Your actual time on the track?

[JustOneGuy]

I was asking myself a question. It may be that with your experience I can come to a more or less reasonable conclusion....

Suppose a stage takes 4 hours, or 6 hours of walking. From that, how long you are actually, on average, between when you leave and when you arrive?

Obviously it depends on the elevation gain, the terrain, your physical fitness, your fatigue, the landscape, the hours of sunshine, the weather, random factors (I want to stop 2 hours to look at the sea, I had a little inconvenience...) etc... But, you know, the roughest estimate is better than nothing (aka "the best is the enemy of the good", Voltaire).

So, on average, does it seem reasonable to you, based on your personal experience, to assume that for a typical route the time spent on the road is for example 1.5 that required by the walk? More? Less?

Example: if the route takes 4 hours from A to B, will it actually take me 6 hours to get to my destination?

Any experience will be infinitely appreciated....

 

[michal.don]

With all the caveats you mentioned, yes, I'd say, on average, for me, x1.5 is a decent guess. But I do like my short breaks for a café con leche and something sweet quite often

 

[Anhalter]

During my CF in 2019 i had a gps app running that i started in the morning and stopped when i arrived at the albergue. Maybe some days i did not exactly start it in the right point or end it in the right point, but i guess with all the variables involved (as you already aknowledged) it might be better than nothing:
Walking days: 29
Time on Camino: 174h
Time moving: 140h

So for me closer to 1,25x than 1,5x, but theres outliers to both ends of the spectrum.

 

[Lindsay53]

After reading your post I got out my diary and opened at a random entry. I departed at 0600 and arrived at 1500, covering 36 kilometres, working out at 4 kph. Looking at other entries this is a typical average speed for me. As I know I actually walk faster than this, around 5 kph, it works out about x 1.25

 

[Roland49]

Extremely hard to predict. Depending on cafes, landscape, people, chats, weather and cats I'd say 1,1 - 1,5x more than just the walk.

 

[C clearly]

On average, on the Camino, I walk about 4 km/h, but expect to cover 3 km/h over the day.

 

[Grousedoctor]

Example: if the route takes 4 hours from A to B, will it actually take me 6 hours to get to my destination?

The estimates of x1.25 to x1.5 seem to be pretty much spot on. Average walking speed is between 2.5-4.0 mph. But, that’s quite a big range. As I know that I walk closer to the higher end of that range, my walking day would be shorter than for a slower walker even with breaks, sight-seeing, and lolly gagging figured in. The other factor that I’ve found to determine the time required to cover a certain distance is whether I’m walking solo or with a partner. When walking with my wife, we tend to take more time to smell the roses (and I thank her for that). The general goal that I set daily is the time I want to arrive at my destination. My preference is to finish my walking day between 1-2 in the afternoon. So, whether I’m closer to 1 or to 2 doesn’t really matter. Buen Camino!

 

[akane81]

I'm a slow walker, and I only found out I was that slow when I was on the camino. I'm okay with walking downslope but not upslope, so elevation killed me. A typical stage for others taking 6h took me longer than that, probably 9h or so, therefore for timing wise I guess I'll need 1.5x more to finish a stage (around 2km+ per hour)

 

[Rick of Rick and Peg]

If you want to make a project of this you can search for many members Camino stages at Wikiloc.com. Each recorded track has the distance, average speed, moving time and total time.

One I saw for Sahagun to Mansilla de las Mulas was 22 miles with an average speed of 2.6 mph. The moving time was 8 hours 30 minutes and the total time was 10 hours 10 minutes. That makes the ratio 610 minutes / 510 minutes = 1.2

This method can be used to average out many walks over a stage and to compare averages of many stages to find which will slow you down more because of rests or sightseeing or availability of bars.

 

[RRat]

I was asking myself a question. It may be that with your experience I can come to a more or less reasonable conclusion....

Suppose a stage takes 4 hours, or 6 hours of walking. From that, how long you are actually, on average, between when you leave and when you arrive?

Obviously it depends on the elevation gain, the terrain, your physical fitness, your fatigue, the landscape, the hours of sunshine, the weather, random factors (I want to stop 2 hours to look at the sea, I had a little inconvenience...) etc... But, you know, the roughest estimate is better than nothing (aka "the best is the enemy of the good", Voltaire).

