Tips during the way

We recommend to walk less than 20 km / 32 mi a day at least in the 2 or 3 first stages. From that moment on every one should increase the distance according to the age and physical condition. The average distance is around 22-25 km / 32-40 mi a day.

It is highly recommended to pause at least 10 min every 60 or 90 minutes to drink, take a picture or stretching our body, especially the legs and the back. This practice should be repeated at the beginning and at the end of every stage. The movements, this time, must be longer and deeper and focused on legs, back, lower back and shoulders Stretching will helps us to avoid injuries, specially the most popular one: tendinitis

At the very beginning we should hike hurriedly. Once we have warmed up, we can accelerate our pace to a constant march but comfortable which allow us to chat on the way When going up , our steps must be shorter and slower, resting the whole of the foot’s sole on the ground. On the contrary, when climbing our steps should be longer and quicker.

Don’t follow someone that walks faster than you. Every person must walk according to their own pace to avoid any damage.

It is pretty usual to find pilgrims starting the walk at dawn. They normally sleep in Public hostels and finding an available bed is not always an easy job.

Public Accommodations fill up on a first-come first-served basis . They only accept pilgrims with the accreditation and take priority those on foot. In addition, you can only stay one night , except in cases of force majeure According to theses premises, pilgrims use to get up very early in order to finish the stage at midday, so they can get a bed with plenty of time to visit the village.

If you are not planing to sleep in a public hostel, you don’t have to get up very early. Stay in bed, rest and start your walk when you please. You don’t need to turn the way into a race.

However, in summertime it is as well recommended to get up early in order to avoid the high temperatures at midday. That way you will avoid any heat stroke.

If you get lost, stay calm. Only a little bit of serenity and peace are required to go back to The Way. If we have been informed about the track and the villages in every step, Finding those villages will be very easy, as we can find many markers along the way with the name of the villages. So finding the way back to the route wouldn’t be any problem. You can also ask local people or other pilgrims, they would help you.

If you are in trouble you can phone 112 (emergency number) as quick as possible.

Pilgrim has selected the most relevant monuments and interesting places in any of the villages along The Way. All this info is available in our site in the Ways section . We only have to select the route and the villages or towns we are interested in. This way you can plan all your stops according to what you would like to do or visit.

If you are travelling with your pet and suffers any accident or any sudden indisposition, please contact us. We will find the closest vet to assist your pet. You can double check our village’s files to know in advance where the animal centers are located in case you need them.

In every village’s file you can find a phone index with many relevant telephone numbers. Among them you can find the nearest hospitals and health centers. When it comes to a severe situation, it is highly recommended to call an ambulance on the 112 number or if you prefer you can directly contact us.

If the problem is a muscular injury that causes you a discomfort or an ache. we got some good news as Pilgrim has a group of physiotherapists distributed along the way.

You can find restaurants and bars in every route along The Way of St. James where you can eat any meal. In every village you can find as well canteens and supermarkets to stop an have a lunch.

Depending on the budget you can decide where to eat. If the restaurant or a supermarket is in the middle of a route, the most suitable option is to buy something in advance before starting the stage and eat a sandwich when you decide to make a stop. If you decide to eat in a restaurant you should know there are special menus for pilgrims available at very reasonable prices. You can visit our suggested establishments section.

Don’t forget to eat enough water while walking to prevent any dehydration.

If you have followed our recommendations about the pace and the rhythm of the hike, you shouldn’t vary your regular diet, but you must include special food that could provides extra energy.

The amount of food and water to consume, will vary depending on The Route , the weather and the distance. Most of the times, our body will demand more liquids and food to ingest, so would be a great idea to consume water, fruit and nuts . Dehydration provokes many injuries such as muscular problems, fatigue and tension, so please do not hesitate to take as many water as you can.

Regarding the lunch, we should avoid abundant meals, even more calories are required to walk the way. Because abundant meals will provoke the blood to be settled on the stomach making us feel very slow until the end of the stage . The main meal should be done at the end of the stage to recover all the energy and water lost while walking.

A healthy recommendation:

• Breakfast: As one of the most important meals in the day, this must be as complete as possible including cereals, diary, juices and fruit.
• Brunch: Remember to drink a lot of water as well as some energetic snacks
• Lunch: Sandwiches and light dishes.
• Dinner: Coincides with the end of the stage. We must recharge our energies to face the next step. So any food with hydrates and minerals will be welcomed to recover the energy,