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The best way to get to St Jean is to fly from London Stansted to Biarritz - about $29. Just over 1 hour train ride from Bayonne/Biaritz to St Jean Pied de Port. Much faster and cheaper than flying to Paris, Madrid, or Barcelona.
First and foremost, congratulations on completing the Camino Frances and producing some superb video content about your experiences. Those dates would be expected to be some of the hottest in the year, so it would have been tough. I did my first full Camino Frances from SJPP to Finisterre from August 31st to September 20th 2018. I live in Spain and had no deadline, so I took my time and didn't plan ahead apart from the first two days. There are no mistakes, just learning experiences. It's all good😊 Obviously, some decisions we make may not work out as expected, which can lead to disappointment, delays, change in itinerary, injury or added costs. My feedback on your list is: 1. Time and daily distance are hard to predict in advance for a through-walk of this distance. We can't really know in advance how our body and mind will react to day-after-day of 5 to 7 hours daily walking. What we can do is listen to our body and give ourselves a chance to adapt. To help this happen, building in a few rest days and extra margin to allow walking at our own natural pace. Most Camino guides will show stages to complete the route, but these are "guides", not rules. Be flexible and adaptable as much as the situation allows. Enjoy, we may only do this once - although many of us go on to become repeat offenders...😅 2. Backpack weight is important, we often take too many "just in case" items. Our shoulders, back, hips, knees, and ankles with thank us for keeping that load as light as possible. Most advice suggests not exceeding 10% of bodyweight (which includes carrying 1-2kg of water at the start of the day). The "just in case" items can be bought in most places en-route if necessary, so no need to overload 3. Footcare is different for everyone. I found the most important thing, apart from correct fitting footwear, was to keep feet dry. As I walked in a hot period too, I found that talcum powder in the day (in socks and trail shoes) and then vaseline at night was the combination that worked for me. I also used "silk tape" between any toes that were prone to friction. But we are all different, so some discovery time will be inevitable. The most important thing is deal with any problem when they start, don't wait for them to get worse! If necessary, stop and take a day or two to recover and fix any problems before continuing. 4. Trekking poles are very useful and can easily be strapped to back our backpack when not needed. They definitely help with balance and protecting knees and ankles when taking on some of the more tricky descents. You can buy relatively cheap trekking poles, telescopic ones, in Spain and then donate them to an albergue at some point towards the end of the Camino. 5. Well-proven footwear is advisable, but also well-chosen and correctly fitted lightweight trailshoes can also work. I've done it with both. Footwear is again a very personal choice, so everyone is different. If what you take doesn't work out, be prepared to change: buy what you need and send the others home or on two Casa Ivar in Santiago to collect before you return home. 6. Always pack the night before - just makes so much sense. I have a couple of grab bags as you mentioned. Be efficient and organised, it just saves time and reduces disturbance to others. 7. Yeah, I'd recommend flight to Madrid, then bus to Pamplona, then taxi to SJPP if you can share with others. The taxi will probably be a similar cost to an overnight stay in Pamplona to get the bus the next day - it also saves you a day of travel. Mind you, Pamplona is a great city to stay an extra day in.😊 As with all these kind of things, opinions and experiences are wide and varied. Each of us will have to discover the right solutions as we go along, not everything can be guaranteed to work in advance. Buen Camino.
I’d add to the shoe’s to walk a long distance in them once or twice before you leave. I bought some shoes a half size larger, and started walking on the weekends in them. They felt great till last weekend when I walked around 14 miles, the last mile or 2 my toes were rubbing the front of my shoes and were pretty sore when I finished. Now I know I need a full size, not a half size larger. I’m glad I discovered that before I was on the Camino.
For the same reason people size up, won’t that be problematic when your feet are not swollen? Having shoes be too big would seem to be its own problem as well. Unless that is the lesser of two evils?
...nice tips for first-timers... but I also believe, that everyone will find then other mistakes to make, if they avoid these ones... the learning is part of the journey... thats also why I would call them 'learnings' rather than mistakes... mistakes are something bigger for me, like having more lasting consequences... you did very well, Jen, and can certainly be proud of yourself, of how you mastered your first camino! 😎
I totally agree! Everyone will end up making their own mistakes, and that's a big part of the experience. Agree with you on calling them learnings or lessons! I'm always working towards embracing the mistakes I make more :)
Hi! I suggest booking your first few nights about 1-2 months beforehand. Definitely book a night in Saint-Jean if you're starting there. For stages further along the Camino, you can wing it and book the same day or 2-3 days in advance.
