What is the most you have walked in a day?

[micamino73]

Hi just wondering what is the most you have walked in a Day?

 

[miguel_gp]

42km (26 miles) on my first ever day of my first ever Camino in 2007. From Verin in the South of Galicia to Sandias. It was a real baptism of fire which I walked with four companions. None of us thought we would be able to get up the next day and carry on but somehow we did. The front of the sole of my boot came away after 15km but I did a hasty repair with some superglue (I carried everything in those days :roll: ) and they are still going strong as my gardening boots 5 years later.

Mig

 

[tyrrek]

Including or excluding the extra bits where you got a bit lost? :roll:

 

[micamino73]

Interesting I am doing 2 hour walks 12 kms at the moment with no issues, I think I will do a 30 km walk and see how it does. I know I could do 42 kms no issue... But I don't want to ruin the rest of the walk.

 

[tyrrek]

Interesting I am doing 2 hour walks 12 kms at the moment with no issues, I think I will do a 30 km walk and see how it does. I know I could do 42 kms no issue... But I don't want to ruin the rest of the walk.

Yes, that's the point really. Some of us could walk 40-50km a day if there was someone with a stick behind us and/or a free bar at the destination, but it's a marathon not a sprint etc.

Buen Camino!

 

[robertt]

Low thirties, a couple of times.

On the vastly more interesting topic of how few I've walked, I'd say about six kilometres, all flat. I've done this kind of short distance often, so it wasn't just a point-proving exercise. I walked with two young Americans who claimed a "four", but they were merely showing off. I hate that.

 

[mralisn]

The most I walked was 50km on the Camino Norte. The least I walked was 18km on the Camino Frances. On both days, I was on the "high" the Camino provides. I "average" 32km when on pilgrimage. Whatever the day, I simply listen to what my body tells me I can do. Sometimes my body tells me to stop while my spirit tells me to keep going! I have to find the balance. I get easily excited/stimulated while walking with my pack. Being more aware of the condition of my feet causes me to pause more often for care. Chocolate croissant, cafe' con leche, vino, and Camino puppies usually provides breaks as well.

Will return to Camino Frances in June!

Keep a smile,
Simeon

 

[evanlow]

45 km. From Lugo to Melide (Camino Primitivo to Camino Frances).

Only reason is I got lost and missed the stop somewhere in between. It is something I am not proud of but couldn't do anything as there were nothing along the path, not even for a refreshing drink.

 

[Telluridewalker]

Good question: mine was 43 km. When I walked ('88) there were no refugios between Sahagun and Mansilla de las Mulas. There was an abandoned apeadero (small train station) that was listed in my guide as a possible camping point, and I waited out a storm there, but a lack of water and the rats wandering around convinced me to walk the rest of the way to Mansilla. (Note: I had to sleep on the floor in Mansilla, which was painful after such a long hike, but I also got my second hot shower in two weeks there.)

 

[jujuaway]

I mostly walked in the low 20s but ond day, through sheer mismanagement and crazy enthusiasm , i walked 43 kms from the little hamlet of Cassanova to the lovely private albergue in Santa Irene.

I left in the morning in moonlight and arrived in moonlight.... but what a great day!!! But then every day was a great day on the Camino.

Thank goodness for for head torch and that beer and kit cat chocolate + a packet of chips ( the only things available) i'd eaten at about 5pm.

Luckily, in a past life,as a part of a fundraiser, i had walked 50 kms, so i knew i had it in me somewhere!!

i wouldn't recommend doing this distance but i felt fantastic to hit the sheets that night. That's right the albergue actually had sheets... I coud have kissed the manager there who offered me their last bed + a glass of wine!! enjoy your walk, juju

 

[Stephen Nicholls]

Robertt - how FEW is an interesting concept. Last year on the Camino Portuguese I walked 5 kms one day. That was the day after a 23 kms walk including a mountain pass. I was totally bushed. My wife texted me saying "Take a day off. Even God rested on the seventh day!" It was my 7th day on the camino, so I took her advice!
The Camino isn't a race. I walk alone [by preference] take many photographs, talk to anyone I see - including the animals! Even butterflies get a greeting from time to time. So take your time and enjoy the freedom, the ancient churches and crosses, and the fellowship of other peregrinos. That's what it's all about for me. Check out http://www.calig.co.uk/camino_de_santiago.htm
Buen camino!
Stephen
P.S. I averaged 18 kms a day on the Camino Portuguese: this year in May on the Via de la Plata - we shall see!

 

[spursfan]

56km from Hospital de Orbigo to Riego de Ambros, starting at 7am and finishing at 6pm including stops in Astorga and Rabanal, which I left at 2pm - and, since I was reluctant to stay the night before Riego, I carried on (and the last bit was downhill) - and treated myself to a lovely meal of lomo and chips at a small local cafe in the evening

I averaged about 40km per day from SJPP to Santiago, walking around 7.5 hours including modest breaks

And the shortest, 19km - arriving at Cesar Menor and Leon before noon

 

[hieronimus]

The most I walked was from Trabadelo to Tricastela 40 - 45 km. A bit of snow na O`Cebrerio - mid may 2010. In Tricastela no room in the inn, everything full, we slept in the church up the choir, others slept on wooden floor near the altar. Deal was we have to leave before 7 am, before the first mass. Was fun.

 

[jp2speeds57]

Quite fun to read the post about this question. In my fisrt camino (Arles-Santiago) i did s4-5 days over 40 including my top 49. My feet hurt over 40. Well 10 years later, i walk 25-28 per day and enjoy a few 0 days along the way ( try the Thermas in Ourense!!!). Wonder how many it another 10 years?
Life is good!
jpierre

 

[Trudy]

I'm a slow walker, and 20 kms is my comfortable maximum for the day. But in 2007 I did around 34 kms when walking the Valcarlos Route between St Jean Pied de Port and Roncesvalles. I managed to get lost twice by following the off-road Camino signs after Valcarlos, so had to backtrack to the main road. What with rain, sleet, fog, cold, high winds, and only seeing one other person on that road all day (and he turned back to Valcarlos!), I was not a happy little pilgrim!

