Walking in July 2012 and spending no money

[Laurancetsang]

Ok. This may sound crazy but it'll be good to see other peoples opinions and suggestions. I am planning to walk the camino France's in July 2012. I will be carrying a 21kg pack approx. containing belongings and a months worth of rations. I also plan to sleep in my tent at the checkpoints rather than the albergues. I was wondering if anyone has done the camino this way before and if so would like some advice on how it worked out for you. Thanks

 

[Yallah]

I'm curious what your motivation is for carrying all your food. There are grocery stores every day on the Camino Francés. Do you mean you are bringing dehydrated food from your home country?

Everyone has their own way of doing the camino and I don't think it's anyone's position to judge. But for me personally, that way of walking the camino would defeat the purpose. You can backpack just about any hiking trail in the world if you're camping and carrying all your food. The camino grants the opportunity, unlike almost any other trail, to stay in very affordable and convenient accommodations, share the experience with other pilgrims from around the world and carry a light pack with few provisions.

Again for me personally, I enjoy the opportunity to support the local economy in rural Spain and would feel that I was taking something from them if I enjoyed walking through but did not contribute anything financially to the region.

But it's YOUR camino and if you feel called to walk in this way, go for it. In medieval times there were many mendicant pilgrims who begged their way along the camino and it was considered a spiritual obligation for others to help them.

 

[Deleted member 3000]

Thousands walk that way annually on the Appalachian Trail and Pacific Crest Trail. Many pilgrims camp the Camino. Combining the two is a fantastic idea. You will get dozens of comments a day on the size of your pack, but you have hefted it and know the challenge. It will be a conversation piece that connects you to the other pilgrims. There does not seem to be a lot of enforcement of camping rules, but asking permission to occupy private property may save you a lot of grief. You will find out early if space around albergues is friendly to campers. If you get a lot of "no's" early, expect the same later. Have a great time! Recent, regular droughts have created a fire danger, so open fires probably should be avoided if you want to avoid the authorities! Camp stoves, usually single burners for making coffee, can be seen along the way, so fixing a dehydrated meal should be easy.

 

[sulu]

[quoteRecent, regular droughts have created a fire danger, so open fires probably should be avoided if you want to avoid the authorities!][/quote]
You're very right Falcon, actually it is illegal to light fires outdoors, here in Spain, during the summer months!

Hi Laurancetsang,
I'm intrigued at this concept of not spending money. Sounds a good idea in theory but food costs money wherever you buy it. Fresh food is fairly cheap in Spain, it would be interesting to know whether, in the end, carrying food from the home works out cheaper. Are you going to drink nothing but water :?:

 

[Arn]

Laurancetsang...welcome to the Forum and the Class of 2012!

Plans are great and are as good as the first foot step...then the Camino takes over!

Please keep the Forum in the loop as you walk the Way. Though that may be a problem if you're not taking any communications devices, or have access to the internet.

Buen "doing it my Way" Camino,

Arn

 

[tyrrek]

Hi Laurancetsang!

I'd be really interested to hear more about your motivations for making your pilgrimage this way, but I understand that these may be personal.

Buen Camino!

Keith

 

[NOHOOLIGAN]

"You have a point there, an idiotic one but a point." (from "All About Eve")
Think about all the fresh veggies Spain has to offer, not to mention all those local dishes I'm waiting to get my teeth on! Forget your stupid (sorry!) idea, and join the gang!
Cheers!

 

[Arn]

On it's face, I don't think any question, or idea is stupid because it's often the unasked "stupid" question that causes the problem. And, an idea is only stupid...if you repeat it over and over...expecting a different result.

Trial and error, while not necessarily a bad method of discovery...isn't very efficient if the results can be disastrous...to one's self, or others.

Let's wait and see the result.

Arn

 

[Deleted member 3000]

Starting at the end of March from Barcelona to Santiago with a old bicycle. Now, I have learned that the marked route from Est. de Sta Maria y la Peña to San Juan de la Peña might not be doable with a bike. So, what do I possibly lose taking the road (A-1205 and A-1603) instead?
Also, is the route from Sarsamarcuello to Est. de Sta Maria y la Peña rideable with a bike, and what do you think of taking the road (A-1206 and A-132) already from Loarre?

There have been a number of unique ideas on the Forum, such as using an old bicycle, but are they "stupid?"

