Trepidatious traveller – camino blog | Camino de Santiago de Compostela – before, during and after

Questions and answers

Posted on 27/04/2016 by magwood

As and when I have time I will answer the questions that have been asked in the comments section. I will do this via a post as it might be useful to others who wouldn’t otherwise see it.

GPS
I’ve been asked about which GPS system I’m using.
The answer is Wikiloc. You can record your trail and/or download other people’s trails. I have compared the results to a dedicated GPS system and they were the same. I have found that different GPS apps vary in distance recorded by between 5 and 10 percent. I decided upon wikiloc because it recorded a shorter distance than some others I have used and I don’t want to exaggerate stage lengths on this blog.

Camera
I have put my poor old camera to rest although it struggled on for 18 months after a serious drop caused the case to buckle and demolished the viewfinder. I have stuck with the same range, but not opted for the latest version because of price.
I have gone for the Panasonic LUMIX DCM-TZ60 (there is now a 70 and an 80, but they didn’t offer sufficient additional features to justify the hike in price). The TZ60 cost me £195, it weight 258 grams which is a bit more than my last one.

This range of cameras seems to have an issue with getting dust on the sensor. A camera repair man told me that all cameras with an extending lens will be prone to this, because when the lens extends a vacuum is formed and dust or pollen can get sucked inside. I have checked this out online and it does seem to be a problem more related to the lumix range as far as I can see. But I like the camera (my third Lumix). So I purchased this one from the store John Lewis who give an excellent extension of guarantee to three years and include accidental damage cover for £30 – just ten pounds per year. So if I have a problem with dust under the lens I will just take it back and get it sorted out under the guarantee cover. An excellent deal as far as I am concerned.

Trekking poles
I use Pacerpoles which are only available direct from the producers in Scotland. I find them incredibly comfortable. Look them up online to find out more.

Boots
There is a story about the boots that didn’t come on the Camino (see here). In the end they gave me pain and got left behind, and the original new boots that I bought for this journey came instead. Ecco again, but Xpedition model.

Posted in Camino de Santiago de Compostela | 3 Comments

Day 5, Camino del Norte – Markina-Xemein to Eskerika 36.5 km

Posted on 26/04/2016 by magwood

Total distance 136.5 km
Daily average 27.3
Today’s accumulated uphill elevation 838m
Today’s accumulated downhill elevation 664m

Today started well with a path alongside a river and some really charming tiny villages. Followed by a long stretch through woodland with a variety of path surfaces. Stopped at around 8 km at the beautiful and peaceful site of the Monasterio de Zenarruza, with a very pretty cloister. I took a look inside the chapel and was about to leave when four monks arrived at the altar and started chanting. It was a very special moment and not the only one I experienced today.

Most of the walk today was through pine forrest and the footing was often treacherous. Deep muddy puddles stretching over the entire track and as soon as you had negotiated one, another was there waiting to bog you down. I spent some time walking with German Carsten, and bumped into Mexican Alan and American Niki from time to time (but only when they had stopped for a rest – they are so much faster than me).

At one point in the woods I heard and then spied a generator and signs of works being undertaken – lots of tape marking an alternative route which was even more steep than the original one. Unfortunately I took a bit of a fall and somehow managed to be flipped over and land on my front. I have a bruised forearm which took the brunt, and a tender thigh, but all in all I got away quite lightly. A little further on, I could see what work was being carried out – wooden steps were being erected along the very steep path, which will make life a little easier for future pilgrims. There were several sections that had been completed, but these were still cordoned off. After obediently not walking on the first section, I decided life and limb were more important than obeying rules and ducked under the tape (not easy with a backpack) and walked down the last set of steps. All along today’s walk I could see signs of the French guy who is riding the trail. Some of these tracks must have been so tricky to manoeuvre a horse down.

I felt a bit of a hotspot on my right heel and when I had the opportunity to sit down somewhere that was not boggy mud I took a look and applied some tape and a bit of hiker’s wool.

Carsten caught up with me again and just as we were approaching Guernica we spied our friends in a bar chatting to a very jovial Irish man (aren’t they all?).

Guernica is the suggested stopping place on this stage and was around 26 km. I had decided to walk on to the next accommodation as I wanted a shorter walk tomorrow into Bilbao. I called into the tourist information office in the city centre to get directions to the copy of Picasso’s artwork of the same name as the city.

From Wikipedia – Guernica is a mural-sized oil painting on canvas by Spanish artist Pablo Picasso completed by June 1937. The painting, which uses a palette of gray, black, and white, is regarded by many art critics as one of the most moving and powerful anti-war paintings in history. Standing at 3.49 metres (11 ft 5 in) tall and 7.76 metres (25 ft 6 in) wide, the large mural shows the suffering of people, animals, and buildings wrenched by violence and chaos.

The painting is believed to be a response to the bombing of Guernica, a Basque Country village in northern Spain, by German and Italian warplanes at the request of the Spanish Nationalists. Upon completion, Guernica was displayed around the world in a brief tour, becoming famous and widely acclaimed, and believed to have helped bring worldwide attention to the Spanish Civil War.

I was directed by the tourist lady across the central plaza where the town hall is situated. As I reached the far side of the square I was taken aback by the commencement of an extremely loud siren, wailing up and down. I saw very close by a guy operating the sound equipment and I mimed to him ‘what’s going on?’ He gestured back the impression of something falling from the sky, and I realised that it was something to do with the bombing of the city. The time was exactly 15:45. The siren continued for some time, accompanied by the chiming of bells from the church and I stood still and contemplated the occasion. It was literally hair-raising and very emotional. When the siren eventually tailed off into silence I went over to the guy and asked if today was an anniversary and he told me it was 79 years to the minute that the city was bombed. It is reported that at the time of the attack the city had a population of around 7,000 and 1,654 people were killed.

