Booking beds ahead??

[lulusmom]

Hi Everyone,

I'm pretty new here, and mostly been lurking and reading the invaluable information. I have read many people suggesting booking rooms ahead. But how does one know how far one will feel like going each day? I mean, I know we can set goals for ourselves, but not knowing exactly how tired we'll be each day, or how much pep we'll suddenly find we have, does it really make sense to book ahead? I'm thinking of *mostly* staying in hotels, but obviously in some places/situations this won't be possible. Am I going to find myself bedless?

Thank you in advance for any information or tips you can offer.
cheers,
Kari

 

[sillydoll]

Kari - it would be best to purchase a guide book - the small one from the CSJ of UK will do - and work out more or less how far you think you can walk each day. If it is 25km, check the info in the guide book to see if there is a hotel or inn available in the village or stop over place at each 25km mark. There might not always be alternative accommodation (only a pilgrim shelter) and that would mean continuing to the next place which might be fair distance away.
Use this website to plot and itinerary of sorts. It doesn't have to be followed exactly but it will give you an idea of what accommodation is available in each place along the Camino.
http://www.godesalco.com/plan

 

[annakappa]

I would say that it all depends on:
when you are walking (time of the year)
Where you are walking (which route)
Why are you walking (hotels versus albergues. Do you want to avoid the pilgrim crowd by staying in hotels)?
Anne

 

[lulusmom]

Thank you both for your replies. I'll be walking starting in early/mid May next year, on the French route from St. Jean Pied de Port (did I get that right?). I don't at all want to avoid the pilgrim crowd, but heck, I don't even sleep in bed with my husband ... pretty bad insomnia, and am hoping sleeping alone in hotels or private rooms will help me get the sleep I need. Also, I have a (much loved and *very* chatty) 4 year old, and am looking for a little bit of quiet time. That is not the main reason I'm doing the walk, but it seems like a nice silver lining.

I do have a few guide books and have just finished the wonderful one (Brierly?) that lists all the different places. I plan to take this book along with me, and use it ... but what confuses me is why I would tie myself down to where I was going to spend the night when I don't know for sure how I'm going to feel that day. From the various things I've read, some days you have the oomph and the motivation, and other days not so much, so how would I know the day before, let alone a week or so before? I really don't have any problem spending nights in a pilgrim shelter, but I do think that I'll have a better chance of sleeping well in a solo room (and I realize this will likely not be possible all, maybe not even most, nights). Again, I'm absolutely ok with this. I'm just confused by how often I see people recommending booking a space ahead of time. Isn't part of the idea to just let what happens happen?

Thank you again for your responses.

 

[annakappa]

If I were you, I would "play it by ear". There will be a moment that the Camino gets crowded and that is around the week of Whitsun. Many people will take an extended long weekend (really two) plus their extra days due for this holiday weekend, so then, you might have to book ahead if you want to go to an hotel. However, I really don't think it will be necessary to book more than one day ahead, because you will begin to get the know the "Pilgrim flow" and as you proceed, you can decide a few hours before, where you want to stay and then call ahead at that moment. I personally would not like to commit myself more than that. You said quite rightly "why would I tie myself down to where I was going to spend the night when I don't know for sure how I'm going to feel that day".As the time gets nearer, check this forum regulary as people will be posting lots of useful information that could well be helpful to you. Anne

 

[sillydoll]

I agree with Anne - play it by ear. May is one of the most popular months and you might have to book a few days ahead in the smaller places. You can decide ahead of time whether you want to walk 25km or 30km in two days time.
I have never booked beds ahead on the camino and except for a hotel in Burgos and in Leon only stayed in albergues. But when I walked the via Francigena, I booked 30 beds before we left South Africa. This was mainly because there were no pilgrim shelters and because other VF pilgrims had lamented about the lack of accommodation and the distances between places. It made a huge difference knowing that there was a bed and a hot shower waiting for us at the end of the day - no matter how far we had to walk.
Good luck with your planning!

 

[lulusmom]

Thank you both again so very much. I hadn't planned on booking, but having read through this forum (somewhat obsessively, I have to admit - so much useful information) over the past couple of months, I've noticed many people suggesting booking ahead, and I started thinking that maybe somehow I was planning wrong. I will, as you suggest, play it by ear, and if things start looking iffy bed-wise, I'll start booking.

Based on the Brierly book (which I really think is wonderful), I've made a sort of preliminary plan for my days. But again, who knows how I'll wake up feeling each day - especially in the early stages. I'm working on getting myself in the best camino shape possible, and working on my Spanish, but you don't know until you get there. I'm very excited.