 

[dougfitz]

Interesting I am doing 2 hour walks 12 kms at the moment with no issues, I think I will do a 30 km walk and see how it does. I know I could do 42 kms no issue... But I don't want to ruin the rest of the walk.

I would expect that will take you 5.25 hours or more, given your current pace for 12km, and 42km will take you more than 7.5 hours. Those longer distances are a big step up from the ~10km distances, and don't expect the extra distance to be quite so easy. If you have the time, step up the distances by adding 30 mins or so to your long walks every week, don't try to go from 12km to 30km in one big hit.

You don't say what the walking conditions are, or whether you are carrying a pack. If you are currently walking on pavement or good formed road without a pack, you can expect to be much slower on many parts of the Camino.

Returning to your original question, my longest days were SJPP to Roncesvalles on Route Valcarlos, including getting lost for an hour just after leaving SJPP, then Mazariffe to Astroga. These were both a bit over 30km. These both took about 10 hours elapsed, with about seven to eight hours of actual walking.

 

[nellpilgrim]

Hi Micamino,
I'm not a 'racing class pilgrim' but even so I've found that it's not so much the distance as the terrain and the weather conditions that are the key criteria for me. So a sunny but windy springtime stroll across the meseta and the km's flew by but 15km slogging along with the sticky red mud of Rioja clinging to my boots damn near killed me.
If I'm truthful the last 4 km of whatever distance I walk a day are a bit penitential-but that's just my head acting the maggot
N

 

[dougfitz]

If I'm truthful the last 4 km or whatever distance I walk a day are a bit penitential-but that's just my head acting the maggot

I found much the same thing. I normally walked in three brackets of about two hours each, but the long days took an extra bracket to make the distance. At the start of that extra walking session, there were bits of both my mind and body screaming 'you want me to do what?' normally followed by various less than complimentary assessments of my mental state :!:

 

[jirit]

Last year while doing the Camino for a second time, I along with two other guys, walked 40 km one day in a period whereby we covered 140 km over 4 days. (the other 3 days averaged to approx 33 km each)

I found it easy to walk up to 30 km during the day with out any issues taking approximately 6 hours to complete this distance. Depending on the terrain I could go to 35 km (adding at that time of the day another 1 1/2 hours to the walk).

However going to 40 km was probably my outer limit.

To add to the "fun" we all had numerous blisters on both feet but we kept going

 

[+@^^]

no bragging rights accrue for this
.
through sheer stupidity i walked 50kays on 2 separate occasions
its not that the distance is difficult
you wake up, you put your left foot in front of your right foot, and repeat
for 12 hours
.
what nearly finished me off was running out of water
it was the vdlp in late summer in mid 30deg centigrade
i was carrying a 3lt camelbak
which i estimated would be good for 35 kays
this left me with 15 kays without water
.
i was delirious and dehydrated
my skin was dry and salt caked
a really dangerous situation

 

[KiwiNomad06]

="nellpilgrim"If I'm truthful the last 4 km or whatever distance I walk a day are a bit penitential-but that's just my head acting the maggot N

Ahhhh but Nell, you are not alone. I recognise the 'last 4km rule" absolutely! (....starts looking for maggots in her head...) It is in the same category for me as "to every descent there is an equal and opposite ascent" which applied particularly well at the start of the Le Puy route. (And I really laughed when I heard someone speak the identical 'rule' in French one day.)
Margaret

 

[nellpilgrim]

....It is in the same category for me as "to every descent there is an equal and opposite ascent" which applied particularly well at the start of the Le Puy route. (And I really laughed when I heard someone speak the identical 'rule' in French one day.)
Margaret

Now Margaret isn't what you really mean to say that it often feels as if " for every descent there is an unequally much steeper ascent" .......... :twisted: On the other hand one may feel morally superior having climbed up the damn things well the first 10 anyway.... but that soon wears off :shock:

Nell

 

[FatmaG]

48 km. Pure madness!
It was on the Tunnel Route or Via de Bayonne from Briviesca to Burgos.
There was an accommodation possibility half way, but I did not like the idea to stop near that national road which had driven me nearly crazy that day...

I arrived at the municipal albergue of Burgos nearly crawling on all fours. Then just had a shower and fell onto the bed, I did not even try to find some dinner...

 

[Camino2010]

Including or excluding the extra bits where you got a bit lost? :roll:

Haha, tyrrek! The first time I walked the Camino Frances, in 2010, I got lost in Ponferrada for two hours. I added about 8km that day.

The most I've walked in a day was last year in 2011, my second time on the Camino Frances. Actually, I had two longest days. On day 19 I walked 42km from El Burgo Ranero to León. I left the albergue at 5:30am to walk under the light of the full moon, and for three and a half hours I had the Camino completely to myself... a rare thing to experience for even minutes at a time, sometimes, with thousands of people walking, let alone for more than an hour! It was a beautiful experience, though by the time I got to the industrial part of León on the way into the city, I was ready for it to be over.

Then on day 28 I walked 43km from Triacastela to Portomarin. That day I started walking at 8:15am and arrived in Portomarin at 9:15pm, walking most of the way with a friend I met up with after Samos. I'd often wondered what it was like to be one of "those people" who arrived after dark at an albergue! It was a fun experience to have, but my feet were not happy the next day! It made a big difference that I took so long to walk 42km that day (about 11 hours of walking and 2 hours of breaks), after walking the 43km to León in about 8.5 hours.

I also walked a few other long days of more than 30km. I enjoyed walking from Astorga to Acebo in one day, about 38km. (In 2010 I stayed overnight in Rabanal but last year I arrived in Rabanal two hours before the albergue opened for the day). And last year I decided I wanted to walk from SJPP to Roncesvalles in one go (in 2010 I stayed overnight in Orisson and did the walk in two stages). It took me 9 hours.

