Donde Dormir? Where Will You Sleep?

When walking the Camino, you have many options. Here are some:

About Albergues:
Pronounced al-búr-gays

When walking the Camino 10-15 years ago people stayed in parochial or municipal albergues most of the route, sharing space at night with a few other pilgrims. The Camino has become so busy now - whether fad or ??? - that a pilgrim has many more choices about where they'll stay. Here are some explanations:

Parochial Refugios: (pa-rō'-kial) Run by the Catholic church. NO reservations. First come, first serve. You will almost always sleep on comfortable floor plastic wrestling mats with many other pilgrims. You WILL need a sleepsack or sleeping bag as no sheets are provided. Some have pillows and some do not. Use your rolled up jacket or shirt as a pillow! But don't miss the experience. The mats are sometimes more comfortable than sagging bunkbed mattresses, and everyone's too tired to care who is snoring next to them. Some parochials do have bunkbeds. Some have separate rooms for men and women, though you don't see that much anymore. You will almost always be served a family style meal. You will sometimes eat with the priest. There is usually a shower, though not always hot. You may enjoy a pilgrim's mass or tour of the church, or in the case of at least one parochial, a tour of a chapel built into rock on the hill that you otherwise would not be able to enter. Parochials are almost always donativo, which does NOT mean FREE, by the way. It means that you pay what you can afford. If you have absolutely NO money, then you do not have to pay. But if you have a job and enough cash to buy a ticket to Spain, you have enough to at least pay for your meal. I always leave €8 to €10 at parochial refugios. They have utilities to pay like everyone else and the bottom line is this: The money you leave tonight helps pay for pilgrim dinners tomorrow night. So if you're being served a meal of bread and water, that means there were some cheap damned tourigrinos the night before, in my opinion! Leave a generous donation please!


Grañon Parochial. Photo by Wing-Yen Tse

Municipal Albergues: (moo-ní-see-pals) These are run by the village. Almost never take reservations.You will most likely sleep in bunkbeds with anywhere from 12 to 100 other pilgrims in the room. Sheets are on the mattresses, though are NOT washed more than once a week, in general. Sometimes they will hand you a paper sheet when you register. You WILL need a sleep sack or sleeping bag. Pillows are almost always provided. Though blankets used to almost always be provided, that is changing as the bedbug problem continues to grow and some do NOT provide blankets anymore. Sometimes they have a kitchen where you can cook. Sometimes they do not. Sometimes the kitchen will have cooking/eating paraphanlia, and sometimes not. I've found when not, it's usually in Galicia. If there is a kitchen, be sure to LABEL your food and don't be surprised if it's gone when you return. Prices in the municipal are set by the village, and are the lowest except for parochials. There is a shower which may be communal or may have separate spaces for wo/men. Many do have internet these days, but not all. Lockers are usually NOT provided, though they are in some, such as Logroño.



Albergue Jesús y Maria in Pamplona

Private Albergues: These are privately owned and run. Almost all take reservations. Some have bunkbeds Some have twin beds. Some have dorms. Some have private rooms. Some are ensuite (private bathrooms) and in some you will share bathrooms (common in Spain). When you share a bathroom in a private albergue, the bathroom door locks, so you have privacy while you're in there. You are expected to clean up after yourself unless your mother is along to pick up after you. Leave the bathroom clean for the people you are sharing with. You will have to do your research as so what is offered in the way of beds. Prices are a bit higher for private rooms than in Municipals, but you might do the math because often if two or three pilgrims share a private room, it's not much more than it would cost sleeping in a dorm. Some private albergues offer a kitchen, but most do not in my experience. Lockers are generally NOT provided. Most have internet these days.



Casa de la Abuela, Los Arcos

By the way, when shopping for a room, you must specify if you want TWO beds in a double room.
What we call a single bed is called a matrimonial.

