Camino Frances April 2024 advice

[william thomas]

Minimise weight. Most hostels now open including municipals. St. Jean lively but not too busy. Both routes to Roncesvalles are strenuous - minimise weight and only attempt if you are reasonably fit. Minimise weight. No need to book after Roncesvalles if you arrive at destination in good time. Avoid larger towns on Sundays - very busy and noisy. Try and time your route so you reach smaller quieter places on Sundays. Minimise weight. Most places - hostels & bars - accept card payment, a few small ones insist on currency. Minimise weight.

 

[Anniesantiago]

Is this current advice or advice from 2014?
Are you on the Camino right now?
Because I understand lodgings in Zubiri are very difficult to get right now.
Just wondering...

 

[william thomas]

Is this current advice or advice from 2014?
Are you on the Camino right now?
Because I understand lodgings in Zubiri are very difficult to get right now.
Just wondering...

Am on Camino now, currently in Los Arcos. Start from Roncesvalles in good time, bunk in Zubiri should be OK - but be prepared to continue to Larrasoaña if necessary. Municipal is open there. It makes a long day but OK if you're fit.

 

[Antnix1]

So there's a bed race?.. and you should book Zubiri in advance if you want to stay there?
Got it.

 

[arkron]

I’m currently in Viana, 6th day on the Frances.
Only twice I heard about full albergues - once in Roncesvalles (just reserve your bed before) and yesterday in Villamayor in the Oasis Albergue. I was in the other one and it wasn’t even half occupied. Same in Viana. Just stay out of the proposed stages and you don’t need to reserve.
Situation might change end of April or if you start at the weekend though!

 

[good_old_shoes]

Is this current advice or advice from 2014?
Are you on the Camino right now?
Because I understand lodgings in Zubiri are very difficult to get right now.
Just wondering...

I am walking right now.

There's a lot of fearmongering going on (again) it seems.

I stayed in Zubiri very recently.

That day, there was a rumor starting that Zubiri was already fully booked (or almost). So people started to book like crazy while on the walk from Roncesvalles, some rushed to "still get a bed" as a walk-in.

I continued relaxed and arrived 1:30/2 pm.

At that time there were still more than 30 beds available in the municipal.

In the end it didn't fill up at all.

Same for Pamplona, people were booking and running because they "had heard" it would be all full.

In Pamplona the Casa Paderborn where I stayed didn't fill up either. On a crazy busy weekend.

The hospitaleros said, in the last two weeks they'd only been full four or five times and never before 5-6pm.

Roncesvalles did fill up I heard and a few pilgrims had to continue to Burguete. But I can't confirm that, since I didn't stay there.

I stayed in the campsite just after Burguete (in the tent, but the campsite also has over 40 pilgrims beds according to gronze). I didn't see a single other pilgrim there.

It seems some are on their personal bed race, for whatever reason, but so far I let them hurry past me, arrive later, and still get a place to sleep (without reservations).

 

[Anniesantiago]

I am walking right now.

There's a lot of fearmongering going on (again) it seems.

I stayed in Zubiri very recently.

That day, there was a rumor starting that Zubiri was already fully booked (or almost). So people started to book like crazy while on the walk from Roncesvalles, some rushed to "still get a bed" as a walk-in.

I continued relaxed and arrived 1:30/2 pm.

At that time there were still more than 30 beds available in the municipal.

In the end it didn't fill up at all.

Same for Pamplona, people were booking and running because they "had heard" it would be all full.

In Pamplona the Casa Paderborn where I stayed didn't fill up either. On a crazy busy weekend.

The hospitaleros said, in the last two weeks they'd only been full four or five times and never before 5-6pm.

Roncesvalles did fill up I heard and a few pilgrims had to continue to Burguete. But I can't confirm that, since I didn't stay there.

I stayed in the campsite just after Burguete (in the tent, but the campsite also has over 40 pilgrims beds according to gronze). I didn't see a single other pilgrim there.

It seems some are on their personal bed race, for whatever reason, but so far I let them hurry past me, arrive later, and still get a place to sleep (without reservations).

How nice you got a bed at Paderborn.
That's one of my favorites.

 

[alexwalker]

I am walking right now.

There's a lot of fearmongering going on (again) it seems.

I stayed in Zubiri very recently.

That day, there was a rumor starting that Zubiri was already fully booked (or almost). So people started to book like crazy while on the walk from Roncesvalles, some rushed to "still get a bed" as a walk-in.

I continued relaxed and arrived 1:30/2 pm.

At that time there were still more than 30 beds available in the municipal.

