Walk the line
If the Camino is on your radar, choosing the right equipment can make a world of difference. Donal O’donoghue has the low-down on great gear for the trek
Ihave yet to walk the Camino. ere are other, further away hikes calling before that hour comes, but walking and climbing in all places and climates has long instilled the wisdom of wearing the right gear. While I don’t subscribe to the old mantra that ‘there is no such thing as bad weather, just bad clothing’ (I’ve been out in weather so foul that nothing could keep you dry), it certainly pays to invest time in researching what to wear before cramming a pile of gear into a backpack (and what backpack do you plan to take in any case?).
Footwear
For the Camino, a good pair of hiking shoes (with ankle support) or lightweight hiking boots is essential. Make sure to break in new footwear by wearing it on short walks, or even about the house (up and down stairs is ideal) before venturing out for a long hike. Even so, bring a supply of blister plasters in your backpack to Spain, just in case. I’ve been wearing Meindl Makalu (a tough four-season Gore-tex boot) for the past decade or more, ideal for heavy duty hikes but Meindl also does a good range of lightweight boots and hiking shoes, as do Salomon, whose Quest
4 Gore-tex boot gets a very high approval rating from several sources (and could be my footwear for the Camino when that time comes). Merrell’s Moab 3 Mid Gore-tex is also a good option.
And don’t forget decent socks: synthetic or merino wool are perfect for those sweaty days as they wick moisture away from the skin. Also a cushioned ball and heel will make a big di erence in comfort on a long hike.
Pants
Convertible walking pants (i.e. long pants that can be unzipped to become shorts) are great for hiking in warmer climes. I have a couple of pairs of Columbia convertibles and midway through a sweaty hike, there’s nothing nicer than zipping o to let the air and sun at those legs (don’t forget high-factor SPF). Most brands do convertible pants and if you’re looking for a budget option, Regatta’s Great Outdoor range have a good selection of walking trousers, including waterproof options. I have very light but extremely e ective Montane Gore-tex shell pants that zip up for ease of getting them on and o but there are good budget option shell pants too.
Tops, hats & torch
The simple rule for hiking in a warm climate is to keep it lightweight, breathable and able to wick away sweat
(if it is cold, you can always layer up). Running tops, short sleeved as well as long (protection from sun), are ideal for summer hiking. For the evenings or early morning starts, a light eece is advisable and just in case the rain does fall in Spain (and it will, especially in the north), then a good lightweight waterproof jacket is important to pack. A peaked cap – or even better, a broadbrimmed hat – is another important piece of kit, especially with the temperatures rising every summer. A head-torch (with a supply of batteries) will be necessary if you’re staying in a refuge and need to negotiate the dark.
Backpack
For many years (and through various versions) I’ve used a Lowe Alpine Airzone Trail 35 Daypack, perfect for a day hike and great for travelling light. Firstly, it sits comfortably on the back (or just o it as it has an airzone frame, so the bag is not sticking to your body). It has padded shoulder and hip straps as well as a compression strap across chest. It is large enough to carry all that you need, even for a tough wintertime hike but not so big that you might be tempted to cram the kitchen sink in as well ( just in case). There are stretch pockets on the side for water bottles (it easily accommodates a litre-sized bottle), a loop for walking sticks, a foldaway rain cover, and pouches on hip straps (good for easy access to smaller items and snacks for an energy boost).
There is a top compartment, a single buckle access to the main compartment and a zippered front compartment (for maps, etc.). There is also a whistle on the sternum strap (which I have yet to use) and a loop for an ice axe (won’t be needed on the Camino). I’m also a fan of the Osprey range, with the Osprey Talon 36 (men) and Osprey Sirrus 36 (women) a great lightweight option for those who don’t intend to bring the house with them.
Comedian and actress Katherine Lynch walked the Camino in aid of Hospice Care in 2017. She has nothing but fond memories of the experience. e Leitrim native had just nished the rst season of RTÉ’S Dancing with the Stars, when she decided to walk the scenic coasts of Portugal and northern Spain to support hospice care and programmes such as Nurses for Night Care and the Hospice Friendly Hospitals programme. Katherine did the Camino with a large group, in memory of their friend who had passed away from cancer that year. When I catch up with her on the phone, she’s in Nice, where she lives for half the year, getting on with writing. She re ects on her time doing the famous pilgrimage and why she did it. “I did it for the hospice. A friend of mine, Cormac Rowley, had just passed away with cancer and we were all just devastated. His sister is a good friend of mine. It was a er I was on Dancing with the Stars and they asked would I do the Camino to help raise funds, so I jumped at the opportunity. ere were 70 of us in total and we had great fun. e group of us that did it are called e 120 Group because Cormac used to slag us about drinking those small bottles of 120 wine in the pub. He’d say ‘Here come the 120s!’” she laughs.
“Everyone is doing it for a di erent reason and ours was to remember our friend and help raise vital funds for the hospice. It gave us a chance to think about him and have a laugh and cry and recall tales. It was lovely.”
e former Wagon’s Den host reckons that the historic walk forces you to think about loved ones, in a special way. “You’re kind of forced to remember everyone when you’re doing the Camino. I was remembering my dad and other family and friends who had passed. You get these shells that you paint and write people’s names on and leave them in places along the way. It’s very spiritual.”
Going from Portugal to Santiago de Compostela, Katherine says the group averaged about 26km a day. “We were certainly getting our 10,000 steps a day in!” she laughs. “I became obsessed with counting steps.
“You meet so many interesting people along the way; some I still keep in touch with. It’s a really special thing to do; everyone should do it at some stage in their life.”
She remarks that while traveling with such a large group added to the experience, it became overwhelming for her at times. “Because there were so many of us doing it, people felt they could come up and talk to me all the time, which could be a little overwhelming; you wouldn’t be quali ed for half the stu you were hearing. It was emotionally tough, so now and again, I would fall back a bit to be on my own.”
Would she do it again? “I’m not sure. I’d be afraid of ruining the great memories I have of it. You know when you have a great experience of something, you don’t want to go back and ruin that?”
Her biggest tip for anyone contemplating doing the Camino is footwear-related. “Get the thousandmile socks, they are absolutely essential. And get the right hiking boots. I was the only one in our group who didn’t get blisters because I had those two things and I’m not normally the one prepared,” she laughs.
“Take it at your own pace, enjoy it and don’t think of it as a chore, think of it as a wonderful way to go walking with friends, on your own or whoever you’re with and shake o the cobwebs from the mind and the heart. You’ll nd your mojo doing it and you’ll have some fun with people in the evening: some Rioja with good company. It’s a wonderful experience.”
It’s a really special thing to do; everyone should do it at some stage in their life