Gear
Packing for a Summer on the Lana: the Lanero's Bag
Making up your pack is personal — everyone has their manias turned into necessities. But after a decade of caminos I'll offer one rule and two tricks that hold for the warm season, mid-May to the end of September.
The rule: less weight, less suffering
Obvious, I know. But every gram sits on your joints all day. Keep the load low and your shoulders, knees and feet all thank you by evening — and blisters grow rarer. Decide first how heavy you're willing to go, then earn your way down from there.
The blister trick: two pairs of socks
This one has saved more caminos than any blister plaster. Wear your normal sock with a thin, short summer sock under it. The two layers rub against each other instead of against your skin. For healthy feet it's close to infallible — and on the Lana's long, hot stages, healthy feet are everything.
The other essentials
Carry real water capacity — two litres for the dry stages, and the discipline to fill up whenever you can. Sun protection isn't optional on the treeless meseta: hat, long sleeves, cover for the back of the neck. And tuck two or three energy bars deep in the bag and forget them; they'll surface exactly when you need them.