The Camino is not a race, and it's important to walk your own pace and pay attention to how your body feels! I got into trouble my first year, trying to keep up with someone faster than me in the first few days. Doing that caused me trouble with my feet and knees for weeks and led to my taking motorized transportation across parts of the Camino. Walking last year, completely healthy and strong, was a very different experience, and it felt GOOD to walk extra-long days, to find out how much my body could do, wanted to do. I remember arriving at El Burgo Ranero after walking 28.5km from Moratinos. The hospitalero took one look at me and asked, "Are you tired? Because you don't look tired!" And it's true, I felt fabulous and would have been happy to walk longer... except my feet were ready for a rest .

Mm, as for shortest days, in 2010 I walked just 5km from Villatuerta to Estella where my knee said "Enough!!!" I took a day off there and it was the first time I took the bus (to Viana). And last year I walked 9km from Hontanas to Castrojeriz because I wanted to wait for a friend who'd stayed in Hornillos. That was fun though because I arrived early enough, and had enough energy, to explore the castle ruins above the town!

Rachel

 

[Deleted member 3000]

Jenny Anderson averaged 88.5 km per day for just over 9 days. My shortest day was from the Leon albergue to the Guzman El Bueno hotel.

 

[dutchpilgrim]

My maximum was about 34 Km.
I met an elderly lady from Australia, Veronica. "You know", she said, "I am walking some 10 Km a day, and I am getting to Santiago as well..." Saw her twice, she took a bus every once in a while.
And I also met a German guy, walking 50 Km a day. Never saw him again.

Ultreya,
Carli Di Bortolo

 

[Pieces]

I walked Leon to Astorga which is 50km, it was my last walking day and I could have cut it in two if I had problems on the way, but it was smooth walking and my best camino day so far...

 

[write2fred]

It seems to me that in the early stages I followed the guide book religiously....then as I got my walking legs.....I would add a few extra kms at every opportunity ..... Then in the last third of the walk it was nothing to do 30 to 35 kms a day....some days I even went 40 plus kms depending where the Alburgues was located .....usually the feet would tell me when best to stop...the more the kms...the bigger the aches and pains ....... grateful to have walked blister free....thanks to a great pair of boots that were well broken in before the walk......
The walk felt like a good book....the better it gets the faster you read....then in the end...you wish you had savoured every word more carefully then rushing through it...... that said .... I am sure I would do it the same way the next time....
I loved every step on the Camino !!!
I am so grateful for such an amazing opportunity .
F
June 2011

 

[Sammi.L]

Hi just wondering what is the most you have walked in a Day?

Try walking 80km's, I finished my camino on a 80km walk which took all day and all night arriving in Santiago at 7.30 am, the most physically challenging day/night of my life, good think I'm still only 17 and have plenty of time for future and maybe more challenging camino's
Sam Lether, Australia!

 

[StuartM]

Now Margaret isn't what you really mean to say that it often feels as if " for every descent there is an unequally much steeper ascent" .......... :twisted: On the other hand one may feel morally superior having climbed up the damn things well the first 10 anyway.... but that soon wears off :shock:

Nell

On the Salvador it felt like I had descended about twice as much as I ascended. I hate descents.

I think my longest day was around 40km from Pola de Lena to Oviedo. Boring, boring, boring... I just wanted to get through it.

On the Frances in the latter stages I was flying through distance. I remember doing 25km one morning without even noticing, in one hit, no stops, nothing. I heard a voice in my head say "this will all be over too soon" and I realised I had to slow and savour every step.

 

[Thengel1]

My longest distance 31.8km from Burgos to Hostanos. I remember coming across a bunch of signs advertising places to stay about half a km short of Hostanas, but thinking is must be a mirage, because there nothing as far as the eye could see.

Shortest distance was 8.5 km Palas de Rei to O Coto, woke up with the flu, took me 6-7 hours to cover that distance, including a 3 hour rest stop lying on the ground in the shadow of the albergue at Mato-Casanova. The second worst day of my camino.

 

[wayfarer]

My longest day in 2012 was 37/38 kms on a very wet day, what else would you be doing on a day like that, will have to check my notes as to where. The shortest was 9 kms, the last stretch into Santiago, got in at 09.30.
Edit: Average distance overall was 25k.

 

[Deleted member 3000]

what else would you be doing on a day like that

Drink cafe con leche or vino tinto????

 

[Dutch]

42-43km i think. Roncesvalles to Pamplona. Was way too hot that day for such a long walk. Stupid. I did not like larrasoaña and was in Zubiri way too early to have called it a day, so i kept on walking.

I must say, anywhere inbetween 25-30km was the most enjoyable distance for me. 30 was about the max i could stretch my joy. Every km after 30 started to annoy me a bit, eventhough there were a few 30-33 days. Especially on hot days 30+ was too much.

 

[Leaningforward]

My longest day on good legs was 32 km; the February day was warm and sunny -- and glorious!

My longest day on bad legs -- using a pair of forearm crutches -- was 29 km; the March day was cold and wet -- and glorious!

Another pilgrim -- who became a dear friend -- "dared" me outside Palas de Rei to meet his group (a school from Portugal) in Arzua that night to tell them my camino story. I accepted the challenge without consulting a map and had no idea how far I had bargained to walk.

The singular feat will sustain me through "hard times" for years (and hopefully decades) to come.

 

[jeffnd]

My longest day was Villafranca to Pintin. The GPS on my tablet says 47.71 miles or 76.78 K. I started at 8:15 am and took the highway route to Herrerias. It was rainy and foggy so I figured there would be no point in taking either of the "scenic" routes. I caught a quick nap in a bus shelter in Tricastela around 2 am and another on top of a stone fence somewhere around Mondaveiga sometime around 7 am. Why did I walk that far in such terrible weather? The short answer is that I was mad at the mountain.

My longest non-insane walking days were about 40 K. My average was around 30 K though. But I'm not a fast walker. (My favorite part of the day was waving to all the other pilgrims as they past me, then having the whole Camino to myself.) But if I got started early enough in the morning, I could do 30 K and still arrive at a reasonable time at night. My shortest day was probably about 13 K.

