10 Lessons from the Camino – What I Wish I'd Known Before My First Pilgrimage

The first Camino – and what I wish I'd known

My first long pilgrimage wasn't the famous one in Spain, but the Allgäu Way of St. James – from Munich to Lindau on Lake Constance. Two weeks of gorgeous, lonely nature, a few bruises and a great many lessons. Much of it I'd have loved to know beforehand.

These ten lessons aren't just for the Allgäu. Whether it's the Camino Francés, the Camino Português or a trail on your doorstep: your back, the weather and your own legs work the same everywhere. Here's what my first Camino taught me.

Lesson 1 – Carry as little as possible

Everything you pack, you carry with every single step. Mine came to eight kilos – including two books, town shoes and shower gel. None of it was worth the effort. Rule of thumb: no more than about ten percent of your body weight, and when in doubt, leave it at home. You rarely read a book at night anyway once your legs are heavy.

Lesson 2 – Train beforehand, and realistically

A few practice walks with a full pack tell you more than any packing list. You get to know your body: where it pinches, where it rubs, how you react when things get hard. Finding out on day three that your shoes don't fit is a bad deal.

Lesson 3 – Keep the first day short

You'll want to charge off. Don't. Your body needs a day or two to settle in. I walked 32 kilometers on day one and could barely climb the stairs to my room. A short opening isn't weakness – it's experience.

Lesson 4 – Don't rely blindly on the infrastructure

Even a well-developed route has its „wrong day“: the only inn closed for its rest day, low season, everything shut. Dinner was once just tap water for me. You don't have to plan every detail – but a glance at opening times, season and stage towns saves you hungry evenings.

Lesson 5 – Stay on the marked path

The path that looks more exciting is rarely the better one. I once took the „more interesting“ turn and ended up crawling on all fours along a slope, the heavy pack dragging me down. The waymarks aren't there to spoil your fun – they're there to get you home safe.

Lesson 6 – Plan time for places and towns

Even if walking is the point, some towns deserve a pause. I once rushed past a wonderful city because I'd left no time for it – and regretted it. Half a rest day for a cathedral, an old town or simply a good coffee is part of the journey.

Lesson 7 – A small detour is rarely small

„Just two kilometers“ to the ruin, says the guidebook – quietly leaving out the three hundred meters down and back up. Detours are often worth it, but decide consciously and with an eye on the elevation, not just the straight-line distance.

Lesson 8 – Good food is worth a few extra kilometers

Along the way there are inns worth a detour. An excellent dinner can be a destination in itself. (Just keep lessons 4 and 7 in mind before you set off toward it.)

Lesson 9 – Invest in good rain gear

I once arrived soaked to the skin in „Germany's sunniest village“, while my fellow pilgrim stayed perfectly dry in a proper rain cape. Good rain gear isn't an expense, it's an investment – it decides whether a rainy day is an adventure or a misery.

Lesson 10 – The most important lesson: just go

You can plan, pack and doubt forever. In the end, the first step is what counts. There are wonderfully varied trails – in Spain, in Portugal and often right on your doorstep. Just give it a try. The rest sorts itself out along the way.

Now it's your turn

Which lesson was your biggest aha moment on the Camino? Write to us – we gather the Camino Ninja community's experiences and gladly add them to this list.

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Based on an account by Mona Moldovan.