Sometime around the middle of a cold and grey January day I came across a website that featured the Camino de Santiago. There are many different routes but the one that caught my imagination was the Camino Frances (CF). This route begins in France at a small town located at the base of the Roncevaux pass through the Pyrenees mountains. The town is called Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port and is a popular choice for many people to embark on their journey. The route traverses the Pyranees and then rambles along well-trodden paths and roads across Spain, ending at Santiago de Compostela in the northwest of Spain.
As I was reading about the long, rain-soaked days, wine filled evenings, blisters and injuries something in my head lit up with a near deafening PING !!
Normally, most of my ping moments involve either pizza or a few pints but this was definitely different. Could I survive such an immense journey? After a few days looking into itineraries, maps and various forums I decided that I was going to throw caution to the wind and give it a go !!
First off I needed to find out if I could walk more than 15 minutes without collapsing. I went for a walk along the (completely flat) coast and just over two hours later returned with aching shins/knees/thighs and hips, my feet burning after covering approximately 5 miles. probably not the best start but did find a pleasant pub along the way which I made a note of in my walking diary. My diary entry looked like this:
Day 1. – 5M – Sutton on Sea – everything below the waist hurts. nice pub (Bacchus).
I’m assuming that a seasoned walker would have a similar diary entry.. maybe an extra mile or so. Having read that overexertion can cause injuries I patted myself on the back and decided to have a few days off to recover.
A Camino Adventure 
Seriously Buddy you are going to be an amazing companion to anyone on Camino Frances from April 19th onwards. Your posts are fabulous!! Your spirit enlightening, your humour I LOVE & dang it I wish I was ‘walking’ with you (I begin May 28th 2018) – albeit I’m possibly a little quicker – but we could have meet up between pizza/paella/fish n chips (maybe not) stops & bars …
Keep going ‘Yoost’ you are going to be just fine.
My friend, from NZ, starts 3 days before SJPdP around 23rd April, (So Roncevalles approx 27th) she’s fit, hilarious & a natural beauty. She may possibly catch you. Look out for a kiwi chick ‘Irene’ around week three (of ya walk). Buen Camino
LikeLiked by 2 people
Considering I plan to walk ridiculously slow and have plenty of days to stop and take in the sights I’d say your pal will whistle past me a couple of weeks into her walk. I’ll keep an eye out for her, if she’s young and healthy she could perhaps give me a fireman’s lift up any steep bits. I’m hoping to stretch my Camino out to two months (I know that means i will probably never catch anyone who passes me but I’m in no rush). If I get to Santiago before mid June and I’m still in one piece I may carry on to Finisterre. Who knows I may even get to Santiago around the same time as you! Make sure you keep in touch 😊 I’m sure reading about my breathless struggles/days of getting lost/forgetting my rucksack etc will make your Camino feel like a walk in the park compared to mine 😀 Buen Camino ☺️
LikeLike
Settled back for a read of your blog and hey!! Sutton on Sea! Know it well. I like that part of the coast. All the low key places like Anderby Creek. And Chapel too, the town that time forgot. And that walk from Sutton down to Mabo is a serious hike. Hope you took the big thermos.
LikeLiked by 1 person