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Shortage of beds in August

Tonm

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The Camino primitivo is not able to manage pilgrims wave in August. People are making phone reservations and the albergues are full. Today campiello was already at noon full.
I had to go to pola de allenda and book a hotel. How can i best avoid the “wave”, should i wait 2 days?
 
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I’ve been in Grado for a week now and every day there have been enough pilgrims to fill the Albergue when we open the doors at 2pm; the first ones are turning up at around 11.45 having walked the 26km from Oviedo.
The last few nights the town has been absolutely rammed with pilgrims; so much so that a small number have had to sleep in the park.
If a town as big as Grado is getting filled so early in the day it’s not surprising that somewhere like Camiello is full, even allowing for the spreading out of the wave with distance.
 
Numbers in august seem to be very high indeed. For the last few days also Ferreira (27kms after Lugo, on the last stretch before the connection to the Frances) has been almost full.
 
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We climbed up the hill to San Juan. It was a wonderful experience and no hill to face the next morning!
 
We climbed up the hill to San Juan. It was a wonderful experience and no hill to face the next morning!
I also stayed in san juan, but on sunday many got the answer that it was full. Kudos to the hospitaliero who arrannged for several an alternative and even drove them there. During the camino frances i always stayed away from the standard bigger places where everybody stops. On the camino primitivo this is not pissible due to the km‘s per stage and the low nr of Albergues. But still i love the primitivo it is a sensational walk!!!
 
Seems to be easing off a bit...the donativo albergue here in Grado wasn't full until about 4pm, instead of the usual hour before the 2pm opening time.
 
...and ship it to Santiago for storage. You pick it up once in Santiago. Service offered by Casa Ivar (we use DHL for transportation).
Grado was basically full up today by 15:45. Peregrinos were sharing a taxi to the next places.
 
Im a bit nervous now heading to the French camino tomorrow resuming at burgos,I was lead to believe it would be quite?
 
The focus is on reducing the risk of failure through being well prepared. 2nd ed.
Im a bit nervous now heading to the French camino tomorrow resuming at burgos,I was lead to believe it would be quite?
Should be OK on the Frances. A lot more choices of where to stay and a lot less distance between. The nature of the Primitivo means that there are a lot fewer “in between” opportunities to find a bunk than on the Frances.
 
Well yesterday was quite mad. Not only Grado was full but also the next 2 albergues 5 and 6 kilometres away. We ended up looking after 21 pilgrim's last night, 5 more than we have bunks for.
 
By way of contrast.
Ruta de la Lana 01/09/18. I saw only two people in albergues on the latter stages of the route. I knew there were two Spanish pilgrims and their dog a couple of days ahead of me and (thank's to the forum) a Brit and Dutch a few day's behind me. This was over the course of a month.
In Burgos on 3/10/18 as I was walking to the train station at around 07.30 I counted two groups of pilgrims walking over a bridge along the Frances, a group of 6 and followed by another of around 7. Not sure if they were walking together or had just bunched up.
More in 5 minutes than I had seen in one month.
There is more than one way to be "ahead of the wave", you make your own choice.
Don.
 
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Well yesterday was quite mad. Not only Grado was full but also the next 2 albergues 5 and 6 kilometres away. We ended up looking after 21 pilgrim's last night, 5 more than we have bunks for.
Hi, I’m just about to start the Primitivo from Oviedo day after next and wondering if there is still a “wave” or it has now eased off? Many thanks!
 
Hi, I’m just about to start the Primitivo from Oviedo day after next and wondering if there is still a “wave” or it has now eased off? Many thanks!
You have started already. From Oviedo I expect it to go down from now on. You can always reserve one day ahead if you wish and will find out soon what the situation is.
Keep us informed! :)
Buen camino!
 
Hi, I’m just about to start the Primitivo from Oviedo day after next and wondering if there is still a “wave” or it has now eased off? Many thanks!
Hello,
I’m in Lugo now. After I left Grado the only place I couldn’t get a bed was Grandas de Salime. I had to walk on to Castro where I got the last room in a rather charming casa rural. I normally start around 8 and I’ve been a bit of a stroller this time so I’m often amongst the last to arrive anywhere! Would recommend booking in Grandas if you want to stay there, but Castro - great food at the Youth Hostel - is really lovely (would book there too)
You’re probably somewhere around Salas by now. Buen Camino!
 
The focus is on reducing the risk of failure through being well prepared. 2nd ed.
Im a bit nervous now heading to the French camino tomorrow resuming at burgos,I was lead to believe it would be quite?
I'm in the CF now, in Najera. The only place we couldn't find an albergue bed was in Los Arcos. There were multiple tourist groups all arriving the same day. I ended up at a pension in one of only two rooms left (which did also sell out).
 
