Do I Need a sleeping bag liner for CF in May 2016?

[Karen Schoenfelder]

My husband & I will be leaving in less than a month and the only "equipment" I haven't purchased is a sleeping bag liner. We would like to stay in private rooms rather than dormitories as I don't sleep well under normal circumstances. I have read that not all alburgues give blankets and am wondering if I am making a mistake by not taking one. We will only be walking approx 2 wks from Leon to Santiago. Please let me know if a liner is needed. Also, will it be hard in May to find a private room along the Camino? I'm usually a planner and book ahead but this time I really want to walk until we are tired and stop when we need to. As I'm sure you can tell--we are first timers!
Thanks for all the info--this forum has been so helpful!

 

[dougfitz]

My husband & I will be leaving in less than a month and the only "equipment" I haven't purchased is a sleeping bag liner. We would like to stay in private rooms rather than dormitories as I don't sleep well under normal circumstances. I have read that not all alburgues give blankets and am wondering if I am making a mistake by not taking one. We will only be walking approx 2 wks from Leon to Santiago. Please let me know if a liner is needed. Also, will it be hard in May to find a private room along the Camino? I'm usually a planner and book ahead but this time I really want to walk until we are tired and stop when we need to. As I'm sure you can tell--we are first timers!
Thanks for all the info--this forum has been so helpful!

It is not clear from your post whether you are taking a sleeping bag. If you are not, you will probably need to confirm that there are blankets available where you are staying, and it is generally accepted good practice to use a liner if sheets are not provided. In Galicia, a bottom sheet is provided, but not a top sheet, so my view is that a liner should still be carried.

If you are carrying a sleeping bag, it is also good practice to carry a liner to protect the bag. For a start, you can wash the liner much more readily than a bag. Even if you are only going for a couple of weeks, you might want to give it a wash every few days. Equally, if you are prepared to live with a dirty sleeping bag, and get it washed or dry-cleaned when you return home, then you might decide not to carry the liner.

I have never stayed in private rooms in albergues, but I don't think they will be that much different to the dormitory rooms. In hotels or hostels, etc, you would expect to have all bed linen provided.

 

[Anniesantiago]

Regarding booking ahead, I'd say you'd better do it now if you plan on doing it.
I began booking lodging for my May Camino back in December and things were already filling up and prices were going up.

 

[Karen Schoenfelder]

To Doug, I'm not carrying a sleeping bag at all. I'm hoping to find private accommodations that have bedding.
Annie, I didn't want to book ahead at all since I have no idea how far we will be able to walk each day. Booking ahead forces us to either stop too early or not be able to make it to the place we booked. I would like to walk as far as we can each day and then find a place. Will that be difficult? I'm concerned about how to find a place at the of our day esp if the lodging is off the Camino. I will have my iPhone with the ATT intl plan for cell service. What do you suggest?

 

[Anniesantiago]

To Doug, I'm not carrying a sleeping bag at all. I'm hoping to find private accommodations that have bedding.
Annie, I didn't want to book ahead at all since I have no idea how far we will be able to walk each day. Booking ahead forces us to either stop too early or not be able to make it to the place we booked. I would like to walk as far as we can each day and then find a place. Will that be difficult? I'm concerned about how to find a place at the of our day esp if the lodging is off the Camino. I will have my iPhone with the ATT intl plan for cell service. What do you suggest?

Well, first of all, I have AT&T also and their international plan sucks.
I just replace their SIM with a Vodafone SIM when I get into Spain.

Re booking private rooms ahead - I'll just say good luck and let the Camino provide There's no way to know now difficult it will be or how deep your pockets will need to be. I will tell you that the Camino is already busier than usual right now and from people that are reporting back to me, lodging is at a premium.

Regarding a sleeping bag, from what I'm hearing, I wouldn't go without one myself, in May.
I doubt municipals will have the heat on in May, but private lodgings will offer linens and blankets so it's not an issue.
But if you do, and you get cold, you can always buy one there.

 

[C.C.]

All I took was the liner - walked 2017, April/May. Often there were blankets in the hostels - and if there weren't and it was cold ... slept in my clothes. Better than carrying a sleeping bag for the couple of nights that I could have used it.