The Scariest Moments I Experienced When Hiking the Camino de Santiago 🫢🫣
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- čas přidán 13. 05. 2023
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Wow, those were some scary moments. So glad you didn't get hurt from the crazy dog!!! Thank you for posting. Your videos are great, thanks again, keep posting!!
Thank you for this video and your timing.
I’m having a heck of a time on Camino del Norte with getting lost in mud, trails that are narrow shoulders on busy highways.
I’ve gotten lost a couple times and my worst nightmare so far was having to climb through brambles and wild forest 15% incline up to the side of the 160 freeway because the signs were so confusing to get to Oriñon.
I was absolutely terrified.
I’m thanking God I haven’t fallen or been attacked by a dog.
I didn’t realize that getting lost and being alone is so psychologically difficult for me.
Also walking with plantar fasciitis the driving rain is really a struggle for me.
My umbrella broke in the storm yesterday on the beach of Loredo so I am staying an extra day in Santoña (ALL stores close on Sunday) to buy a new umbrella.
I’m struggling with my depression and loneliness.
The Camino del Norte is a challenge.
Thank you for this video and for always keeping it real. Hugs.
Hi just checking in to see how you’re doing on the Norte. Has the weather improved at all? I am glad to hear I’m not the only one who is so affected by being alone on quieter routes. I think this is why I’m soooo interested in the infrastructure building up on other Camino routes: I’m dying to hike them all but want there to be other pilgrims!
I appreciate all of your honesty. All of these are so relatable. I once got bit (luckily I was wearing pants, and he didn’t bite down fully) by a wild horse while I was literally standing still, while so many others were petting and going up to these horses.
I’ve gotten bit by a dog when I was younger, so I am weary of them.
Traveling alone does bring up a slight fear of what happens if I get injured on my trail, and no one is around.
All of your points are valid. Thank you for sharing!
It’s so nice to hear I’m not the only one fearful/cautious of even “kind” animals. Glad this resonated with you.
First time watching YOUR Camino vids. I've only walked two Caminos & I'm proud I've never taken the easier option to remove myself from stages where my confidence has been shaken for whatever reason. I also walk with poles. The worst dog experience I've had, was on the Portuguese Coastal just north of Baiona and a very malevolent looking & sounding dog jumped out at me when I was lost and scared the living crap out of me!!! I do believe that the hardest days are the best days, having walked oneself to a standstill, shaking with adrenaline. French is better for me, living by France, than Spanish. Therefore walking through France certainly intrigues ... be it Le Puy, Via Fr or the Aragonèse in the Basque Country - just finding the time & fitting it into annual leave @ work will be the hard part.
Ahhh I'm so glad you just popped up in my feed! I love your vibe and totally relate to all of these experiences 😬😂
The SCARIEST potential danger to me is def aggressive dogs. I was attacked and bitten by a huge dog in Spain before ever doing a Camino, and then nearly attacked by a German Shepard on my first Camino in 2018. So on my last Camino in 2022 I brought an ultrasonic dog repeller. It emits a high pitched frequency which doesn't harm them, but prevents them from coming closer. I tested it on aggressive dogs who were snarling at other pilgrims and it stopped them immediately.
Def recommend! But I've heard sticks and rocks are effective too! 🤗
Oooo that sounds like a great tool. I actually bought an air horn for my upcoming Camino! I figure it will stop any unwanted advances from animals and humans alike. 😂
Wow! Thank you for this information. Now I am validated in wanting to bring my air horn and umbrella. For those that don't know, having an umbrella to push open at an advancing dog can really be helpful in keeping it at bay. Thanks again!
Oh that’s an excellent tip !
Always appreciate your videos, Kate. Here are my scariest incidents, mainly from del Norte but also on Francés. A common denominator is I was walking alone on all of these.
4. Unleashed aggressive dogs - several times on Norté. All were probably defending their territory; at least one was especially aggressive sounding to impress its owner who was standing by, just watching. They may have been all bark and no bite but who knows? My poles were in hand, ready to ward them off.
