TRAVEL

Hiking the Camino de Santiago | What You Should Know Before Walking This 100km Trail

hiking camino de santiago

I’ve now been home for just over a week after hiking the Camino de Santiago although it somehow feels much longer than that – it was one of those experiences where you can’t remember what life was like before and can’t imagine what going back to real life would be like. You just feel like you’ll be walking along the trail for the rest of your life – and actually, you feel pretty good about that!

There was plenty of time for quiet reflection, and I learned a lot during the trip – not only about the Camino, but about myself, too. Read on to find out what I learned, what you should be looking forward to if you’re booked in to do the trip, and a couple of facts you might not already know about the trail!

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This post is in partnership with G Adventures, although my opinion is genuine and I will only collaborate with brands I truly believe in.
KIT

Hiking the Camino de Santiago | How To Pack for a 100km Trek


Never assume that someone else has packed something important on a hike. That was the advice given to me by a seasoned hiker when I asked for beginners’ tips, so I decided to heed this for my Camino de Santiago trip and put some serious thought into my packing!

My usual weekend walks are around 3-4 hours, which means that if something goes wrong or conditions change you’re never too far from your car. Being on your feet for up to 9 hours on consecutive days when you can neither nip home to pick stuff up or pop into a big supermarket requires some very careful thought.

As I write I’ve just completed day 3 of the Camino hike, and so far I’m feeling pretty confident about my packing, so I’ll share with what I’ve been carrying in my day pack plus in my main bag to hopefully inspire your trek packing.
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Wanna get packing for your own Camino de Santiago hike? Click here to WIN the very same trip! This post is in partnership with G Adventures, although my opinion is genuine and I will only collaborate with brands I truly believe in.
TRAIN

Hiking the Camino de Santiago | How To Train For A 100km Walk

training camino santiago

Training for a walk like the Camino de Santiago is very different to the challenges I’m used to, like recruiting my fast twitch muscle fibres and creatine energy system for a 1RM snatch or high box jump, say, or working the anaerobic system to get a fast mile time. The challenge of a long hike is the fatigue – both mental and physical – and keeping your muscles working together for the entire walk.

It’s less heavy squats and fast burpees, and more spending time on your feet and ensuring those small stabiliser muscles are being used optimally. Of course, it’s a given you need to do some longer weekend walks to prepare yourself, but there are other aspects you may not have thought of. Read on to hear about how I’ve been training over the past few weeks, and how you can apply the principles to a trekking challenge like the Camino.

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I'm hiking the Camino de Santiago with G Adventures - click here to WIN the very same trip! This post is in partnership with G Adventures, although my opinion is genuine and I will only collaborate with brands I truly believe in.
TRAVEL

WIN | I’m Hiking The Camino De Santiago This Summer… + You Could Too!

camino de santiago with g adventures

The Camino de Santiago is a Spanish set of trails that all lead to Santiago de Compostela – and I’m so excited to say that I’ll be hiking 100km of this trail with G Adventures this summer. Not only that, but the very kind G Adventures team are giving YOU the chance to win this trip, too!

Hiking 100km in less than a week sounds pretty daunting, but I’m confident that with the right training, carefully considered packing, and the three-sixty degree support that G Adventures provide, I’ll have an incredible, safe and active time.

Over the next few weeks I’ll be documenting my preparation for this trip, both here on the blog and on my Instagram. Read on to find out more about what exactly the Camino de Santiago is – and how YOU can win your own Spanish hiking trip, too.

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I'm working in partnership with G Adventures for this trip, but as ever my opinion will never be bought, and I will only support companies I truly believe in.
TRAIN

7 Ways Weekend Walking is Wonderful for Wellbeing

walking for health

This blog is mainly about forms of high-intensity exercise – lots of jumping around, flinging heavy weights and moving as fast as possible – but lately I’ve gotten into something a little lower in impact: walking. Whether it’s come from being cooped up inside a car, office or gym all week, or whether it’s because I’ve turned the big 3-0 and my interests are becoming tamer, at the weekend I’m really enjoying getting out into the countryside for a leg stretch.

But is walking really all that weak, or is it actually really good for you? The more I thought about the parts that make up a good walk, the more I realised how many benefits it has. Read on to find out the 7 ways walking is wonderful for wellbeing. View Post

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