A Typical Day on the Camino

My typical day on the Camino de Santiago started at about 6 am. I was a mature student before hiking on the Camino de Santiago for the first time; at that time, I would have been doing well if I was awake before 9 am (I had gotten into student life and loved it). So six in the morning was initially shocking. However, I easily got used to the early morning.

There are the “bag rustlers” – these are pilgrims that think it is a good idea to start in the dark anywhere from 4.30 onward. Personally, this was never attractive to me. Sleeping in albergues demands tolerance, and the bag rustlers test it to the limit.

There are quite a few pilgrims on the Camino who start very early and intend to finish their walking day by noon or the latest, 2 pm – in many cases, this is due to the fear of not finding somewhere to sleep the next night due to albergues being full – this was never an issue for me until after Sarria the last 100km or so on the Camino Frances.

The only other people that push the tolerance to the same extent are the snorers (afraid I am one, hay fever made it worse than usual – I’m told). Buy good earplugs. A must. The worst snorers are the ones that have had a few drinks, to be expected.

Leslie Anna 13km from SantiagoThe first big difference for me was no coffee first thing in the morning. Usually, I had to walk to a cafe which was often 3 to 5km in the next village where I would stop for breakfast.

At home, I would not leave the house in the morning without having a shower.  This is a luxury that is not available while staying in hostels or albergues.  The only time I could shower before starting my walking was the few nights I stayed in a pension, (B&B).  Being a bit smelly is just a fact of life for pilgrims using albergues on the Camino.

So given my aversion to mornings at the time, I would often be the last to leave the Albergue in the morning, about 6.45 or 7.00 am.  Many albergues close in the morning at 7.30 or 8 am, though this is changing slightly due to the high number of private hostels.

Then simply walk. I did not hurry and walked at my pace. Some days I walked with other pilgrims, and sometimes, on my own.

Simplicity itself is just bloody wonderful.

Nothing to do but walk and eat and talk – if I wanted to – an incredible break from my norm.

Often I would not finish walking until 3 or 4 pm. After having lunch somewhere, I would rest from the heat under a tree.

Once I reached the Albergue, I would shower and wash my clothes. I had one set of clothes for the evening and another for walking, no others. More often than not, I hand-washed my walking clothes – this again has changed quite a bit over the years, and almost all private albergues have washing machines.

Then perhaps an afternoon sleep for an hour, reading or chatting with pilgrims, some of them whom I might not have seen for a day or so. Surprisingly, I could sleep for an hour in the afternoon and then easily sleep again at 10 pm.

Sometimes some pilgrims need help, help to fix blisters and advice on how to care for very hot feet (a basin of very cold water for 20min works great).

Then about seven in the evening, I would eat a pilgrims menu in the local village bar or cafe; the pilgrim menu is sufficient, and I never went hungry. However, it is not exciting food (and I lost a lot of weight without trying).

Some albergues cook an evening meal or have a kitchen where you can cook if there is a communal meal I suggest participating as they are a great way to meet more people, and the food is usually very good.

I would be in bed and fast asleep by 10 or 10.30 pm, I would wear little to bed – usually, my shorts that I was planning to walk in the next day.  After a few days of getting used to sleeping in rooms with other people, I slept great almost every night.

Then get up and do it all again. I could do with a few of these typical days right now, especially after the last year. Buen Camino.

2 thoughts on “A Typical Day on the Camino”

  1. I walked my Camino in September, 2018. I would start my walk at 8am and at that time it was pitch black and in 30 minutes or so dawn slowly came.

    Reply
  2. Absolutely loved walking the Camino – the comradeship, the landscape, the whole deal!
    And hoping to return to do another route

    Reply

Leave a Comment