(Part 2) Top products from r/CaminoDeSantiago

You'll love it! I'd listen to the other advice about trying to start a bit later to avoid big crowds as you near Santiago. Save 4 or 5 days after your arrival in Santiago to go on to Finisterra and chill there for a bit; I thought that was one of the most beautiful parts of the Camino, there are far fewer people, and the beaches are beautiful to relax on after a long month of walking.

I walked this year in August; I'd advise you to pack light and consider bringing only a sleeping bag liner instead of a sleeping bag. Maybe a swimsuit too, a few towns have beautiful public pools which are wonderful on a hot day.

You don't necessarily need a guide book, others will have them and will share and the way itself is very well marked. However, if you want a great one, I suggest this version: http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/0984353348/ref=mp_s_a_1_3?qid=1394122278&sr=1-3

It had great info on basically every town, including where you'll find an ATM or pharmacy. Also interesting historical tidbits on the Camino itself. I brought it, and it quickly became the go-to guide for the group I met because of the useful stuff the authors thought to include.

Have a great walk! Buen Camino!

My family and I did it last May/June. It was a great time, but we didn’t see many pilgrims till the last couple days. We had our 2yo (~15kg in his backpack) with us, so we took it slow. I’d suggest breaking in the shoes you plan to walk in prior to the Camino. My wife and I both wore Altra Lone Peaks. They were very comfortable and pretty water repellant. I found soaking my feet in hot water at the end of each day helped me feel better for the next. The first couple km out of Pontedueme suuuuccckkkkssss. It’s a 140m elevation gain. I knew it was coming, but still was shocked at how steep some parts were. It felt like I was walking straight up. Also, there really isn’t much too eat for 14km after Betanzos. So pack a snack, plenty of water and some shade. I used the AllTrails app to track our progress. Have fun. Buen Camino! 👣


Edit:
I also used this book: The Camino Ingles: 6 days to Santiago as a reference. We took 5 days, by doing the first day, Ferrol to Pontedueme.

Depends what your goals are. June is before the peak, so there's a lot of traffic but not to the point where you're racing for berths in albergues. Personally, I prefer solitude and quiet so I found the first week of March ideal - I'd leave at dawn walking quickly and rarely see more than two or three other peregrinos until I stopped for the day.

This past year, about 35,000 pilgrims arrived in Santiago in June, while there were almost 55,000 in August (not all of those on the Camino Frances). One thing I'd recommend if you're concerned about it being too crowded is to plan your pilgrimage to avoid the Brierley, Miam Miam Dodo, and Jakobsweg stages - most pilgrims will stick to those, so the "in between" towns will still have vacancies in the albergues even during busier seasons.

*Edit: I wanted to clarify my references to the various guides - they're all tremendously useful (I carried a stripped down version of the Brierley guide in March) but I'd recommend choosing different towns for your daily rest than they have.

I cycled the Camino back in 2010. It was a great experience but I agree with what others here have said and that is you should avoid the walkers paths as much as possible. It is unfair to keep "running over" people and it messes with your rhythm having to keep stopping and starting to dodge other pilgrims.

I'd recommend this book as a guide. The author has plotted a route following the Camino Frances as closely as possible to the walking route, but on the roads. Often the road you cycle will run parallel to the walkers route anyway. Also the roads in Spain have been heavily invested in so most traffic uses new motorways, leaving the old main roads virtually empty. Spanish drivers are also very courteous to Camino cyclists - probably to avoid damnation by hitting a pilgrim with their car!
Didn't really use albergues as we wild camped a lot of the time but there is plenty of oppurtunity to meet others in the numerous cafes along the route, and in the cities etc.
best of luck with whatever you decide!

I'm planning on doing a very similar route this September/October. I'll be starting in Porto and following the Senda Litoral to Vila do Conde and then will be taking the regular Coastal Way to Caminha. I'll walk along the River Minho and join up the the Central Way at Valenca.

I ordered the John Brierly book called A Pilgrims Guide to the Camino Portuguese. I'm pleased with it because it has very nice maps that include the Senda Litoral (as well as the regular Coastal Way) and it lists all the relevant accommodations/albergues and their prices. However, it does not have much descriptive text about Coastal or Litoral routes if you want more in-depth information. IF the Senda Litoral is well way-marked, the maps in this book would probably be sufficient, but I've gotten mixed-messages on that front.

Have you tooled about on Google Earth? I've found TONS of GPS tracks for the various routes-- some seem more accurate than others.

Pick up a copy of John Brierley's "Pilgrim's Guide'. The best guide book there is.

http://www.amazon.com/To-Field-Stars-Pilgrims-Compostela/dp/0802825923

I can vouch for this one.