 

[clearskiescamino]

For me, I walked 31km from Burgos to Hontanas on a very hot day. That was tough going. Belorado to Atapuerca was another long distance day. Some guys I walked with, did the 50+km stretch from Melide to Santiago. Hardcore.

 

[koilife]

St. James had me by the throat for the final 43 km from Ribadiso to Santiago. It felt like walking on air, as if there was no weight in my pack. A few times I think I was actually flying. As we were going through the outskirts, I glanced back at one point to see my son, and he was four blocks behind me, lumbering not quite so light as me. So much for youth and vitality (or maybe it was a final gift because my parents had the good sense to give me a middle name of James).

 

[Al the optimist]

Longest day? Last year I walked 13 hours from Negreira to Muxia, around 63K. It was sunny, over 30 degrees and exhausting! Never again, but it was Saturday and I wanted to go to the service on Sunday morning. I'm so glad I did as the service followed a baptism and the local choir sang beautifully and I got to enjoy the church before the terrible fire.

 

[Dutch]

Longest day? Last year I walked 13 hours from Negreira to Muxia, around 63K. It was sunny, over 30 degrees and exhausting! Never again, but it was Saturday and I wanted to go to the service on Sunday morning. I'm so glad I did as the service followed a baptism and the local choir sang beautifully and I got to enjoy the church before the terrible fire.

Wauw, 63km? You must have been in an optimistic mood that day

 

[Dutch]

For me, I walked 31km from Burgos to Hontanas on a very hot day. That was tough going. Belorado to Atapuerca was another long distance day. Some guys I walked with, did the 50+km stretch from Melide to Santiago. Hardcore.

I walked Burgos - Hontanas. Will never forget this. A long hot day and Hontanas never appeared on the horizon untill you were right their. It was like the meseta was playing tricks with me.

 

[Al the optimist]

Wauw, 63km? You must have been in an optimistic mood that day

LOL

 

[clearskiescamino]

I walked Burgos - Hontanas. Will never forget this. A long hot day and Hontanas never appeared on the horizon untill you were right their. It was like the meseta was playing tricks with me.

It's a strange stretch alright. I had no idea where it was until I saw the bell tower creeping up from the horizon.

 

[econodan]

What is it about that Burgos-Hontanas stretch? Wasn't the longest we did, but it was a long day. We'd planned to stop in Hornillos, but when we arrived a little before 3 everything was full, so we grabbed a quick snack, called ahead to be sure we'd have a place to stay, and moved along to Hontanas. We covered that last 10k in two hours, and after washing up had a wonderful meal with some friends we'd met days earlier.

I think our longest day was on the Camino Catalan, from Pertusa to Huesca (a little over 30 km), on a very hot day. We'd planned to stay in Pueyo de Fananas, but the albergue was closed due to termite damage so on we went. Fortunately the albergue in Huesca is a gem: very modern and with every convenience, and this being the Camino Catalan we had it to ourselves.

Last summer on the Cammino San Pellegrino in Italy we had one day of about 34 km, almost all on pavement. Tired feet for sure, and we slept that night on hard tile floor in an old convent.

I'm impressed by those who knock off 40 km or more in a day. Maybe it's age, but I find after 30 km things start to ache.

Dan

 

[Gailsie]

My answer should be about the shortest distance walked as I took my time and never walked over 24 km per day. I had lots of time and wanted to enjoy myself.

 

[CaminoKris2013]

I haven't walked my first Camino yet (highly optimistic that there will be more), but other than the 15+ km from Orrisson to Roncesvalle, I am planning on starting slow for the first week with a goal of about 10-12 km.

My goal is to walk the whole Camino but if I don't pace myself... I fear I'll burn out to early.

Kris

 

[jeffnd]

What is it about that Burgos-Hontanas stretch? Wasn't the longest we did, but it was a long day. We'd planned to stop in Hornillos, but when we arrived a little before 3 everything was full, so we grabbed a quick snack, called ahead to be sure we'd have a place to stay, and moved along to Hontanas. We covered that last 10k in two hours, and after washing up had a wonderful meal with some friends we'd met days earlier.

I think our longest day was on the Camino Catalan, from Pertusa to Huesca (a little over 30 km), on a very hot day. We'd planned to stay in Pueyo de Fananas, but the albergue was closed due to termite damage so on we went. Fortunately the albergue in Huesca is a gem: very modern and with every convenience, and this being the Camino Catalan we had it to ourselves.

Last summer on the Cammino San Pellegrino in Italy we had one day of about 34 km, almost all on pavement. Tired feet for sure, and we slept that night on hard tile floor in an old convent.

I'm impressed by those who knock off 40 km or more in a day. Maybe it's age, but I find after 30 km things start to ache.

Dan

The Burgos to Hontanas day was a weird day for me as well. It wasn't my first 30+ km day, but it did feel long. The morning was cold, we had gotten freezing rain the night before. And until early afternoon, the sky threatened rain, until it finally cleared up around 3pm. The sun came out and it got very hot. I went from wishing I had my gloves to seriously considering zipping off my pant legs in a few hours. This was also the day I began to deal with a major blister on my heel, but that's a different thread.

I didn't find 30 km to be that hard, which is strange since I was the most out of shape pilgrim on the Camino. The trick is to start early and take frequent breaks. If I got going by 8am, I liked to stop around 10:30 or so for about 15 to 30 minutes. I'd walk for another couple of hours, stopping every hour or so and get my pack off for 5 minutes and then be off again. If I had done things right and kept up a decent pace, I could knock out 20 km before I took another big rest around 2pm. Usually I could be done for the day by 5pm.

 

[Rani]

My answer should be about the shortest distance walked as I took my time and never walked over 24 km per day. I had lots of time and wanted to enjoy myself.

I feel the same, just want to enjoy myself on the camino, have a great time and not rush at all. Buen Camino

 

[AJ]

Least: 7.5 km St-Paul-en-Born to Mimizan on the Voie Littorale.