After the event I walked the few metres to the mural with which I was very familiar as an ex-colleague of mine had a poster of the artwork in her office. I had never realised the depth of meaning of the work. I felt truly humbled to be present at such a somber occasion.

On the way out of the city I could tell that my hotspot was still ‘hot’ and stopped to take a look., I discovered the beginning of a large blister on my heel which I had more or less missed with the hikers’ wool. I applied an ‘Engo’ patch to my boot, and immediately felt the relief when there was no longer any friction. If you don’t know what an Engo patch is, look it up. Expensive but effective.

The rest of the walk to Eskerika seemed to go on forever with more persistent inclines through woods, and eventually on the road for some time. We finally made it to the private albergue at 19:00 and were welcomed by our host. This is a lovely rural location with 20 beds, two bathrooms, outdoor kitchen, washer/dryer/ and peaceful garden. Pilgrims can order a meal or buy food to cook themselves. Alan, Niki, a Japanese girl and I are the only residents for the night and we pooled all our supplies and bought a few more items and a wonderful meal was made, and all plates were left clean at the end of the evening. I took no part in the preparation, so did the washing up. The cost for a bed here is 14 euros and breakfast is available for 2 euros more.

I was totally knackered on arrival, but really satisfied that I put in a long distance. A very special camino day.

Posted in Camino de Santiago de Compostela, Camino del Norte | Tagged Camino blog, Camino de Santiago blog, Camino de Santiago de compostela, Camino de Santiago., Camino del Norte, long distance hiking, Spain, travel | 29 Comments

Day 4, Camino del Norte – Deba to Markina-Xemein 27 km

Posted on 25/04/2016 by magwood

Total distance 100 km
Daily average 25
Today’s accumulated uphill elevation 691m
Today’s accumulated downhill elevation 602m

Once again I forgot to turn on the GPS on leaving the albergue, but I also forgot to turn it off when arriving at my destination, so I think the two cancel each other out.

Last evening I was invited to join a few pilgrims at the bar. And why would I decline? So, we were Mexican, American, German and English. I had already drunk half a bottle of cava (my sensible limit) so I just ordered agua con gas. The conversation was interesting and inevitably touched upon the ‘trump’ issue, but not on the ‘brexit’ issue (a referendum in June relating to the possibility that the UK could leave the European Union.

When we returned to the albergue I counted 22 pairs of boots, which surprised me. I didn’t get to see many of the occupants – when I left this morning there remained around 12 pairs of boots!

Although today was the first forecast without rain, and for cloudy sun, it was actually the coldest day so far on this Camino. I even wore my gloves for the first twenty minutes or so.

This is a fairly typical demonstration of the tracks on this Camino. If you see an option for a lower and an upper trail, you can be assured that you will need to take the upper path, and continue in an upward direction for a very long time. Until you have to walk downhill, very steeply, and then uphill again. This has been a very reliable feature thus far.

All the girls just wanted to eat and have their ears scratched, but this fellow had other ideas

More adorable tiny ponies with newborn foals were in abundance, together with the occasional herd of goats, chickens, cows and sheep.

Most of the track today was through pine forrest on a mixture of dirt, rock, gravel and concrete track. It was hard going and very steep – unrelentingly steeply uphill. So far this Camino has been very hard, as my research had warned me – a real challenge. The first half of the walk was fairly dry and easy underfoot but that changed to very muddy with long stretches of yucky deep puddles to negotiate.

The way marking seemed to be very clear to begin with, but I think I missed a sign (probably when I was doing my Doctor Doolittle impression and talking to the animals). I became aware that there were no arrows, but yellow/white lines. I followed these for a while and then came upon some pilgrims walking in the opposite direction. I had passed them earlier, so I couldn’t have walked too far out of my way.

Just after we reached the peak of our 500m ascent I had the urge to walk with purpose. I have spent three and a half days mincing along at a boringly slow pace, due to the steep inclines and slippery muddy surfaces. But now I wanted to motor, so I plugged into my Camino playlist and off I went like a bullet out of a gun. I flew for about eight kms and absolutely loved it. But then a short sharp ascent and a perilously steep descent brought me to my senses and I slowed right down again. But I really enjoyed myself for a while. I naturally walk quite fast and have been feeling very ploddy so far on this Camino.

Part way through the day I appealed to my Camino angels to provide me with a bench or rock to sit on for a break, and around the next corner I saw this…perfect

My guide book told me that the municipal albergue in Markina-Xemein was closed until 1 May. But I thought I would give them a ring anyway just in case things had changed – and lo and behold they had. And here I am in a very nice donativo albergue with 28 beds, and plenty of separate bathroom facilities (and even a hairdryer amazingly).

I had a drink with the same gang as last night, plus Alex from Columbia and made the mistake of ordering a menu del dia which I ate a fraction of. I must remember not to do this again – I don’t need that much food.

All in all, a most satisfying day.

Day 3, Camino del Norte – Getaria to Deba 20 km

Posted on 24/04/2016 by magwood

Total distance 72.9
Daily average 24.3
Today’s accumulated uphill elevation 462m
Today’s accumulated downhill elevation 514m

Last evening I didn’t move from the albergue. Partly because it was reported that there were no shops open to buy groceries, and then it started to pour with rain. So I ordered a meal from the hospitalera, not the greatest lasagne I have tasted, but it did the job.

I then spent the evening responding to all the really lovely comments I have received. I know I won’t have time to do this very often, but please don’t let that stop you commenting – I do read them all and they are very morale-boosting. I will try to answer any questions that are asked, and if appropriate will do this in a blog post in case anyone else is interested in the matter.

The boots that were meant to be left at home, but stepped up to the mark at the last moment, have been performing very well. No blisters (yet), and I have been very thankful for the ankle support over all these rocky paths. They do feel a little short in the toe box but it hasn’t caused any issues so far and I’ve walked down some very steep descents.