When I did my first Camino nearly two decades ago, almost every pilgrim walked it in 30 days max. I met a pilgrim in his eighties who did previous Camino Frances in 26 days and he was aiming to do it in 23 days. 100% of pilgrims walked the Pyrenees in one day since there were no provisions in between. Rest days were not so common for someone to take. But those were probably "different" times with way less pilgrims, accommodations along the route, guide books ...We walked until we were tired i guess.
Re your advice on getting to St Jean , the best way is to fly into Paris then take a connecting flight to Biarritz ( these flights on low cost airlines can be very inexpensive, on my last trip I payed about €40 ) then take a shared Taxi from Biarritz directly to St Jean( €15 to €25) if you can plan to arrive in St Jean before 2pm you can skip the night in St Jean and walk to Orisson (5 miles) and spend your first night there . This saves you a day, shortens your walk over the mountain and you get to share your first group meal on the Camino and meet many other pilgrims, a great way to start your walk . Buen Camino
Consider using injinji toe socks instead of or in addition to Vaseline. I did 200 miles on the Colorado trail with no blisters. However, my shoes had a wide toe box.
Yes! I bought those exact toe socks. I was undecided on how effective they were 🤷♀️ but for some people I've heard they work really well. The wide toe box may be the thing I need to try next time.
Great video! My biggest mistake was getting fat blisters on the way over the Pyrenees. I would have given myself a bit more time as well. I gave myself 40 days as well and took no days off. Buen Camino
Thanks so much. You did wonderful, and just think of all the learning opportunities you had that benefits others. As last time, I will be flying into Madrid, however, I I will take the train from there to St Jean. It’s a long journey, with a couple changes, however, I don’t have to worry about missing the bus in Pamplona, and still arrive in St Jean early evening. Thanks again; keep posting. Buen Camino
Thank you so much! That’s great you’re flying into Madrid. I think it’s much smoother that way. I appreciate your support. Thanks so much for watching and leaving a comment. More videos coming soon!
How much training did you do preCamino? My experience in marathon training shows that if you put in the miles beforehand your feet would have already grown to the Camino size.
Hi Pablo, I asked a lot of pilgrims and albergue owners if they thought it was crowded and it seemed like at that time it was less busy than the year prior. It got much busier after Sarria. However, it might vary from year to year. Usually holy years are busier. By mid- August, most students and teachers have already walked (July) so my thinking is, it could be less crowded for that reason.
Thanks for the prompt reply. And don't be so hard on yourself, the main thing is you continue onwards despite the obstacles and inconveniences. You did not give up and that's commendable. @@jenontherunn
Good Stuff! I also made lots of mistakes, but I think I shared before I cycled, I'm going back in May to cycle from Pamplona, then I'm going to backtrack and Hike from León, but I learned a lot from my first adventure. 😅 Vaseline is a good one 👍
I would think packing your bag and hiking with it at home would be advantageous, I would hike at home for no less than a month to know if the weight is a problem.
I finished my Camino November 5 and made all the mistakes you did…except for my bag being too heavy. Although I had a few clothing items I didn’t wear so I could have lightened my load more. I started at 11 pounds. My biggest mistake was buying a pair of Keen hiking sandals in Pamplona because it was sooooo hot when I started in SJPP. It quickly turned cold and rainy and I had to carry the sandals. Keens are heavy and too expensive to throw away. What I should have done was take off my shoes more often to cool off my feet. Vaseline was a game changer for me too, but also didn’t use it the first few days when the potential for blisters is the greatest.
So interesting to hear your experience! There are so many things that I would do differently if I were to go again. I think even the most seasoned pilgrims find this to be true as well! Good to know about the Keens. I loved using Tevas as my sandal and shoe after walking was done for the day. Vaseline seems like such a small, insignificant thing, but it makes a huge difference. Thanks for sharing!
No, your main mistake was not doing any research. You often said “in my research “, it’s clear you didn’t do any research or you wouldn’t have made those mistakes.
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The best way to get to St Jean is to fly from London Stansted to Biarritz - about $29. Just over 1 hour train ride from Bayonne/Biaritz to St Jean Pied de Port. Much faster and cheaper than flying to Paris, Madrid, or Barcelona.
First and foremost, congratulations on completing the Camino Frances and producing some superb video content about your experiences. Those dates would be expected to be some of the hottest in the year, so it would have been tough. I did my first full Camino Frances from SJPP to Finisterre from August 31st to September 20th 2018. I live in Spain and had no deadline, so I took my time and didn't plan ahead apart from the first two days.
There are no mistakes, just learning experiences. It's all good😊
Obviously, some decisions we make may not work out as expected, which can lead to disappointment, delays, change in itinerary, injury or added costs.
