Hi. Greetings from Santiago!
I got a lot of advice from this forum so figured I'd contribute my experiences before I continue my journey to Finnesterre.
I'm from Ireland and just completed my first camino - the Camino Frances solo from St Jean Pied de Port to Santiago.
Covid restrictions are all but gone in Spain since July and vary across regions. No QR codes but masks are still obligatory indoors and there can be occupancy restrictions plus the awful requirement to leave the door or window open. The main impact of covid on the camino this year was some albergues did not open at all, and ones that did increased their prices slightly. It caused a few bottlenecks and I can give 3 examples where people who didn't book ended up sleeping outdoors or getting taxis.. mainly due to domestic tourism on public holidays.
I had a very early start on 2nd October 2021. I flew Dublin to Biarritz with Ryanair for €36. My backpack was acceptable as my 10kg carry-on. In advance, I had booked the Express Bourricot shuttle bus for €19. I highly recommend this service as an alternative to public transport.
I also had booked a private room in St Jean for my first night.
I had lunch upon arriving in St Jean but soon afterwards the weather turned dull and then wet and the town was quiet. I got my first stamp in the pilgrim office. Otherwise, the info provided there wasn't useful and the staff only spoke French...an app like Camino Ninja gives advice in a much better way. The office did recommend the alternative route over the mountain route as very bad weather was forecast. But I wasn't having that!
I had booked the albergue in Roncesvalles for the following day and had to re-evaluate my plans as I didn't want to do a long walk in such conditions. I called Roncesvalles to move my reservation to the following night, and called the Orisson albergue to book the night there instead. (The albergue after the orisson wasn't open for some reason)
Turns out the Orisson was an excellent experience and a highlight. And the walk to it was pretty tough, especially in the rain. It had a communal dinner and everyone introduced themselves and their reason for making the journey. I recommend you book it as when i was there a large group took most beds.
Personally I could have done without a day in st jean, and if i did it again I'd arrive in St Jean, get my stamp, buy stuff i may lack.. for me that was a knife for bread and meat, Poles or a stick (i bought a stick sometime later), toiletries, and some snacks to carry. Have a bite to eat in St Jean, explore a little... Then take the plunge and hike to the Orisson for a short but productive first day.
Well, here are my "learnings" and experiences.
1. people you meet on the first day or two will be your camino family.. friends the whole way through. Even when you think you've lost them and they'll pop up again and again.
2. With that in mind, don't be afraid to set off earlier, walk further, walk slower, take rest days. If you're doing the camino there's a chance you weren't happy with your daily routines before, so observe if your new routines are also best for you. Eg the first week for me was to walk with a loose gang of people. We'd keep an eye on the distance to the next town for a coffee break. Then run up a hill and take another break. Then after 20km all decide to stay in the same albergue, checkin, sheets on bed, shower, beer, food, curfew, sleep. Wk 2 i walked alone more but still did the stages in the guidebook. It wasn't til week 3 (maybe the meseta) that i realised it was time to shift gear, lose the crowd, pack my lunches, eat breakfast on top of a hill at sunrise instead of bread and bad coffee in the albergue, and actually slow down and relax without the stimulation of conversations. Late October was great for peace and quiet
3. Do take time to buy food for breakfast, lunch and snacks Remember the siesta too. Either shop before it or after it so you're not without food or supplies.
4. Bring earplugs. If they don't work, i like to pop in an earplug on the pillow side and some white noise through headphones in my other ear. as noisy as albergues can be, pensions and hotels with thin walls can have people chatting til all hours, so albergues with 10pm curfews are sometimes the best option. But other times private rooms in albergues are terrible value, esp when shared bathroom and the room adjoins the dorm room
5. Individual rooms can be a nice treat, but they're pricey. Keep an eye on booking.com for places that offer reduced rates for single occupancy.
6. If you overthink, overdrink, are addicted to your phone, drown out your thoughts with music, check blue ticks on sent messages or views on your insta story... Try to become aware and take steps to address these things. 4 weeks is not a lot of time and it will take some effort.