So, on average, does it seem reasonable to you, based on your personal experience, to assume that for a typical route the time spent on the road is for example 1.5 that required by the walk? More? Less?

Example: if the route takes 4 hours from A to B, will it actually take me 6 hours to get to my destination?

Any experience will be infinitely appreciated....

Don't over think it. Try to stay on your schedule. If you find yourself behind schedule, taxi or bus.

 

[motero99]

It all depends on what you do for breaks. Some people liked to take long breaks at a cafe. In my case, I would take a break of about 10 minutes every two hours. That was just enough time to enjoy a coffee or a soda. Long breaks killed me and I tried to finish before lunch if a day was less than 20 miles. In my case, I averaged 3 miles an hour or just under including breaks, whether it was flat or included hills. I calculated walking time by simply dividing the milage by 3 and that is how I planned my day. I never looked at elevation charts because if you are going from point A to point B, it does not matter what the elevation change is, You just deal with it as you come across it.

 

[C clearly]

you can search for many members Camino stages at Wikiloc.com. Each recorded track has the distance, average speed, moving time and total time.

However, this could be misleading since the typical person who uploads their tracks to Wikiloc might not be the typical person walking on the Camino. For example, here is one of my days on the Invierno, which I didn't upload. Notice that my walking speed was respectable, but compare the moving time to the total time. It was a lovely day.

 

[OzPeter]

I was asking myself a question. It may be that with your experience I can come to a more or less reasonable conclusion....

Suppose a stage takes 4 hours, or 6 hours of walking. From that, how long you are actually, on average, between when you leave and when you arrive?

Obviously it depends on the elevation gain, the terrain, your physical fitness, your fatigue, the landscape, the hours of sunshine, the weather, random factors (I want to stop 2 hours to look at the sea, I had a little inconvenience...) etc... But, you know, the roughest estimate is better than nothing (aka "the best is the enemy of the good", Voltaire).

So, on average, does it seem reasonable to you, based on your personal experience, to assume that for a typical route the time spent on the road is for example 1.5 that required by the walk? More? Less?

Example: if the route takes 4 hours from A to B, will it actually take me 6 hours to get to my destination?

Any experience will be infinitely appreciated....

We took about 1.5 to 1.7X as we stopped at cafes, look at views, read the historical signs. So many folks rushed past points of interest without stopping so I am definitely on the high side, but got to see lots. Averaged 20Km/day at 4.1km/hr but typical spent 7 to 8 hrs between accommodations

 

[MikeJS]

My average pace tend to be around 5km/hours and I rarely stop during the dayother than for the odd photo or opportunity to admire something.

 

[Gringazolana]

I averaged about 3km/hr, some days even slower. Many interesting things to stop and look at. Don’t rush!

 

[Anhalter]

Have to add to my previous post

While i walked my first CF at a relation of 1,23, i did walk my second CF at a relation of 1,37 and this years Primitivo at 1,48 (with outliers as high as 1,85).

As to the WHY of that... who knows.

 

[Peterexpatkiwi]

What an interesting question, I haven't thought in those terms for a long time.

Our walks in New Zealand are typically marked not with the number of kilometres but with the time that the average person will take because of some of the variables you've mentioned - elevation, terrain and difficulty being the predominant ones. You don't have to walk many before you realise 'okay, I need to subtract /add an hour to this... '
I've done some checking and my average on Camino is probably around the 1.25, however there are a few exceptions where it is significantly higher. That's typically caused by either a/ a site of particular interest along the way or b/ the days company.
Occasionally one meets up with a fellow Pilgrim(s) who is very good company but somewhat slower, life's too short to just pass on by ...

Typically I just tend to look at something that is ballpark 25/30 kilometres ahead as my goal for the day. When I get there I get there. If I'm still feeling good, my current location isn't that interesting, and there's somewhere else just five k's or so later I might take a break for half an hour or so and then just wander on. I almost never leave before 8, sometimes I'm done by 14.00, occasionally it's been nearer (or literally)19.00. Some people make a big thing about having enough time to get the washing dry but as I walk with Merino Gear it really doesn't matter. It either dries out the next day, or goes on me a little damp - no big deal. (I don't walk in winter!)

