Just generally a little disappointed that there is o much 'weli in advance' booking of (sometimes) the entire route.
More like just another holiday than the pleasure of spontaneity and the joy that can come with it (as well as the odd tough time). Nevertheless BC
You do not have to book ahead. You can still remain spontaneous. If you cannot find lodging for the evening after arriving at your end-of-stage walk, you can call for a taxi and transport to a location which does have space available, even if that involves travel backwards to Ferrol or A Coruna, or to a town well off of the Camino Ingles. Then take a taxi back to where you left of the next morning.
Taxis back and forth are not the ideal, but it is a viable alternative if unplanned spontaneity of finding lodging will help you feel more attuned to the 'Camino Vibe'.
The Ingles does not have the same infrastructure capacity for lodging as does the Frances or Portuguese. Like the Norte, the bigger towns are tourist destinations and the tight availability of accomodations is not just a recent phenomenon.
Some parts of the Ingles, depending on the distance one plans to walk in a day, may have little lodging to offer, period. The stage between Betanzos and Hospital de Bruma is an example. Hospital offers one teensy alburgue, perhaps made teensier with the need to decrease their already limited bed space for COVID (if they are even still open). Taking a taxi from Hospital to O Mesón do Vento for lodging, and then back the next morning, has been happening for a long time.
Again, for those who love the idea of spontaneity, or want the cross-your-fingers tingling thrill of the 'will they or won't they' lodging chase, you do not have to give that up. You just need to broaden your expectations, and encompass out-of-the-box lodging choices.
Jill and I planned the stage out of Betanzos to walk through Hospital de Bruma, and continued on to to A Rua in order to stay at the Casa Rural DonaMaria. A long 24 mile / 38.5 Km day that saw us consume all 6 peanut butter and jelly sandwiches we had packed, in addition to the 2 stops at the only bars along the way.
Yes. .Casa Rural DonaMaria
is that good; and although spendy, was a great place to be indulgent at, and to treat ourselves to.