Today’s walk began with one of these – a very steep downward stone path, and I picked my way down it very carefully. It had rained a lot during the night and was still looking threatening when I left, so I donned my shoulder cape and my newly made gaiters. I made these the day before I left home, feeling sure they would be needed.

Today was my first day of mud – plenty of it and very slippery, so it was a slow journey. I was walking alone for a few hours and then suddenly there was a wave of 7 or 8 pilgrims all coming from nowhere, including a guy on a horse. I was very happy to let them pass by, although I had a chat with a couple of French guys and stopped at a bar and had lunch with them. Beer again, and a very small roll filled with chorizo omelette that was delicious (so good I bought another one to take away). Five euros for the lot.

Later I saw the guy on a horse again, another Frenchman I think. He had just been meeting with a guy driving a horse box to give his four-legged friend some lunch before setting off again. We chatted a little in Spanish – he had ridden along the Via de la Plata last year

As it happened it didn’t actually rain for hours, although there was a short-lived heavy shower around mid-day. And that was it.

There was a lot of road walking today – most of it very pleasant and, to be honest, a relief from the slippery mud and uncomfortable stones of the tracks. A forum member is walking a day ahead of me and recommended that I take the high track on the GR 121 at Elorriaga. He said it was the most spectacular route he has taken on Camino. But alas I missed the turn off so remained on the Camino.

I have taken a short stage into Deba, where it is necessary to call into the information office to register and get a key to the municipal albergue. I was the only one to have done this before they closed at 14:00, and then the hospitalera doesn’t turn up at the albergue until 16:00. So I was allocated bed number one, and was here on my own for two hours. Bliss.

It is a large albergue, situated in an old railway station building, above the waiting room. I hope the trains don’t run all night! Fifty-six beds in rooms of 8, split over two floors. The floor I am on has a bathroom with two wc’s and two showers, and is very clean and well presented, with a large common room and washing & drying facilities, but no kitchen. Cost 5 euros.

I also managed to find a grocery store in the town centre just before it shut for the day (Sunday). So I was able to buy some supplies for tonight and tomorrow – Jamon, cheese, bread roll, tomatoes, mandarins, chocolate and a bottle of cava, all for a fraction over 8 euros. So now I am feeling more comfortable about the prices in northern Spain.

The sun is now shining and drying my washing. I had thought that my gaiters were self-cleaning because I couldn’t see any dirt on them, but it turns out the thick mud had dried to the same colour as the cloth they are made of. I didn’t see much point in washing them as they will only ever be used in muddy conditions. I made them from the same water resistant fabric that I made my hiking skirt. They fasten with Velcro at the back and are kept in place with my knee braces, which are proving to be very versatile items, although they have never been used for their intended purpose.

The other pilgrims at the albergue are all youngsters as far as I know. Alan and Alex who I met in Irun, a lovely American girl Nicky who was at the albergue last night and I’m not sure who else, but I counted ten pairs of boots – plus mine.

Day 2, Camino del Norte – San Sebastián to Getaria 27.4 km

Posted on 23/04/2016 by magwood

Total distance 52.9
Today’s accumulated uphill elevation 495m
Today’s accumulated downhill elevation 418m

Yesterday evening the other woman turned up at the hostal, Connie from Denmark who is also walking the Camino. A similar age to me and very easy company. We didn’t set off together today because she needed to wait for the shops to open so that she could buy a SIM card. After posting my blog, I wandered out to find some supper. I would have bought something in a shop, but it seems so expensive here that I can’t bring myself to do it. Six euros for a kilo of nectarines! I think lots of items are expensive down south, but they’re twice as much here. Maybe the small villages will be more reasonable. And of course it was Friday night, so everyone was out “to see and be seen”. I suppose I do find big cities a little intimidating when I am alone, I much prefer small villages. My daughter Ella, who is something of a foodie, will be aghast to know that I ate a beef burger in San Sebastián – what a pleb! But it was cheap and tasty and was accompanied by two glasses of wine.

I have altered yesterday’s distance downward by one kilometre. Because I hadn't started my GPS at the beginning of the walk, I used the stage distance given in my guide book, but I presume it was measured from albergue to albergue, and I stayed in the city centre and the albergue was a good distance further on.

After setting off from San Sebastián at a leisurely 08:10, my first stop was at 21 km at 2pm in Zarautz for beer and pintxo of calamares – two euros each – the beer was quite big, as was the one I had yesterday, so perhaps not such a bad price. I shall have to remember to order a small one next time. I’m not generally a beer drinker, but I need something to quench the thirst and wine would be gone way too soon.

I would have stopped sooner at Orio, a coastal town, but both bars I passed were extremely busy, absolutely buzzing and I find it very difficult to adjust from a solitary walk to being surrounded by very noisy people – so on I walked.

Today I have been very tired and extremely slow, I guess as a result of my exertions yesterday. But I am not in a hurry. The way has been either uncomfortable rocky dirt track or on the road – a lot of road, but almost entirely very quiet with very few cars passing and those that did were driven by courteous drivers who slowed down and allowed plenty of room. The scenery has been very pleasant, but on the whole not as stunning as yesterday.

I didn’t mention the signage yesterday. It was excellent and has been again today – can’t fault it.

My GPS told me I had walked 21 kms from the centre of San Sebastián to Zarautz, where I could have stopped for the night, but even though I was rather weary (huge understatement) I decided to walk on to Getaria.

Zarautz seems at a glance to be a town of many apartment blocks and a fabulous beach. The arrows direct you through the central streets, which may be to get you to the albergue (which is only open for a couple of months in the summer), although there is an inexpensive alternative at the camping ground. But I discovered that if you are walking through and not staying, you could walk along the promenade which would have been preferable.

The distance between Zarautz and Getaria is approximately 5 km and there is a wonderful promenade all the way. For the whole distance the prom was bordered with a beautiful stainless steel barrier – I can’t begin to imagine what that must have cost.