If I've booked somewhere I'll typically tell them if I anticipate arriving later, or call/send them a message to let them know that I'm still coming if I anticipate it being after 17.00.

With the exception of interesting destinations, for me it's just about the distance that I'm likely to feel comfortable with walking. Which you figure out with a little training and confirm with experience.

 

[Juspassinthru]

I was asking myself a question. It may be that with your experience I can come to a more or less reasonable conclusion....

Suppose a stage takes 4 hours, or 6 hours of walking. From that, how long you are actually, on average, between when you leave and when you arrive?

Obviously it depends on the elevation gain, the terrain, your physical fitness, your fatigue, the landscape, the hours of sunshine, the weather, random factors (I want to stop 2 hours to look at the sea, I had a little inconvenience...) etc... But, you know, the roughest estimate is better than nothing (aka "the best is the enemy of the good", Voltaire).

So, on average, does it seem reasonable to you, based on your personal experience, to assume that for a typical route the time spent on the road is for example 1.5 that required by the walk? More? Less?

Example: if the route takes 4 hours from A to B, will it actually take me 6 hours to get to my destination?

Any experience will be infinitely appreciated....

As pointed out in other posts, there are a lot of variables. I consider age, fitness, general health in the moment and terrain the most important for me in trying to answer your question. So, I’m 67, better than average fitness for my age and in good health but I was nursing a sore knee. I looked at my time/distance stats on 5 different stages including flats, ascents, descents and mixed. I averaged 3.75K/hour across the Arogónes/Francés this spring including stops so I was walking faster obviously but your question includes breaks and side trips. Your pace may be slower in the beginning until you walk yourself into Camino shape. Interestingly, I walked slower in the rain which surprised me. I guess it’s such a beat-down (for me) that I was just plodding along.

I hope this helps.

 

[JustOneGuy]

Thanks guys! I didn't expect much interest in this thread, but... you surprised me.

Let me clarify that this is not a real "study", just a way to foresee how much time I should add to the start time to reach my destination.

This factor should not only include actual walking time, but also stops. The walking speed is kind of irrelevant because it is included in the "walking time".

I am quite a fast walker, but this time I do not want to rush. Just the opposite.

In a nutshell, I would say the best factor could be so far 1.2 - 1.7 times your "expected walking time".

With all the caveats you mentioned, yes, I'd say, on average, for me, x1.5 is a decent guess. But I do like my short breaks for a café con leche and something sweet quite often

I prefer cortados. Should it be x 1.49?

Just joking...

 

[Jarrad]

So many factors ... The modeler in me wants to list them all and estimate weighting factors for each. E.g., wet weather, moderate or strenuous terrain, time spent at second breakfast, how are my feet feeling, did I encounter a pilgrim who just may be my new best friend, did I consume more than one glass of vino tinto the evening before, is this the day I used the pilgrim mouse trap to get over the train tracks before Astorga, etc.

I'm intrigued by the signage on the trails in Switzerland. They give you an estimated time to the next point of interest and they seem to be amazingly accurate.

 

[KFH]

It would be interesting to see the variances +/- of any particular walker across various routes.

I wonder how the Frances affects pace versus other routes. Does the vastly more social atmosphere slow you down or speed you up? (More people to pause and talk to, more people to keep walking with? )
Surely the comparative plethora of bars makes for a longer day than other routes?

Did you feel more relaxed and purposely slow your pace on your later Caminos?

How did having/not having a set departure day affect your pace and day length?

 

[domigee]

Thanks guys! I didn't expect much interest in this thread, but... you surprised me.

Let me clarify that this is not a real "study", just a way to foresee how much time I should add to the start time to reach my destination.

Let me just clarify that this factor should not only include actual walking time, but also stops. The walking speed is kind of irrelevant because it is included in the "walking time".

I am quite a fast walker, but this time I do not want to rush. Just the opposite.

In a nutshell, I would say the best factor could be so far 1.2 - 1.7 times your "expected walking time".


I prefer cortados. Should it be x 1.49?

Just joking...

i don’t think you’ll go far wrong thinking of 4 km/hr, including breaks

 

[JustOneGuy]

I am sure that most of you are familiar with Naismith's rule and derivated algorithm.

