trekking poles

[Tom Priestly]

I took two trekking poles with me the whole way and found them a
great help, especially going downhill or when I was tired. (Maybe
this is only applies to wrinklies? I was 66 at the time.) They reduce
noise and give a better grip than spiked ends on roadways and rocky
paths, and are no worse than spikes on mud or gravel.

My fellow pilgrim, only a year or two younger, hardly ever used the
ones he had with him. It is clearly a personal thing, to be
ascertained during the training and experimenting which everyone
should do before they go.

If you do choose this alternative, I strongly recommend that you
have, on the tip of each pole, a rubber extension with a hard rounded
end. (I don't know the English for them: I bought mine in Austria).
And take along a couple of spares - I lost my first on the rough path
after Viskarret (day two!) and spent a long time in Pamplona finding
a replacement; thereafter I had spares with me and had to use one of
them a while later.

Tom