My wife and I walked the 500 mile Camino Frances from Saint John de Pied Port to Sanitago de Compostela in 35 days during September and October 2023. In the build up to setting off we watched lots of You Tube videos and carried out lots of research. If you are purely looking for recommendations of what to pack then my video at this Link is a comprehensive guide of what worked for me and what I didn’t need. If you are looking beyond just a kit list then these are my ten itps to help you enjoy your Camino:
1. Boots/Shoes/Sandals/Trainers
You will see an infinite combination of all of these on the camino and to be honest it doesn’t really matter which you choose, as long as they are right for you. If you already have a tried and tested brand then all the better. If not then try different brands and walk them in before you start. Remember, you also need to combine your footwear with socks and you should think of footwear and socks as one item working together.
I have a narrow foot and prefer a snug fitting shoe so my own personal choice were Salomon Ultra X Pioneer walking shoes combined with Karrimor running ankle socks. Just a word of caution though, before we started I wore my walking shoes in a little too much and by the end they were well and truly worn out.
My wife on the other hand wanted something with ankle support because she had previously broken her ankle. She went for the Merrell Moab Mid GTX boots along with Injinji toe socks……much to my amusement each time she put them on!
2. Rucksack/Backpack
Buy a realistic size backpack that fits you well. Lots of people walk the Camino with a very small lightweight backpack and spend a lot of time trying to cram all their gear in to it, or walking with half of it hanging off the outside. A 33 litre pack will only be a few grams lighter than a 38 litre one but a 38 litre one will allow you to pack your kit more easily and find things when you need them. When choosing a pack it should fit comfortably on your hips and at the same time fit snugly around your shoulders. Many of the ones currently available have adjustable back systems, which are great and offer multiple adjustment options. They also have space at the back for the air to flow through. I personally used an old Karrimoor Jaguar 65 backpack from the 1990s. At 65 litres it was much bigger than I needed; however, I have used it extensively before. I am comfortable wearing it and it is moulded to the shape of my body.
After much research and many trips to numerous outdoor shops, my wife chose a Deuter Futura Pro 38 SL. This is especially designed for shorter people with shorter back lengths and keeps the hip strap on the hips where it should be and the shoulder straps snuggly fitting around the shoulders for stability on the steep climbs and descents.
3. Baggage Transfer
Don’t be afraid to use one of the many baggage transfer services if you want, or need to. There are a number of baggage transfer services. All the companies leave their envelopes in the reception of the albergues and hotels.
Having your baggage transferred is a simple case of writing the destination on the envelope in the correct section, placing the correct fee (between 4 and 8 Euros) inside the envelope in cash, tying the label to your backpack handle and leaving it in reception the following morning before 8.00am. Your rucksack will magically appear at its destination before 2.00pm the same day. Take a photo of your rucksack in the reception before you leave in case of any problems. We used baggage transfer for about a quarter of our 500 mile Camino Frances. We used it on the first leg to make the climb over the Pyrenees to Roncesvalles easier, we used it for a couple of days when my wife had a sore ankle and we used it for two of the big stages through the Meseta.
4. Poncho/Raincoat/Umbrella
In the same way that pilgrims use an infinite variety of footwear they also use a wide and varied selection of outerwear. If you are going to use a poncho buy one that will fit over your backpack and also come down to at least your knees. They were for sale in Saint John de Pied Port for around 65 Euros. Also make sure it is a good quality one. During the last week of our Camino the weather turned wet and windy.
The cheaper ponchos soon fell to pieces or blew up in the wind constantly depositing water on the legs and shoes of their owners. Equally, if you are taking a jacket and trousers buy quality. I personally took a Montane Goretex jacket and Goretex cycling leggings, both of which I already owned. My wife had some none goretex leggings and a showerproof top. During a day of record breaking levels of rain that made the national news, neither ponchos, nor jackets kept anyone dry, otherwise both worked well.
5. Clothing
Whatever you do take more than one change of clothes. You will read lots of advice from people who are only taking one set of clothes or one set and one spare. Lightweight sports clothing weighs very little and is durable; however, it is not practical to wash clothes in a sink every night.
The washing lines at the albergues are nearly all full from lunchtime each day and clothes don’t dry easily in cloudy or inclement weather or in the middle of an airer with lots of other wet washing. Plus, do you really want to spend everyday washing and drying clothes when you can be out socialising with your new camino family. Both my wife and I took three sports tops, three shorts, one pair of longs, one lightweight fleece and four pairs of socks. I also took a hat and neckbuff because I am generally a cold person and my wife took a pair of leggings.
