Camino de santiago - camping or hostels?

[jwood]

Hello all, I am planning to cycle the camino next year. Can anyone advise me whether I should take a tent to will i be able to find hostels? Would i need to book these in advance? I am planning to go in June next year, so I imagine there will be a lot of walkers. I am planning to do the via fances. many thanks for any help!

[Tiggertoo]

Buy the Cicerone guide:

https://ciceronepress.cmail20.com/t/t-l ... kdhuhjy-d/

[st599_uk]

Hello all, I am planning to cycle the camino next year. Can anyone advise me whether I should take a tent to will i be able to find hostels? Would i need to book these in advance? I am planning to go in June next year, so I imagine there will be a lot of walkers. I am planning to do the via fances. many thanks for any help!

There's an entire industry around the Camino designed to give sustenance and sleep to travellers in buildings called Albergues. Mainly run by volunteers from local church groups or international pilgrims associations. There are hardly any campsites. The Cicerone cycling Camino book lists some - there's a substantial list of every possible accommodation en route maintained on a forum and at: https://www.gronze.com/

You need a credencial to stop at them - costs £5 - and they charge about 8 euros per night. It also gets you a cheap Pilgrim's menu at many of the cafes and restaurants on the route. https://www.csj.org.uk/purpose-of-a-credencial

At the end of your trip, you show the stamped credencial to the people at the end point, and they'll give you a certificate (you can choose non-religious certificado or religious compostela)

[simonineaston]

No opinion, but do read Tim Moore's book Travels With My Donkey if you haven't already - modestly amusing and instructive...

[MrsHJ]

Where are you starting from?

[simonhill]

I rode it in the mid '90s. Started in France at St Jean Pied de Port (drove there 3 up in campervan).

Started early May, taking about 13 days. We took basic camping stuff, stove pans, thermarest, sleeping bag and 2 lightweight tents.

Didn't need tents as stayed in refugios (pilgrim hostels) every night. A couple of times a bit tight due to school parties, etc as we got close to Santiago, but always OK.

The busiest time is when people walk to be there for St James' Day (July) and manically busy if that day falls on a Sunday. So you can spread out this bulge over whole route.

No idea what it's like now. When we went, it was just starting to get popular. The Spanish Govt saw it as a big tourist thing they could develop after the Olympics and Expo and pumped money into it. Some of the new hostels were big and we'll appointed, but these were the ones with the kids and other short walk tourists.

June is cusp-ish so wouldn't like say how easy it will be for you in the refugios. I heard they give priority to walkers over cyclists. Our impression was that they will try and find you somewhere, even if the floor, but maybe things are different now.

Edit: I found this via Google search. It says you can't book the public refugios. https://www.quora.com/How-do-I-book-alb ... =202856218

Buen Camino and enjoy having all your sins cleansed.

[evag72]

I linked up with the Camino Portuguese from Lisbon to Santiago de Compostela on a ride a few years back. Then from there I rode east, first following the main Camino route backwards, but found it too busy so I took the Camino Primitivo north towards Santander.
For hostels/camping there were always good cheap options. If you get a camino passport from the church in your starting city you can stay in the camino hostels which are cheap and easy. They do usually have a strict curfew and can fill up quickly. Stealth camping in Spain is technically illegal but I found it was pretty easy to find a quiet spot to sleep for a few hours. There are also campgrounds around but I found they were expensive for what they offered. I'd say I split my sleeping 75% stealth camping near the walking routes and 25% in camino hostels.
https://printsbery.com/planner-templates/travel

[Teggletone]

https://www.csj.org.uk/ Suggest you start during April - no later!

[Teggletone]

https://www.yidio.com/movie/the-way/33624 Worth a watch but some what sensationalised! ps Most of the Dutch cyclists I met during my 5 week walk rode there and back. Two young French ladies walked from Salisbury and I also met a Dutch priest who, having walked to Santiago from Amsterdam was 5 days into his walk back!

[borisface]

Top tip if staying in refugios: take earplugs. When I did the via de la plata 15 years ago it was like every night was the European snoring championships.

[a.twiddler]

Can the snoring be any worse than in the glory days of simple YHAs? I wasn't troubled by snorers then, but in hindsight, I might have troubled many others. In those days, I found I could sleep anywhere. Maybe if you don't have trouble dropping off to sleep, you're ahead in the competition.

[borisface]

Perhaps if you're not troubled then you're the trouble!

[Sweep]

No opinion, but do read Tim Moore's book Travels With My Donkey if you haven't already - modestly amusing and instructive...

Modestly? Damning with faint praise?
Have enjoyed a few of his books but gave up on that one I'm afraid.

[HarryD]

Also have a look at

https://www.amazon.co.uk/El-Camino-Sant ... 8412118421

Its in Spanish but the maps are so clear and the information on accommodation is self explanatory its not a problem

No need for camping

[simonineaston]

Can the snoring be any worse than in the glory days of simple YHAs?

I expect we all have a few tales to tell of YHA experiences. On the whole, I wouldn't have missed those trips for the world. Pity though that those soft foam ear plugs weren't available, back in the day - or night...