But please consider here I am focusing on the actual breaks, that are not included in that kind of algorithm. I do not think that including breaks you can/wish to walk at 4 km/hr on a multiday trip, do you?

 

[Kiwi-family]

I can't believe I read to the end of this thread! My initial response was DOES IT REALLY MATTER? and at the end I'm thinking the same...and somewhere in the middle where someone told you to stick to your schedule I wanted to tell you ditch the schedule altogether if you can give yourself more time than you think you'll need...and if someone walks at an average rate of 6km/hr (as I have done on some of my caminos) then yes you can cover 4km/hr with breaks even on a multiday trip - but only if you walk that fast!!....and then I reminded myself different people are interested in different things and I should just go quietly into this dark night without posting on this thread LOL

 

[Bradypus]

I wonder how the Frances affects pace versus other routes. Does the vastly more social atmosphere slow you down or speed you up?

Paradoxically "the vastly more social atmosphere" tends to make me engage less with my fellow pilgrims. Though I doubt that it makes a significant difference to my overall pace. I am quite introverted and although I can keep up a sociable front for a while it can quickly be quite tiring. I often feel the need to ration my interactions with others. Walking the less travelled routes I usually find it much easier and more comfortable to drop into conversation with the far smaller number of pilgrims I meet. And I often find individuals who I meet on the quieter routes more interesting and engaging than many I have met on the Frances or Portugues.

 

[domigee]

I can't believe I read to the end of this thread! My initial response was DOES IT REALLY MATTER? and at the end I'm thinking the same...and somewhere in the middle where someone told you to stick to your schedule I wanted to tell you ditch the schedule altogether if you can give yourself more time than you think you'll need...and if someone walks at an average rate of 6km/hr (as I have done on some of my caminos) then yes you can cover 4km/hr with breaks even on a multiday trip - but only if you walk that fast!!....and then I reminded myself different people are interested in different things and I should just go quietly into this dark night without posting on this thread LOL

Of course it matters! Maybe not on the Caminos in Spain, ok, but if you walk in more remote ones, you NEED to know if you’ll make it before night time!

 

[C clearly]

you NEED to know if you’ll make it before night time!

Yes, of course. But if you know how fast you walk when you are walking, you calculate the time needed, add some break time, and then discipline yourself to the time available.

This whole question is like asking how long it takes to walk around a big park on a sunny Sunday. Once you calculate walking speed and distance, the rest is totally personal - are you stopping for a picnic, birdwatching, nap, chat with passersby?

 

[trecile]

I wonder how the Frances affects pace versus other routes. Does the vastly more social atmosphere slow you down or speed you up? (More people to pause and talk to, more people to keep walking with? )
Surely the comparative plethora of bars makes for a longer day than other routes?

I would say that having actual bars to stop at for a meal does cause me to take more time. I had a couple of days on the Invierno this year with no bar/restaurant to stop at for lunch, so I sat for a few minutes and ate the lunch that I brought with me - probably saved me 15 - 20 minutes.

And if I were on the Francés I probably would have had a couple of other bar/café stops which would have added 30 minutes to an hour to my day.

 

[Walkalong]

It does not depend just the cats, sheep, donkeys … we greet, but on how each day unfolds.

As we walked out of Sarria, early one afternoon, when we met a French woman who took photos of every flower and insect that caught her attention, my spouse decided that we should walk with her. We had a similar experience with a person from Montreal on the walk to Caldas de Reis.

Or the fellow with whom I’d walked from Roncesvalles, who, somewhere after Pamplona, offered to carry the pack of a person who seemed to be struggling. We each walked at a different pace, but in the end managed to walk together for over 10 days.

Then there was a Brit who elected to slow down to encourage an injured person who had been abandoned by her tour group. A few days later, he asked us for directions and walked with us to the next village where we spent the afternoon at a beachside café. Several hours later, as the sun was getting low, he broke into Portuguese as he jumped on his phone and booked us into a wonderful Albergue.

In February, when walking alone most of each day, I tended to walk faster and further (25-35km) each day, eventually developing an adductor problem which took many months to recover from.

