Camino norte August 2023

[cerithm]

Hi,

I'm currently planning to do the camino norte from san Sebastián in August. I wanted to know how the accommodation and bed racing situation os at that time of year? If the earlier parts of this camino are quieter or busier? Additionally i would be splitting it and flyong home from near Gijon, then returning in September to finish it. Is the last part less busy in mid September?

Is there camping on the route at all? How easy is it to book accommodation in advance? What are some ways to get around the bed racing?

 

[trecile]

August is probably the busiest month on the northern coast for tourism, and that seriously impacts the availability of accommodations, because there aren't many pilgrim only albergues, at least compared to the Camino Francés.

 

[krause]

Good morning, trecile, Thank you this information. Would a pilgrim find the same busy-ness beginning the Camino del Norte in mid-September?

 

[oursonpolaire]

September is much less busy. I would underline that the north coast is a holiday spot for Spanish from inland cities and prices and pressure for accommodation increase greatly in August-- as of September 6 or thereabouts, they shoot down dramatically. Albergue accommodation is less than half as frequent as you will find on the Francese and many towns (for there are proportionally more towns than on the Francese) will only have one or two smaller albergues. As this is an area with much commercial camping, there are more opportunities to rent a space at campgrounds but it also means that there are many many fewer opportunities for wild camping.

I have done this route a few times and found it easy to book in advance. However, I used private accommodation most of the time. Gronze will give you an idea which albergues take reservations.

 

[krause]

Thank you, oursonpolaire, for your prompt and helpful response. Your note is encouraging and very helpful.

 

[wynrich]

We've walked the Camino del Norte twice in April and accommodations where inexpensive and easy to get. We were often the only ones in our hotel or other accommodation. EXCEPT, when we were there Easter week everything doubled in price and accommodations were difficult to get. Made us realize that is probably what it would be like during the summer on the Norte. Easter week (semana santa) and the summer are when the Spanish people head to the north coast.

 

[cerithm]

Hi, sadly doing it all in September isn't an option as I start a PhD on the 25th of September. I'm aware it is busy in August, but I wondered what can be done to work around this?

 

[cerithm]

Or would doing the Primitivo be a better option in August potentially?

 

[trecile]

Hi, sadly doing it all in September isn't an option as I start a PhD on the 25th of September. I'm aware it is busy in August, but I wondered what can be done to work around this?

Advanced bookings, and realizing that it might be more expensive than you planned.

 

[cerithm]

Advanced bookings, and realizing that it might be more expensive than you planned.

Thank you! In August Is it a similar story on the Camino Primitivo from Oviedo? Or is this a quieter?

 

[trecile]

Thank you! In August Is it a similar story on the Camino Primitivo from Oviedo? Or is this a quieter?

I couldn't tell you for sure, but since it's not a coastal tourist destination I would think that it would be quieter than the beach towns of the Norte.

 

[oursonpolaire]

If August is your possibility, then the Primitivo would be less hectic than the del Norte. It is a more rigorous Camino and distances and accommodation need to be carefully guaged, but the scenery is extraordinary and the locals very supportive.

Surely your thesis supervisor could not but be open to a week's variation on account of pilgrimage?? Even in theoretical physics!!

 

[trecile]

. It is a more rigorous Camino and distances and accommodation need to be carefully guaged,

I'm in Grandas de Salime tonight after completing the Hospitales route yesterday and I don't think that it's more rigorous than the Norte (which I was on prior to starting on the Primitivo), but agree that stage planning can be trickier.

 

[Luka]

If I recall well statistics show that August is also the busiest month on the Primitivo. All relative of course, but so are the number of beds.

 

[Canche]

Good morning, trecile, Thank you this information. Would a pilgrim find the same busy-ness beginning the Camino del Norte in mid-September?

No You are much better off in October. August is a mad house as all the Spanairds have their vacation then.

 

[peregrina2000]

If I were going to walk in August, I would either walk a very untraveled northern camino, like the Olvidado or the Invierno, or I would walk the Francés, which has very little traffic (relatively) until you get to Sarria. I would not start in the south for obvious reasons.