Thank you again.
kari

 

[ranthr]

Hei Kari!
Use the http://www.mundicamino.com and search under lodging, write down some names of hostels/ hotels and their tlphnumbers at places you plan to stop or some km before. Then you can call a day or two before and get places to sleep.
Last autumn I had booked all nights from Le Puy to St. Jean. My problem with this was that I some days could have walked a longer distances, never the opposite.
In Spain I had booked in Roncesvalles, Akarreta(Larasoaña, because I did not want to stay in the albergue there), Burgos, Leon and Santiago. The rest of the nights I called the night before. I stayed in albergues in a few places where I did not get a room. The tourist offices in Spain usually do not book room for you like in France. They give you a list of places and numbers.You can get them to take a call using your private phone if you ask. You can also ask the host where you stay to call the next hotel. Be aware of the youth hostel in Estella, Albergue Juvenil Oncineda or something like that on the way out of town. I have stayed there twice, got my own room with four beds and a key. Very good sexsegregated bathrooms with soap, paper, a lot of showers. When I asked why there were so few pilgrims they supposed they were too expensive. I paid 12 or 15 euros.
There are a lot of small hostels along the road if you do not want to stay in refugios. But of course if you want the freedom to stop anywhere and have a social caminolife the refugios or albergues is the thing.
Randi

 

[alipilgrim]

Hi,
I've only walked the Camino Frances, so that is my only experience but from what I've read online it seems that booking ahead seems important more in France (the country) than on the Frances (route thru Spain). There is an abundance of accommodation on the Frances route, though perhaps not always what you might like, so booking ahead is generally not necessary and yes, that would then free you up to set each day's distance as you walk it. Very liberating....

alipilgrim

 

[jeff001]

In 2008 I did what you are planning at about the same time. In most cases I was able to book a room one day ahead but a couple of times it became a problem. I found that having my own phone made it easier to get someone who spoke better than I to call ahead for me.

 

[lulusmom]

Thanks again to everyone for the very useful comments. I got a bit nervous about the Easter thing, and then looked it up. That will be March, but there will be a bank holiday sometime in late May that I probably need to worry about.

I'm happy to hear that France is more of a problem than Spain. I really do want the freedom to do as much (or as little) walking each day as feels right. But for the big cities I will do what I can to book ahead a day or two in advance, since I know that I'll want to have a look around and a nice dinner while there.

I'm planning on taking my Brierly book with me - he seems to give a huge amount of information about places to stay. I read (I think on another thread) a suggestion to always go just a little farther or a little less than he suggests, since so many follow his book. This seems sensible to me. I'll at least give it a try the first few days.

Again, I appreciate so much the wonderful help you've all given me.
cheers,
Kari

 

[lulusmom]

One more quick question - this for Jeff. When you say you did what I'm planning to do, you mean you stayed in hotels most nights?

 

[annakappa]

I got a bit nervous about the Easter thing, and then looked it up. That will be March, but there will be a bank holiday sometime in late May that I probably need to worry about.
Kari

Hang on a minute Kari, Easter will be very late next year, on 24th April. The next public holiday will be 1st May, then you will get Ascencion 39 days after Easter and Whitsun 49 days after Easter. So that brings you into June. It will be the period between Ascencion and Whitsun (Pentescostés) when you will find lots of people on the Camino, because they will take advantage of 2 long weekends strung together. Anne

 

[alipilgrim]

Found this online, if you click on the flag in the top line of the matrix, it tells you what region the holiday refers to

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Public_holidays_in_Spain

 

[lulusmom]

Well now see there, I thought I was off the hook when I noticed that Easter was going to be over by the time I got there; no such luck. I really need to sit down with a calendar and my "plan" (in quotation marks because it will only be a guess at where I'll make it each night) and figure out what general area I'll be in during the time between the two long weekends. Thanks so much to Anna and apilgrim for the help on that one.

Like most others I do have *some* time constraint. I plan to meet my husband and daughter in Santiago 5 weeks (maybe a few days slightly less than that) after starting. I think of myself as a good, strong walker, but the reality of the Pyrennes, etc. might break me of my illusions!

cheers,
kari

 

[sillydoll]

Kari - the crossing from St Jean to Roncesvalles is over one of the most gentle passes on the entire Pyrenees range! It is walked in one day (for most hikers). For real Pyrenees mountain hiking you'd have to move further east.
Shirley Maclaine set the standard for me, way back in 1999, when I read in her book that she walked from St Jean to Roncesvalles in one day (she was 60 years old) and still looked for a little bit of after dark male company that night! It kinda took the excitement out of it!

 

[Canuck]

For real Pyrenees mountain hiking you'd have to move further west.

You mean ''further east'' don't you?

The Central Pyrnees offer the highest points and most important changes in altitudes while the western part is more ''gentle''.

Jean-Marc

 

[sillydoll]

Ooops! Yes of course - I meant further east.

