Northern Camino or Olvidado and Invierno?

[Pierre Julian]

Hi I'm arriving in Bilbao on Sunday (hopefully). I'm keen to get ideas about which Camino to walk. I have 5 weeks.

I would love to do the Olvidado / Invierno as never done those tracks, however unsure about albergues along that route at this time, and also wonder if it might be extremelty hot? Are there any online guide books for them?

Alternatively, the Norte which I love and have done before, but maybe more albergues (or maybe less accommodation with summer??) and lovely beaches. If anyone has any thoughts to help me decide please let me know. I'd be very grateful.

Many thanks.

 

[KinkyOne]

Hi I'm arriving in Bilbao on Sunday (hopefully). I'm keen to get ideas about which Camino to walk. I have 5 weeks.

I would love to do the Olvidado / Invierno as never done those tracks, however unsure about albergues along that route at this time, and also wonder if it might be extremelty hot? Are there any online guide books for them?

Alternatively, the Norte which I love and have done before, but maybe more albergues (or maybe less accommodation with summer??) and lovely beaches. If anyone has any thoughts to help me decide please let me know. I'd be very grateful.

Many thanks.

There's very good guidebook for Invierno posted here in the resources section. You won't need anything else.

 

[peregrina2000]

I would love to do the Olvidado / Invierno as never done those tracks, however unsure about albergues along that route at this time, and also wonder if it might be extremelty hot? Are there any online guide books for them?

If you can get on Facebook, take a look at this post. The author has laid out all his accommodations for an upcoming Olvidado. It is in Spanish, but the link to google brings you to his map with 22 accommodations indicated. This looks like a great resource, but be warned, the albergues are closed, so prices are higher than albergues.

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For the Invierno, as Kinky says, take a look at the forum Invierno guide. The Invierno facebook page, https://www.facebook.com/manuelangel.raimundezblanco, doesn’t have as much information, but apparently the albergue in Villavieja, 16 km outside Ponferrada, is open. There are fewer albergues on the Invierno than the Olvidado, though.

As far as the decision between Norte and Olvidado/Invierno, I have read that there have been difficulties finding lodging on the Norte. This problem is only going to be intensified throughout August, which is prime vacation time. If the albergues are closed, pilgrims have to take private accommodations, but the Norte is typically awash with tourists during summer, so that makes prices high and availability low. That makes me think private accommodations will be more plentiful and cheaper on the Olvidado/Invierno, which probably doesn’t see the rush of tourists that the Norte towns do.

I don’t know about temperatures, but since so much of the Olvidado is in higher elevations, I would guess it’s a bit cooler than lower routes. But that’s a totally unscientific guess.

Good luck with this, let us know what happens! Buen camino, Laurie

 

[Pierre Julian]

Thanks both for your very helpful information. That's great. Hmmm lots to decide. I might also rethink the Frances, which I usually avoid in summer, but maybe more quiet this year and more albergues.

 

[Pierre Julian]

If you can get on Facebook, take a look at this post. The author has laid out all his accommodations for an upcoming Olvidado.

Thanks Peregrina, I've just worked out the list this guy is using, that's great, a real help.

 

[jsalt]

Thanks both for your very helpful information. That's great. Hmmm lots to decide. I might also rethink the Frances, which I usually avoid in summer, but maybe more quiet this year and more albergues.

If I had the choice (which I don’t – you are sooooo blessed) I would jump at walking the CF right now, while it is so quiet . . . and albergues open along the way to stay at . . . . then walk the Norte again another year.

P.S. (re your other thread) I loved the walk from Bilbao to Portugalete. It was a Sunday and I really enjoyed seeing the industrial area on a quiet day.

 

[VNwalking]

Or...if you are concerned about the accommodation on the Olvidado, how about walking the Frances to Ponferrada and then following the Invierno to Santiago? (Like Jill, I wish I had the conundrum you do. )
Buen camino, whichever you choose!

 

[Pierre Julian]

Thanks Jill and VN, great advice.