 

[Yallah]

Thousands walk that way annually on the Appalachian Trail and Pacific Crest Trail.

That's because, unlike the Camino, there are very few restock options along those trails and even on those demanding wilderness trips, hikers are restocking more than once per month! I do a lot of backpacking and definitely utilize every convenient supply point! No need to punish ones' self!

 

[Laurancetsang]

H everybody. Thanks for the responses. I have a lot of rations and dehydrated food which is mor than enough to last my journey and was unsure if anyone did it this way.
My funds are very low for this trip but I do have everything I need to survive.
Maybe I'm trying to push myself to see how far i can push myself or maybe I'm just an idiot. I don't know. Everyone is entitled to their own opinion.
But surely past pilgrims hundreds of years ago would have slept rough along the way and had to carry enough food for their entire journey. Maybe this could be the true pilgrim experience???

 

[tyrrek]

But surely past pilgrims hundreds of years ago would have slept rough along the way and had to carry enough food for their entire journey. Maybe this could be the true pilgrim experience???

Hi! From what I've read (and others will correct me) pilgrims came from all walks of life; some rich, some poor, some on horseback and some on foot. They would use local taverns when available or rely on the local communities.

What would they have carried to eat for a month? Meat (rancid), vegetables (soggy and horrible), milk (urgh!). I won't even mention eggs (sorry, I just did).

Bars, shops, markets etc are the places where you meet the local people, enjoy the local food (often generous tapas in a bar for nothing once you've bought your drink!), and get a feel for Spain.

It's just a case of getting the balance right, I think.

Buen Camino!

 

[fraluchi]

I was wondering if anyone has done the camino this way before and if so would like some advice on how it worked out for you.

Sorry I can't help you, this way of walking the Camino never crossed my mind. Seems very original though and perhaps you can relate later in the year on this venture? :idea:

 

[wdbillingsley]

Loved the fresh healthy food that was wonderfully cooked. Resturants are great places to meet and socialize Can't imagine eating freeze dried reconstituted processed food when there are such great options. I wonder how much all that food you are bringing costs...compared to buying local fresh.

 

[Sojourner47]

. I also plan to sleep in my tent at the checkpoints rather than the albergues. I was wondering if anyone has done the camino this way before and if so would like some advice on how it worked out for you. Thanks

Where are the "checkpoints" you're planning to camp?

 

[JohnnieWalker]

Some pilgrims, albeit not a lot, arrive in Santiago having had minimal contact with "civilisation" - they either camp or in summer simply sleep out. As for food some people make their pilgrimage on a minimal budget - remember the member of the forum who was proposing to take no money and "let the Lord" provide? But let's also remember that what starts off as firm plan for a camino rarely ends up that way! Go for it Laurancetsang and let us know how you get on.

 

[Sagalouts]

Hi Laurancetsang
I have met many Pilgrims who camp out on the Camino,over the 3 years I have been walking the numbers have been increasing ,some walk with dogs others with guitars flutes Diablos very few carry tents,mostly a younger crowd-In Finisterre on the quite beach they sleep out in ever increasing numbers A small festival every night.
As you walk in July I would cut down on the weight and ditch the tent,there are many safe places to sleep on the Camino-some seek out the many picnic areas with benches-some wooden but a lot are concrete-a lot of the churches have outdoor space with roofs for when the weather is wet-some are allowed to sleep outside or in the grounds of the Municipal refuge ( Logrono-Ponferrada) some rightly or wrongly take advantage of the Donotivo's and sleep and eat for free-Granon welcomes this.
The people who I have met and do this say their days are fuller and the night beneath the stars are special. I myself have slept out a few times and enjoyed it, but the warm comfort and company of the Albergue draw me back.
The Albergue crowd miss out on a lot-they just walk till 12pm or 2pm at the latest and then just sit around writting journals reading books and guides and sleeping,where the outdoor sleeper gets to walk into the late evening,often the better part of the day watching the Sun set and rise with no plans for the day other than just to enjoy.
try find the blog of Loving kindness on this forum-she spent one year walking from Denmark sleeping out a lot of the time.
Ian

 

[Deleted member 3000]

These have been on sale for as little as $2 (1.52E), and weigh 5 oz. Of course, a thirty-two day supply of them would be ten pounds of weight.

http://www.sierratradingpost.com/backpa ... rFamily=99

 

[lynnejohn]

I guess that would provide adequate sustenance but hardly guiso de lentejas or tortilla de patatas or caldo gallego...I have got all of these at times at pretty close to $5.