Getaria is a most beautiful town with a fabulous sandy beach and a marina and some pretty architecture. I am staying in the private albergue Kanpaia, 12 euros, plenty of wc and shower facilities, washing machine, and nice garden to dry your washing. The only negative as far as I am concerned would be the rubber covered mattresses, but there again, it may be that there is less chance of bed bugs, so perhaps I shouldn’t moan about that.

The albergue is directly on the Camino, but quite a climb out of town, so I may well not go back down the hill for some supper. They offer a limited choice of meals here (and wine), so I might well just stay put. Vamos a ver!

The weather has once again been very kind to me. Completely dry all day with even a glimpse of the sun this afternoon. Those camino angels are certainly looking out for me. Light showers forecast for the morning and cloudy sun for the afternoon – let’s hope they can keep it up for another day.

Day 1, Camino del Norte – Irun to San Sebastián 25.5km

Posted on 22/04/2016 by magwood

Distance 25.5 km
Accumulated elevation uphill 737m
Accumulated elevation downhill 755m

Well, they said it would be hard and they weren’t kidding. Did you see that elevation profile? It was an absolute killer, although to be honest the second half seemed just as difficult although it pales to insignificance when viewed as above.

I have only myself to blame because there were many options on this stage where I could have chosen a less trying route. But I went for the ‘alpinista’ track first of all, and then opted to stick with the GR121 trail which is a little longer and harder, but hugs the coastline. The image above shows just 23.3 kms, but I forgot to turn on the GPS until I thought about how impressed you would all be when you saw it, and by that time I had already walked for 3 km.

There were a lot of Shetland type ponies around, some with very newborn foals who were still working out how to use their legs.

It was certainly hard, but absolutely beautiful, walking through woodland, heathland and rocky tracks. In fact the vast majority of this stage was over rocky tracks which are quite hard on the feet, metaphorically and literally.

As you can see from the elevation profile I dropped back down to sea level at Pasajes de San Juan. It seems to be a busy working port. Two huge container ships motored past as I walked through, one with the legend ‘Airbus on board’.

I stopped for a beer and looked at the menu, but the menu del dia was 12.90 euros so I didn’t bother to eat. A small beer was 2.30 euros – outrageous. I then had to cross the estuary by ferry (0.70 euros) together with some giggling schoolgirls and the postman complete with his letter buggy. I walked to the other side of the inlet and stopped to eat some cheese and jamon that I had bought last night and then continued on my way, having to climb a ridiculous amount of very steep steps that seemed to go on forever.

I have seen some flowers today that are new to me – the pretty yellow trumpet is very low growing on heathland, the pink stag horn was in a hedgerow and the white flower was quite small with leaves like a peony.

But the weather was kind to me. It was dull, and cloudy, but it did not rain. After studying the forecasts for the last few days I was convinced I would be walking through a storm. This stage would have been dangerous in wet weather. The smooth rock that I was walking over most of the day would have been very slippery if wet. But all was well and here I am in San Sebastián.

I opted to stay at a hostal as the albergue is quite a way out of the city and I wanted to have a mooch around this lovely place. I was a bit miffed when I arrived at the Urban House hostal (22.40 euros) when I was told that I would be staying in another property a block away (a good five minute walk) as there is a large group staying at the main place. But it has turned out well because so far I am the only person here, although another woman is due to arrive at some point. I am in a nice four bed room with balcony overlooking a pretty square and bars on either side.

Tomorrow is forecast to rain all day – oh well, let’s hope they got it wrong again!

Posted in Camino de Santiago de Compostela, Camino del Norte | Tagged Camino de Santiago blog, Camino de Santiago de compostela, Camino de Santiago., Camino del Norte, Irun, long distance hiking, San Sebastian, Spain, travel | 79 Comments

Last day of near normality

Posted on 21/04/2016 by magwood

Backpack packed
Bumbag loaded
Lovely long hot shower taken (a treat even at home because we are very water conscious here)
Hair straightened from its natural curly frizz
Teeth electrically cleaned and water jetted until danger of what little enamel remains being washed down the plug hole
Toenails polished in pretty pink as my only vanity
Dog cuddled to near strangulation

During the last few days I have been treated to my ‘last supper’ with lovely friends and walked my farewell hike in our beautiful mountains with great walking chums.

I have caught up with latest episodes of ‘The Good Wife’ and downloaded a multitude of podcasts.

I decided at the last minute to check my backpack as hold luggage. Although I know it is an acceptable size for Ryanair carry on, I have my walking poles packed and was not confident that they would get through security. I didn’t want the various straps and belts to get caught in the conveyor belt so spent a good while this morning wrapping it in cling film (which reminded me of my ridiculous antics at Gatwick airport a couple of years ago (you can read just how ridiculous here)

This Camino has given me an unaccountable number of waking hours in they middle of the night, but now the time has come I’m feeling remarkably calm…que sera, sera – particularly as far as the weather is concerned (although the forecast for tomorrow has just changed from lightning storms to light rain – yeah. Maybe the Camino Angels will be on my side again this year?

And now I am sitting in the departure lounge at Malaga airport awaiting my flight to Santander, where I will board a bus for the three hour ride to Irun. I will stay my first night in the municipal albergue (assuming there is a bed available) and I can remind myself of the joys of communal bunking.

Now sitting on the aeroplane I must confess that I almost didn’t make it. All seats were taken in the departure area of gate 30, so I took myself to the adjacent gate and sat there whilst writing the above. I did notice some movement at the distant gate, but as there were still crowds of people waiting, I assumed it was the preferential boarders. It was not until a couple came flying past me at full speed pushing a hysterical toddler in his buggy, closely pursued by a young woman attempting to beat the 200 metre world record that my brain began to click into gear and I swiftly followed them to desk 30 where the ground staff ushered us all through, and even knew my name, so presumably had put out a call that I had not heard. A quick dash along the boarding arm brought us to an abrupt halt at the back of the queue of passengers waiting to board.