Hostels: A hostel in Spain is just the same as a hostel in the USA. All take reservations. There will be dorm rooms with varying amounts of beds. There may or may not be private rooms offered. There is usually a kitchen offered where you can cook your own food. There is usually a refrigerator. Mark your food. Lockers are often provided but you may need to provide your own lock. Most have internet.

Apartamentos: Apartments are a great option if you can get a group together. All take reservations. Many will have 2 or 3 or more rooms plus a living room. Some rooms will have twin beds. Some will have a matrimonial. You'll need to ask. Some living rooms will have a futon. So if 4 to 8 people can get together and split the cost, the price can be as low as you'd pay in an albergue and you'll have a much quieter experience. Many apartments will have two bathrooms. Most will have a washing machine. All will have a kitchen where you can cook for yourself. Some do have internet. Some do not. Ask.

Camping: Whether or not camping is "legal" is always a debate, because you pass through so many different cities and villages. However, the price of albergues is so small that unless you have a really good reason, there's no need to drag a tent along. If you DO have a need to camp, however, it can be done and there is an entire blog on camping if you do a search.

Casa Rurales: These are houses owned by private people. All take reservations. Sometimes they rent out the entire house and sometimes they just rent out a few rooms and the owners live on site. This is a wonderful option for groups of pilgrims who are willing to split the cost. Some of the houses are hundreds of years old and just beautiful! Some have internet. Some do not. Ask if it is important.



A casa rural in Galicia

Habitaciones: These are rooms rented out in a private home. Almost all will take reservations. You will often see signs above the door advertising habitaciones. Go inside and ask to see the rooms, ask the price, then decide. These can be a real good deal! Usually you will have a private or shared bathroom. You won't usually be able to use the kitchen.




Wherever you stay, please use good manners.

Clean up after yourself, especially in a shared bathroom. Pick the hair up out of the floor, wash out the sink, wipe off the counter with your towel. Don't leave the towel in the floor, but carry it to your room and hang it up. Do the same in the kitchen. Wash your dishes, dry them, and put them away. Wipe off tables and counters. The low prices mean there's no maid there to pick up after you. You are expected to be a responsible adult.

So here are some choices for you while walking the Camino. Have a wonderful time and Buen Camino!

All About Tapas and Pinchos - 2018

Future pilgrims often ask me, "What do you eat while on pilgrimage?"  Well, the answer for me is, "Anything they serve in Spain!"  The food there is SO good, so tasty, so healthy, I'm amazed that I lost 20 pounds on my last Camino.

There is always the Pilgrim Menu or Menu del Dia. However, I'd like to tell you a little about what I have learned about another wonderful option... TAPAS!

Even the smallest villages often have a bar and a "bar" in Spain is not the same place you think of when you say "bar" in the USA. Yes, you can buy beer, wine, and mixed drinks. But you also can get coffee, breakfast, and some pretty good eats there!

It is said the tapa originated in Andalusia as a small snack to accompany sherry. The bartender would cover the glass of sherry with a saucer (or tapa) to protect it from the flies. A good bartender would decorate the plate with a tiny savory snack, and that evolved into these luscious portions we now call tapas.

  TAPA vs. RACIÓN

Something to remember is a tapa serves one. Tapas are often called "pinchos" in southern Spain. A "ración" is a larger serving, usually for 2 to 3 people, or one hungry pilgrim! I've taken these photos from the internet. Some would be considered a "tapa" but the larger portions are definitely "raciónes."  You quickly learn the difference after ordering a time or two.

In some small villages along the Camino, tapas are still free with your drink. Sometimes I was served a plate of olives and other times salted almonds or a bit of meat. Most of the time, however, there was a menu, often written on a chalkboard, and you paid a small amount for your tapas. My advice to you is to try any tapa you see offered - take a walk on the wild side and stretch your boundaries. You are, after all, on an adventure!

But if you would like to at least have some idea of what you will be eating, following is a menu of typical tapas you might see on the Camino Santiago.

