Camino de santiago - camping or hostels?

[Rock bus]

I’m contemplating doing this at some point but not sure if by bike or hiking. Interested in opinions and also how many days via both options

[Tiggertoo]

Being a hiker and a cyclist I am going to say I really dislike coming across cyclists on a hiking trail. My observation of off road cyclists (why in heavens name they are called mountain bikes, I cannot understand - and yes I do know it all started in Marin County, California where they do have some mountains, but on flatlands?) is they are arrogant, reckless and downright dangerous. So, please let's have hiking trail just for the hikers.

[simonhill]

Tigertoo, it's an old pilgrimage trail. The poor and maybe more pious walked it, but others did it on donkey or horseback.

If you want a hiking trail then I'm sure there are plenty. The Camino is a multi use route to Santiago.

Not disagreeing with your comments on cyclists and walkers, on a walking trail. Also agree about "mountain" bikes. I used to call mine an off road bike, much like the more accurate French VTT (velo toute terrain).

[st599_uk]

Being a hiker and a cyclist I am going to say I really dislike coming across cyclists on a hiking trail. My observation of off road cyclists (why in heavens name they are called mountain bikes, I cannot understand - and yes I do know it all started in Marin County, California where they do have some mountains, but on flatlands?) is they are arrogant, reckless and downright dangerous. So, please let's have hiking trail just for the hikers.

I think the Camino cycle route in the Cicerone guide follows roads near the hiking route, it doesn't use the hiking trail.

[Tiggertoo]

Being a hiker and a cyclist I am going to say I really dislike coming across cyclists on a hiking trail. My observation of off road cyclists (why in heavens name they are called mountain bikes, I cannot understand - and yes I do know it all started in Marin County, California where they do have some mountains, but on flatlands?) is they are arrogant, reckless and downright dangerous. So, please let's have hiking trail just for the hikers.

I think the Camino cycle route in the Cicerone guide follows roads near the hiking route, it doesn't use the hiking trail.

Nice to hear that. One of these days I'm going to bag the Camino (hiking), probably once my little dogs go to play in the big playground in the sky.

[Traction_man]

Being a hiker and a cyclist I am going to say I really dislike coming across cyclists on a hiking trail. My observation of off road cyclists (why in heavens name they are called mountain bikes, I cannot understand - and yes I do know it all started in Marin County, California where they do have some mountains, but on flatlands?) is they are arrogant, reckless and downright dangerous. So, please let's have hiking trail just for the hikers.

I think the Camino cycle route in the Cicerone guide follows roads near the hiking route, it doesn't use the hiking trail.

there's two parallel routes suggested for cycling the Camino in the Cicerone guide, one on paved roads and one on the unpaved route of the Camino itself.

I walked the section from Pamplona to Burgos nearly two decades ago now, intending to complete the walk through to Santiago, but I'm now more minded to finish it by picking up the trail and going by bike, as the surface looks good, and to my eyes better for leisurely cycling than walking?

[thornie1543]

I think the mountain bikers would be happy to avoid tigertoo aswell.

[Tiggertoo]

I think the mountain bikers would be happy to avoid tigertoo aswell.

If only!

[Dingdong]

I would like to try it by bike, have seen a YouTube video of the same, but it looks very busy ..

[HarryD]

Dingdong

I've done it by bike three times now. From Merida, then the north coast and most recently from Sevilla. Never done the one from France. Its a great bike ride and at no point did I see any conflict between users however they travelled. A day or so on the Camino puts you in that sort of mood. Go with the flow

There seems to be misapprehension that there is a set Camino or Camino's or you have to do it a particular way. No, no no. The Camino is your journey to Santiago. On foot, on bike on horse or even e-bike. Yes, follow the marked way if you want. There is plenty of support and you will meet lots of people and have many experiences that you will remember for a lifetime. Make up your own route or do bits of both. Its your Camino your way