3. Heavy traffic on mountain roads with no shoulders. Again, several times on Norté, with the worse on a detour because of highway construction. We pressed ourselves against the mountainside many times (there were several of us in this situation). That one lasted about half an hour and by the time we reached a safe resting spot for pilgrims, we basically collapsed for a while.
2. Hunters. It seems like in the fall on Sundays, hunting is allowed in some areas that Norté goes through. I saw several hunters, alone and in groups, with their rifles and hunting dogs. I was scared that some trigger happy hunter might mistake me for prey (whatever that might be. Wild boar?)
4. The scariest of all was one individual on Camino Francés on that 17-18 km stretch between Carrión de los Condes and Calzadilla de la Cueza. Foolishly, I started on that stretch after lunch. I should have stayed in Carrión but I had done that on a previous Camino so I decided to push on. It was understandably deserted both ahead and behind me. After a while, a car pulled up beside me and instead of wishing me Buen Camino and continuing on, the driver paced beside me. The driver looked cold and hard; just a skeleton with a thin skin covering. I had chills going up and down my spine. He looked me over, probably assessing my robbery potential then moved slightly ahead so driving at my walking pace with me in his mirror. I remember from a self defense class I took from two female police officers we can decide to not be compliant victims and always fight back. So I girded my loins and tried to make my 5’3” and 130 lbs (160 cm, 59 kg) look big and strong even though I was very tired since I already walked 15 km to Carrión that day. I held my poles menacing, letting him know I was ready to fight him. I knew I wouldn’t be able to overcome him but he would definitely be battered and bruised. After a long while, he finally decided I wasn’t worth the trouble and drove off. I was still on guard because I didn’t know if he would circle back or had an accomplice up ahead. Miraculously, after a while a tall, young Australian man appeared beside me who said he would escort me to our destination. He also saw the man I did and agreed he seemed iffy. So don’t start walking late in the day when there won’t be others around. I’ve also done less travelled Caminos where that’s unavoidable but no need to be silly.
Oh my goodness, this all sounds terrifying! Glad to know you're okay.
@@ShazWagthank you. I also have some getting lost incidents but Kate’s story is very similar.
As a solo older (turning 70 this summer) peregrina who has walked four Caminos so far, I do want to emphasize that despite these scary incidents, doing the Camino is well worth it. Successfully navigating these challenges are what makes you stronger and braver.
On one of our Camino’s, I (Michelle) took a tumble coming and painful road rash for awhile. We always keep our distance, the we can, with the livestock. Buen Camino!!
Falls are so scary!
You are right about cows with young, and horses. They can charge and trample you.
Yes! I would much rather be alert and cautious, even if that makes others laugh or scoff. Thanks for your comment!!
I made it to the end! All good advice. Thank you
Thanks for watching!!
Hey Kate, where are you. We have all missed your videos.
So far - getting lost one time and having to walk along a very busy road with no path - I was terrified I would be hit by a truck. I walked alone in a very lonely area with a pulled groin muscle and a single man was walking behind me. He was actually fine but for a while I felt very vulnerable.
I walked the Camino De Santiago last September. Two semi-scary things. 1. I took the alternate route over the Pyrenees (not the Napoleon route and this was a mistake) and day two I was following the trail which had been paralleling a main road and then headed into to the wilderness and it then goes by this set of 2-3 houses, and the only sign of any trail is some local hiking trail which has a sign for this other trail but no markers for the Camino, so I go ahead and take it. I spend the next couple of hours hiking up and around a mountain (exhausting myself) and basically lost at this point. My phone's GPS not giving me any guidance. After a couple of hours the trail finally leads back down the mountain, and leads to a spot about 100 feet from where I started the stupid side trail. The only benefit is at this exit to the side trail, I now see the sign for the Camino nailed to the side of one of the houses. There is also a semi-aggressive loose dog roaming around at the side trails start to make things interesting. 2. The other scary moment was early in the Camino day 3 or 4 (I think, but I don't remember the town). For about the last hour of the trail for the day the path is fairly steeply descending and a lot of the trail of this point was not really made well and a lot of it for the last hour had sections that were basically large of very slick sheets of rock to walk on. If it had been raining that day, the rocks would have become even slicker, and I'm pretty sure I would have lost my footing and take a fall.