 

[newfydog]

I've travelled that way where it was a neccessity, but if I had budget constraints I'd prefer to do half a Camino a conventional manner than a whole one like that. If I were to be entirely self contained, I'd like to use that get away from civilization. If I were to travel the camino, a celebration of past and present civilization. I'd prefer to be part of it.

 

[bromeliad]

But surely past pilgrims hundreds of years ago would have slept rough along the way and had to carry enough food for their entire journey. Maybe this could be the true pilgrim experience???

Actually, from what we know it's more likely that pilgrims in the past carried much LESS weight than we do. Besides the clothes on their backs, sandals on their feet and some money and documents, most carried only a staff and a gourd to drink water from rivers and streams, and relied on whatever they could find along the Camino for food and shelter. Not unlike mendicant monks in some Buddhist countries do today.

So if you're looking for "the true pilgrim experience", nothing could be farther from it than carrying along one month's worth of astronaut food, I'm afraid! :wink:

 

[rubyslippers]

I'm sure someone will correct me if I'm wrong, but as I remember:
Camping is not allowed on the Camino.

I only saw one camper along the way- the Albergues are everywhere and I never spent 30E a day. I did take along venison sticks (like jerky) from my own deer farm here in NH. It didn't need to be refrigerated. I could always get pan bread and I could always get valencia oranges and a tub of yogurt but the protein was difficult to come by. Peanut butter is hard to find. cheese spoils and every time I cooked hard boiled eggs someone took them out of the refrigerator at night.

I hate to say this because I don't want to offend, but I found that if our Algergue had filled up the night before with the young men who ride the trail on bikes - any food in the communal refrigerator was gone in the morning. They gained a bad reputation on the Camino the year I hiked it. The beds are supposed to be for walkers. I'm hoping they have resolved some of those issues.

Also, I hope you don't take so much in your pack as it will be so heavy that you'll damage your feet, knees etc. The original Pilgrims DID carry everything with them, but they also ended up in terrible condition. Thus "Hospitaleros" - and the places to care for Pilgrims.

Spain's tourism and especially the Camino's tourism is a major contributor to the economy of Spain. I hope we all consider not only our money deposited there in a positive way, but also our behavior on the Camino.

 

[Yallah]

The original Pilgrims DID carry everything with them,

According to my research, early pilgrims carried only a small trapezoidal leather bag, flat with no closures. It had symbolic meaning, it was open to remind the pilgrim to give and receive freely, flat to remind them to depend on God and bring little for the journey, and made of skin to remind them of the mortification of the flesh. They sewed coins into their robes, carried water in a gourd, and a few personal items in their bag. Some food was purchased along the way, and religious establishments had certain obligations to provide a certain amount of bread to pilgrims. Perhaps they hunted along the way and surely gathered berries and edible plants.

Another issue with a completely self-contained trip is, where to go to the bathroom? There are few public bathrooms and most are in bars or albergues that wouldn't be very polite to use without buying anything. Of course one can go in nature, carefully following "leave no trace" principles, but there's not a lot of privacy especially around urban areas.

Regarding the legality of "free camping," it depends on the region and the area. Generally it is illegal to camp within a certain distance from towns, historical sites, established campgrounds, water sources and roads. Private land of course is also technically illegal but if you are discrete off in a field somewhere you will likely have no problems. I believe camp fires are illegal except in special parts.

I love to go on "real" self-contained backpacking trips, but I just don't think the camino is well-suited for this. There are hundreds of other lovely hiking trails such as the GR11 in the Pyrenees and the Picos de Europa that would be ideal for a self-contained trip.

 

[Laurancetsang]

Thanks guys. I might have to revise my plan slightly then but I'll probably bring my tent anyway in case I can set it up somewhere and probably bring some rations. I still have a long way to go once I reach santiago you see so I probably will be carrying more than most people

 

[rubyslippers]

The original Pilgrims DID carry everything with them,

According to my research, early pilgrims carried only a small trapezoidal leather bag, flat with no closures. It had symbolic meaning, it was open to remind the pilgrim to give and receive freely, flat to remind them to depend on God and bring little for the journey, and made of skin to remind them of the mortification of the flesh. They sewed coins into their robes, carried water in a gourd, and a few personal items in their bag. Some food was purchased along the way, and religious establishments had certain obligations to provide a certain amount of bread to pilgrims. Perhaps they hunted along the way and surely gathered berries and edible plants.