7. All good things come to an end. I looked forward to Sarria and arrived on 1st November. First thing i noticed is outdoor facilites like picnic benches and water fountains were few and far between.. the Galician weather was fairly kind overall but could be cold, wet and overcast. The larger crowds, often friends walking together, talking loudly, on phones, blocking the path with their poles oblivious to other walkers... To me it had a different vibe to the beginning of my camino, and passing 50 pilgrims only to take a 15 min break and passing them again... i guess it's part of it, and i did chat with some. For the most part though it was the home straight, longer distances, more listening to podcasts, and less "buen caminos". I'm not criticising the individuals doing the last 100km.. it's physical, it's an achievement, but honestly i felt the most special part of my camino was when i could actually not be part of the crowd. So Sarria to santiago, after 650km i sailed up the hills and enjoyed a faster pace. But it wasn't my favourite part of the camino. I am hoping to recapture some of the more loner, i mean solitary experience, and one on ones with other pilgrims, on the way to Finnesterre.
8. Equipment-wise there's an expression: buy cheap, buy twice. I had a cheap backpack and didn't want to buy a new one. I also bought some generic gear from Amazon. You can do it on the cheap if it's a one-off hike, but you'll end up cursing your gear.
Also because of all the facilities on the camino frances you only really need a daypack. During October there's probably little need to even carry 500ml of water at once with an exception of 17km of the meseta.
You'll never be more than a few hours from civilisation and there's no need to carry around dirty clothes, and for the most part no need to pay €8 to use the washer and drier in albergues (most ppl share loads)
So here's my equipment and recommendations.
1. Two pairs of footwear.
I'd recommend waterproof, breathable hiking shoes (not higher boots). i paid €110 and broke them in by wearing them for 3 weeks before setting off. They were a bit heavy and after 400km, during a day of flat, hard terrain i got blisters on my little toes, and later one little toe swole. I walked barefoot on the footpath for 3km the next day til I got better socks and sandals to give my feet a break!
Fact is, runners/trainers are probably better than hiking shoes most of the time, while sandals aren't good in rain or when there's debris that will get trapped in the sandals. Many people I met carried 2 pairs of footwear. Others had very light hiking shoes and just complained when it rained, either due to poor waterproofing or water getting in holes.
So personally i recommend hiking shoes, plus light runners or walking sandals that don't take up much space
2. A backpack. Mine cost €60 and is 35+5 litre. It was fine for a shorter journey but some design issues, requires constant pulling at straps, and weighs 1.5kg.
Doing it again, I'd probably budget €120+. I'd probably go for something smaller and strap the sleeping bag to the bottom, or perhaps go for a backpack where the sleeping bag could be loaded from the bottom - it will help you get packed quickly in the morning.
A raincover is essential. I took a bladder pack for water as my backpack had a compartment. It leaked once as the cap wasn't on correctly. Bar that i found it convenient.
3. Socks. 2 pair. You'll pay around €25 each. I brought cheap socks from amazon and ended up replacing them. I wash my socks every day and find ways to dry them (usually the line, a radiator, once a lamp with an incandescent bulb, other times pinning them to my backpack). As with your shoes, train with your socks too ahead of your journey to avoid blisters.
4. Undies. I brought 4 pairs of cotton boxers that took up space and couldn't be dried. Binned, and replaced with 2 pair of lighter, um less baggy underwear. Again, washing every day.
5. Thermal baselayers - top and bottoms. again, i bought these from amazon and ended up binning them. Too bulky. 2 or 3 consecutive cold night in the albergues prompted me to buy more thermals.... But since then most albergues had blankets or left the heat on overnight.
During the day, being Irish I didnt need them..most days i wore shorts even in zero degrees.
6. A pair of long trousers for the evening..zips in pockets..the ones i had zipped-off into shorts but i never used this feature
7. A pair of shorts with zip pockets. Wore these most of the time when walking.
8. I also had a light, comfy pair of shorts for walking around albergues when weather permitted. A bit more dignified than walking around in underwear
9. 2 or 3 tactical/light T-shirts - not cotton! Make sure at least one is longsleeve which will protect against both the cold and sun.. and one that is a bit more substantial with a collar and is not olive/slate colour that will look good to wear in the evening.