ALBONDIGAS are little meatballs. This dish is said to have originated with the Moors. Hearty and filling, they come on a plate of 3 as tapas and 7 to 9 if you order a ración.  They are made of minced pork and veal or beef. They are fried, and served either dry or swimming in a savory tomato sauce.

PATATAS BRAVAS are chunks of fried potatoes coated in a thick sauce. The sauce generally is a spicy tomato sauce but it does vary from place to place, which is why it's one of my favorites. I've seen white sauce like the one above on the potatoes. Don't pass this one by!

GAMBAS A LA PLANCHA are grilled whole shrimp. They are seasoned before grilling and very good. You just peel them and eat them with your fingers. A tapa usually has 3 shrimp. A pincho will have more.

JAMÓN SERRANO is salt-cured ham dried in the mountain air. It is considered a national treasure and in each bar you will see these whole hams hanging.

This ham deserves its own blog, it is so famous. The pigs are fed on sweet mountain acorns, making the meat very sweet and the flavor is deeper than prosciutto. The ham is shaved off in thin slices. It almost always comes with chunks of fresh baked bread. But you also may see it served on top of melon slices or in other combinations.

We saw many pigs on the Via de la Plata, their red eyes shining in the early morning darkness, their grunts startling me!

BANDERILLAS are bits and pieces of meat, vegetable, and/or fruit served threaded on toothpicks. They could consist of marinated fish, hard-boiled eggs, shrimp, olives, or just about anything!  They are sometimes served with bread or crackers. They are to be eaten in one bite, blending the flavors. A banderilla is the sharp barbed stick used to weaken the bull in bullfighting.

CALAMARES FRITOS. These are rings of squid, very lightly breaded or simply dusted with flour and deep fried. They come piled on a plate garnished with a lemon slice. Squeeze the lemon juice onto the fritos before eating. I can make a meal of these!

QUESO MANCHEGO is tangy sheep's cheese. It comes from LaMancha and is one of Spain's most popular cheese. You can buy it all along the Camino by weight and it's good in a backpack for a couple of days if you bury it in your clothing to keep it cool. It is a staple food item when I'm walking. It is served in cubes or slices with bread in the bars. It is often served in combination with jamón serrano or other meat.  Don't miss trying it! If you live near a COSTCO, they sell manchego cheese! I have a hunk in my fridge right now!

ACEITUNAS DE LA MADRILEÑA are served everywhere. Aceitunas are olives. They can be served alone or "de la Madrileña" which means in a nice vinegar/scallion/garlic marinade. I bought bags of aceitunas for under a Euro to carry in my mochila on the Camino.

MEJILLONES A LA MARINERA. These are mussels cooked in a lovely garlicky wine sauce. They may be served in the shell, on the half-shell, or shelled in a bowl of sauce. Usually served with crusty bread to soak up the sauce, eat them with a toothpick.

ENSALADILLA RUSA is a cold potato salad that can contain any combination of tuna, shrimp, potatoes, carrots, peas, peppers, or eggs. The dressing is usually mayonnaise or a home made garlic mayo.

 

CROQUETAS are a tapa you will find everywhere. The ingredients are greatly varied. The croqueta could be of fish, potato, ham, just about anything. They're little balls of food, which have been rolled in a coating and deep fried. They are always very good and filling!

SALPICÓN DE MARISCOS is a cold seafood salad. Ingredients can vary but it is almost marinated in a vinaigrette.

BOQUERONES are one of my favorites! They are tiny marinated white anchovies. Nothing like what you buy in the can, please be sure to try them! They are not "fishy" because they are fresh! Great on a slice of bread! They may come whole or filleted. Sometimes you find boquerones deep fried.

POLLO AL AJILLO is a tapa of small pieces of browned chicken, simmered in a garlic sauce. The sauce can vary. It may or may not have tomato, but no matter...it will be wonderful! Eat it with crusty bread.