On a dusty logging road in a very, very remote part of northern British Columbia, the driver of our crew stopped to offer a fellow a lift to town, saying "it will save you a day of walking". The local guy turned down the ride, saying "but then I'd be in town a day earlier".

 

[Anhalter]

I do not think that including breaks you can/wish to walk at 4 km/hr on a multiday trip, do you?

Very depending on who's walking. Younger me walked at 4,7 incl. all the first time over 29 days. Second time was 4 and third 3,6. But that time i literally sat down for a proper lunch meal more than once.

On the other hand, as others have pointed out, the question is really not that important. Unless you plan to walk 40k days each day you will arrive with plenty of time to spare, even if you cover only 3k an hour.

As to the social aspect mentioned, when walking alone i walk my own pace, which is around 5,5kph and doesnt change a lot when going uphills. Since most people will be slower, socializing typically means slowing down for me. It usually also means we stop more often and take more breaks. But not complaining, i like the company.

 

[JustOneGuy]

On the other hand, as others have pointed out, the question is really not that important. Unless you plan to walk 40k days each day you will arrive with plenty of time to spare, even if you cover only 3k an hour.

There are actually many possible reasons for that: the need to arrive before the pack to get a bed in the Albergue, the wish to do something in town before night (a shower, a walk, a visit to a famous monument, see a friend...).

Then in some cases, like for example a stage taking more than 8 hours in my future planned camino, to arrive on time, or before night in autumn or spring.

Just a few guesses.

 

[Anhalter]

There are actually many possible reasons for that: the need to arrive before the pack to get a bed in the Albergue, the wish to do something in town before night (a shower, a walk, a visit to a famous monument, see a friend...).

Then in some cases, like for example a stage taking more than 8 hours in my future planned camino, to arrive on time, or before night in autumn or spring.

Just a few guesses.

All valid points and i am sure more can be found.

Just a word of advice, because i have been there myself: walking against a "clock in your head" has not been the most rewarding experience. Took me a while to figure that out.

 

[trecile]

There are actually many possible reasons for that: the need to arrive before the pack to get a bed in the Albergue,

If you are sending your pack ahead to an albergue you should have a reservation there.

 

[CWBuff]

I'm going to venture an estimate that it usually took me about 6 hours from A to B door to door of a 20km distance
That included 2 solid breaks about 45 mins each
(Disclaim - climbing Route Napoleon or descending into Molinaseca does NOT count!!!)

 

[KFH]

It does not depend just the cats, sheep, donkeys … we greet, but on how each day unfolds.

As we walked out of Sarria, early one afternoon, when we met a French woman who took photos of every flower and insect that caught her attention, my spouse decided that we should walk with her. We had a similar experience with a person from Montreal on the walk to Caldas de Reis.

Or the fellow with whom I’d walked from Roncesvalles, who, somewhere after Pamplona, offered to carry the pack of a person who seemed to be struggling. We each walked at a different pace, but in the end managed to walk together for over 10 days.

Then there was a Brit who elected to slow down to encourage an injured person who had been abandoned by her tour group. A few days later, he asked us for directions and walked with us to the next village where we spent the afternoon at a beachside café. Several hours later, as the sun was getting low, he broke into Portuguese as he jumped on his phone and booked us into a wonderful Albergue.

In February, when walking alone most of each day, I tended to walk faster and further (25-35km) each day, eventually developing an adductor problem which took many months to recover from.

On a dusty logging road in a very, very remote part of northern British Columbia, the driver of our crew stopped to offer a fellow a lift to town, saying "it will save you a day of walking". The local guy turned down the ride, saying "but then I'd be in town a day earlier".

This is one of my favorite things I've read here this year.

 

[Barbara]

Don't over think it. Try to stay on your schedule. If you find yourself behind schedule, taxi or bus.

Schedule? What is that? Just allow a few days more than you think you might need, then a few more for some time on arrival. Then forget about time and enjoy the walk.

 

[Robo]

Everyone walks at a different speed and so covers the ground in a different time.

Some people stop more.
Some handle hills better.
My wife stops 20 times for a pee!
I stop to take photos........

On my first Camino I would track my speed.
I walk slowly. My average 'pace' is about 4kph, my 'top speed' about 5kph. 5.5 at a push!