Most: 56 km Alcaracejos to Monterrubio on the Camino Mozarabe.

Lowest average: 24 km on the Camino del Norte.

Highest average: 32 km on the Mozarabe/VdlP

 

[Travellingman]

Longest day - 46kms fom Obanos to Los Arcos. I had hoped to stay at Villamajor de Monjardin, but the albergues were overflowing, people sleeping outside etc, so did the extra 12 km to Los Arcos, in company with a Belgian woman. We kind of pushed each other along - I doubt if either of us could have done the distance alone.
Regarding the Burgos - Hontanas stretch - that was a hard day - the path was really muddy ("a bad road" as one Spanish pilgrim said) and we all ended up carrying an extra couple of kilos of mud on our shoes. In the event I continued onto Castrojeriz that day.

 

[nc6000]

I walked from Carrión de los Condes to Bercianos del Real Camino which must have been close to 50Kms. It was a lovely sunny day and even though I was tired when I got to Sahagun I didn't really like the place so decided to keep going.

My right foot didn't thank me for it afterwards. I ended up with a couple of bad blisters and my foot swelled too much to fit into my walking shoes. Thankfully the weather was OK for me to walk for the next couple of days in my trainers and I was back to normal after about a week although it did cost me a toenail.

 

[Dutch]

I walked from Carrión de los Condes to Bercianos del Real Camino which must have been close to 50Kms. It was a lovely sunny day and even though I was tired when I got to Sahagun I didn't really like the place so decided to keep going.

My right foot didn't thank me for it afterwards. I ended up with a couple of bad blisters and my foot swelled too much to fit into my walking shoes. Thankfully the weather was OK for me to walk for the next couple of days in my trainers and I was back to normal after about a week although it did cost me a toenail.

My longest day cost me a toenail as well. A very nasty bloody fleshy sight.

 

[Felipe]

The most? It is not the miles, but the effort and time. Some journeys may be a pleasant walk in a sunny day, or a very, very tough one with bad weather. So, my longest stage was on the Munich jakobsweg, from Wessobrun to Rottenbuch. It is only 24 km, but we (I was with my son) decided to climb up the Hohenpeißenberg (good view, bad decision because a snow storm caught us on the top, and the famed chapel was closed, anyway) and go next by the traditional Camino, the Ammerschlucht, a gorge that with rain and mud is quite difficult. So, when the night was falling, on a lonely way that we did not know well, we decided to call it quits, cut through the bushes and look for the nearer paved road. We went still two hours more, and arrived after an 11 hours walk, completely exhausted. But as always, these tough days are the ones that I remember more fondly.

 

[mspath]

.

.
November 29, 2012. At the wonderful cozy albergue in Ruitelan we twelve pilgrims were worried regarding the weather forecast of heavy snow since all would be climbing up to the mythic village of O Cebreiro. Come morning Carlos, the ever gracious hospitalero, told us not to walk the snowy camino but to follow the bike path. Slowly we all set off; several turned back. Luckily Boris, a sturdy pilgrim half my age from ex-Yugoslavia now in Germany as a personal guard for celebrities walked with me. Perhaps Carlos had asked him to do so; perhaps it was just camino serendipity.

Up we two slowly climbed on dry road to begin, then a bit of snow, then deep snow (1 meter!) and eventual total white out. We held hands so as to not get lost. All seemed endless and timeless, as if in another world. Huge pines shaggy with snow resembled grotesque phantoms from some fairy tale. After six long, cold hours climbing there finally appeared a low stone wall - civilization at last! We had arrived . ...I shall always remember that walk and how comforting it was to have a guardian angel.

 

[Felipe]

When you are in these kind of forests and weather, you start to believe the Galician legends or Grimm brothers' stories about beautiful but dangerous places, and fantastic beings living there. Fortunately, as a hospitalero once told me, "don´t worry, the good Apostle cares for his flock". And, sometimes, it seems true.

 

[Deleted member 3000]

80.1 km

 

[Travellingman]

80.1 km

From? To?

 

[jefferyonthecamino]

40 km (maybe more as it was in and out of León), would never do again.

 

[AlanSykes]

Low thirties, a couple of times.

On the vastly more interesting topic of how few I've walked, I'd say about six kilometres, all flat. I've done this kind of short distance often, so it wasn't just a point-proving exercise. I walked with two young Americans who claimed a "four", but they were merely showing off. I hate that.

Short days, rest days, can be the best days. I checked my pedometer after a rest in wonderful Zamora and found I'd clocked up 14km just wandering around enjoying the astonishing array of romanesque churches, ambling along and over the Duero, checking out some surprising modernista architecture and sampling several of the city's excellent tapas bars.

 

[amancio]

129 in 3 days in VdlP; 43 Villafranca de los Barros-Mérida, then 38 to Alcuescar, then 50 to Casar de Cáceres (no beds available in Cáceres, where there are supposed to be over 100 beds) a couple of weeks ago. Brutal. But my body kept asking for more...

 

[Mark2012]

In 2012 on the Camino Frances, my longest day was 37 kms, from Cacabelos to O Cebreiro. I left Cacabelos at 6am that morning and reached O Ceb at 4pm. I had treated myself to a hotel night in Cacabelos and remember as a porter was unlocking the door to let me out in the morning, he laughed and told me I was crazy when I said I was hoping to reach O Ceb that day. I'm aware that there is something slightly perverse about taking on the climb up to O Ceb at the end of your longest walking day, but, in truth, that was part of the appeal. I embraced the physical challenge, and by the time I reached my destination for a fleeting second or two I had a genuine sense of accomplishment. More notable to me as I recall that day was the weakness that overcame me a couple of kms before the end, which brought with it a sense that I was testing my physical limits.

My shortest day on the walk was about 4kms from Pamplona to Cizur Menor. It was early in my Camino, so I was still getting my head around the experience. I eventually settled into a daily rhythm in which I came to like doing about 30 kms on average.