10. A light bum-bag (fanny pack for americans). Don't bother with a large additional day pack.
11. Lightweight, quick-drying towel that fits around your waist.
12. Knife.. i went with a non-locking blade but it's probably too big to take in handluggage. I saw a guy with a rambo knife and question the need for it. I also bought a teaspoon for yoghurts and a 2-step bottle opener. A swiss army knife would also be good instead though harder to open wine bottles
13. A Stick. I went half way without one but found myself hunching so bought a €5 stick and now I'm a convert.
14. Toiletries... For me that's a bar of soap, razor, mid-sized plasters to stick over blisters, moisturizer for my feet, talc for my socks and boots, nail scissors, toothpaste and toothbrush, factor 50 suncream and roll-on deodorant. I also carried hand-wash liquid for laundry but you could make-do with soap.
15. Kleenex, useful when albergue is out of toilet paper.
16. Sunglasses
17. Sleeping bag. I brought a summer one as i only sleep indoors. If you think you like the idea of sleeping outdoors you'll need something heavier.
18. Wallet: Passport card (as passport needs to be shown in every accomodation it's much easier than using the passport book). Credit card. European health insurance card.
19. Phone. Sometimes i wish i hadn't it. Anyway, dual sim so i could buy a local sim for decent 4G. If possible - bring a really good phone. You'll have a decent battery-life,.it can charge your other devices and the photo quality will be much better. I made-do with my budget phone.
20. wireless headphones - also useful when earplugs just can't block snoring
21. Earplugs.
22. Kindle. Ended up barely reading it.
23. Rosary beads
24. Pen and paper.
25. European charger that supports 2 charging cables (don't bother with bulky adaptors). I use a 1m usb-c cable, a 30cm usb-c cable, and a 30cm usb micro cable for my kindle and headphones.
26. A controversial one but a power bank..sure, it's bulky but it can charge your devices without worrying about leaving expensive devices unattended or when you're caught with a low battery.
27. Light raincoat that folds into a small bag .. make sure it's 100% waterproof.
28. A fleece/jacket, light and warm. Between the baselayer, tshirt, jacket and raincoat you'll have enough layers without needing to bring a bulky waterproof/windproof coat.
29. Some people brought waterproof trousers but i did without.
30. Some people brought gloves and honestly, there were days i could have done with gloves! Bring gloves
31. A buff. I had two. A light one i had with me that was great against the sun and cool evenings. And a 2nd warmer one i bought that acted as a scarf or beanie when the weather got cooler. These also double as facemasks although a few places insisted on an actual face mask
32. A cap.
33. A little aluminium cup or small flask that's nicer to drink cold water out of when you stop for a break.. just my preference.. plastic will always be lighter.
34. Safety pins. Double as pegs for laundry
35. A plug. Ideal for 3-star hotels who provide a bathtub but don't want you to use it, or albergues who don't want you doing washing in the sink
The dumbest things i brought: inflatable pillow. It was prominent on packing lists but a waste. First aid kit- binned everything but the plasters. 2m usb charger (cable was very thick).- once i used it as a washing line but ultimately replaced it with a 1m cable that was much tidier. A light jacket that was neither warm nor waterproof.
I realise the above is nothing new. I could even say to just bring 2 tees, 1 shorts, 1 trousers, and have everything made of merino wool. but overall, i think it's an ok packing list for an October camino and i hope it helps somebody.
I got a lot of advice from this forum so figured I'd contribute my experiences before I continue my journey to Finnesterre.
I'm from Ireland and just completed my first camino - the Camino Frances solo from St Jean Pied de Port to Santiago.
Covid restrictions are all but gone in Spain since July and vary across regions. No QR codes but masks are still obligatory indoors and there can be occupancy restrictions plus the awful requirement to leave the door or window open. The main impact of covid on the camino this year was some albergues did not open at all, and ones that did increased their prices slightly. It caused a few bottlenecks and I can give 3 examples where people who didn't book ended up sleeping outdoors or getting taxis.. mainly due to domestic tourism on public holidays.