Hi I had no problems on the Primitivo - just one night where an albergue full (Castro) but i got a hotel 100m down the road. I reach Santiago tomorrow! Having met people along the way we are now party of 4, so have been reserving ahead the last 3 days as we get closer.
Loved the Primitivo!
:)
J
 
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The second half of August was very crowded and it became a race to get to the Albergues almost every day. Grado, Borres, Sanblisimo, Berducedo, Grandas de Salime. O Cadovo... After getting tired of racing to get a bed I started to book in private albergues up to three days ahead of time. I was told August is always busy but in some places was told it was unusually busy, with a couple of large groups doing the Camino Primitivo (some of them partly by bus). I was also reassured that in September there's never a problem.

Yet, once everybody I was meeting on the way started to book in private albergues, It started to be easier to get into the Albergues Municipales.
 
The second half of August was very crowded and it became a race to get to the Albergues almost every day. Grado, Borres, Sanblisimo, Berducedo, Grandas de Salime. O Cadovo... After getting tired of racing to get a bed I started to book in private albergues up to three days ahead of time. I was told August is always busy but in some places was told it was unusually busy, with a couple of large groups doing the Camino Primitivo (some of them partly by bus). I was also reassured that in September there's never a problem.

Yet, once everybody I was meeting on the way started to book in private albergues, It started to be easier to get into the Albergues Municipales.
I am planning on walking the primitivo for the first time in July. I'm worried this may happen and detract from my experience. How did you book/find private alberques and what was the average rate, if you don't mind replying I'd appreciate it! Thanks!
 
There's a really good app for doing the Camino called Buen Camino (in English as well) where you can plan your stages and calculate distances. It gives information about the services available in each town and village and provides phone numbers and websites (if they have them) for all the municipal and private hostels on the trail. Very useful. After the third day of racing early in the morning to secure a bed wherever I wanted to stay I decided to book beds ahead of time, mostly using the information in the app and calling up. If you don't have roaming, I recommend getting a local SIM card. I got one. I spent €20 euros on it and it lasted me the whole trip. Data (7GB) and phone calls included.
 
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The one from Galicia (the round) and the one from Castilla & Leon. Individually numbered and made by the same people that make the ones you see on your walk.
Im at O Cebriero now ,i walked from Burgos,I had no difficulty getting a bed
Well done, that's your last big climb, so just rolling up and down all the way to SdC, or on to Finisterre too if you have time to do the extension. Some of the up hills will be a bit of a push, but they don't last long or go very high.
Not far to go now, enjoy the Galician countryside in all its greenery. At Tricastela you'll need to decide left or right, to the left goes via Samos and its famous monastery (but check opening times if you want to visit or stay there).
Buen Camino,
Mark
 
No beds in berduceo on the 20th Sept after a gruelling but breathtaking walk from campiello via hospitales route. We had to walk la Mesa extra 4km which was pretty hard considering some arrived by taxi to berduceo and got the last beds. We only lucky to get last beds there my advice prebook for hostels after hospitales
 
The one from Galicia (the round) and the one from Castilla & Leon. Individually numbered and made by the same people that make the ones you see on your walk.
There's a really good app for doing the Camino called Buen Camino (in English as well) where you can plan your stages and calculate distances. It gives information about the services available in each town and village and provides phone numbers and websites (if they have them) for all the municipal and private hostels on the trail. Very useful. After the third day of racing early in the morning to secure a bed wherever I wanted to stay I decided to book beds ahead of time, mostly using the information in the app and calling up. If you don't have roaming, I recommend getting a local SIM card. I got one. I spent €20 euros on it and it lasted me the whole trip. Data (7GB) and phone calls included.
Which company did you get your sim card from?
 
Which company did you get your sim card from?
I was heading for a Movistar shop but found a Phone House shop on the way. Phone Shop sells SIM cards from several companies and I got a Llamaya SIM card. The shop assistant, after looking through what they had to offer, said it was the most convenient price and data-wise for what I wanted. I paid 10 euros for the card and another 10 euros for a pre-paid 7GB of data and150 minutes for a month (Plan 7GB de Prepago as per my receipt). Hope this helps.
 
I was heading for a Movistar shop but found a Phone House shop on the way. Phone Shop sells SIM cards from several companies and I got a Llamaya SIM card. The shop assistant, after looking through what they had to offer, said it was the most convenient price and data-wise for what I wanted. I paid 10 euros for the card and another 10 euros for a pre-paid 7GB of data and150 minutes for a month (Plan 7GB de Prepago as per my receipt). Hope this helps.
Thanks
 
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