Having hope for better times keeps us going when we’re living through lockdowns. We can dream and make plans in the hope that restrictions will eventually be lifted. The good news, after many months, is that we can now move throughout our region as well as Italy and beyond. Making plans is a concrete way to exhibit hope, and so I made some…

John and I along with our good friend, Alex, are getting ready to hike the Cammino di Celestino in a few weeks. The plan came together this past winter, always being the optimist that COVID restrictions would be lifted. I thought I’d share some of what we have been doing to prepare for this “chock full of hermitages, amazing scenery, medieval villages, deep valleys, jaw-dropping mountains and of course great food” 90 km 6 day ‘walk’ in the Parco Nazionale della Majella.

Last year, John and I did a week cammino (Cammino dei Briganti, 100 km), also here in Abruzzo, with an outstanding guide, Ercole Wild. It was our first cammino and we thoroughly enjoyed it. And I highly recommend any guided hike with Ercole! He is the type of mountain guide you can trust with you life, but also a fun guy who shares his wealth of knowledge and absolute love of the mountains with you. As this cammino was a group and John and I are more comfortable on vacations with just the two of us, we decided that I would organize a cammino and invite our close friend Alex. Without a professional guide, I took on the responsibility to put this all together. With my search and rescue background and many hours in the woods on trails as well as off trail, I felt confident that I could manage all the details. So in this post, I wish to share some of the different facets of preparation; physical fitness, safety, gear, reservations, etc.

Celestino V and Abruzzo. It is undeniable that the figure of the poor hermit Pietro da Morrone who, at the end of 1200 became Pope with the name of Celestino V, belongs, with all his human and religious life, to the identity heritage of the Abruzzo people. The fresh recognition by UNESCO of Celestinian Forgiveness as an Intangible Heritage of Humanity further increases our responsibility in worthily cultivating the memory of this great person who distinguished himself in life for difficult and often innovative choices for the dictates of the Church of the time ….
The Way is 90 km long. divided into 6 stages…It is entirely covered on foot on the Official Path Network of the Park, following the paths that, in all probability, Pietro used to move from one hermitage to another, from one valley to another…The departure takes place at the Badia Celestiniana in Sulmona and after touching Pacentro, Roccacaramanico, Caramanico Terme, Roccamorice and Lettomanoppello it ends at the Abbey of S. Liberatore a Maiella in the municipality of Serramonacesca…For travelers who undertake the Way, the Charta Peregrini (or Pilgrim’s Credential) is available which can be stamped in the Park Information Centers along the route and which, once completed, entitles you to receive the Celestine Cross, the Testimonium which certifies the entire journey of the stages.

Parco Majella

A few factors led us to choose this particular cammino, apart from the breathtaking scenery and history. It’s close to our house, just a few hours to the start town of Sulmona, right here in our region of Abruzzo. Though it is not a circular route, and car transporting is necessary, it’s such a spectacular cammino, how could we not do it! The length is good for us, just 90 km, so Romeo and Miss Kitty do not have to stay in the kennel too long. We just miss our animals so much that it’s difficult to stay away for more than a week. Another reason we liked this particular cammino, apart from the obvious, is that every evening we would finish in a small village or town where we can book accommodations at a B&B or agriturismo. The list is long on why we are doing this one and it may be something you will consider for the future or maybe you have already done it.

I take good care to have all the information and supplies we will need to make sure we’re safe and not lost: maps, GPS with tracks loaded , potable water locations noted, understanding daily expectations of a section (tappa) length and elevation changes, electrolytes, light source (flashlight or headlamp) etc. There are important things to consider before going into the mountains for 6 days, even thought these can be considered day hikes all strung together. I carry a compass, GPS, as well as printed maps. I also have an app on my phone (View Ranger) for addition location backup. The cammino is well marked, but I always err on the side of being prepared.

In regards to backpacks, we are all going with ultralight ones. It’s important, when walking a cammino with your week’s worth of clothes, etc. on your back, that you keep the weight to a minimum. The gauge is that your pack, with all your stuff apart from food and water, should be about 10% of your body weight. This is so very different from years ago, when backpackers would go out with huge packs containing way too much heavy gear. Times and technology have given us the freedom to go light and I’m loving it. I nailed the 10% after packing and repacking but also I got a bit OC. A number of ultralight hikers do a spreadsheet with everything broken down in grams to lbs and I just love spreadsheets! My categories are Pack (and bag/tent if I was carrying those), Clothes Worn, Clothes Packed, Consumables (Water & Food), Misc, Toiletries, Electronics, Personal ID/cards/cash. John and Alex just go by end weight and shake their heads at me, but I reveled in it! The image below is one page of 4 of my spreadsheet. Weights are in grams per line item and at the very top of the image you can see my weights converted from grams to pounds.

Our packs all range in size around 40L. Alex has an Osprey Eja 38L, John a Quechua Forclaz 40 Air+ and I have an Osprey Tempest 40L. I love my pack and have fiddled with it until I have the straps just right for this load of stuff I’ll be carrying. Boots (Salomon X Ultra 3 Mid GORE-TEX) are now well broken in and they are a dream. Socks that I’ve found work best for my feet are Smartwool and Darn Sock. All my clothes can be washed with me in the shower and dry in a matter of a few hours tops. I’m experimenting with summer weight wool tops, which do not retain odor as other fabrics. I guess my hiking buddies will let me know if this is true. And with these size packs and the expected terrain, it’s always a smart idea to have hiking sticks. They assist you with the weight of the pack, give you stability, protect your knees on long, steep descents and give you the feel of having 4 legs instead of 2 when you head upwards.

Another item I got on board with this time is using dry bags to organize my stuff. They are water resistant and by giving categories to each bag, I can quickly remove what I need with out having to search and repack. All three of us have embraced this great concept. There is much more inside our packs to talk about but it would be a really long post. 🙂

So apart from gear, maps, route preparation, there are room and dinner reservations to be made and sack lunches to reserve (il pranzo al sacco). Of course, you can do this cammino with a tent, but we just needed a vacation with a bit of comfort and pampering. It’s been a long year with restrictions and we are way overdue for a break. Our accommodations range from B&Bs, hotels and an agriturismo, and I used various sites and apps to make reservations. Most of these places have social media presence, and their current postings express the excitement of receiving guests again. The most recent COVID regulations allowed takeway or outside seating. But as of June 1, it appears that COVID restrictions on inside eating will be lifted. Very exciting news. Below are some of the towns & areas we will be staying in.

So it is said that hiking longer hikes and more often doesn’t actually get you in shape for hiking. I think other workouts are needed to make you stronger and flexible, for sure. During this past winter, I set my bike on a training platform and cycled in our dining room. We weren’t allowed have anyone over for dinner so it was a perfect solution for my bike. I wouldn’t say I got a balanced workout (even though I did try with some hand weights) but cycling definitely improved my lower body muscle strength with the added benefit of a good cardio push.

And of course we have been hiking, whether a road trek, some trails around Roccaspinalveti or now back out in other areas. It’s been a few weeks now that I have been hiking with my full pack, adjusting, adding, subtracting. I am as ready as I can be but I know the elevation gains and descents on a few of the sections are going to be tough. A friend of mine in search and rescue had a motto and she also had her license plate saying something like this: It’s Only Walking. And it has always stuck in my mind. This motto will be my mantra when I hit the tougher sections, slow myself down, take smaller strides and just enjoy being out in the mountains with John and Alex. We will have some great stories to share!

Until then wish us safe journey and a spirit of gratitude to enjoy this newly restored freedom.