I had a very early start on 2nd October 2021. I flew Dublin to Biarritz with Ryanair for €36. My backpack was acceptable as my 10kg carry-on. In advance, I had booked the Express Bourricot shuttle bus for €19. I highly recommend this service as an alternative to public transport.
I also had booked a private room in St Jean for my first night.
I had lunch upon arriving in St Jean but soon afterwards the weather turned dull and then wet and the town was quiet. I got my first stamp in the pilgrim office. Otherwise, the info provided there wasn't useful and the staff only spoke French...an app like Camino Ninja gives advice in a much better way. The office did recommend the alternative route over the mountain route as very bad weather was forecast. But I wasn't having that!
I had booked the albergue in Roncesvalles for the following day and had to re-evaluate my plans as I didn't want to do a long walk in such conditions. I called Roncesvalles to move my reservation to the following night, and called the Orisson albergue to book the night there instead. (The albergue after the orisson wasn't open for some reason)
Turns out the Orisson was an excellent experience and a highlight. And the walk to it was pretty tough, especially in the rain. It had a communal dinner and everyone introduced themselves and their reason for making the journey. I recommend you book it as when i was there a large group took most beds.
Personally I could have done without a day in st jean, and if i did it again I'd arrive in St Jean, get my stamp, buy stuff i may lack.. for me that was a knife for bread and meat, Poles or a stick (i bought a stick sometime later), toiletries, and some snacks to carry. Have a bite to eat in St Jean, explore a little... Then take the plunge and hike to the Orisson for a short but productive first day.
Well, here are my "learnings" and experiences.
1. people you meet on the first day or two will be your camino family.. friends the whole way through. Even when you think you've lost them and they'll pop up again and again.
2. With that in mind, don't be afraid to set off earlier, walk further, walk slower, take rest days. If you're doing the camino there's a chance you weren't happy with your daily routines before, so observe if your new routines are also best for you. Eg the first week for me was to walk with a loose gang of people. We'd keep an eye on the distance to the next town for a coffee break. Then run up a hill and take another break. Then after 20km all decide to stay in the same albergue, checkin, sheets on bed, shower, beer, food, curfew, sleep. Wk 2 i walked alone more but still did the stages in the guidebook. It wasn't til week 3 (maybe the meseta) that i realised it was time to shift gear, lose the crowd, pack my lunches, eat breakfast on top of a hill at sunrise instead of bread and bad coffee in the albergue, and actually slow down and relax without the stimulation of conversations. Late October was great for peace and quiet
3. Do take time to buy food for breakfast, lunch and snacks Remember the siesta too. Either shop before it or after it so you're not without food or supplies.
4. Bring earplugs. If they don't work, i like to pop in an earplug on the pillow side and some white noise through headphones in my other ear. as noisy as albergues can be, pensions and hotels with thin walls can have people chatting til all hours, so albergues with 10pm curfews are sometimes the best option. But other times private rooms in albergues are terrible value, esp when shared bathroom and the room adjoins the dorm room
5. Individual rooms can be a nice treat, but they're pricey. Keep an eye on booking.com for places that offer reduced rates for single occupancy.
6. If you overthink, overdrink, are addicted to your phone, drown out your thoughts with music, check blue ticks on sent messages or views on your insta story... Try to become aware and take steps to address these things. 4 weeks is not a lot of time and it will take some effort.
7. All good things come to an end. I looked forward to Sarria and arrived on 1st November. First thing i noticed is outdoor facilites like picnic benches and water fountains were few and far between.. the Galician weather was fairly kind overall but could be cold, wet and overcast. The larger crowds, often friends walking together, talking loudly, on phones, blocking the path with their poles oblivious to other walkers... To me it had a different vibe to the beginning of my camino, and passing 50 pilgrims only to take a 15 min break and passing them again... i guess it's part of it, and i did chat with some. For the most part though it was the home straight, longer distances, more listening to podcasts, and less "buen caminos". I'm not criticising the individuals doing the last 100km.. it's physical, it's an achievement, but honestly i felt the most special part of my camino was when i could actually not be part of the crowd. So Sarria to santiago, after 650km i sailed up the hills and enjoyed a faster pace. But it wasn't my favourite part of the camino. I am hoping to recapture some of the more loner, i mean solitary experience, and one on ones with other pilgrims, on the way to Finnesterre.