Well, the plane landed as scheduled at 16:15. I had a plan (A) and a plan (B), depending on how long the baggage handlers took to deliver my backpack. Plan (A) was my original plan to catch the bus to Irun from the airport at 19:00. This was not an entirely satisfactory plan because it is a three hour journey which should deposit me at Irun bus station at 22:00 – the problem being that the albergue closes its doors at 22:00 and I didn’t fancy spending my first night sleeping in the bus station. Plan (B) only occurred to me yesterday when I thought about looking to see if there was an earlier bus from the city centre. There was. It left at 17:00. But that didn’t leave a lot of room for mishap with the timings. But as it happened plan (B) worked a treat and I am now sitting on the bus looking out at the lush green fields and wooded hills, with a glimpse of the coast every now and then.

I found the donativo albergue easily and I am sharing a two bunk room with two women, a German and Italian. I have also spoken with an three guys, German, Colombian and Mexican. There is a small but well equipped kitchen and some sofas in the office/breakfast area.

Let the camino begin…

Posted in Camino de Santiago de Compostela, Camino del Norte, Preparations | Tagged Camino blog, Camino de Santiago blog, Camino de Santiago de compostela, Camino del Norte, Irun, long distance hiking, Santander, Spain, travel | 44 Comments

Everything but the kitchen sink…

Posted on 16/04/2016 by magwood

I have spent another couple of half-days faffing about with my camino packing. But however many times I weigh all the various items, I can’t seem to make them any lighter.

I’m trying some new ideas this year. I’ve made a new pack cape (as reported in this recent post) which is a little heavier than the previous version, but only by 30 grams.

Instead of two pairs of walking pants, this year I am taking one pair and have made a hiking skirt which I can wear alone on warm days and when it’s cold I will wear a pair of runner’s tights under the skirt. This combination is heavier than the trousers by around 60 grams, but the tights can multi-task to keep me warm in the evenings and if necessary I can sleep in them.

The last home-made item is a rain kilt. I am expecting to encounter a fair amount of rain on the Norte – the region doesn’t get to be so green without a reliable watering system. If it works efficiently it will be well worth its weight (242 grams), but I haven’t tested it other than wandering around the garden on a stormy day. If it isn’t efficient and comfortable, it will be getting jettisoned and I will be getting wet legs. Some people take waterproof trousers for rainy weather, but they are a bit fiddly to get on and cause a lot of sweaty condensation.

So, here are a few photos to show just how much will fit into a 34 litre backpack.

First aid / prevention items – gauze, steri-wipes, iodine (in eye drop bottle), adhesive tape, compeed (only because I already had it – I wouldn’t buy it again), ENGO patches, toe caps, scissors and knee braces.

Toiletries – Lush shampoo bar (for hair and body), muslin face cloth, home-made body lotion bar (made with coconut butter, almond oil and beeswax), tissues, loo roll, Lush toothpaste tabs, ear plugs, face serum, face wash, moisturiser, cleanser/tonic (may get jettisoned), foot cream, deodorant, hair oil, tweezers, nail clippers, miniature perfume, cotton buds and pads, hair ties & comb, hair serum

Walking clothes – Hiking skirt with yoga waistband, zip-off pants, short sleeve merino T-shirt, sleeveless merino T-shirt, 2 x smart wool hiking socks, 1 x merino liner socks, 2 x merino underwear, sports bra, runner’s tights

Relaxing wear – Merino cardigan, cotton skirt, cargo pants, 2 x tops, 3 x underwear, bra

Rain wear – rain jacket, pack cape, rain kilt

Miscellaneous – Buff, infinity Buff, spork, gloves, microfibre towels, arm warmers, waist pack, hikers’ wool, visor

Sleeping gear – silk liner (new white one so I can easily see if I have any visitors), pre-treated bedsheet, down quilt/sleep bag, tote for carrying valuables in the evenings. The liner, quilt and my backpack have all be sprayed with permethrin.

Technology – mini tripod, USB hub, iPhone & cable, ear phones, iPad mini & cable, folding keyboard, camera and cable, spare camera cards, power bank & cables. All marked with hiviz tape so that no-one will accidentally or intentionally take my stuff.

And last, but not least my backpack, with hydration system, boots (alas, not the ones that were meant to be), and pacer poles – all adorned with copious amount of hiviz tape

Not photographed, but will be coming along for the ride, are my crocs for the evenings, a piece of yoga mat to sit on, a magnifying mirror for plucking eyebrows, ultralight down jacket, silk scarf to wear and use as pillow cover, sun glasses, sun screen, spare insoles, passport & credential, debit card, medical card & cash, washing line & pegs, laundry powder, food bags, tiny cable ties, a few rubber bands.

And I am pretty sure that is absolutely everything that I am taking. And it weighs around a kilo more than last year, which is a bit of a blow. But I have been more thorough about including every last item on the list this year. I haven’t done any practice walks wearing my pack, I am saving that experience for the first day when there is some serious elevation to tackle. When I have remembered how to post my packing list I will do so.

In the meantime, I have just checked the weather forecast for the first few days and guess what? My rain gear will be getting an early trial – rain, rain and more rain, oh yes, and plenty of wind to go with it.

Posted in Camino de Santiago de Compostela, Camino del Norte, Preparations | Tagged Camino blog, Camino de Santiago blog, Camino de Santiago de compostela, Camino de Santiago., camino packing list, Clothes and gear, long distance hiking, Spain, travel | 29 Comments

A downhill stroll – priceless!

Posted on 13/04/2016 by magwood

Let’s walk from Frigiliana to Nerja she said. That sounded easy, Nerja is on the coast and Frigiliana is around 7 kms inland and uphill, so I would be a partaking of a relaxing stroll downhill for a couple of hours.

