Best pilgrim tips – Somewhere Slowly

Stuff they don’t tell you

11/04/2024

With one week to go before I head for Spain, I am doing the usual packing, unpacking, panicking and repacking, tweaking the contents of the pack and the toiletries and … and … and then I thought about all the other times I have packed and how the packing list always changes as you learn … More Stuff they don’t tell you

Updated packing list 2023

10/07/2023

A camiga asked me if I had a packing list to share, and I kind of do, though they are getting a bit outdated. I realise that I mostly post un-packing lists these days, because I think it is more interesting to see, after the fact, what actually worked and not. This informs my next … More Updated packing list 2023

Backpack weight loss hacks

09/04/2022

Now that my foot is still bruised and I haven’t been able to do all the training walks I wanted, I really have to think about the weight I am putting in my pack. I want to carry it, because it gives me freedom and flexibility and also because it works as a brace to … More Backpack weight loss hacks

Top pilgrim tip: Planning websites

08/04/2022

The second best part of any camino is planning for it. But where do you even start? With a guidebook, is one answer, and I always recommend having a (decent and recent) guidebook available when planning. These days there are also lots of websites offering bits of information, and just deciding on which website to … More Top pilgrim tip: Planning websites

Avoiding Plantar Fasciitis

22/03/2022

After the pressure blisters – or possibly before them – plantar fasciitis is my most common/feared/painful recurring issue/worry/problem on the trail. I first got it on my long camino Francés in 2012, towards the end of the 800 km walk. I was planning on going on to Finisterre, but after arriving in Santiago my heels … More Avoiding Plantar Fasciitis

Top pilgrim tip: Non-alcoholic drinks

17/02/2022

There are many reasons why you might want to limit your drinking or avoid alcohol altogether while on the camino. For one thing, when you are spending your day walking through the heat and dust and relentless sun, alcoholic drinks are not your best friend – what you need is hydration, hydration, hydration. Obviously your … More Top pilgrim tip: Non-alcoholic drinks

Shampoo bars tried and tested (and updated)

14/02/2022

I have always liked the idea of shampoo bars for portability as well as saving plastic bottles and truck miles, so I have kept an eye out for that perfect camino bar. I don’t have many strict criteria but I really like an invigorating blast of uplifting citrus, fruity or floral smell to mark the … More Shampoo bars tried and tested (and updated)

More perfect pilgrim Christmas presents

11/12/2021

Last year I wrote a post about the perfect pilgrim present, and this year I thought I might expand on it. The perfect present never needs to be expensive, just thoughtful and fit for purpose, and in a pilgrim’s case – lightweight and practical. Buying the big 3 – pack, shoes, sleeping bag – can … More More perfect pilgrim Christmas presents

3 ways: Going it alone

14/03/2021

There are as many ways of walking the camino as there are pilgrims, but these days they fall into roughly three categories: The self-guided package, the guided group, and going it alone. The pilgrims of old had to make their own way towards Santiago de Compostela, walking from home, following local advice and directions as … More 3 ways: Going it alone

Picking your pack

26/02/2021

This possibly useful post was hiding under the Kit menu, so I have republished it here: Since I started seriously planning a long walk back in 2007, my list of what (I thought) I would need to stay warm, dry and comfortable has changed a LOT. You learn by trial and error, and after quite … More Picking your pack