In the end it didn't fill up at all.

Same for Pamplona, people were booking and running because they "had heard" it would be all full.

In Pamplona the Casa Paderborn where I stayed didn't fill up either. On a crazy busy weekend.

The hospitaleros said, in the last two weeks they'd only been full four or five times and never before 5-6pm.

Roncesvalles did fill up I heard and a few pilgrims had to continue to Burguete. But I can't confirm that, since I didn't stay there.

I stayed in the campsite just after Burguete (in the tent, but the campsite also has over 40 pilgrims beds according to gronze). I didn't see a single other pilgrim there.

It seems some are on their personal bed race, for whatever reason, but so far I let them hurry past me, arrive later, and still get a place to sleep (without reservations).

I have just booked a bed for Tuesday April 10th in Pamplona (just bc of all the howling about bed shortages: We'll see when I am "on the ground". No problems in Pamplona, and beds everywhere. Even on booking.con. I think it's time that people relax and let life flow naturally. This booking hype is getting irritating. Live in the now. Expect the unexxpected, live with it, and enjoy the freedom of life on the Camino. But some people, it seems, cannot do that. It's a goodbye to spontanuity as well as to taking action for your own life.

Actually, it seems like society/people is/are more uncertain/afraid of life than before.

@good_old_shoes : "It seems some are on their personal bed race," Indeed. I can only laugh.

 

[OzAnnie]

Hi Alex
Check your booking.
I fly home to oz on Tuesday. I thought the date was 9 April.

Tuesday April 10th in Pamplona

 

[lt56ny]

I think it's time that people relax and let life flow naturally.

It seems some are on their personal bed race, for whatever reason, but so far I let them hurry past me, arrive later, and still get a place to sleep (without reservations).

I agree people need to mellow out and walk. If it is going to be that intense and stressful why bother? I have a feeling much of this angst is caused by new pilgrims who have never walked before. It is the beginning of their camino and they already have anxiety that is natural about the camino itself. But they add this extra big layer and it just snowballs. I know so many want to walk the CF and I understand why. But there are also so many other caminos to walk that are beautiful and can provide a place of peace and spiritual wellbeing if just as well as the CF. I would say walk your first camino on the CF because it is the Frances and it is the one you have heard, read and You Tubed about. But after that branch out and try others. There are caminos for everyone's needs. The problem is everyone thinks they need this or that when it is just a want. Let the camino show you what you need. Those needs may be even more transparent walking a camino that you never even heard of or thought you would want to walk.
Discover those caminos here. There are so many of us on the forum who can help answer your questions about other caminos as popular as the Primitivo, Norte or Portugues, or as unknown as the Vasco, Lana or Mozarabe. Buen Camino

 

[alexwalker]

Hi Alex
Check your booking.
I fly home to oz on Tuesday. I thought the date was 9 April.

Wrong date. Correct booking. Thanks.

 

[geot]

I have been on the Frances a bit over three weeks now and haven’t had any issues finding space in albergues when I show up. Even during Semana Santa when I was told there would be a flood of Spanish walking during the week.

I reach Sarria in 2 days and will see if the situation changes for the final push to Santiago.

 

[InWheel]

I agree people need to mellow out and walk. If it is going to be that intense and stressful why bother? I have a feeling much of this angst is caused by new pilgrims who have never walked before. It is the beginning of their camino and they already have anxiety that is natural about the camino itself. But they add this extra big layer and it just snowballs. I know so many want to walk the CF and I understand why. But there are also so many other caminos to walk that are beautiful and can provide a place of peace and spiritual wellbeing if just as well as the CF. I would say walk your first camino on the CF because it is the Frances and it is the one you have heard, read and You Tubed about. But after that branch out and try others. There are caminos for everyone's needs. The problem is everyone thinks they need this or that when it is just a want. Let the camino show you what you need. Those needs may be even more transparent walking a camino that you never even heard of or thought you would want to walk.
Discover those caminos here. There are so many of us on the forum who can help answer your questions about other caminos as popular as the Primitivo, Norte or Portugues, or as unknown as the Vasco, Lana or Mozarabe. Buen Camino

Hello. I also start my first camino this week and I've chosen CF as the best option. I don't know, if other route would be better I have never done something like this before. Today I was thinking about maybe go for another route, I am pretty sporty. But what I want to ask you. If I start on CF and during the route I realize somehow I would switch to for example to Norte, is that possible? I have 31 days to do it (13.4.-14.5.)

 

[dougfitz]

If I start on CF and during the route I realize somehow I would switch to for example to Norte, is that possible? I have 31 days to do it (13.4.-14.5.)