Oh, how wrong can one be? Just take a look at the elevation profile of this beautiful walk that was very good practice for my fast approaching camino.

It was perfect walking weather, quite dull and fresh but not cold, and the forecast rain held off all day.

I don’t normally drive to walk. I prefer to walk out from my door to the many options I have in the surrounding area. But my very special walking pal Renate likes to go further afield, so I was happy to accept her offer of a trip down the mountain.

First on the agenda was a meeting with a camiga (camino amiga) who I have been in touch with via the camino forum and our respective blogs for a couple of years. She had just finished walking part of the Via de la Plata and then a portion of the Camino Frances and had come down south for some much needed sunshine and relaxation before returning to Canada. It was great to meet up and compare notes over a coffee before we set off on our ‘stroll’ – yeah right!

But the scenery made up for the effort expended and to make it even more special, I was treated to some beautiful wild flowers that I don’t see further up the mountain. It was a glorious, rugged walk during which I gave my boots one last chance to redeem themselves, at which, I am sorry to say, they failed miserably.

We finished up at La Cueva de Nerja, which is actually situated in Maro, a few km’s inland from Nerja, and still managed to walk virtually 14 km which took us 5 hours. Worth every minute!

Posted in A view of life, Expats in andalucia | Tagged Camino blog, Cueva de Nerja, Expats in Andalucia, Frigiliana, long distance hiking, Nerja, Spain, travel | 13 Comments

Ten days and counting

Posted on 12/04/2016 by magwood

Have you seen the countdown box at the side of this post? Yikes, only 10 days to go.

I seem to have been preparing for this camino forever, but I am feeling totally unprepared.
I have plotted my route, downloaded GPS tracks and investigated accommodation possibilities. An abundance of bits and bobs have been researched and purchased. New items have been made by my own fair hand. A complete day has been spent weighing gear, decanting products into small travel bottles, winding a supply of loo roll for those occasions when someone beat me to it. And many long training walks in the mountains have been taken, some happily alone and others in the company of very good friends.

But I am still feeling slightly anxious, even as an ‘old hand’ at this lark (or should that be an ‘old foot’) – it should definitely be an ‘old’ something! I think the niggle of uncertainty is arising from my decision to walk a section of non-camino between the Camino del Norte at Ribadeo and the Camino Ingles at Ferrol, seven days of truly working it out for myself, when I might have to be creative in finding accommodation and where there are no low cost albergues.

Also giving me cause for concern are ‘the boots that were meant to be’. I am discovering that perhaps they were not meant to be. This is such a disappointment. They are causing pain to my right foot at the point where I have a small ‘tailor’s bunion’ (named centuries ago when tailors sat cross-legged all day with the outside edge of their feet rubbing on the ground, and this constant rubbing led to a painful bump at the base of the little toe). This can be a hereditary condition and I have my dear old Dad to thank for the annoying bumps on my feet and also for the overgrown and sometimes uncomfortable joint at the base of my right thumb.

Both feet are affected by this issue but the left foot seems not to give me too many problems. In the past with other boots, I have felt some discomfort at some point of most long walks, but with these boots I am getting pain after around 10 kms that comes and goes thereafter, but is present more often than not. I really can’t work out why it is and keep hoping that the more I wear the boots the easier it will get, but so far this is not happening and time is running out. I will probably decide to take the previous new boots which are comfortable but without so much room in the toe box. If en route I am getting problems with my toes hitting the end of the boot on downhill stretches I will have to replace them with trail runners that I can buy in one of the larger towns I will be passing through.

I am taking a lot of tech gear this year. In addition to my normal bundle I am taking a remote keyboard to use with my iPad mini so that I don’t have to spend ages correcting all the many typos I make when using the on-screen keyboard. And I have bought a new USB hub with five outlets, so that I can share the electricity supply with others. Having taken a mifi (personal wifi) unit with me on my last two caminos, which never worked more than a handful of times, I have now purchased a secondhand iPad mini with cellular connection so that I am not totally dependant on wifi to keep my blog up to date. And I have purchased a new power bank (battery charger) that is very powerful and has a huge charging capacity, but it is also rather heavy.

Many people will scoff at me for taking so many gadgets, but they make me happy and they don’t impact on anyone else, so let them scoff – I will smile sweetly and carry on as I wish.

I had originally thought I would walk this camino in the autumn. Although I love walking in Spring, I also miss my garden which is at its beautiful best at this time of year. But then my youngest daughter announced that she and her long term partner are getting married in July and vanity took hold. At the moment I am carrying way too much weight (on my body as well as my pack) and I know that after my camino I will have dropped by around 7 kilos, which will mean I can fit into an elegant mother-of-the-bride dress. So vanity won out and here I am, ten days away from day 1.

The photos included with this post are from my recent walks.

Posted in Camino de Santiago de Compostela, Camino del Norte, Preparations | Tagged Camino blog, Camino de Santiago blog, Camino de Santiago de compostela, Camino de Santiago., Camino del Norte, long distance hiking, Spain, travel | 30 Comments

Blooming wonderful!

Posted on 22/03/2016 by magwood

I was disappointed this morning that my friend, with whom I had planned to walk, was poorly and was not fit to join me. So I thought I would take the opportunity to make a longer trek in the mountains by way of some much needed training for my forthcoming camino.

So I set off on my favourite circular trail in a brisk wind, walking along the road to the Fabrica de la Luz and then following the river and steadily climbing towards Puerto Blanquillo and then returning to Canillas de Albaida via the ‘ventas’.

I recorded the walk on Wikiloc leaving from, and returning to, Santa Ana church – a distance of 18 km, but from home I had walked an additional 2 km.

I didn’t take any photos of the stunning scenery that surrounded me because I already have so very many. But instead I photographed all the beautiful wild flowers I passed en route. The photos are not all as crisp as they might be due to the movement in the wind, but you will get an idea of the huge variety on display.