I’m pretty sure you’re describing the descent into Zubiri, with the long flat granite-like sheets of rock. I was very happy to have a dry day for that.
Just arrived in Pamplona today to start my first Camino Frances on Tuesday, so I wasn’t sure I wanted to watch this video right before I set out. 😁
How is it going, Anne?!
@@WanderlustingLawyer Thanks for asking. It has been going mostly very well. I arrived in Burgos today. But I have had a nasty blister on the ball of my foot that caused my to take a taxi the last couple of days rather than walk. Tomorrow is a rest day so I am hopeful that I will be in better shape to walk by Monday. But that aside, I am loving it! Good luck with your upcoming Camino!
Katie, with cattle you have to be confident in their presence. Its the same with with most livestock, sheep, goats, pigs (including the male chauvinistic type), llamas etc. Dogs are a slifhtly different kettle of fish. There are technique's to deal with dogs that just wont give up. However, im not sure i should share them with you. I'd rather discuss them with a certain Dr. Jeremiah and then let jim decide as to what you should know.
As for waking up in the arms of a hairy, sweaty, italian gigolo, well it takes all sorts. Theres a nearly funny story, I'll tell you one day, about albergue stays......
Thanks for the tip! Crossing my fingers for fewer livestock on the ingles!
was the dog a Patou?
Garcias de nuevo a mi canal favorita chica del Camino De Santiago! This video is a reality moment for me. I have a question that I have been debating in my head for a while now. Should I get travel health insurance? If I ran into a serious issue with my health, my US health insurance may cover it but it would be a ton of paperwork, waiting to see (God knows how long) if they decide to reimburse me and I would initially have to pay out of pocket before being reimbursed. This will be my first Camino, "Camino Del Norte." In my past travels I never bothered with travel insurance. I never even thought about it. I just winged it. But I know this is a different animal. Would you recommend travel health insurance? If so, can you recommend some different reliable travel companies in the US? Muchísimas Gracias! ;~)
It was the most scariest day in the dog’s life! A stranger from far away entered it’s territory and started “barking”. The dog was only trying to protect his master. Try looking at it from the dog’s perspective.
The dog is literally on the Camino route where pilgrims walk every day. No fault to the dog, only the owners!
@@WanderlustingLawyer By screaming, the dog thought you were "barking" back at him and escalated the tension! Next time, try a comforting low voice, "Good dog, now go home" to calm the dog down.
Hey it's Erin. Loved hearing you feared walking by cows. I have the same fears, and of dogs as you and I have chatted about before. I CZcamsd videos on what to do with cows. It was very helpful, assuming it is legit. I have considered going to visit a friend who lives on a farm to verify. I'll try to find the video and post below.
Here's the 1st of 2 videos... czcams.com/video/AVSU54mzljg/video.html
That’s a great idea! Let me know what tips you learn. 😃
Any accident happening while you are alone is scary. Heads-up a cow is not classified as wildlife...... they are domesticated animals. But that does not remove them from being possible dangerous animals, same for horses, goats, sheep, donkeys, and dogs. Any trail placed alongside a major road should be safeguarded by at least a metal traffic barrier for the safety of walkers. I look forward to seeing your video on dangerous animals. I am very happy that you were not seriously hurt in any of these situations. Yes, I watched the entire video. Thank you for the information. Please include snakes as dangerous wildlife if you can.
Thank you, Jan!
You are welcome
I pray the Ingles is boring in comparison...spoon not! buen camino