My feedback on your list is:
1. Time and daily distance are hard to predict in advance for a through-walk of this distance. We can't really know in advance how our body and mind will react to day-after-day of 5 to 7 hours daily walking. What we can do is listen to our body and give ourselves a chance to adapt. To help this happen, building in a few rest days and extra margin to allow walking at our own natural pace. Most Camino guides will show stages to complete the route, but these are "guides", not rules. Be flexible and adaptable as much as the situation allows. Enjoy, we may only do this once - although many of us go on to become repeat offenders...😅
2. Backpack weight is important, we often take too many "just in case" items. Our shoulders, back, hips, knees, and ankles with thank us for keeping that load as light as possible. Most advice suggests not exceeding 10% of bodyweight (which includes carrying 1-2kg of water at the start of the day). The "just in case" items can be bought in most places en-route if necessary, so no need to overload
3. Footcare is different for everyone. I found the most important thing, apart from correct fitting footwear, was to keep feet dry. As I walked in a hot period too, I found that talcum powder in the day (in socks and trail shoes) and then vaseline at night was the combination that worked for me. I also used "silk tape" between any toes that were prone to friction. But we are all different, so some discovery time will be inevitable. The most important thing is deal with any problem when they start, don't wait for them to get worse! If necessary, stop and take a day or two to recover and fix any problems before continuing.
4. Trekking poles are very useful and can easily be strapped to back our backpack when not needed. They definitely help with balance and protecting knees and ankles when taking on some of the more tricky descents. You can buy relatively cheap trekking poles, telescopic ones, in Spain and then donate them to an albergue at some point towards the end of the Camino.
5. Well-proven footwear is advisable, but also well-chosen and correctly fitted lightweight trailshoes can also work. I've done it with both. Footwear is again a very personal choice, so everyone is different. If what you take doesn't work out, be prepared to change: buy what you need and send the others home or on two Casa Ivar in Santiago to collect before you return home.
6. Always pack the night before - just makes so much sense. I have a couple of grab bags as you mentioned. Be efficient and organised, it just saves time and reduces disturbance to others.
7. Yeah, I'd recommend flight to Madrid, then bus to Pamplona, then taxi to SJPP if you can share with others. The taxi will probably be a similar cost to an overnight stay in Pamplona to get the bus the next day - it also saves you a day of travel. Mind you, Pamplona is a great city to stay an extra day in.😊
As with all these kind of things, opinions and experiences are wide and varied. Each of us will have to discover the right solutions as we go along, not everything can be guaranteed to work in advance.
Buen Camino.
I’d add to the shoe’s to walk a long distance in them once or twice before you leave. I bought some shoes a half size larger, and started walking on the weekends in them. They felt great till last weekend when I walked around 14 miles, the last mile or 2 my toes were rubbing the front of my shoes and were pretty sore when I finished. Now I know I need a full size, not a half size larger. I’m glad I discovered that before I was on the Camino.
Thanks for sharing! I agree - excellent tip.
For the same reason people size up, won’t that be problematic when your feet are not swollen? Having shoes be too big would seem to be its own problem as well. Unless that is the lesser of two evils?
...nice tips for first-timers... but I also believe, that everyone will find then other mistakes to make, if they avoid these ones... the learning is part of the journey... thats also why I would call them 'learnings' rather than mistakes... mistakes are something bigger for me, like having more lasting consequences... you did very well, Jen, and can certainly be proud of yourself, of how you mastered your first camino! 😎
I totally agree! Everyone will end up making their own mistakes, and that's a big part of the experience. Agree with you on calling them learnings or lessons! I'm always working towards embracing the mistakes I make more :)
Hi Jen, how far in advance do you need to book the albergue? Great video, thank you!
Hi! I suggest booking your first few nights about 1-2 months beforehand. Definitely book a night in Saint-Jean if you're starting there. For stages further along the Camino, you can wing it and book the same day or 2-3 days in advance.
Also, I suggest making reservations after Sarria in the last 100km & Santiago de Compostela
Thank you 😊
When I did my first Camino nearly two decades ago, almost every pilgrim walked it in 30 days max. I met a pilgrim in his eighties who did previous Camino Frances in 26 days and he was aiming to do it in 23 days. 100% of pilgrims walked the Pyrenees in one day since there were no provisions in between. Rest days were not so common for someone to take. But those were probably "different" times with way less pilgrims, accommodations along the route, guide books ...We walked until we were tired i guess.