8. Equipment-wise there's an expression: buy cheap, buy twice. I had a cheap backpack and didn't want to buy a new one. I also bought some generic gear from Amazon. You can do it on the cheap if it's a one-off hike, but you'll end up cursing your gear.
Also because of all the facilities on the camino frances you only really need a daypack. During October there's probably little need to even carry 500ml of water at once with an exception of 17km of the meseta.
You'll never be more than a few hours from civilisation and there's no need to carry around dirty clothes, and for the most part no need to pay €8 to use the washer and drier in albergues (most ppl share loads)
So here's my equipment and recommendations.
1. Two pairs of footwear.
I'd recommend waterproof, breathable hiking shoes (not higher boots). i paid €110 and broke them in by wearing them for 3 weeks before setting off. They were a bit heavy and after 400km, during a day of flat, hard terrain i got blisters on my little toes, and later one little toe swole. I walked barefoot on the footpath for 3km the next day til I got better socks and sandals to give my feet a break!
Fact is, runners/trainers are probably better than hiking shoes most of the time, while sandals aren't good in rain or when there's debris that will get trapped in the sandals. Many people I met carried 2 pairs of footwear. Others had very light hiking shoes and just complained when it rained, either due to poor waterproofing or water getting in holes.
So personally i recommend hiking shoes, plus light runners or walking sandals that don't take up much space
2. A backpack. Mine cost €60 and is 35+5 litre. It was fine for a shorter journey but some design issues, requires constant pulling at straps, and weighs 1.5kg.
Doing it again, I'd probably budget €120+. I'd probably go for something smaller and strap the sleeping bag to the bottom, or perhaps go for a backpack where the sleeping bag could be loaded from the bottom - it will help you get packed quickly in the morning.
A raincover is essential. I took a bladder pack for water as my backpack had a compartment. It leaked once as the cap wasn't on correctly. Bar that i found it convenient.
3. Socks. 2 pair. You'll pay around €25 each. I brought cheap socks from amazon and ended up replacing them. I wash my socks every day and find ways to dry them (usually the line, a radiator, once a lamp with an incandescent bulb, other times pinning them to my backpack). As with your shoes, train with your socks too ahead of your journey to avoid blisters.
4. Undies. I brought 4 pairs of cotton boxers that took up space and couldn't be dried. Binned, and replaced with 2 pair of lighter, um less baggy underwear. Again, washing every day.
5. Thermal baselayers - top and bottoms. again, i bought these from amazon and ended up binning them. Too bulky. 2 or 3 consecutive cold night in the albergues prompted me to buy more thermals.... But since then most albergues had blankets or left the heat on overnight.
During the day, being Irish I didnt need them..most days i wore shorts even in zero degrees.
6. A pair of long trousers for the evening..zips in pockets..the ones i had zipped-off into shorts but i never used this feature
7. A pair of shorts with zip pockets. Wore these most of the time when walking.
8. I also had a light, comfy pair of shorts for walking around albergues when weather permitted. A bit more dignified than walking around in underwear
9. 2 or 3 tactical/light T-shirts - not cotton! Make sure at least one is longsleeve which will protect against both the cold and sun.. and one that is a bit more substantial with a collar and is not olive/slate colour that will look good to wear in the evening.
10. A light bum-bag (fanny pack for americans). Don't bother with a large additional day pack.
11. Lightweight, quick-drying towel that fits around your waist.
12. Knife.. i went with a non-locking blade but it's probably too big to take in handluggage. I saw a guy with a rambo knife and question the need for it. I also bought a teaspoon for yoghurts and a 2-step bottle opener. A swiss army knife would also be good instead though harder to open wine bottles
13. A Stick. I went half way without one but found myself hunching so bought a €5 stick and now I'm a convert.
14. Toiletries... For me that's a bar of soap, razor, mid-sized plasters to stick over blisters, moisturizer for my feet, talc for my socks and boots, nail scissors, toothpaste and toothbrush, factor 50 suncream and roll-on deodorant. I also carried hand-wash liquid for laundry but you could make-do with soap.