6. Accommodation
There is an infinite variety of accommodation available and your budget will dictate which you use. The majority of pilgrims use albergues, which are hostels with bunk bed accommodation in various rooms. Some albergues, such as the one at Roncesvalles, are huge with over 200 beds. Others are smaller and only have perhaps a dozen beds.
The cheapest albergues cost roughly 10 to 15 Euros per night and are run by the local council. These are referred to as municipals and operate on a first come first served basis. They fill quickly each day and if you’re not an early riser you are unlikely to get a bed in high season. There are also numerous private albergues with prices starting at around 10 Euros. It is possible to reserve these in advance and you can find some on booking websites or you can reserve a bed by calling them in advance. Generally, they will only hold a booking until 3.00pm unless you call them to say you are definitely on your way. Some have private rooms, which start at around 40 Euros per night for a double or twin.
Finally, there are many private pensions or hotels available. Again these can be booked in advance. Remember that costs are on a per person, per night basis; therefore if there are two of you it can sometimes be no more expensive to take a private room or a buget hotel than pay for two bunk beds. During our Camino we generally used albergues, which we booked one day in advance and occasionally we treated ourself to a private room. On both rest days we used Air bnb and at the end had a hotel room for two nights. Neither of us had slept much in hostel accommodation in the past; however neither of us minded it either and in the end we actually sought out the larger albergues for the social side. I guarantee it wont be for everyone and some people will need ear plugs and an eye mask. Be prepared for the early risers to start packing from 6.00am.
7. Guide Books
One thing that is for certain you are going to find it very difficult to get lost on the Camino Frances. Every bend in the road, every street corner, every crossing has either a yellow arrow or a shell on the wall or on a signpost.
Several guide books have been produced and the most popular ones are by John Brierley (referred to as the Brierley Guide) or the one by Sandy Brown. The Brierley Guide seemed to be the most popular on the route, albeit the users of the guide also seemed to stick slavishly to the prescribed stages
The one by Sandy Brown comprises two books. One being a comprehansive guide and the other a series of maps and town plans. In six weeks we only saw a handful of others using this guide and it seemed to suit those more in to the history of the area.
Both guide books provide detailed route descriptions, suggested stages, details of services and accommodation in each location and notes on local history. The guide book stages nearly all end in the same locations and, whilst these do have lots of services due their popularity, they also sell out quickly and are busy. I would recommend a mix of guide book stages and trying some off the main stages. There are also a number of apps available that provide similar details. These include the Buen Camino app and the Wise Pilgrim app. I would suggest buying a second hand Brierley guide for planning purposes and using the Buen Camino app whilst walking. I would also suggest getting a booking.com and Air bnb account for ease of booking accommodation and checking out other locally available options. I found the mobile phone coverage excellent throughout and could almost always get a 4G internet signal.
8. Cash or Card
The smaller establishments along the route and the many small vendors selling local fruit juices or snacks only accept cash. The larger places and many of the albergues all accept card.
We took plenty of Euros in cash (800 Euros each) and also used a Revolut Card, as there was no charge for us from the UK. I also used my Monzo Bank card to pay for the hotel at the end for the same reason. My strategy was to always try to pay by card first. I would estimate in 6 weeks we used an equal mix of cash and card. If you do not have an account in the local currency you will want to check with your own bank whether they charge you for foreign currency transactions and consider getting one of the many zero charge, multi currency cards like Revolut.
9. Sleeping Bags/liners
The majority of albergues only offer you a mattress and a pillow and give you a disposable mattress and pillow cover. Many do not have any sheets or blankets available and the ones that do, don’t always look like the sort you want to use. If, like me, you sleep cold the minimum you want to take is a sleeping bag liner.
I also took a very lightweight sleeping bag, which I unzipped and used as a blanket for two thirds of the time. My wife only ever used her sleeping bag liner.
We started our camino on 8 September through to the middle of October. In anything other than the few months of summer you may find yourself cold at night otherwise or sleeping in your clothes.
10. Finally……be sociable
You have absolutely nothing better to do all day than to walk, take in the scenery and enjoy the company. Never in your life will you meet so many people sharing the same goal with so many interesting stories to tell about their lives. We spoke to more people and made more friends in 6 weeks than we have in the last six years. Be sociable and find the time to listen and talk with others.
Footnote: Some of the links in this article lead you to Amazon where I may receive a small commission if you make a purchase. Thank you in advance of your support.