But I 'plan' for 3kph. That takes into account all my stops along the way.

So a 21 km walk I'll allow 7 hrs.
Yep! I'm slow......

I usually get there a bit faster, (av 3.5 kph) but that is my planning figure.
Gives me plenty of time and no need to rush.

You'll soon work out your speed once you start.

I just looked back on my notes from my last Camino.
My av speed (accounting for stops) varied from 2.5 to 4.5 kph.
I was curious about those two extremes.

The 4.5 kph was a relatively short day (18 kms) into Zamora walking with two others.
I think we wanted to get there in time for a nice lunch!
And as it was a short day we didn't really stop.

The 2.5 kph (there were 2-3)

A wonderful short day through beautiful landscape to El Real de la Jarra. on the VdlP. I stopped often!
A stunning short day up to Las Medulas (from Villavieja) on the Invierno.

So I seemed to be slower on the short days. Because in no rush I imagine.

I think as has been mentioned a few times.
Have a rough speed in mind that is comfortable for you, including stops.
Use that to gauge a rough start and finish time.
Then forget it! and enjoy the walk...........

I'm an over planner as I enjoy the process.
But once I'm walking, it goes out the window.
The path that day dictates my speed.

 

[Robo]

I was asking myself a question. It may be that with your experience I can come to a more or less reasonable conclusion....

Suppose a stage takes 4 hours, or 6 hours of walking. From that, how long you are actually, on average, between when you leave and when you arrive?

Obviously it depends on the elevation gain, the terrain, your physical fitness, your fatigue, the landscape, the hours of sunshine, the weather, random factors (I want to stop 2 hours to look at the sea, I had a little inconvenience...) etc... But, you know, the roughest estimate is better than nothing (aka "the best is the enemy of the good", Voltaire).

So, on average, does it seem reasonable to you, based on your personal experience, to assume that for a typical route the time spent on the road is for example 1.5 that required by the walk? More? Less?

Example: if the route takes 4 hours from A to B, will it actually take me 6 hours to get to my destination?

Any experience will be infinitely appreciated....

Not sure where you get the 4 hours or 6 hours from?
That assumes a certain speed...... and we all walk at a different speed.

The only real 'given' is the distance surely?

 

[markie6]

forget it! and enjoy the walk...........

Yep to this Robo

You could for funs sake try and come up with an algo for how long it should take , plus or minus how the day unfolds ...

4 hours walking
eating time +45
meeting a nice person +1hour
bumping into annoying person -30 mins (speeded up)
dinner large +60 mins
stone in shoe +5
blister trouble +60
packing pizza oven + +

etc etc ... It will only take you a short while to realise how futile some of the plans for your time are as there are too many varialbes. Brierleys stages and times are not far off for the average pilgrim IMO

Take the day as it comes. FWIW I walked my last CF in 22 days, no rest days ( didn't need or want one ) and had a blast. Walk 6 hours , maybe 1 hour breaks

 

[Camino Chrissy]

I am old fashioned, but don't consider myself old quite yet and do not own a fit bit or similar simply because I have no interest and am not curious about those little details because "it is what it is" anyway. I have never been interested in calculating my speed while on Camino because there are too many variables to consider. I am in the minority here, and know I am slow and accept it. I definitely smell the roses along the way, be it picture taking, being fascinated by "little somethings" I see, or being pooped going up a steep hill. I am mainly interested in the kilometers I want to walk per day as listed on Gronze or a guidebook after taking a quick look at the "hills" shown. I do not walk in winter so arriving before dark is never a problem.

 

[trecile]

Schedule? What is that? Just allow a few days more than you think you might need, then a few more for some time on arrival.

I agree.
I make a rough schedule to determine how many days it should take me to walk a particular route in order to book my flights. Then I add in at least five days for the "what ifs". Such as what if I get sick, what if I'm injured, what if I want to take it slower, etc. No need to take a taxi or bus when you've allowed yourself enough time.

 

[motero99]

I have always made a schedule, but none has lasted more than 3 days. I may learn something on the way, such as stop before or after the Briely stage stops, sometimes I feel especially good and go further and others am dragging and stop short. Planning gives cofidence, but more importantly the confidence to modify things as you go along.