TORTILLA. This is not your Mexican tortilla. This is more like a fritata or thick omelette, served in wedges or squares, alone or with ham. It has potato, onion, and sometimes other vegetables. But generally it's pretty straight forward. I love this for breakfast but it's good any time.

FRITURA DE PESCADO is a plate of fried fish and other seafood. It's a bit like tempura.

ENSALADA DE PIMIENTOS ROJOS is a wonderful salad of roasted red peppers and onions. The salad has an olive oil and vinegar dressing. Very rich. As with most tapas, it is great with crusty bread. I bought roasted peppers and put them on sandwiches for my lunch when walking the Camino.

CHORIZO is a garlicky sausage, nothing like the chorizo of Mexico. Made from acorn fed pigs, it literally melts in your mouth!  It is served in many ways. It might be simply slice don a place, as shown above, or you might get it on a slice of bread, as shown in this photo from a Sevilla tapa bar:

You also might get it in a tiny bowl with sauce, as this photo shows:

It can be served cold or hot.  No matter how it is served, try it! You can't lose!

CARACOLES are one of my very most favorite tapas. These are the same tiny snails you see crawling all over the vegetation on the Camino. Stewed in a savory garlic sauce, they are an amazing treat with a cold beer - instant energy! Eat them with your fingers by pulling them out of the shell with a toothpick.

MORCILLA is a savory pork blood sausage. It can be seasoned in a variety of ways. I like some. I don't like others. My advice is to just try it every chance you get. I can hear you saying, "Eeeewwww... sausage made of blood!"  But before you do, think about those luscious, flavor filled bits and pieces you scrape up from the pan when you're cooking pork chops? THAT is pork blood and is what morcilla can taste like. It can be incredibly good! It can be served in slices, but is usually laid on a slice of bread and topped with potato or some other item.

OREJAS DE CERDO are just what they sound like; pig's ears. They are either deep fried or cooked in a savory sauce. Not for the weak-kneed, you might be surprised at their goodness!

To me, these are an excellent example of the way that the Spanish people live the philosophy I love! They respect the animal they are killing and eating by not wasting one single piece! It's the way our grandparents lived, before we got so spoiled with our plastic filled meat cases here in the United States. I have met many people who, believe it or not, have no idea what animal they are eating and never think about how it was raised or butchered.

In Spain, people still live close to the earth and respect her.
That is one reason I'm so in love with that country!

So that's it! These are some of my favorite tapas! As you can see, there are many choices for a hungry pilgrim in Spain. A supper of tapas can be a great option when you're on a budget.

If you have a favorite tapa that I did not mention, please comment. I'll look for a photo and post it.

Buen Camino, Pilgrims, and Buen Aprevecho!

Love,
Annie

Note:  If you would love to walk the Camino Santiago, 

but are not quite ready to go it alone, 

consider joining Annie

on one of our small, affordable Camino walks. 

For more information see our website 

at this link: AnnieWalkers Camino

Roncesvalles in the Snow April 2012

If you are considering walking a winter Camino or beginning as early as April in SJPP, you may want to read this post and reconsider.  These are photos from April 2012. 

I'm not say do not walk a winter Camino. Many love walking in the winter. And, of course, every year doesn't have this much snow. However, you should pay very close attention to the weather reports, and you ALWAYS LISTEN TO THE LOCALS if they tell you the route is not safe. 

If the route is closed and you are advised to walk the Valcarlos road,

you should LISTEN AND DO IT.

That does not mean there will be no snow.

It is just a bit safer.

PLEASE register your walk with the Pilgrim Office

in SJPP so someone knows to expect you in Roncesvalles!

Go prepared with the correct gear.

Take food and water and shelter in case you get stuck.

Be sure your phone is well charged.

