All plans tend to fall apart when hit in the face, and with big hikes like the Camino, plans, ideas, and preparation sometimes don’t work out that way. Here are the mistakes I made on the Camino Frances and Portuguese.
Do not bring hiking poles from the start
It took me a while to be a cheerleader for hiking poles, but when I finally gave them a fair chance, I won’t go hiking without them again. I highly suggest giving them a try if you haven’t already, and either picking them up at the start of the Camino you’re on or taking them with you from the start. They make a big difference and can greatly improve overall performance. Read my article Do you need hiking poles on the Camino? for more information.
Bringing a laptop on the Camino Frances
One thing I had to do on the Camino Frances to still have work when I returned was to bring a laptop. 4 times a week I wrote a blog post while curling up in my bunk bed for the night. And that experience was not a pleasant one to take with me.
If you absolutely have to do work on the Camino, you can get away with it. But I would recommend unplugging to some extent on the Camino. Shared experiences and the thoughts you gain from them can be more enjoyable without the stresses of daily life following you around.
I’d stick to just a smartphone, not only for navigation and research while traveling, but also to limit your exposure to daily life. This will limit your Camino experience and not leave you in the present moment. Which can be a shame.
Bring a kitchen kit to Portugal
On the Portuguese Coastal Camino, I was expecting a bit more of the same hikes I’ve done in the past. And having a nice cup of tea, coffee or a snack that I could make would be great, I thought. This is one thing you don’t need on the Caminos, especially the Portuguese and French. Cafes, restaurants and rest stops are everywhere and I didn’t turn on my stove once during both Caminos. I would recommend leaving it at home instead of lugging it around with you.
Whenever you feel like coffee or a snack, there will always be a rest point or town a few kilometers away.
The only thing I would recommend taking is a pocket knife and/or fork spoon, so you can also prepare a lunch or dinner at the grocery store. A baguette, cheese, meat, a bottle of wine and you can enjoy yourself. Take a look at my full Camino packing list for all the recommended items.
Take no time to print
The Camino is an experience you’re likely to love, at least in my experience and that of many other pilgrims I’ve met along the way. Only one pilgrim I met on the Frances hated it and left before Santiago de Compostela arrived. And there were a few others who had physical issues that kept them from finishing.
It’s easy to get carried away with the day, but I recommend consciously taking a moment each day to pause and reflect: observe, breathe, and try to imprint something memorable in your mind from that day. It could be a great menu of the day you have, a great company around you or during the bursting of a blister on the side of the road.
Hard to do sometimes, but something that can be easier with modern technology, you can keep a journal on your smartphone, take photos and videos and capture those moments.
Run the last 100 kilometers
My current wife and I were on a date while attending a wedding, and we had to walk the last 100 miles of the Camino Frances a bit to get back to Germany on time. This meant we were already well into the last 100km calculating and making sure we arrived on time. If possible, I would suggest not planning anything for at least a few days after you return from a Camino. And ideally, a week to let it all sink in and probably deal with some post-trail depression.
Take your time on the Camino and make sure you don’t make it a race. If you want to break a speed record, a marathon or a men’s walk may be more suited to your speed. The Camino shines in my experience for its slower pace and walking like you really feel in a day. It can be 5 kilometers or 70. It’s up to you. But don’t try to rush to the end.
I hope you can agree and take some pointers from my mistakes for your Camino, if you have any other mistakes you’ve made yourself, share them with everyone in the comments! This way we can all learn from them.
Happy hiking and hiking with a purpose
Good way