If you do decide to ride a marked Camino then go for it. Yes, it can get busy. The Camino Frances is the most popular and gets busier after Astorga and Azura where other marked ways join. Even then its fine on a bike. A lot do only the latter part and only enough to get the Compostela. Many on foot start pre-dawn and are finished early afternoon. So set off later to avoid the crowds. If the way becomes too busy there are usually adjacent roads you can nip onto. Some sections are very bike unfriendly are are easily bypassed by bike. Go with the flow and you'll have a memorable time

The other marked Camino's tend to be significantly quieter. Having done the one from Sevilla I'd certainly recommend it. We did join the Frances at Astorga but there is a quiet option via Puebla de Sanabria

Enjoy

[doodah]

I cycled the Compostell in 2005 from Le Puy En Velay to Santiago and thence to Finniestrre.

I used this book for my planning and found it to spot on for the mapping and the hostel / campsite / shops/ bar info.
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Way-James-Cycl ... 1852844418

I would imagine it is up to date. I used hostels, gites, albergues etc and found them to very very reasonable as well as having the interaction with other pilgrims.

I met an Italian in Pamplona who was camping and he tried the hostels. He reckoned they were cheaper and better than the campsites he had been using. Admittedly,. he had been previously camping in France and Italy and may have found the Spanish sites cheaper after all?

Use the book as a basis and tear apart a French and Spanish road atlas if that helps. I bought the maps of the region and photocopied my route accordingly.

If you are blessed with wall to wall sunshine like I was for 7 weeks, it will be a most memorable trip.

The European Bike Express can drop you off at Valence in the Rone valley and collect you at Pau or Bayonne once you have returned from Santiago.

Whatever you do, enjoy it.

[HarryD]

Hi

We stopped tearing up our road atlases a couple of years ago. Instead we take photos of the pages on our phones and use that. Can zoom right in to the fine detail. Doesn't work too well with a DSLR camera as the digital screens are not that good (on mine anyway) but something like a Nikon Coolpix is fine

I used to prefer the big paper maps for the bigger picture but can manage quite happily without

We also cycled on to Finisterre/ Fistera then headed up the coast to A Coruna and beyond. Highly recommended

[st599_uk]

I cycled the Compostell in 2005 from Le Puy En Velay to Santiago and thence to Finniestrre.

I used this book for my planning and found it to spot on for the mapping and the hostel / campsite / shops/ bar info.
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Way-James-Cycl ... 1852844418

There's a newer edition: https://www.cicerone.co.uk/cycling-the- ... iago-third

[marmite]

I did the Camino Frances, starting at the beginning of May, interrupted at Leon by covid but resumed and completed it in September. The pandemic probably reduced the number of pilgrims, but carried its own hazards. There is lots and lots and lots of accommodation. I tended to book online ahead a day or 2 because I was wary of communal sleeping arrangements - the one night in a dorm was probably where I caught covid. Part of the fun was not being quite sure where one would sleep. The local pilgrim hostels are strictly turn-up, no booking possible, vv cheap. Some have single rooms for the frail elderly, like me.

The cicerone book is excellent, you need nothing else. They supply the gpx file with the route, and update it. I did it on a gravel bike, avoiding the roughest paths, and that was fine. But the off-road component does slow one down. I stopped trying to get ahead of the recommended stage lengths after a while, so took 20 days. If you did more on road and pushed on into the later afternoon (hot) no doubt you could do it quicker, but there are many curious sights to see and many many sweet little cafes on the route.

[Rererara]

Hi

We stopped tearing up our road atlases a couple of years ago. Instead we take photos of the pages on our phones and use that. Can zoom right in to the fine detail. Doesn't work too well with a DSLR camera as the digital screens are not that good (on mine anyway) but something like a Nikon Coolpix is fine

I used to prefer the big paper maps for the bigger picture but can manage quite happily without

We also cycled on to Finisterre/ Fistera then headed up the coast to A Coruna and beyond. Highly recommended

Could you tell me a little bit more about Finisterre - A Coruna - beyond? Did you do that northern coast of spain? Husband and I are wanting to do the Camino Frances looping back via A Coruna, nothern coast of Spain back to the ferry but I can't find much info about that stretch!