This information has been supplied by Navarricano, who lives in Pamplona. He is a member of the Camino Santiago forum:

There has been another rescue in the Pyrenees. Thanks be to God, this woman survived her experience. This article appeared in this morning's print edition of the Diario de Navarra newspaper. The translation and emphases are mine:

Firefighters from Burguete rescued another pilgrim on the Camino de Santiago yesterday. (4 April). The pilgrim was a middle-aged American (U.S.) woman who had turned her ankle. It took firefighters two hours to transport the woman three kilometers along paths completely covered in snow. The woman and her son were walking the Camino, following the Route Napoleon over the mountain from St. Jean Pied-de-Port to Roncesvalles; the Route Napoleon is snowed under at present.

Along the way, she sprained her ankle, and when she reached the shelter at Izandorre, radioed SOS Navarra for help. SOS Navarra, in turn, alerted the fire department in Burguete. This occurred at 4.30 in the afternoon. The firefighters reached the woman's location in 30 minutes, but transporting her to the paved highway, where they had left their vehicle, was quite a bit more complicated: by stretcher and at times walking with the support of the firefighters, it took the group two hours to cover the three kilometers distance.

* * * * *

The Route Napoleon is still covered in snow. It is still too risky to go that way. Yes, she twisted her ankle. Yes, some can justify this as an accident that could happen to anyone, even in summer too, etc. But folks, please... her rescue was complicated by the snow. Thank God she was able to get to the shelter, and thank God they got her off the mountain. but the weather here in Navarra has been cold and nasty for the past two days. More like January than April, and more snow is predicted for this weekend.

Go the Valcarlos route, wear reflective vests and stay on the pavement.

Here are a few more photos to give you an idea of just how much snow we're talking about. Most of these photos are by "javier" from the Camino Forum. These are all taken at Roncesvalles, where there are snow plows. THERE ARE NO SNOWPLOWS ON THE TRAIL!!

This is a cloister that is much higher than your head!

You cannot even see the doors or the signs above them!

This is why people can get lost.

This is a ROOF top of a 3 story building!

If you take the Valcarlos route, you're more likely to see THIS type of scenario in Patricia Herr's blog, "Girls on the Way."

She and her two young daughters took the road, stayed in Valcarlos, and continued on the next day. Be sure to look at days 2 and 3 for good photos of the difference in walking conditions that these taken in Roncesvalles.

Here is a link to their great blog!

GIRLS ON THE WAY

Camino Tips: Check the Free Box 2018

One of the best Camino Tips I can give you is this one:

Check the Free Box!

Almost every albergue has a Free Box. 

The Free Box is a box that contains items 

pilgrims dump when they realize 

bringing everything from home except the kitchen sink 

wasn't such a great idea. 

Sometimes it is a cardboard box out for everyone to see. 

Sometimes it is a shelf on the wall. 

Sometimes it is hidden in a closet behind lock and key. 

If you don't see it and you need something, 

ask!

Why do people dump things in the Free Box, you ask?

Pretend you've begun walking 

and your pack is heavier and heavier as the days go by.  

You begin to take items out and look at them and say, 

"Do I really NEED this?"  

(This is all part of being a pilgrim, so don't feel guilty).  

You make a pile of things that really, 

you can live without.  

You realize that you really didn't need to bring 

that heavy novel or that can opener, 

or the blow up mattress or the 3 fleece shirts, 

or the extra socks, 

or the 12 pair of underwear.

What do you do with this "stuff?"  

You could mail it home, 

but that would probably cost more than it's worth.

You could throw it in the trash... 

but please don't.

Instead, ask the hospitalera to put it in the Free Box. 

Someone will surely come along who needs it, 

and this is one way

"The Camino Provides."

It's always a good thing to check the Free Box 

as you walk along the Camino, also. 

You may find things you didn't know you needed!

Things I've picked up from the Free Box include the following:

A hydration system - complete with tubing and bite valve found on the road

A nice featherweight fleece shirt

A sports bra - mine broke!

A pajama top - used for sun protection

A handkerchief - used for peeing along the trail then washed with the day's laundry

A microfiber towel - I thought I'd like it better than my old worn out terrycloth-towel, but I didn't

A guide to albergues along the way - complete with notes!

