10 Miles Max Per Day

[Oak Hill Walkers]

Where some of the guidebooks have a suggested plan for walking about 15 miles per day, we are looking for a pace of 10 miles per day maximum. Sure, it'll take 50 days plus rest days and the like.

Now, will we run into a buzzsaw with a 10 mile per day maximum with regards to finding lodging? I'm still awaiting my guidebooks and I'll be able to figure this out for myself but I though that I might first get some "conventional wisdom" first from folks how have walked the way.

[HuskyNerd]

I think that's a great idea! Rather than rush your way through it, you can enjoy it and really soak up each town you'll visit along the way.

You might enjoy visiting http://www.godesalco.com/plan/frances to see how that'll work with lodging. As you'll see, there are some places that are more than 10 miles between albergues (e.g. Torres del Rio to Viana, Ventosa to Najera, etc.), but most of the time you'll probably be ok. Note that the site begins at Roncesvalles. If you're planning on starting at St. Jean PdP you'll start with a very challenging 26 kms with only one albergue along the way.

Not sure exactly what makes you want to limit yourself to 10 miles per day, other than the serenity of it. Most people seem to find that after a couple of weeks of steady walking they build up endurance and surprise themselves with wanting to walk more each day.

Buen camino!

[Oak Hill Walkers]

We're really looking at an average of 10 miles per day. We don't mind an occasional 15 to 20 mile day. We're 63 and 60 years old and my wife is a diabetic, so we have to watch those feet.

We plan to start at Roncesvalles.

[HuskyNerd]

Ahhh, I see. Congrats on choosing the Camino de Santiago. It's a wonderful experience. You may enjoy my YouTube video of my 2008 camino at YouTube - Camino de Santiago 2008.

Buen camino!

[jetter]

Just watched your YouTube video, brilliant!!!! Great job, it was great fun
seeing where I'm going to experience. Thanks! Jen

[Oak Hill Walkers]

HuskyNerd,

Great video. I liked the way you zoomed in and out and panned those photographs -- just like Ken Burns!

BTW, how did you zoom in and out and pan left and right? Is it in the software?

[HuskyNerd]

Funny you should say "just like Ken Burns." I did the video on my Mac using iMovie and the panning and zoom is called "Ken Burns Effect." Glad you liked the video. Buen camino!

[logrono pilgrim]

There is a calmness to short days that other pilgrims do not enjoy. This, I suspect, is because you remove yourself from the "guide book stage" race. I first walked in 2008, and stayed between stages and never had a problem with finding a bed. And also you get to take in the sights and have shady tree park siestas!

Nigel...

[Covey]

Not withstanding the "shady tree park siestas" it is very useful to have a short day every 4/5 days to get the laundry done.

In July/August laundry is not so much of a problem because it is usually hot, and laundry dries quickly. However in spring and autumn the afternoons are cooler and in the evenings you can get fairly heavy dew, which means for the unwary, your laundry out on the line is wetter after supper than when you put it out. Also make sure your boots are under cover!