15. Kleenex, useful when albergue is out of toilet paper.
16. Sunglasses
17. Sleeping bag. I brought a summer one as i only sleep indoors. If you think you like the idea of sleeping outdoors you'll need something heavier.
18. Wallet: Passport card (as passport needs to be shown in every accomodation it's much easier than using the passport book). Credit card. European health insurance card.
19. Phone. Sometimes i wish i hadn't it. Anyway, dual sim so i could buy a local sim for decent 4G. If possible - bring a really good phone. You'll have a decent battery-life,.it can charge your other devices and the photo quality will be much better. I made-do with my budget phone.
20. wireless headphones - also useful when earplugs just can't block snoring
21. Earplugs.
22. Kindle. Ended up barely reading it.
23. Rosary beads
24. Pen and paper.
25. European charger that supports 2 charging cables (don't bother with bulky adaptors). I use a 1m usb-c cable, a 30cm usb-c cable, and a 30cm usb micro cable for my kindle and headphones.
26. A controversial one but a power bank..sure, it's bulky but it can charge your devices without worrying about leaving expensive devices unattended or when you're caught with a low battery.
27. Light raincoat that folds into a small bag .. make sure it's 100% waterproof.
28. A fleece/jacket, light and warm. Between the baselayer, tshirt, jacket and raincoat you'll have enough layers without needing to bring a bulky waterproof/windproof coat.
29. Some people brought waterproof trousers but i did without.
30. Some people brought gloves and honestly, there were days i could have done with gloves! Bring gloves
31. A buff. I had two. A light one i had with me that was great against the sun and cool evenings. And a 2nd warmer one i bought that acted as a scarf or beanie when the weather got cooler. These also double as facemasks although a few places insisted on an actual face mask
32. A cap.
33. A little aluminium cup or small flask that's nicer to drink cold water out of when you stop for a break.. just my preference.. plastic will always be lighter.
34. Safety pins. Double as pegs for laundry
35. A plug. Ideal for 3-star hotels who provide a bathtub but don't want you to use it, or albergues who don't want you doing washing in the sink
The dumbest things i brought: inflatable pillow. It was prominent on packing lists but a waste. First aid kit- binned everything but the plasters. 2m usb charger (cable was very thick).- once i used it as a washing line but ultimately replaced it with a 1m cable that was much tidier. A light jacket that was neither warm nor waterproof.
I realise the above is nothing new. I could even say to just bring 2 tees, 1 shorts, 1 trousers, and have everything made of merino wool. but overall, i think it's an ok packing list for an October camino and i hope it helps somebody.
-flip flops - bad idea. Weight... well.. eventually around week 3 my body no longer reminded me i brought too much - I no longer thought about the backpack on my back... so in the end it didn't matter for me how much I brought. Last (obvious) advice... if you don't dial in your shoes and socks BEFORE you go to spain... you WILL regret it big time. I saw a LOT of folks that paid the piper by not doing this along with ample 'walking / training' before flying to Spain. I wore Oboz (not waterproof- don't buy waterproof) shoes that i bought 1/2 size too large - yes, my feet swelled into them within the first 2 hours each day. Darn Tough wool socks (2 pair) - no blisters, nada. Smart Wool socks gave me issues so I didn't walk in them. I never got a chance to try the 2 layer socks that some swore by. I documented my experience at livealagom.life (optimized for phone viewing/ mobile) to inspire others to go....enjoy....for me, like most of you who've completed a Camino, it was a once in a lifetime event that will forever live in my heart ! For those of you on the fence about a Camino.... go ! Plan, (I'm an eagle scout) but don't vapor lock on endless details.... the Camino will provide.... and Buen Camino !