Some German Dr. Scholl's type foot cream that saved my feet on the Aragones Route

Things I've left in the Free Box include:

My sleeping pad - I saw more of these than any other item in the box

A jacket - too heavy to carry

A pair of wool socks

A rain hat

A cheap poncho

Other items I can't recall - seems I was dropping weight daily!

Oh yes, my guide to the Via de la Plata which I'd sure love to have back if someone found it. It was specially spiral bound and left at the Convent in Leon!

Zip off trousers  

Things I've SEEN in the Free Box are too many to mention, 

including sleeping bags, pads, knives, stoves, 

camping dishes, tents, boots, all types of clothing, 

and on and on and on...

So... when you are doing your last minute check 

of the gear you're going to take... 

and you run across an item 

and are not sure if you need it or not... 

ask yourself this question:

Am I willing to spend the $$ it will take to mail this home?

Or will it end up in a Free Box!?

Then walk away and leave it ...

If you need it, you can be sure it will show up again along the Way.

Learn to live and step lightly on the earth!

Buen Camino!

* * *

Note:  If you are interested in walking the Camino Santiago, 

but are not quite ready to go it alone, 

consider joining Annie

on one of our small, affordable Camino walks. 

For more information see our website 

at this link: AnnieWalkers Camino

Where the Rubber Meets the Road - Your Walking Stick - 2018

Walking sticks and whether or not to take them on the Camino is a question often asked on the forum.

There's just something about a walking stick.  Sometimes refered to as wands or staffs, there are many examples in history and legend where walking sticks played an important part in a person's life:

Asclepius, Greek God of Healing, carried a lovely staff!

A shepherd's crooked staff

Another shepherd and his staff

Moses' staff could do tricks!

It also was used to find water!

Some carry a BIG stick!

Other sticks are more discrete.

Over and over, there are examples of famous staffs and sticks, important to their owners.

People who use them can become very attached.

I've seen people backtrack for miles to retrieve a staff left at a breakfast stop! 

Some folks carry theirs from far away places.

Some pick them up along the roadside.

Some buy them from local vendors. 

Some say they're not needed at all!

The first time I walked in 2006,

I purchased a dark wooden stick in St. Jean Pied de Port.

It was beautiful and strong..

and I don't know what wood they use to make these,

but the danged things are downright indestructible.

That was evident when I had a meltdown on the Meseta

and tried to break mine over a rock.

I succeeded in practically breaking my hand instead

and got so frustrated with the toughness of the walking stick

that I flung it far out into the dirt field,

where some lucky pilgrim probably picked it up later,

wondering at the blessings of the Camino!

Those sticks, called bastons or palos, work just fine! They come in all lengths. Some are plain. Some are decorated. Some have crooks, and some do not. Sold in nearly every village along the Way, all are quite functional and give you the stability you need to get across mudholes, up rocky paths and down wobby trails.

I saw one peregrina using two short ones,

just like trekking poles.

Each had a strap for the wrist,

and when I asked her how they worked,

she gave me the thumbs up sign.

Most are also discarded in the Pilgrim's Office 

once the walker arrives in Santiago, 

since it can be an issue to get one home via airplane.

I often wonder if these are recycled, or resold, or ???

Does anyone know what becomes of them?

I bought mine and used it until I threw it in the field. 

I then found another that someone abandoned in a bus station. 

It sat in the lady's room with a 'free" sign on it.  

I carried it the remainder of that Camino.

The plus side of using a local stick

 is that you are supporting the local economy 

by your purchase.

Because they are so inexpensive and so readily available, 

it is highly unlikely it will get stolen, 

and if it does, you're only out 3 to 5 Euros.

(Note: In 2014, they were still under €10)

They all come with a steel tip and they are biodegradable too!

Some people prefer to bring expensive trekking poles. Made by many companies, these can cost from $25 upwards to hundreds of dollars, depending on the bells and whistles.

