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Il Cammino dei Cappuccini
400 km di cammino nell’entroterra delle Marche alla scoperta delle origini dell’Ordine dei Frati Minori Cappuccini
Preparing your backpack
Preparing your backpack
Preparing your backpack is the first major challenge for anyone preparing to walk (especially if this is your first experience!). First of all, you need a large backpack (about 65 litres). You should only put what you need in your backpack, because “everything weighs!” and you will feel that weight with every kilometre of your walk. As a guideline, a pilgrim’s backpack should not weigh more than 10 kilos.
What to put in your backpack
- Cloak or poncho: indispensable in all seasons.
- Sleeping bag: light and not too bulky.
- Pyjamas and/or tracksuit: you can wear both, or you can also use the tracksuit as pyjamas.
- Toiletry bag: Marseille soap for washing up and doing laundry.
- Pharmacy: scissors, needle and thread (also for treating blisters), plasters, bandages, disinfectant, tick pliers, disinfectant wipes, anti-inflammatory cream, aspirin or paracetamol, and some antacid for the stomach.
- Sun cream: essential in any season.
- Windbreaker: light and possibly in Goretex.
- Small towel: to dry your face and arms during the walk. It is best if it is made of microfibre, not too bulky and easy to dry.
- Trousers: 2 pairs, light, preferably in materials that weigh as little as possible, can be washed easily and dry quickly.
- T-shirts: 2-3 always, preferably made of breathable technical material that always keeps the body dry and dries quickly.
- Golf fleece: a light one for cooler evenings.
- Underwear: 2-3 changes. At the end of the leg, pilgrims should always wash what they have used.
- . Footwear: The choice of suitable footwear is fundamental. Both boots and walking shoes are suitable for this route. Do not set out in new shoes: use them at least a few weeks before starting the walk. When choosing your size, it is better to fit snugly rather than tightly. Visit the in-depth articles on choosing the right pair of shoes and how to take care of your feet.
- Slippers: plastic, lightweight, for showering and airing your feet when you arrive. They can also be useful for crossing the small rivers you come across, thus avoiding getting your shoes and socks wet.
- Hat: indispensable in all seasons.
- Water bottle: water should be calculated according to the season, the length of the route and the presence of water sources along the way. Before setting off, always consult the descriptions of each stage to check if there are water sources along the way.
- Poles: they help both uphill and downhill by taking the weight off your back and knees.
- Pocket knife and lighter: always useful in a thousand situations.
- Compass and altimeter: useful in many cases and weighing almost nothing.
- Torch: nowadays, you can generally use the one on your mobile phone.
- Mobile phone battery: A backup battery or an external auxiliary battery, in case the mobile phone runs out of power during the trip.
- Sunglasses: may be helpful in some cases.
- Clothes pegs and rubber bands: useful for drying clothes on your rucksack or once you have reached your destination and also for closing open food packages (or, alternatively, you can use rubber bands).
- Hairdryer: also useful for drying shoes if necessary.
- Sticky Tape: for repairing shoe soles in case they come off due to excessive wear.
- Plastic bags: 3/5 to separate clothing and accessories in the backpack.
- Earplugs: useful for a good night’s sleep when sleeping with others.
- GPS:it does not replace the topography but it can be a great help in many cases and allows you to be located in case of help. For this walk, the tracks can be downloaded from the Places and Trails section or by directly downloading The Capuchin Walk App
Finally, once you have filled your rucksack, make sure that the weight is well centred and does not tip the backpack either to the right or to the left.
"Si curiosus es de Via Capuccina et fortasse eam sequi paras, memento: vita spiritualis non est abstracta et concreta sicut via concreta."
© 2021 Frati Minori Cappuccini - Provincia Picena (Marche) - P.Iva: IT00327410429