Last year, I walked the Camino Portugues from just outside Porto, and my longest day was 42 kms, from Pontevedra to Padron.

I hope to walk the Camino Frances again this year, and while I won't be self-consciously looking to 'one-up' myself, I wouldn't be surprised if at some point I crack 40 kms... as long as the body is willing!

 

[AJ]

From? To?

Bruges to Mauleon-Licharre on the Voie des Piemonts perhaps?

 

[jim garrity]

Hi just wondering what is the most you have walked in a Day?

Walked 54 km on my way to cordoba from lucena- many of those km's were lost ones as i was lost many times - malaga to cordoba route badly signed!

 

[supersullivan]

My 40+ km days in 2013 were:

Moratinos - Mansilla se las Mulas 48.2 kms ( via Calzada Romana ).
Villafranca Monte de Oca - Burgos 47.0 kms ( including 12 kms unintended off route mishap ).
Gonzar - Arzua 45.9 kms
Samos - Gonzar 44.8 kms
Foncebadon - Cacabelos 43.7 kms
Villares de Orbigo - Foncebadon 41.3 kms
Los Arcos - Navarette 41.3 kms
Ruitelan - Samos 41.2 kms
Burgos - Castrojeriz 41.2 kms
Castrojeriz - Villacazar de Sirga 40.1 kms

Shortest day was Mansilla de las Mulas - Leon ( 20.1 kms ) for my night in Parador San Marcos

None of the long days was forced by having to keep walking to find a bed, just found that I quite liked walking during the afternoon until 4 or 5 once there was somewhere I could get a cold drink every hour or 2.

 

[Mark2012]

My 40+ km days in 2013 were:

Moratinos - Mansilla se las Mulas 48.2 kms ( via Calzada Romana ).
Villafranca Monte de Oca - Burgos 47.0 kms ( including 12 kms unintended off route mishap ).
Gonzar - Arzua 45.9 kms
Samos - Gonzar 44.8 kms
Foncebadon - Cacabelos 43.7 kms
Villares de Orbigo - Foncebadon 41.3 kms
Los Arcos - Navarette 41.3 kms
Ruitelan - Samos 41.2 kms
Burgos - Castrojeriz 41.2 kms
Castrojeriz - Villacazar de Sirga 40.1 kms

Shortest day was Mansilla de las Mulas - Leon ( 20.1 kms ) for my night in Parador San Marcos

None of the long days was forced by having to keep walking to find a bed, just found that I quite liked walking during the afternoon until 4 or 5 once there was somewhere I could get a cold drink every hour or 2.

Wow. Looking at those numbers makes me feel like my walking pace in 2012 was positively leisurely!

I'm curious about one thing - considering the ground you covered at the pace you seemed to cover it, how long did it take you to get from St Jean to Santiago?

 

[jpflavin1]

52km's from Fromista to San Nichols. Just a beautiful April day.

 

[supersullivan]

Mark, I took 21 days from St Jean to Santiago, walked then to Finisterre-Muxia-Finisterre and then bussed back from Cee to Santiago and had 2 well earned days of R + R. My comfortable pace on level ground with a full back pack is about 5.5 km an hour, I had at least 2 sit down stops each day and plenty of photo stops, just preferred to walk those hours from 3 to 5/6 each afternoon and that allowed me to average 39 kms a day for my 25 days of walking. I do hope to return when I retire and health allowing, spend a few months on a route like Vezelay - Santiago without the time pressures and limits that a work holiday impose and spend more time than I had in 2013 exploring the larger cities.

 

[shefollowsshells]

Hi just wondering what is the most you have walked in a Day?

52 KM last Wednesday on the Inglais...
The last hour was tough, but the day was a good walking day...I find that I can do long distances , inclines get me though...

 

[basquelady]

My husband (74) and myself (65) walked from Roncesvalles to Santiago de C from Aug 24th to Oct 8th 2013. We took bus/taxied for 90Km due to bad fall needing sutures/rain. Loved it so much that we will return, DV, this year but plan to start from Bayonne to walk the Camino Baztanés to Pamplona, where we will join the Francés again. RELAX!

 

[Leanne]

I haven't walked my first Camino yet (highly optimistic that there will be more), but other than the 15+ km from Orrisson to Roncesvalle, I am planning on starting slow for the first week with a goal of about 10-12 km.

My goal is to walk the whole Camino but if I don't pace myself... I fear I'll burn out to early.

Kris

I plan on doing the same

 

[Robo]

Many many moons ago. 80 kms. By walking all day and all night. Not by choice I should add.

It was an exercise in 'what you can do - if you really have to'. The place was the South Downs Way in the UK.
I seem to recall my feet suffered a lot during the last 20 kms!

 

[Adhemar78]

I have managed to walk 30 kilometres in a day at least twice I can remember. The first time was in October last year, when I took part in an event called the Seven Bridges Walk, the route for which took you around the western part of Sydney Harbour. One of the bridges I had to cross was the Sydney Harbour Bridge, of course. The second time was last Saturday, where I took a couple of long walks in the suburbs near my home. I am starting the Camino in 18 weeks so I am trying to step up my physical preparation a bit. I walk a lot as a general rule but I wanted to set myself a bit of a challenge. Now I know that I am certainly capable of walking 30 kilometres in a day, but obviously I was absolutely stuffed afterwards!

 

[Bernard duffy]

My 40+ km days in 2013 were:

Moratinos - Mansilla se las Mulas 48.2 kms ( via Calzada Romana ).
Villafranca Monte de Oca - Burgos 47.0 kms ( including 12 kms unintended off route mishap ).
Gonzar - Arzua 45.9 kms
Samos - Gonzar 44.8 kms
Foncebadon - Cacabelos 43.7 kms
Villares de Orbigo - Foncebadon 41.3 kms
Los Arcos - Navarette 41.3 kms
Ruitelan - Samos 41.2 kms
Burgos - Castrojeriz 41.2 kms
Castrojeriz - Villacazar de Sirga 40.1 kms

Shortest day was Mansilla de las Mulas - Leon ( 20.1 kms ) for my night in Parador San Marcos

None of the long days was forced by having to keep walking to find a bed, just found that I quite liked walking during the afternoon until 4 or 5 once there was somewhere I could get a cold drink every hour or 2.