I was surprised not to see any lavender which abounds in the area, nor were there any wild orchids on this walk, but as I have some in my garden I have included them at the end, together wth two of my garden favourites

Posted in A view of life | Tagged wild flowers | 17 Comments

They’ll see me coming in this…

Posted on 09/03/2016 by magwood

We’ve had some very stormy weather here the last few days. Yesterday, gale-force winds were whipping around the mountain almost taking control of your movements, pushing you along from behind or almost stopping you in your tracks. There was even an ice storm later in the day, and we were left with a very pretty view of the mountain tops sparkling white against the blue sky.

It was the sort of day to give the dog his morning walk at a very brisk pace and once home I had no desire to leave the house for the rest of the day. The wood burner was set alight early and I looked for an indoor job.

I had recently purchased some waterproof fabric from the very helpful guys at Profabrics, who are very willing to give advice over the phone and are happy to supply any amount of fabric, small or large, plus all sorts of accessories and fitments.

I wanted to make a new backpack cover. You may have read about my ‘magnificent shoulder cape’ which I wrote about a couple of years ago here

It is still functional and was called into use last year. But it was, after all, thrown together from an oversized pack cover, and a bit ‘Heath Robinson’. I wanted to try my hand at making one from scratch. The fabric was a bit hard to sew, my machine kept skipping stitches (I probably need a different kind of needle), but it went together quite well using the original as a pattern.

This version, re-christened the ‘pack cape’, is much more comfortable around my neck and along the fastening under my chin. It is also a fluorescent yellow and Hi Viz so I will be making my presence known if I am walking in poor light conditions. I have to say, I am rather pleased with the outcome. It is a little heavier than the original, but only by 30 grams and I think the excellent fit is worth the extra weight.

You can see in the background of the photo the beautiful sight of Mount Maroma covered in snow.

I walked this morning with a lovely friend. The wind was still very gusty but there were quite a few stretches where we were sheltered from it and the 10 kms we covered were an absolute delight. You can’t beat a good walk with a good friend, unless you do it in scenery like this – and then it is just perfect…

Posted in A view of life, Camino de Santiago de Compostela, Expats in andalucia, Preparations | Tagged Camino blog, Camino de Santiago blog, Camino de Santiago de compostela, Camino de Santiago., Clothes and gear, Expats in Andalucia, long distance hiking, pack cape, Spain | 24 Comments

The boots that were meant to be

Posted on 06/03/2016 by magwood

I have been a bit fickle with my choice of camino hiking boots. I have needed a new pair for each of my three caminos, and whilst they have all been ok, I have not wanted to buy the same model again. The first two pairs – Marmot and Merrell Moab ventilators, wore right down on the soles although the uppers remained in perfect condition. The third pair, Merrell Azura, were definitely not up to the task of walking over 1,300 kms and were completely worn out with holes in the uppers by the time I reached Finisterre.

Meanwhile I had been recommended by someone who reads my blog (thanks Martin) to try the Ecco brand of boots in the ‘Biom Terrain’ style, made from Yak leather, which is stronger and lighter than cow hide. I tried them on in store but they weren’t very comfortable, perhaps a bit tight, although my feet are far from wide.

I did however feel much more comfortable in a different style, the Xpedition III which I finally purchased from Amazon Spain at a significant reduction from the Ecco website price of £155. Still, a considerable investment and I wasn’t actually over the moon with them. My foot is very comfortable in them, but the tongue is very bulky and digs into my ankle – I had to make an adjustment in order to wear them for any distance. It is impossible to know these things until you get them home and try them out, which is why some stores offer to exchange boots even after they have been worn. So I made the most of my new boots and wore them for a dozen or more long walks, not entirely happy with them, but fairly confident that ‘they would do’.

Ecco Xpedition III

Then, on my last visit to the UK I took my customary trip to the local TK Maxx store. People either love or hate TK Maxx – a bit like Marmite. I am in the first category and have bagged some amazing bargains over the years. It is possible to seek out excellent quality items amongst the dross and usually at a very good price. I am always drawn to the footwear section where I have found some real beauties over the years (very many years!), but I have to say their selection of shoes has been most disappointing in recent years.

On this occasion however, something was calling to me – I could feel the pull from across the store. As I got closer to the racks of wildly varying styles of shoes, I could see right in the middle of the top shelf of the women’s size 7’s…a pair of Ecco Biom Terrain boots, just demanding that I pick them up and try them on. It was a Cinderella moment. They felt completely different to the pair I had tried previously, plenty of room inside and really comfortable and with a very neat unobtrusive tongue. I looked around the other shelves out of curiosity and found not one other pair – this was the only pair in the store and they were in my size and they were comfortable. I turned them upside down expecting to see my name written on the soles – it was obviously meant to be – a match made in heaven. And the best thing? The price! £49 – list price £170.

Ecco Biom Terrain

Oh, and by the way, I later discovered why they are more comfortable than the previous pair I tried. When I looked closely at the tags I noticed they were men’s boots and much roomier than the same size for women. I suppose I should have remembered that I am wearing men’s boots when I made such fun of David for wearing my knickers!

Posted in Camino de Santiago de Compostela, Camino del Norte, Camino Ingles, Preparations | Tagged boots, Camino blog, Camino de Santiago blog, Camino de Santiago de compostela, Camino de Santiago., Camino del Norte, Camino Ingles, Ecco Biom Terrain, Hiking Boots, magwood, Ruta do Mar, travel, Trepidatious Traveller | 22 Comments

2016…the next camino

Posted on 04/03/2016 by magwood

There are four ‘northern’ pilgrimage routes to Santiago de Compostela
the Camino del Norte
the Camino Primitivo
the Camino Ingles
the Camino Finisterre

norte map

I will set off on my latest camino adventure on 22 April from the town of Irun situated at the most easterly point of the north coast on the Spanish side of the French border.