 

[JustOneGuy]

I have always made a schedule, but none has lasted more than 3 days. I may learn something on the way, such as stop before or after the Briely stage stops, sometimes I feel especially good and go further and others am dragging and stop short. Planning gives cofidence, but more importantly the confidence to modify things as you go along.

do you mean the schedule for the day (departure and arrival times) or do you change routes during the day, perhaps sleeping earlier or later?

I certainly don't like to have a rigid schedule, however, at least knowing how long I EXPECT to take is important in my opinion, to know whether I arrive at night or during the day. Especially for those, like me, who are in their first experience with the camino.

Then I certainly wouldn't worry about respecting it, at least most of the times.

 

[CWBuff]

Yep to this Robo

You could for funs sake try and come up with an algo for how long it should take , plus or minus how the day unfolds ...

4 hours walking
eating time +45
meeting a nice person +1hour
bumping into annoying person -30 mins (speeded up)
dinner large +60 mins
stone in shoe +5
blister trouble +60
packing pizza oven + +

etc etc ... It will only take you a short while to realise how futile some of the plans for your time are as there are too many varialbes. Brierleys stages and times are not far off for the average pilgrim IMO

Take the day as it comes. FWIW I walked my last CF in 22 days, no rest days ( didn't need or want one ) and had a blast. Walk 6 hours , maybe 1 hour breaks

Plus you forgot time spent preparing the like of this list\schedule

My additions\"corrections"

• meeting 2nd nice person (+60)
• blister trouble - more like +600. At the worst day of my blister suffering I went from Villafranca Montes de Oca to Santovenia de Oca in 7 hours. At that time it felt to me like I was crawling (each step was a 100000000000000000000000 daggers in my feet)

 

[Anhalter]

I certainly don't like to have a rigid schedule, however, at least knowing how long I EXPECT to take is important in my opinion, to know whether I arrive at night or during the day. Especially for those, like me, who are in their first experience with the camino.

I understand your concern, i guess i had the same at some point, but in practice, it is not a problem.

Lets assume some worst case szenario: you walk slow and need to rest often. Lets say you cover 2,5km "on track". Lets say you are aware of it and set foot "on track" at 07:00. Given the circumstance, you will likely not want to walk more than 25km anyways. So you'll arrive at 17:00. And all was good.

Since by my personal experience people move faster, sometimes cover less and sometimes cover more distance, in practice, it is no issue whatsoever. Yes, sometimes things will not work out and someone will arrive at 20:00 in a village, but that is by far the exception, not the rule.

 

[motero99]

Before I leave, I create a spreadsheet. There is a column for date, one each for start and finish locations, then columns for daily distance between those points in KM and Miles. If I have looked at multiple guides, then I do the same for each guide on the same spreadsheet m. After that I decide what my expected stops will be. Then I make a spreadsheet for my expected journey. For that one in addition to the aforementioned columns I add in columns s for total and remaining distance in KM and Miles. I load that final on my phone and carry a hardcopy. Like I said, once on the trail it has never lasted more than 3 days without changes.

 

[WGroleau]

Example: if the route takes 4 hours from A to B, will it actually take me 6 hours to get to my destination?

Depends greatly on both your personality and your physical fitness. I met a German who was pushing himself to do fifty kilometers per day. Others prefer a more relaxed pace. Then there are people like me who stop for photos, get a café con leche in every village, and read the entirety of every informational sign.

Between stops, my GPS logs typically showed my speed as five kilometers per hour at the beginning, and three at the end when I’m tired. I was 62-63 years old but in good shape from keeping biking/walking as 95% of my transportation since age 56.

 

[CA_Pilgrim]

I was asking myself a question. It may be that with your experience I can come to a more or less reasonable conclusion....

Suppose a stage takes 4 hours, or 6 hours of walking. From that, how long you are actually, on average, between when you leave and when you arrive?

Obviously it depends on the elevation gain, the terrain, your physical fitness, your fatigue, the landscape, the hours of sunshine, the weather, random factors (I want to stop 2 hours to look at the sea, I had a little inconvenience...) etc... But, you know, the roughest estimate is better than nothing (aka "the best is the enemy of the good", Voltaire).

