box for it.
- 1x Laundry-Net
- 1x Sink-Plug
- 1x Buff
- 1x Gym Sack
- 1x Toothbrush
- 1x Spoon/Fork/Knife camping thing
- 1x a small stainles steel lunch box
- 1x Locker-Lock
- 1x Knee-Bandage
- 1x Fleece-Pullover
- 2x Long-Sleeves
- 1x T-Shirt
- 1x Sleeping T-Shirt (a luxury which i found to be nice but you can also just wear next days clothes)
- 1x Under-Armour Tights
- 1x shorts
- 1x hiking-Trouser (zipp-offs)
- 1x Sun-Hat
- 1x Sleep-Liner
- 1x fanny pack
- 3x trekking socks
- 2x Underwear
- 2x 5l zip-bag
- 3x 1l zip-bag
- Diary and 1 Pen
- Rain Jacket
- Backpack
- USB-Charger + 2 Cables
- 1x Nail-Scissors
- 1x one-way razor
- 1x Flip-Flops
- 1x Hiking-Shoes
- 3 rubber bands (small)
- 2x insoles (shoes)
Overall I was happy with my gear choices. There was nothing that I did not use except for the Snap-Hook.
Next time I would probably prefer an e-reader over a book and leave the fanny pack. Also not sure a bout the Knife-Fork-Combo...it was rarely needed. More in the learnings section.
Route (accomodation) - distance (mainly from the Camino Ninja app):
Porto - Labrugge (Municipal) - 25,7 km
Labrugge - Rates via Vila do Conde (Municipal) - 22,5 km
Rates - Portela de Tamel (Municipal) - 25,6 km
Portela de Tamel - Ponte de Lima (Municipal) - 23,2 km
Ponte de Lima - Rubiais (Municipal) - 17,9 km
Rubiais – Tui (Private Albergue) - 20,2 km
Tui - O Porrino (Private Albergue) - 16 km
O Porrino - Redondela (Private Albergue) - 15,7 km
Redondela - Pontevedra (Shared Air BNB with other Pilgrims) Awesome place - 20,8 km
Pontevedra - Caldas de Reis (Private Albergue) - 21,4 km
Caldas de Reis - Padron ( Private Albergue) - 19 km
Padron - Santiago d.C. ( Private Albergue - single room) - 25,3 km
Learnings
Physical Condition:
- more training is certainly better but I made it. In general I think the Portugues one is beginner friendly.
However (besides training) it is important to limit the weight of your backpack, walk your pace and listen to your body. + Take precautions f.e. Bandages.
Me peronally i would train more for my next one as it will probably spare me trouble. (f.e. Blisters and Knee-Issues).
If your body is troubling you along the way you have several options to lighten the load: you can go down with the mileage, use a backpack transfer to move with less weight or do a rest day.
on Gear:
- Your feet will trouble you in ways you may not have imagined. So take Tape, Blister-Plaster and anything you can use to protect yourself from blisters or strains. I did not take tape and blister-plasters specifically for toes with me. I read the forum articles on that and was like "who the hell gets blisters on their toes....." Well as I said your feet will be up to something new everyday...
Most comon troubles in the conversations with other Pilgrims were blisters....
- EAR PLUGS: I thought I would not need them as I was used to people snoring and never had severe trouble sleeping when they do.... However BUY SOME AND TAKE THEM WITH YOU. My first night on the Camino ended at 4:30 AM as someone in my dormitory was snoring like I've never heard before.
Luckily 2 Days later i met a Pilgrim with an unused spare of Ear Plugs which he gifted to me. (The Camino provides
)- Sleep-Liner or Sleeping Bag?: I had a liner and for my next journey I would take a Summer-Sleeping-Bag with me. Most Municipales have additional blankets. However not all do and a lot of the blankets provided did not look trustworthy to me (subjective).
I had 3 nights were I woke up from being cold and extra clothing did not do the trick... also hard to gasp what to put on if you are half awake...
Next time I would take the extra weight of a Summer-Sleeping-Bag.