 

[annakappa]

I plan to meet my husband and daughter in Santiago 5 weeks (maybe a few days slightly less than that) after starting. I think of myself as a good, strong walker,

cheers,
kari

Just take it easy for the first 4/5 days, until your body gets into the rythm of walking for 5/7 hours a day, with a pack on your back. Once you feel that your body - especially legs and feet are behaving well, you could increase your daily distance. As you get nearer to Santiago, you will probably find that your legs just go automatically and it's a great feeling! You could always invite your husband and daughter to take a bus out one or two days from Santiago and walk in with you! As regards pre-booking in advance, I just wouldn't do it. At the very most, if you see that the "crowd" is building up, then call ahead on the morning of your walk, if you want to be really sure of a place to lay your head! Anne

 

[lulusmom]

Sillydoll - thanks for the laugh (and the vote of confidence!). I think I *won't* be looking for male companionship after a day of hiking, but it amuses me to think that was what was on Shirley Maclaine's mind after making her way over the mountains. It does help to know it is a fairly gentle climb - I'd read that it was like walking up San Francisco's steepest hills for the whole 7 hours.

And Anna, the pack is one of the things I'm a little nervous about. I'm used to walking, and walking a lot, but not with a pack on. I imagine it will take some time getting used to that.

As much as I love the idea of having my daughter and husband walk the last leg or two with me, I'm thinking her 4 year old legs couldn't take it (or at least not at the pace I'm used to). But I want her to be aware of what it is I'm trying to accomplish. I'm turning 50 this year, and this is my birthday present to myself (and my husband taking care of her during the whole 5 weeks is HIS birthday present to me! ). So part of it is giving myself this time to think about what I've done with/in my life, and what I'd like to do with the rest of it. But another part is showing Lulu that a person can do tough things, and that doing them makes one feel great and strong.

thanks, as always, for the wonderful advice.

 

[sillydoll]

What a lovely gift to yourself! I wonder why some women feel the need to do something physically challenging when they turn 50? I ran the London Marathon for my 50th birthday present and haven't stopped running and walking since!
If you haven't already bought a pack, make sure you buy the most comfortable ultralight pack you can afford. No need for a 1.5kg heavy duty, steel-framed canvas monster that is meant for mountain camping trips with ski poles and ice picks.
90% of camino hikers only carry clothing and toiletries so theoretically you could carry it in a bundle over your shoulder or strap it to your back like carrying a baby!
Take only the bare minimum - 2 of each is sufficient. Practise carrying the pack around the house and on your training walks and hikes.
Enjoy your planning! Its often just as much fun as the actual walking!

 

[lulusmom]

It is SO true - anticipation can either be so much better or so much worse than the real thing, can't it?

Very funny about you and the 50th birthday present! It just seems so much the right thing to do. I've been wanting to do it for ages, and things just sort of came together for it right at this time, and I'm thrilled.

Good advice about the pack. I hope to start shopping for it next month. We're leaving the country (my husband is a professor, and will be on sabbatical) for Jan. and Feb. Little worried about how that will interfere with my training, but since part of it will be in New Zealand, I plan to make good use of the hills/mountains nearby.

Any of you tried these no-blister socks? They certainly sound perfect, but since they have to be ordered from abroad, adding significantly to the cost, I am somewhat loathe to try without testimonials. Most on this site seem to think they're helpful.

 

[CaroleH]

2 quick points Lulu.....

Pack: Going to NZ??? You could check out or pick up , an AArn body pack, made in NZ.... I'll find the web tomorrow if you like. ...or look here on the Forum.... there was lots of talk about them. We have bought one for my Husband and I'll be buying one before next year's camino. Called a Body Pack, the Aarn Liquid Agility variety is small, 32ltr plus front balance packs of 6, 12 or 15 ltr. and great.... the system involves 2 balance packs on the front, and tho we haven;t really tested it yet, it sure feels great so far. I'm determined to cut the weight for our 4th camino to about 8kg.

Socks. Have just got a pair of the 1000mile socks from UK and have used them for a week or two but also not really tested, but feel good. As I have had bad blister problems almost every camino, I'm hopeful these will help.... and the feedback is brilliant, apart from a slight issue with drying time.

Good luck. Carole

 

[lulusmom]

Hi Carole,

Thanks for the tip on picking up the NZ made body pack. Are they hard to get elsewhere? Obviously a 2 month trip means we'll have ridiculous luggage, but I can always buy it there and mail it back to myself if that makes more sense than trying to buy it from here.

Good news that so far the socks are working well for you. I tend to blister fairly easily. I have one pair of hiking boots that I used in France 5 years ago, but my hikes were maybe 7 miles a day -def. less than I hope to do on the Camino. My problem is that I have oddly small feet (aforementioned boots are a children's size 4.5) so finding another pair if those somehow don't still seem to work (that was early in my pregnancy, and my feet may have widened, although I haven't really noticed it with any other shoes) might be difficult. Finding socks that helps reduce blistering would be fantastic.

4 caminos - I'm impressed. It makes me think that maybe in 12 years or so, when Lulu is 16, we could do it together.

thanks again, I feel very lucky to be getting such warm and helpful advice from you all.
cheers,
kari