May i politely say sir,you are NUTS !!!!!!

 

[Al the optimist]

Each to his own. We all have different ideas of what is good for us. Personally I only once walked more than 30 something. In many ways it was a mistake but going from Negreria to Muxia in one 13 hour day in 30 degrees+ was rewarded by a wonderful mass the next day in the lovely (now sadly burnt) church.

 

[uniQ]

Avilles - Cadavedo 57.1km.

Highlight of the day was after arriving and going to the local bar to be served vino tinto out of a pint glass at the sum of €0.50 a serving and being invited to play dominos with the locals

Shortest day was probably Trinidad de Arre - Pamplona last year.

 

[Camino2010]

Jenny Anderson averaged 88.5 km per day for just over 9 days. My shortest day was from the Leon albergue to the Guzman El Bueno hotel.

I did the same as you on my first Camino, falcon269.

Guzman El Bueno was one of my favourite places. The owner was so friendly and kind. I've stayed there twice because of that.

 

[Tincatinker]

47.4K Jimena de la Frontera to Ubrique. Not proud. Some sensible planning would have chopped that hike in two. And a permit to 'overnight' in the Parque Naturel would have made it a pleasure.

 

[MTtoCamino]

40 but not for good reason I was lost after having my 2pm beer stop. Never did take a day off all the way to Finnesterre Next time I am slowing down. Maybe 20k per day then take a a day every sabbath.

 

[domigee]

51 km and it was tough, not from choice but because there was nothing in between. The last 10 km worrying whether there would be enough daylight . There was, just, but I did 'leg' it

 

[galliano]

43 km from Rabanal to Ponferada. Before you protest, I know it's not that far. But let's just say I made some bad decisions along the way.
That's too long for me. 20 - 25 is fine, 25 - 30 well OK, more than 30 - no I don't think so.
But then maybe I feel the years

 

[mikevasey]

My shortest day was on my last camino, I walked from Santa Catalina de Samoza to Rabanal around 10 km, I had a rough night and decided to find the next available bed, I may have had shorter days on the San Salvador but I was with my girlfriend so they don't count.

Longest day was Pinera to Ribadeo via Tapia and a few wrong turns, day was officially 40.2 (according to Conrad stein book) but I think 45+ was more accurate, longest official day was Portamarin to Melide(41km). The days that feel longest are when I end up walking with someone who talks endlessly about other people and their negative points, which was also Portamarin to Melide ( a very long day).

 

[AlanB]

Boimorta to Santiago 51km. Didn't plan to but the crowds after Arzua (end of July) freaked ne out a bit.Shortest was Valenca to Tui. Across a bridge and up a hill. Can't remember the distance but took 30 mins tops

 

[Stephen Nicholls]

It's ages since I posted on this subject - but my feelings are still the same.
My maximum on the Ebro route [I came back 5 days ago] was 22 kms. My average around 14 kms and my shortest 8 kms.
How can you walk over 30k and feel the breeze, talk to the locals, say "Hello!" to the wild animals, take photos, smell the wild roses, listen to the wind blowing through the long grass, or count the poppies?


The Ruta del Ebro was beautiful.
Buen camino ... lentemente ....
Stephen.

 

[Dutch]

Hey Stephen,

How can you walk over 30kms and still do all those things? Very easy....you just stop at every coffee place, pastelaria, restaurant ect ect to have a drink and a chat and before you know it, youve done 30+ days.

Just came back from the CP and on day one i walked from Porto Cathedral to Vila do Conde. I think it is about 33-34km, but we stopped at many many beachside cafe's, had a long lunch, alot of coffeebreaks and Stopped for little snacks in local shops. Mind you, the walk took us almost 12 hours, but 12 very very nice hours.

So there you go....just one way of walking 30+ days and still enjoy all you said in your posting.

4 days later we did a 35km day in 5,5hours. This was with a totally different mindset, but also very enjoyable, for us, but in a very different way.
Two ways of doing it, but equally enjoyable, but each in its own way.

 

[AlanB]

To be honest Stephen, I get sore legs if I walk too slowly.I've racked up several thousand kms and couldn't imagine walking for less than 7 hours a day. That puts me over 30kms a day and I've always enjoyed myself.
Granted i've not counted every poppy that I've passed

 

[mikevasey]

How can you walk 30km + and take everything in? By walking with awareness, either intentionally or naturally. My ideal distances are 20-25km but if 30+ is needed then I am getting better at staying centred and not letting non present distractions obscure the moment, the biggest distractions usually being, how far have I got to go?..will there be space?..Have I taken the right way? .. If you don't let them dominate your thinking. then walking most distances can be a smell the coffee moment.

+ Always say hello to donkeys would be rude not to, they usually greet me, maybe they spotted one of their own and always stand still if I think a wild animal is in the trees, give it time to emerge, have seen foxes and lots of deer by doing this.

 

[whariwharangi]

About 14 hours. I covered about 9 km on the map. Very rough terrain with potential for disaster due to a misstep always present. I ended up not getting to my destination for that day ... made camp with 500ml water to get through the night.

 

[bystander]

Not strictly "on thread" but we always say to visitors that the walking distance from our house to the village pub is 200 metres but it is 250 on the way back!

 

[Icacos]

About 14 hours. I covered about 9 km on the map. Very rough terrain with potential for disaster due to a misstep always present. I ended up not getting to my destination for that day ... made camp with 500ml water to get through the night.

Sounds like you had to sleep on the trail. I've done that - just once - and it wasn't much fun. Strange sort of satisfaction for having done it though. (We also had a bit of food to tide us over.)

 

[Christobal72]

Hi just wondering what is the most you have walked in a Day?

