http://www.santiago-compostela.net/index.html

http://www.chemindecompostelle.com/  This site is good for French accommodation

1. Distance travelled
2. Weight of rucksack
3. Fitness and preparation

Distance per day

For reasons not worth going into here, on my first trip I thought 30k (19miles) was a good plan.

It isn't ... yep you can walk 30k per day, you will have little time for anything but walking and I have met a significant number of people with stress related injuries  that have brought their journey to a halt... on my first trip, combined with a sprained ankle this is what happened to me.

I did meet people who successfully managed long distances by following these guide lines.
    Starting the first 5 days at 20k per day
     If they walked a long distance one day they shortened it the next

...but my conclusion for an enjoyable trip is plan on 20 to 25 km per day with a rest day every 10 days

If you are worried what you will do with your spare time... take a book. but eating, sleeping washing kit and body, not to mention chatting to fellow 'grims will keep you occupied.

It is better to arrive well and fit rather than abandon the journey. You will find the route scattered with people (usually young fit men ) in pain who ignore this advise.

If you are short of time...split the journey up or start further up the track....ie Pamplona rather than at the Pyranees.

The answer is as little as possible! The attached list is for spring or autumn walking. There is a lot of debate between ponchos and waterproof anoraks plus trousers. If I was going in the summer I would use the Poncho...but otherwise a good 100% covering of Gortex is a useful asset.

The need for gloves is questionable...but it saved me in the snow.

 Remember to use a thin waterproof liner in your rucksack and double protect key items using thin plastic shopping bags...wet kit is miserable.

A good guide is 10% of your body weight without food or water.

The list might look a lot, but  extensive work has gone into finding lightweight & small items

The whole lot (including the rucksack) comes to 10Kg...I think this is the maximum you should be carrying without food & water.

The medication is the  minimum to look after minor ailments & keep the show on the road

This is my very personal list...  built up over 3 trips. Some of the items are personal to me...Like a good camera, sketch book, I pod with recorded stories rather than books (lighter) etc.

I believe also excessive weight with regular excessive distance causes a lot of peoples problems. If you get this right & have good general health you will be fine & have an enjoyable experience

Fitness and Preparation

Whilst I have signed up to a lot of dumb things in my life, buying a new pair of boots, then walking 1000k without trying them out is not one of them....but you see people doing it.

When buying boots take your time and try a lot on make sure your heel does not slide around, you have room for your toes to move...the rest is down to volume adjustment (socks, footbed etc) and the world will be a happy place....by the way price is not the issue, the ones that fit me best cost £100.

With new boots it is worth the effort to do a few 6 mile walks to get the fit right (socks / volume adjusters etc)...With the use of Vaseline every morning to keep the skin supple I have never suffered from blisters....but you see a fair number of people with this debilitating problem...often suffered as a badge of 'right of passage' ...it does not need to be this way..... Correct boots, good fit, warn in should solve these problems.

Assuming you are medically OK...There are lots of different opinions on fitness preparation. I tend to start 6 weeks before my trips with a few weeks of  two 12 mile walks, then 4 12 and two 15 mile walks in the last month all with a full pack. I also take a bit of time in the gym to make sure my core strength is OK.

However once your boots are OK and if you have got your pack weight down + you are short of time, it is possible to start your training on day one of your walk....as long as you keep the distances below 20k for the first 5 days you should be OK....

Key point ....this is supposed to be an enjoyable experience....it s not a test!