Re your advice on getting to St Jean , the best way is to fly into Paris then take a connecting flight to Biarritz ( these flights on low cost airlines can be very inexpensive, on my last trip I payed about €40 ) then take a shared Taxi from Biarritz directly to St Jean( €15 to €25) if you can plan to arrive in St Jean before 2pm you can skip the night in St Jean and walk to Orisson (5 miles) and spend your first night there .
This saves you a day, shortens your walk over the mountain and you get to share your first group meal on the Camino and meet many other pilgrims, a great way to start your walk .
Buen Camino
Epic advice thank you!
Consider using injinji toe socks instead of or in addition to Vaseline.
I did 200 miles on the Colorado trail with no blisters. However, my shoes had a wide toe box.
Yes! I bought those exact toe socks. I was undecided on how effective they were 🤷♀️ but for some people I've heard they work really well. The wide toe box may be the thing I need to try next time.
Great video! My biggest mistake was getting fat blisters on the way over the Pyrenees. I would have given myself a bit more time as well. I gave myself 40 days as well and took no days off. Buen Camino
Great comment! Thanks for sharing your mistakes!
Thanks so much. You did wonderful, and just think of all the learning opportunities you had that benefits others. As last time, I will be flying into Madrid, however, I I will take the train from there to St Jean. It’s a long journey, with a couple changes, however, I don’t have to worry about missing the bus in Pamplona, and still arrive in St Jean early evening. Thanks again; keep posting. Buen Camino
Thank you so much! That’s great you’re flying into Madrid. I think it’s much smoother that way. I appreciate your support. Thanks so much for watching and leaving a comment. More videos coming soon!
Thank you for the insight!
Glad it was helpful!
The Camino is an ultimate experience. There is no mistake possible.
The Camino provides.
If you plan through everything it's not a camino.
great tips, even for us who have walked several times...be well!
Thanks, you too!✨✨
How much training did you do preCamino? My experience in marathon training shows that if you put in the miles beforehand your feet would have already grown to the Camino size.
I did 10-12 mile walks once per week for about a month before leaving. Buen Camino!
Jen, was it crowded during the dates you mentioned in the video? I am planning my first Camino around those dates.
Hi Pablo, I asked a lot of pilgrims and albergue owners if they thought it was crowded and it seemed like at that time it was less busy than the year prior. It got much busier after Sarria. However, it might vary from year to year. Usually holy years are busier. By mid- August, most students and teachers have already walked (July) so my thinking is, it could be less crowded for that reason.
Thanks for the prompt reply. And don't be so hard on yourself, the main thing is you continue onwards despite the obstacles and inconveniences. You did not give up and that's commendable. @@jenontherunn
Thank you so much for your words! I appreciate it :) Buen Camino! @@Pablo_J_M
Good Stuff! I also made lots of mistakes, but I think I shared before I cycled, I'm going back in May to cycle from Pamplona, then I'm going to backtrack and Hike from León, but I learned a lot from my first adventure. 😅 Vaseline is a good one 👍
Very exciting!! Can't wait to hear how your adventure goes this time around. May seems like a great time of year to go. 🎉
Well done, thank you
Thank you for watching!
I want to go home, back on the Camino!
Greetings from Germany!
I would think packing your bag and hiking with it at home would be advantageous, I would hike at home for no less than a month to know if the weight is a problem.
Great tip!
I finished my Camino November 5 and made all the mistakes you did…except for my bag being too heavy. Although I had a few clothing items I didn’t wear so I could have lightened my load more. I started at 11 pounds. My biggest mistake was buying a pair of Keen hiking sandals in Pamplona because it was sooooo hot when I started in SJPP. It quickly turned cold and rainy and I had to carry the sandals. Keens are heavy and too expensive to throw away. What I should have done was take off my shoes more often to cool off my feet. Vaseline was a game changer for me too, but also didn’t use it the first few days when the potential for blisters is the greatest.
So interesting to hear your experience! There are so many things that I would do differently if I were to go again. I think even the most seasoned pilgrims find this to be true as well! Good to know about the Keens. I loved using Tevas as my sandal and shoe after walking was done for the day. Vaseline seems like such a small, insignificant thing, but it makes a huge difference. Thanks for sharing!
How often did you apply the Vaseline at night after walking or through out the day
Great question -- I applied vaseline before I put on my socks every morning, and then I would reapply halfway through the day.
💜
Thank you for the Video. 2025 will be my first time. Not sure which month.
Biggest mistake is not renting an electric bike
That seems like such a good way to do the Camino! I might try it next time 🚴
No, your main mistake was not doing any research. You often said “in my research “, it’s clear you didn’t do any research or you wouldn’t have made those mistakes.
Best tips moovie I have seen.
Sim0le and com0lete.