I have met a few people who have done this over the years. There are places, like Ponferrada or Leon, where you could walk a different route, or you could just catch a bus or train to join the new route at a place of your choosing. My only caution is that if you wish to receive the Compostela, you need to walk in to the Cathedral on one route, and not mix and match. So doing this in the last 100 km won't work in that case.

 

[InWheel]

I have met a few people who have done this over the years. There are places, like Ponferrada or Leon, where you could walk a different route, or you could just catch a bus or train to join the new route at a place of your choosing. My only caution is that if you wish to receive the Compostela, you need to walk in to the Cathedral on one route, and not mix and match. So doing this in the last 100 km won't work in that case.

Thank you, I will consider it.

 

[MareeP]

In Santiago de Compostela now. I know of a pilgrim who found a bed in the 4th albergue he asked at in O'Pedrouzo last Friday afternoon. The first three were full of students. I assume this 'bulge' in numbers will drop as students go back to school but noted student groups still arriving in Santiago today. O'Pedrouzo was the only place he had such an issue.

 

[MinervasCamino]

I am walking right now.

There's a lot of fearmongering going on (again) it seems.

I stayed in Zubiri very recently.

That day, there was a rumor starting that Zubiri was already fully booked (or almost). So people started to book like crazy while on the walk from Roncesvalles, some rushed to "still get a bed" as a walk-in.

I continued relaxed and arrived 1:30/2 pm.

At that time there were still more than 30 beds available in the municipal.

In the end it didn't fill up at all.

Same for Pamplona, people were booking and running because they "had heard" it would be all full.

In Pamplona the Casa Paderborn where I stayed didn't fill up either. On a crazy busy weekend.

The hospitaleros said, in the last two weeks they'd only been full four or five times and never before 5-6pm.

Roncesvalles did fill up I heard and a few pilgrims had to continue to Burguete. But I can't confirm that, since I didn't stay there.

I stayed in the campsite just after Burguete (in the tent, but the campsite also has over 40 pilgrims beds according to gronze). I didn't see a single other pilgrim there.

It seems some are on their personal bed race, for whatever reason, but so far I let them hurry past me, arrive later, and still get a place to sleep (without reservations).

Thank you! I really needed to read this, since I have not booked anything else than my first night at SJPdP. And I hope to be able to listen to my daily condition to see how far I want to go each day, rather than to book in advance.. This is one of the main reasons for my camino.. to not have to plan everything all the time.. My first journey starts in 2 weeks and I am very excited already!

 

[David Tallan]

In Santiago de Compostela now. I know of a pilgrim who found a bed in the 4th albergue he asked at in O'Pedrouzo last Friday afternoon. The first three were full of students. I assume this 'bulge' in numbers will drop as students go back to school but noted student groups still arriving in Santiago today. O'Pedrouzo was the only place he had such an issue.

And it's worth noting that he found a bed.

 

[arkron]

Thank you, I will consider it.

Of course, you can switch. It’s a different experience socially and physically.
When you walk, you build a Camino family after a short while. Consider, if you want to loose that for the different experiences.
The grass is always greener somewhere else

 

[InWheel]

Of course, you can switch. It’s a different experience socially and physically.
When you walk, you build a Camino family after a short while. Consider, if you want to loose that for the different experiences.
The grass is always greener somewhere else

Hi, and thank you for your reply. I cannot but agree with you. I was thinking about it yesterday and also one very good blog on these theme. And according what I read I decided it's better to stay on one route.

 

[Antnix1]

Hello. I also start my first camino this week and I've chosen CF as the best option. I don't know, if other route would be better I have never done something like this before. Today I was thinking about maybe go for another route, I am pretty sporty. But what I want to ask you. If I start on CF and during the route I realize somehow I would switch to for example to Norte, is that possible? I have 31 days to do it (13.4.-14.5.)

Many people who mix and match have done several caminos and simply want to visit places that interest them or to skip places that do not interest them.

In my view, they are walking "their" Camino, but it is not the pilgrimage known as The Camino de Santiago.

I'd suggest for your first Camino you commit to one route as your pilgrimage and everything that goes along with it. Just my opinion.

 

[InWheel]

Many people who mix and match have done several caminos and simply want to visit places that interest them or to skip places that do not interest them.

In my view, they are walking "their" Camino, but it is not the pilgrimage known as The Camino de Santiago.

I'd suggest for your first Camino you commit to one route as your pilgrimage and everything that goes along with it. Just my opinion.

Thank you for your advice. I agree with you it's better for the first time to stick with the route.