Many pilgrims who commence the Norte drop down at Villaviciosa to continue on the Camino Primitivo which passes through Oviedo and Lugo and joins the Camino Frances at Arzua, 40 kms short of Santiago de Compostela.

Others continue on the Norte, which at Ribadeo also drops inland to join the Frances route at Arzua.

I am planning to walk from Irun to Ribadeo (approximately 625 kms) and then leave the Camino del Norte to continue along the coastline to Ferrol. This is not a section of the Camino de Santiago and there is not the recognised pilgrim infrastructure of signage and albergue accommodation. There are various walking routes across this area but they are normally used as day-hikes, not through-hikes where a bed is needed at the end of the day.

So this (by my rough reckoning 210 kms) will be the challenging part of my camino – making my way across this stretch of Spain without the support of the camino amigos. If the weather is particularly bad and it is forecast to remain so for some days to come, I may not take up this challenge but choose the easier option and remain on el Norte.

Once I reach Ferrol I will be at the start of the Camino Ingles and will walk the remaining 116 kms to Santiago de Compostela.

I may or may not continue to Finisterre, depending on how I feel at the time.

The kilometres add up to around 950 plus an additional 90 if I walk on to Finisterre.

It is a stunningly beautiful hike with the coastline to the right and mountains to the left. On many occasions it trails across beaches, at other times it’s necessary to take a ferry across a port or the mouth of a river. It passes through some really interesting towns and cities and the region as a whole is renowned for its fabulous food. There are a lot of ups and downs, particularly during the first week and it is considered one of the most strenuous caminos.

You might expect that as an ‘old hand’ at this lark (perhaps more appropriately ‘old foot’!) I would take it all in my stride (pun intended), but I’ve been experiencing many waking hours in the middle of the night and my poor brain is jumping around with a mixture of excitement and trepidation. The adrenaline will be pumping just as much on this camino as it was on my first.

Posted in Camino de Santiago de Compostela, Camino del Norte, Camino Ingles, Ruta do Mar | Tagged Camino blog, Camino de Santiago de compostela, Camino de Santiago., Camino del Norte, Camino Ingles, Ruta do Mar, Spain, travel | 30 Comments

Happy feet

Posted on 02/03/2016 by magwood

Only eight weeks until my next camino and my head is whirling with all sorts of planning strategies. The most important piece of equipment I shall be taking with me are my feet and I thought I would share my plans for keeping them happy.

Last year I employed some new blister prevention and management techniques. Mostly, I am glad to report, prevention.

In order to prevent blisters forming under my fourth toes which is a frequent occurrence for me, I purchased some simple gel lined toe sleeves. I put these on every morning and never had a problem. I will be buying some more this year for my small toes and also for my big toes where the pads get sore occasionally from all the pounding.

I replaced the standard insoles that were fitted in my boots with Pro11 Wellbeing Orthotics (full product title – Orthotic insoles full length with arch supports, metatarsal and heel Cushion for plantar fasciitis treatment) currently £7.75, but the price seems to vary from time to time. Amazon link

I am about as far as you can get from an expert on orthotics. I saw lots of recommendations on the camino forum for ‘superfeet’, but when I searched for this brand there were so many options that I was totally overwhelmed and couldn’t make a decision about which style to go for. In true Amazon style I was sidelined by the “Customers Who Viewed This Item Also Viewed…..” teaser and the most highly reviewed product was the item above. They are specifically intended for sufferers of plantar fasciitis, from which, fortunately, I do not suffer. After a few days walking I found that there was too much arch support for my left foot and I was getting cramp at the end of a day’s walking. I eventually connected the two and shaved some of the thickness away from the arch support with my penknife and all was then well.

When my boots got wet and I removed the soles to aid drying, the inserts that are applied to the underside became unstuck. I kept putting them back in place, but eventually left them out and it seemed to make no difference.

On a couple of occasions I would pop the original innersoles back in my boots, for a change, but could feel the difference and lack of support immediately. I have since bought several more pairs and will be using them again this year (the original pair are now in my old walking shoes)

A new item I used for both prevention and management last year was ‘Hikerswool’. Again, I had seen it recommended on the forum (and had used fresh wool plucked from a fence on my first camino to pad a blistered heel). The website blurb says “HikersWool provides friction-free comfort and wicks away moisture so you can avoid painful and annoying blisters!”

It is produced in New Zealand, but is available in Europe from Germany. The kind guys I ordered from offered me an additional pack free of charge to share amongst fellow pilgrims in need. And I did indeed give some to a couple of guys to relieve pain from blisters, and they were very grateful for it.

not my feet – an internet image

I used it frequently as a prevention whenever I felt a ‘hotspot’ and as a buffer around the base of my heels when a couple of deep compression blisters formed.

To use, you place the product inside your sock at the point of the hotspot. The wool felts and binds itself to the sock and stays in place until removed. It is easy to use and brings instant relief. I shall be taking more this year and I will also have some spare to give to anyone who needs it.
Newzealand website
German website
€12.50 per pack plus €3.45 shipping

This year I will have an additional weapon in my blister armoury in the form of ENGO Blister Prevention Patches

These are high shine patches that adhere to the inside of the shoe at the point of a hotspot to remove friction between the sock and the lining of the boot/shoe. I have already applied one patch onto the inside of the heel of my new boots which were threatening to cause a blister. The patch stopped the friction instantly. It didn’t stick as well as I would have hoped and peeled away from my shoe lining along one edge, but it hasn’t become further unstuck and the patch has stayed well in place over ten or more long walks.

They are very expensive for what they are at £13.99 for a pack of four large and two small patches, but if they do the job as promised, it will be money well spent. Amazon link.

Hopefully my feet will repay me for all the care and expenditure by remaining blister free – that would be a camino first for me!