Another issue with a completely self-contained trip is, where to go to the bathroom? There are few public bathrooms and most are in bars or albergues that wouldn't be very polite to use without buying anything. Of course one can go in nature, carefully following "leave no trace" principles, but there's not a lot of privacy especially around urban areas.

Regarding the legality of "free camping," it depends on the region and the area. Generally it is illegal to camp within a certain distance from towns, historical sites, established campgrounds, water sources and roads. Private land of course is also technically illegal but if you are discrete off in a field somewhere you will likely have no problems. I believe camp fires are illegal except in special parts.

I love to go on "real" self-contained backpacking trips, but I just don't think the camino is well-suited for this. There are hundreds of other lovely hiking trails such as the GR11 in the Pyrenees and the Picos de Europa that would be ideal for a self-contained trip.

Thanks Yallah for clearing up the illegal/legal aspect of camping. I never strayed far from the path and enjoyed the Albergue experience. These wonderful towns sprung up to care for the Pilgrim in their journey. Good luck and let us know how your experience turns out. Walking in July and spending no money. I wish you well.

 

[newfydog]

I'm sure someone will correct me if I'm wrong, but as I remember:
Camping is not allowed on the Camino.

I only saw one camper along the way- .

Our first Camino we camped a fair bit, always out of the way, but not exactly hidden, sometimes in plain view of the trail when there are no trees. No hassles at all, and good reception from the local farmers.

Other hikers are off the trail early, and if you are a bit out of town, you'll be packed up and gone before any arrive. We had some lovely evenings out there, and it sure made planning relaxed to have the option.

 

[caminka]

religious establishments had certain obligations to provide a certain amount of bread to pilgrims

adding to this that, at least during Middle Ages, monasteries and pilgrim hospitals were obliged to cater to poor travellers, providing them with free food (often a ration of bread, meat and wine), a warm place to sleep (some straw on the floor, they had special rooms or buildings for that) and sometimes some change (presumably to buy food where no such establishment was available, and for some inevitable taxes). they were given land and donated money for that purpose, especially on Camino Frances. they were also often very conveniently spaced about a day's walk apart. german pilgrim at the end of the 15C, Hermannus Kunig von Vach, in his guide signals out establishments that were especially generous in this area.

on camping: I have to admit that I haven't seen many campers on my caminos. once in france and once or twice in spain. I like to think that, as Camino Frances has such an extensive network of inexpensive accommodation, it really is not neccessary to camp if you are not specifically inclined to, or prefer such method of hiking. not to mention the extra weight you need to carry with all the camping equipment. there are still albergues that operate on donativo code and you could leave maybe 1-3E to cover the cost of shower, wc and kitchen, and it wouldn't amount to much money in one month. and you can experience the wonderful camarderie in the afternoons and evenings.

on food: I understand that food can become the most expensive outcome if you want to eat decent and varied food and not spending 10-15E for a meal every day. but with some planning you can target albergues that have kitchens and that can reduce the cost considerably. I found that the most difficult was to keep up with fresh vegetables because usually you can only buy quantities that are too big for one (smaller) person; although sometimes you can arrange to share a good salad with other pilgrims - that is a great experience.

but everyone travels in his/her own way, and certainly had the right to do so. if you can, give us feedback on you jouney.

 

[Rebekah Scott]

A minor historical point: Not all the monasteries along the camino were "obliged" to welcome pilgrims. Those were the Benedictines -- religious whose vows of poverty, chastity, and obedience also entail a vow to offer hospitality to strangers. Seeing as much of the initial drive to develop the camino came from French Benedictines (Carthusians, Cluniacs, and Cistercians among them), the Camino Frances was particularly gifted with places for pilgrims to stay. Augustinians and Franciscans also offered hospitality. But plenty of other religious orders set up along the camino to meet local needs for education, healthcare, mission service, and contemplative prayer. Hospitality is not among their vows or their callings, so pilgrims are not usually part of their ministries.
(and you will find plenty of Benedictine houses on the camino that do not have pilgrim ministries these days.)

Reb.