How to ‘Camino’

‘Everyone walks their own Camino’

How to walk a Camino is just as important as what you pack and the socks and boots you wear. Some Caminos are cut short because pilgrims have not considered this aspect of their pilgrimage.
In fact people who start hard, fast and long are more likely to get blisters and injuries and abandon their Camino in the first days or week.

Here are some hints and tips
1. No matter how fit you think you are start a little slowly to see if you are actually Camino fit
2. It takes about 100 km to work out how far you can comfortably walk and what you need to abandon out of your pack. If you are only walking for a short time - 100 km - take it slowly and mindfully so you can really enjoy your Camino.
3. Think about distances. Your feet and body may be fine at 20 km but bump it up to 25 or 30 km a day and the blisters and injuries arise. Likewise you may be able to do longer distances for a few days but after a week or so the blisters and injuries appear.
4. Plan for rest days or very short days (around two hours) to give your muscles and joints a chance to rest and repair
5. Don’t compare yourself to others. Some can easily walk 35 km a day and enjoy it and love it. Some can walk 15 km per day for the same level of pleasure. No one is right or wrong here - it’s about what works best for the individual.
6. Be prepared to abandon any plan you have made if the Camino demands - planning too many km’s per day or too few, or even the route. Listen to the wisdom of the Camino.
7. Some common injuries are - twisted ankles, shin splints, tendinitis, plantar fasciitis etc
8. Walk your own Camino. Trying to keep up with friends puts you at risk of injury. Slowing down to stay with friends can put pressure on them and gets you out of your own natural rhythm which can be frustrating and also cause injury.
9. Just enjoy!

A personal point of view via a quote from John Muir - American nature pioneer
“Do you know the origin of that word saunter? It's a beautiful word. Away back in the middle ages people used to go on pilgrimages to the Holy Land, and when people in the villages through which they passed asked where they were going they would reply, 'A la sainte terre', 'To the Holy Land.' And so they became known as sainte-terre-ers or saunterers. Now these mountains are our Holy Land, and we ought to saunter through them reverently, not 'hike' through them.”Read more