So, on average, does it seem reasonable to you, based on your personal experience, to assume that for a typical route the time spent on the road is for example 1.5 that required by the walk? More? Less?

Example: if the route takes 4 hours from A to B, will it actually take me 6 hours to get to my destination?

Any experience will be infinitely appreciated....

After years of long distance through hiking (and 2 Caminos), I have determined that for me (at my pace and need for rest stops), I divide the distance by 2 to estimate the amount of time it will take to complete the hike. I shoot for an average of 12 miles per day, to that means it will take me about 6 hours. This includes both walking and break time factored in.

 

[domigee]

Yes, of course. But if you know how fast you walk when you are walking, you calculate the time needed, add some break time, and then discipline yourself to the time available.

Yes ofcourse. I think we agree

 

[Rick Davidson]

I was asking myself a question. It may be that with your experience I can come to a more or less reasonable conclusion....

Suppose a stage takes 4 hours, or 6 hours of walking. From that, how long you are actually, on average, between when you leave and when you arrive?

Obviously it depends on the elevation gain, the terrain, your physical fitness, your fatigue, the landscape, the hours of sunshine, the weather, random factors (I want to stop 2 hours to look at the sea, I had a little inconvenience...) etc... But, you know, the roughest estimate is better than nothing (aka "the best is the enemy of the good", Voltaire).

So, on average, does it seem reasonable to you, based on your personal experience, to assume that for a typical route the time spent on the road is for example 1.5 that required by the walk? More? Less?

Example: if the route takes 4 hours from A to B, will it actually take me 6 hours to get to my destination?

Any experience will be infinitely appreciated....

I looked at my gps data from 2019. 35 walking days. Total time from daily depart to daily arrive at accommodation…233 hours. Total walking time over the 35 days 191 hours.

 

[NebraskaKate]

I was asking myself a question. It may be that with your experience I can come to a more or less reasonable conclusion....

Suppose a stage takes 4 hours, or 6 hours of walking. From that, how long you are actually, on average, between when you leave and when you arrive?

Obviously it depends on the elevation gain, the terrain, your physical fitness, your fatigue, the landscape, the hours of sunshine, the weather, random factors (I want to stop 2 hours to look at the sea, I had a little inconvenience...) etc... But, you know, the roughest estimate is better than nothing (aka "the best is the enemy of the good", Voltaire).

So, on average, does it seem reasonable to you, based on your personal experience, to assume that for a typical route the time spent on the road is for example 1.5 that required by the walk? More? Less?

Example: if the route takes 4 hours from A to B, will it actually take me 6 hours to get to my destination?

Any experience will be infinitely appreciated....

I really do love statistics, but for sure mine fluctuated-
I had in mind the destination for the day based on previous blogs- I didn't try to do way more than planned or under (My range of miles was 12- 26 at an average of 18.5 miles per day).
In the beginning- I needed a 30 min breakfast snack break after two hours of walking. Then an hour break 2 hours later- taking my shoes off.
Then about every 1-2 hours after, I took a 15 min- 30 min break for a quick popsicle or snack.
Once I had been on the Camino for a couple of weeks, I might walk four hours straight through to lunch before stopping at all.

I generally kept a 3 mph pace while walking.
On the last day to Finisterre, I sent my bag ahead (gasp I know it was the only day I did that) and walked 2 hours faster in the day (26 miles at 4 mph) for extra time at the beach

I often listened to prayers in the morning and know that my pace slows a bit- other times I listened to music and walked much faster. Most of the time I walked without headphones though-

Sometimes I had a companion for an hour that kept a quicker pace and sometimes they were slower, but for that hour the company was nice.

Some days you just get your shoes on after lunch and you see a great stream for your feet or a cool church you want to go in- so you do.

A couple of times, I spent more than 2 hours on a lunch break when I had miles to go, which really made my afternoon long, so I generally didn't do that, but I don't regret the chats I had or the relaxation by the river I got for those circumstances.

I am sure I got a little quicker as the Camino progressed-

In general- the pacing was not a big factor, other than- if you know of intense heat (April should be a good time to avoid that) or if your hostel wants you there by an early check in I only had one 5 o clock check in.)

I think one of the graces of the Camino is that it gets to be simple and free of too much scheduling.