Biking and Albergues

[LVDWD]

I understand that some Albergues (maybe all give priority to walkers)? Has anyone who has biked the Camino had experience trying to use an Albergue being turned away until a all the walkers had checked in. If so can you relate that experience and how many times it happened. And was it easy to find alternative accomodation late in the day?

 

[Saint Mike II]

Hola - there was a post earlier on this part of the forum and the situation is as Mendi advised, only public/govt run albergues give preference to walkers. Usually cyclists will be admitted after 4.00 PM and of course ALL privately run albergues will take all pilgrims (for a fee!!). If you are starting out after the end of August or say mid-Sept there should be less demand for accommodation. Buen Camino

 

[Deleted member 3000]

of course ALL privately run albergues will take all pilgrims

That is not true; only some will. Their restrictions are usually noted in gronze.com and the Eroski site.

 

[mspath]

You may wish to investigate the Bike-Line Service for cyclists on the Camino Frances which lists those albergues which ARE cyclist friendly. See >> http://bike-line.blogspot.com.es/ For example one such albergue where I stayed late October 2010 is at Viloria de Rioja just east of Belorado. Acacio and Orietta have a wonderful refuge for pilgrims and cyclists. They have created this comfortable oasis from abandoned animal sheds; there are 10 bunks in a dorm heated by a wood burning stove. Great showers water you and not the ceiling, walls or your clothes. Wifi is available as is a multilingual library specializing in books by Paulo Coelho. See >> http://www.peregrinando.org/.

Buen Camino!

 

[hecate105]

I was never told to come back until after walkers arrived. In several albergues where it filled up to capacity we were still not asked or told to leave, but we did offer to sleep outside in our tent if needed. At another where it got really busy no mention was made of walkers v cyclists, but staff made plans to get mattresses to put on the floor once beds were full. Personally I think normal rules of politeness apply - I would give up my bunk to an older person than myself, or someone who was ill/exhausted or a child.

 

[Deise]

To me a bici are same as a pie - I go by foot but have met some very nice cyclists.
Probably best group of cyclists I have met were on the VDLP from Entroncamento Portugal

 

[LVDWD]

You may wish to investigate the Bike-Line Service for cyclists on the Camino Frances which lists those albergues which ARE cyclist friendly. See >> http://bike-line.blogspot.com.es/ For example one such albergue where I stayed late October 2010 is at Viloria de Rioja just east of Belorado. Acacio and Orietta have a wonderful refuge for pilgrims and cyclists. They have created this comfortable oasis from abandoned animal sheds; there are 10 bunks in a dorm heated by a wood burning stove. Great showers water you and not the ceiling, walls or your clothes. Wifi is available as is a multilingual library specializing in books by Paulo Coelho. See >> http://www.peregrinando.org/.

Buen Camino!

Thanks for that info.
A couple of ? The list of abbreviations in the list is somewhat incomplete, I can see that M = municipal and P =private but what is Par, A and X mean?
There are a couple of Auberges at Viloria de Rioja which one did you stay at.

Also the ones at Acacio and Orietta do not seem to be listed?

I see that you have biked it a few times, can you give an indication of when and where you went off the pilgrims route?

 

[mspath]

LVDWD,

I have only walked the CF but never biked it. In that Bike-Line list Par. A probabably means a parish albergue and X means closed. Acacio and Orietto are the joint owners/hospitaleros of their Refugio in VdR. Click the closing link in my above post to find more abòut that spot.

MM

 

[LVDWD]

LVDWD,

I have only walked the CF but never biked it. In that Bike-Line list Par. A probabably means a parish albergue and X means closed. Acacio and Orietto are the joint owners/hospitaleros of their Refugio in VdR. Click the closing link in my above post to find more abòut that spot.

MM

Thanks not sure what you mean re the closing list

 

[mspath]

The closing link is the last link which closed my first post!

 

[Cambridge Pilgrim]

We cycled last year - end of August/beginning September. We weren't ever turned away from an albergue - municipal or private - and certainly always arrived long before many walkers. All were helpful in finding places for us to secure our bikes too.

 

[Deleted member 3000]

From the Pilgrim Office website on the Credencial; there may be restrictions for bicyclists:

• Albergues provide simple accommodation. They do not receive grants for their upkeep and need to be sustained, cleaned and maintained. This is achieved through the contributions of pilgrims.
• Organised groups with a support vehicle or on bicycles are asked to find alternative accommodation from the pilgrim albergues.
• The bearer of the Credencial accepts these conditions.
  
  

 

[Cambridge Pilgrim]

From the Pilgrim Office website on the Credencial; there may be restrictions for bicyclists:

• Albergues provide simple accommodation. They do not receive grants for their upkeep and need to be sustained, cleaned and maintained. This is achieved through the contributions of pilgrims.
• Organised groups with a support vehicle or on bicycles are asked to find alternative accommodation from the pilgrim albergues.
• The bearer of the Credencial accepts these conditions.
  

Though that specifies organised groups.

 

[Deleted member 3000]

Though that specifies organised groups.

I think you are parsing it incorrectly. It is an English translation. Try the original Spanish.

Regardless, it is a restriction on bicyclists, and many albergues will not admit bicyclists until after 4 p.m. or 6 p.m. in the high season. I have witnessed them turned away a dozen times.

 

[Cambridge Pilgrim]

Damn me and my parsing!!

The "Red" group of albergues are bike friendly.

http://www.redalberguessantiago.com/