A lot of folks use Leki poles:

Many people do not understand the correct way of using poles. 

If you aren't sure, 

there are many video lessons on YouTube 

on the correct use of trekking poles.

PACER POLES

Having used a regular trekking pole for a few local miles, I decided to buy Pacer Poles for my 2009 Camino.  Ergonomically correct handles make them easy on the wrists if you suffer from carpal tunnel.  They give great support and I am in love with mine.

One nice thing about trekking poles is that they have exchangeable tips - rubber for walking on pavement, and steel tips for dirt path. They also come with baskets that will keep your poles from sinking into mud or snow.

If adjusted correctly, trekking poles can be very useful and save your joints from damage.

However, I was concerned more than once 

when I was not allowed to carry my poles into the albergue with me. 

This rule is for a good reason, by the way, 

according to one hospitalero.

Apparently, some pilgrims get violent and use them as weapons.

 No.. really.. that's what I was told!

Seems like this is one of those cases 

where one person does something stupid 

and the rest of us are made to pay for it.

Another hospitalero told me 

it was to avoid people tripping over them and breaking bones.

This actually made more sense to me. 

I can see how, in the tight spaces of an albergue, 

one careless pilgrim could cause an accident. 

But frankly, I don't know of this ever happening.

I only saw one place where I worried about theft. 

They wanted me to leave my poles in a barrel 

near an open door that went out to an alleyway in a large city. 

I didn't feel comfortable doing this 

so simply went to another albergue 

where they allowed me to carry in my poles.  

I also did hear of one set of Leki's being stolen... 

not by a local but by another pilgrim. 

BAD pilgrim.. BAD!!!  

I can only assume one reason you'd steal someone's stick!

Though many airlines will allow you to carry on your sticks

from the USA to Spain,

the issue seems to be getting them home.

More than one pilgrim has had their sticks confiscated

in Santiago and Madrid.

One good option is just to wait and buy sticks when you arrive.

St. Jean Pied de Port, Zubiri, and Pamplona

all have good pilgrim shops

where you can purchase sticks

as well as other items

You can email them and order ahead,

and have your sticks waiting,

or just wait and shop around once you're there.

Here is the link to La Boutique du Pélerin in SJPP:

Boutique du Pélerin

Here is the link to Planeta Agua in Zubiri:

Planeta Agua

Here is the link to Caminoteca in Pamplona:

Caminoteca

Do you NEED a walking stick on the Camino?

It just depends on you.

Here are some reasons you might want to consider a stick:

• Three legs are more stable than two.
• Four can be even better. It is in debate.
• Sticks are helpful in keeping yourself balanced while walking with a pack.
• They will save your knees and hips!
• They are helpful for launching yourself over those deep sticky mud puddles in Galicia!
• They are helpful for keeping your footing when traveling DOWNhill on steep rocky trails.
• They are helpful for pulling yourself UP steep trails like the one to O'Cebreiro.
• They are great for leaning on to catch your breath.
• They're good for digging through leaves if you're looking for mushrooms.
• It's something you can take home to remind you of the Camino and actually USE at home.
• They are good for warding off dogs or (lately) crazy men exposing their privates. (Think billiards or T-ball!)

Personally, I think some type of walking stick(s) is indispensible, 

especially on those tricky sections 

going down into Roncesvalles, Zubiri, and Uterga,

but that's me. 

And each pilgrim must walk their own way.

Walking without a stick is perfectly fine. 

Many people do it. 

Some don't want to be bothered by trying to keep up with a stick, 

and they are often left at the cafe or albergue.

The choice of a stick (or none) is up to you. 

It's just another one of things you have to decide for yourself.

Whether you do

or whether you don't...

Buen Camino!

* * *

Note:  If you are interested in walking the Camino Santiago, 

but are not quite ready to go it alone, 

consider joining Annie

on one of our small, affordable Camino walks. 

For more information see our website 

at this link: AnnieWalkers Camino