Personal Security

[Covey]

We quite often get questions asked about personal security,and that of our equipment.

Personal Security: Around 40% of Pilgrims arriving in Santiago on the various Camino routes are women, most of whom started their Camino as solo travelers. The age group is mainly 18 – 60. The rest of the pilgrim community are males ranging mostly from 16 to 65. Over the course of a year the nationality mix varies depending on the holiday seasons and college/university terms.

For all Pilgrims, the Camino routes are very safe and you have little reason to fear walking alone and even less to fear from walking in a group. Some parts of the Camino are urban and you are never far from habitation, but long stretches are paths through the hills where you might find that villages can be 5kms apart. Some paths are very open such as the Meseta between Burgos and Leon, and other sections are through woodland.

The Spanish have a high regard for Pilgrims and are invariably helpful, but they do expect Pilgrims to behave as though they are on a Pilgrimage, and not a bar crawl. Rural Northern Spain is still a very traditional Catholic region and they expect much higher standards of behaviour and dress than applies on the southern coast tourist resorts.

Around 90% of all Pilgrims who start the Camino will end up after 48 hours walking in a loose group or “family” usually based on commonality of language and walking pace. Sometimes the family you start with will be the same bunch that you stride in to Santiago with and who will probably be your friends for life. Sometimes you will change your walking pattern and lose contact with your family for a few days, and then catch them up again. Some days you will enjoy the company of others, and other days you will want to walk alone withyour thoughts. Pilgrims usually keep in touch by text messages.

The bonds between members of a family are usually very strong and everyone will look out for each other (it’s what Pilgrims do!!) so walking with a group involves Zero Risk.

If you want to walk alone then there is a risk, but in reality that will be a lot less than walking alone anywhere in your home country. The Camino Routes are marked with yellow paint and everybody walks down the same path, so at any given time there can be over 200 pilgrims walking the same route as you on the same day spread out between 7am and 7pm. Some pilgrims walk faster than others, some take longer breaks than others, so pilgrims on the trail are constantly passing each other and then being overtaken, so there are not that many places where you cannot see pilgrims ahead of you in the distance, or behind.

If you ever feel uncomfortable about walking a stage, then just ask the pilgrims coming up behind if you can join them. Nobody will say no!!

The Albergues can seem a bit daunting for the first couple of nights! Albergues are unisex and the bunk beds are spaced for maximum numbers, not personal privacy. Seeing members of the opposite sex in their underwear, especially when you have not been introduced, might seem a little strange, but there are usually only two questions on pilgrim’s minds. Is there any hot water for a shower, and how many blisters have I picked up??? After two nights of Albergue life you will add the question “Who snores??”

Personal Belongings: You are at greater risk of losing belongings through forgetfulness than any risk of theft! After a few days on the trail, you are getting tired and that is when it is easy to forget to pick up your camera, iPod or phone from the table or seat in the bar where you have been enjoying a well-earned beer with your friends.

Most pilgrims wear walkers trousers which have multiple pockets and these are a good idea, especially if you can zip off the legs and turn the trousers to shorts.

You should ALWAYS carry your National Passport and PilgrimPassport in a plastic bag/waterproof pouch in one pocket which has either a zip closure/Velcro/buttons, AND your wallet and credit/debit cards in another plastic bag in another similar pocket (or same)

You should NEVER leave your passports or money in your pack even when walking. You should also carry your health insurancecard/documents on your person at all times.

If disaster strikes you need ID ( National Passport) and money (credit cards) to get back home and medical documents to get treated and repatriated if injured. Those items should never leave your person!

In the Albergue, you will on occasions want to charge a mobile phone/camera/iPod. Some of the older Albergues have very few power points but it is better to keep an eye on whatever is charging, if only to avoid the odd antisocial type who unplugs other peoples kit so they can charge their own.

There is a risk of theft for high value items (iPhones etc) in the large city Albergues where it is difficult for the Albergue staff to keep an eye on who is coming and going, but in small rural Albergues the risk is very low.

As a general rule, pilgrims do not steal from other pilgrims, partly because it is not in their nature, but also because they do not want the additional weight!!!

It is a good idea to mark clothing and travel towels with some personal mark. The bright blue travel towels all look the same hanging on the line!!

Your pack is so much a part of you that you will recognise it anywhere, but it is a good idea to mark walking poles/sticks with tape and your name/mark.

When you have been sitting outside a bar/café having a breather and you get up to move on, it is best to cross yourself with the Sign of the Cross. Those Catholics watching will be impressed with your piety, but we Methodists are just being smart!!

Spectacles,Testicles, Watch and Wallet!

Buen Camino

[grayland]

I always suggest to the ladies that may be wary of finding themselves walking alone at times.....get a small police/referee type whistle and fix it to your pack strap with a cord in a easy to reach spot.
Blowing this whistle when you feel threatened or uncomfortable will cause most evil doers to move along quickly. No harm done if you are mistaken.
It is likely that the potential bad guy will think you have others behind you or that someone is on the way.
Good for a little peace of mind.

Works will at night when traveling other than the Camino.

[pamelaredhead]

hello covey, i will be hiking for the first week with a male friend, but then he is going back to the usa. do you think i will be able to hook up with "my new family" even though i will mostly just be with my friend for the first week?

[Covey]

The Camino trails are a little "tribal". Pilgrims tend to stick together based mostly on language! The loose groupings usually contain males and females of all ages, and whereas the youngsters would probably not be seen dead at home socializing with the "olds", for some strange reason on the Camino the youngsters seem to enjoy the company of the older generation.

You are never really alone on the Camino unless you want to be. You and your friend will meet up with like minded souls and when your friend goes home, your Camino Family will welcome you and keep an eye on you.

Some days you will walk with your Family, and on other days you will want to walk alone with your thoughts. If you want to walk alone, just say so to your companions and nobody will think that strange. Quite often I will walk alone during the day and look forward to the evening meal and a couple of beers (or gin and tonic if it has been a hard day!!) and meeting up with the Family again.

It is your Camino, and you walk it your way.

Buen Camino.

[pamelaredhead]

thank you very much for your response! i am so very excited about walking the camino. i have been planning it in my head for about 10 years and now the time to start is quickly arriving. just a few last minute purchases to make and then i will start to really organize my pack. i have looked at a lot of suggestions in books and on this forum and hopefully i have integrated them into my gear and approach!