I did about 63 km on my last day on the camino Frances. Walked from Casanova to Santiago with a friend (who's a girl) and finished at quarter to twelve at night. Dead tired but one of the best feelings ever!!

 

[Peter Fransiscus]

I haven't walked my first Camino yet (highly optimistic that there will be more), but other than the 15+ km from Orrisson to Roncesvalle, I am planning on starting slow for the first week with a goal of about 10-12 km.

My goal is to walk the whole Camino but if I don't pace myself... I fear I'll burn out to early.

Kris

Good for you Kris. You have to enjoy yourself. I did, my everage was about 23 km. and that was good for me. I good enjoy myself, talk to other pilgrims and look around. It's not a race, where is the Camino feeling? ?? Kris I wish you a experience of a lifetime and a Buen Camino, Peter.

 

[Bernard duffy]

It's ages since I posted on this subject - but my feelings are still the same.
My maximum on the Ebro route [I came back 5 days ago] was 22 kms. My average around 14 kms and my shortest 8 kms.
How can you walk over 30k and feel the breeze, talk to the locals, say "Hello!" to the wild animals, take photos, smell the wild roses, listen to the wind blowing through the long grass, or count the poppies?
View attachment 18834

The Ruta del Ebro was beautiful.
Buen camino ... lentemente ....
Stephen.

And grab a cold beer

 

[Stephen Nicholls]

And grab a cold beer

Bernard - I LOVE the way the Spanish keep their beer glasses in a deep freeze, then fill them with cold beer 'on tap' so you get bits of frozen beer floating in the glass. What could be more refreshing?! I just HAD to take this picture in Monzalbarba two weeks ago.

Apologies -I know I've gone off the topic of this forum!

 

[Bernard duffy]

Bernard - I LOVE the way the Spanish keep their beer glasses in a deep freeze, then fill them with cold beer 'on tap' so you get bits of frozen beer floating in the glass. What could be more refreshing?! I just HAD to take this picture in Monzalbarba two weeks ago.
View attachment 18864

Oooooooh now i'm thirsty,best i sort that out sharpish

 

[supersullivan]

Longest days on my St Jean - Santiago - Finisterre - Muxia - Santiago camino this year were ( G.P.S. ) measured:

Atapuerca - Hontanas 56.4 kms
Pala de Rei - O Pedrouzo 51.5 kms
Rabanal del Camino - Cacabelos 50.4 kms
Cacabelos - Alto do Poio 48.9 kms
Poblacion de Campos - Moratinos 47.5 kms
Sarria - Palas de Rei 47.3 kms
Ventosa - Castildelgado 47.1 kms
Lorca - Torres del Rio 45.4 kms
Calzadilla de los Hermanillos - Leon 45.4 kms
Muxia - A Picota 45.0 kms
Castildelgado - Atapuerca 43.5 kms
Burguete - Pamplona 43.5 kms ( including a few extra when bearings lost trying to find day end albergue ).
Vilarserio - Corcubion 41.9 kms
Torrs del Rio - Ventosa 41.7 kms
Pamplona - Lorca 41.5 kms
Hontanas - Poblacion de Campos 40.6 kms

The 5 days from Rabanal del Camino to O Pedrouzo saw me walk 231.2 kms for a daily average of 46.2 kms.

Shortest day was from O Pedrouzo to Santiago de Compostela at 21.6 kms.

Earliest start was 7 am and latest finish was 9 pm on my day to Alto do Poio but that was unplanned due to a sequence of full albergues having reached Ruitelan at 3 pm and deciding it was just too nice a day for walking to finish that early.

Had at least 2 sit down meal stops daily and usually 3 on the long days, just loved walking in the late afternoon and early evening when you can feel you have the camino almost to yourself.

Flew home on a Thursday and 2 days later walked the Sneem, County Kerry 50 mile ( 80 km ) J.F.K. challenge walk in 13 hours, 46 minutes although truth be told the last 10 miles of that were a bit of a sufferfest.

Not remotely suggesting that this would be to everyone's taste but did notice more so than 2 years ago, that several others I met and talked to were averaging 40 kms or thereabouts.

Seamus

 

[Jackie Rob]

My distances have varied but the lowest I've done is 13 and the highest (unintentionally) was 34 but only because I missed San Bol thinking it was a village not a standalone albergue! That said, my "longest" journey in terms of effort was the no-mans land from Carrion to Calzadilla. I left Villarmentero around 7am and had a lovely wander into Carrion but having left there I experienced the most soul (and sole) destroying walk of the entire journey so far. There was nothing but white gravel path, barley and corn the whole 17.1kms and by the time I reached the municipal albergue I was tired, squint-eyed and very very bored indeed. Whilst at another albergue I met a young Russian lad who'd done 50k and looked no worse off for it. I don't consider myself in any way unfit despite my current foot problem so I don't think distance (short or far) is the important thing - factors such as walk quality, terrain, vista etc are what makes the day's journey for me.

 

[Deleted member 3000]

I love the mix of information and boasting; it is becoming difficult to separate the two.

 

[supersullivan]

I love the mix of information and boasting; it is becoming difficult to separate the two.

 

[Butterfly]

Loving this thread and reading of all your achievements my son and I are somewhat limited on time and will have to average about 20 miles (just over 32 km) a day for 25 days - though we are hoping to get to orrison on the day of arrival and will have a little time on our home travelling day which makes for a little extra time. On a happy gym day I think yay most definately going to happen but then there is the doubter friends who say "no way" but reading this thread brings me back to no point worrying about it - just get going and keep walking hehe which was our plan in the first place - to see what we can see, talk to amazing people and experience the camino ! x

 

[jsalt]

My longest day was from Carrion to Sahagun, 40 kms. I stayed by the road as I neared Sahagun, and when I came level with the modern Hotel Puerta de Sahagun in the suburbs, they advertised a pilgrim rate of 29 euros for a single room. Without having to think about it I did a 90 degree turn and booked in for 2 nights. It was my best rest day ever. Hearing the click clack of pilgrims’ poles outside my window next morning reminded me I should also get moving again. Jill