- Poncho or Rain-Jacket + Rain-Cover:
Definately team Rain Jacket: The closer you get to Spain the more often the weather is changing (Mix of Light-Rain, Rain, Sun: but as soon as the sun came out it was very warm). The rain jacket gives you flexibility as you can let air in while not having to take it off => you can adjust the air flow (let some air in if needed)+ it is easy to put on and off again. In the End I walked with two people with Camino Frances experience and they agreed on Rain Jacket over Poncho.
=> In the Forum I read people taking umbrellas with them. I would say if you can take the extra weight it is probably the most comfortable solution. But you may still need additions for very bad weather (jacket/poncho).
Zip-Bags or any form of Bags:
I found them to be very usefull. They help you to organize your backpack. This helps you in finding you stuff but also makes other Pilgrims happy as it helps you to pack your stuff quick and silently when leaving the dormatory.
on Route:
- Profile is mostly coble-stone and asphalt. I had low profile hiking shoes which were allright. If I would do the Portugues again I would probably go for Trail-Runners due to the extra cushioning on coble-stone and asphalt. (Be Aware: Trade off is less water-proofness)
- While Ponte de Lima - Rubiais is one of the most challenging parts of this route I would see to find a stop after Rubiais or be prepared for cooking in the Albergue + not staying in the Municipal.
Rubiais has very little to offer (1 Restaurant in walking distance of the Municipal - mediocre at best.... Take-Away quality with Restaurant prices, and a Coffee place which is nice but little options for dinner). And the Municipal was not a nice place at all.
- Overnight in Tui or Valenca: I would recommend Tui. Valenca seemed very Touristy to me. Tui is very nice with an charming old-town. I stayed there in an Albergue called: Ideas Peregrinas which was just an awesome bang for the buck! very nice place.
- Albergues/Accomodation- (remember this relates to MAY)
In Portugal there was no issue in getting a bed in the Municipales and except for Rubiaes all of them were nice places.
However starting with Spain I would recommend booking in advance. Especially for the last 100km.
A. it makes your day more relaxed as you do not have to worry about arriving early enough.
B. In Spain the way becomes more crowded especially on the last 100ish km. In Spain the coastal and the central route unite again which puts more pilgrims on the route. With the last 100km there will be additional people on the route... f.e. we had organized travel groups on there which only do the last 100 but were 20-40 People per group...
=> for me it was enough to book the night before except for the last 3 Stages: here 2-3 days in Advance are probably good. Especially true for Santiago!
Nicest Albergues/Accomodations:
- Municipal in Ponte de Lima: If I remember correctly it costs 5€, you have a single bed in a dormatory. It is overall a nice place. it is located at the old bridge directly across the old town. At night the old town is illuminated which gives you an spectacular view from the Municipal.
- Ideas Peregrinas Albergue in Tui: Awesome design, confy and nice rooms, small ammount of beds per room and spacious rooms. Curtains on the bunk and lockable drawers under the bunk (own lock required). With Shop and Cafe in the Building.
Paid 16€ for a bed in a 5 Bed-Room.
- Air BNB in Pontevedra. HyP- Mo 's House. Nice Flat, 3 Bedrooms, 2 Bathrooms, Kitchen + living Room. Washing Maschine included.
Honorable Mentions: Municipal in Rates and Tamel as they had a very nice compound. + the volunteer host in Rates made curry-sausage for everyone as he wanted the pilgrims to have a snack when they arrive.
Experience as a Ovo-Vegetarian:
- Did have to leave a lot of nice pastries behind...as they sadly sat behind the counter untasted by me.
- Do-able if you know some words and can make aware of your preferences (sin queso/sin leche was mostly understandable) but your choices are limited.
- If you cook for yourself no problem at all.
- If you do milk than no issue at all => welcome to a paradise of nice pastries
- Vegan: I assume my friends you will have the same issues as I had just a bit harder. People will understand your preferences more easily but from my experience your choices will be more limited (Applies to restaurants/bakeries)
--------------------------------------------------------------
I think this is all for now.
Best Regards.
Last edited:
