Camino Ingles July 2009

[chris75]

I'm hoping to take a group of about 30-35 from Ireland on the first week of July 2009 to attempt the Camoino Ingles. But we're experiencing problems regarding the availability of accommodation, we're not sure if there are hotels or hostels which can accommodate the whole group. If there were we wondered if it would be possible to book rooms or beds in advance and if not would there be camp sites along the route.

 

[JohnnieWalker]

Hi Chris

Just a couple of weeks ago a group of 20 pilgrims from Ireland arrived by boat into Ferrol and walked down to Santiago. I also recently met a group of 32 pilgrims from Madrid walking the Camino Ingles.

There are hotels with sufficient rooms ( or multiple hostales ) in Ferrol, Pontedueme and Betanzos - a combination of the both hostales and the albergue at Bruma/Meson do Vento would be enough beds I am sure and in Sigueiro you could either divert to Ordenes where there are enough beds or bus into Santiago and then back out next day to complete the route. I have the details of hotels/hostals at each location if you need them although the Tourist Office in Ferrol will also be very helpful with this adventure I am sure.

Best wishes

John

 

[lckgj]

Hi Chris

In Sigueiro there would be plenty of room for everyone to sleep in the polideportivo (sportshall). Just mattresses and exercise mats on the floor of a cavernous sports hall but several hot showers for both men and women. Depends how much you want to rough it!

Laura

 

[Rebekah Scott]

sounds like a wonderful time! Where were these groups when I was a "joiner?"

reb

 

[sillydoll]

Pshew!! 30 - 35 is a quite a large number to take care of.
In 2001 I walked the Coast to Coast in England with a group of 10 women. We took it in turns to be at the front and after your turn, you went to the back of the group.
The person in front and at the back each carried a loud whistle. If a car was heading towards us, the leader would blow the whistle and any stragglers walking in two's or three's would hop back into line. Same at the back - if a car came from behind the group, the last person blew their whistle and we all formed a single file.
We agreed before hand that if anyone was injured, ill or exhausted, that they would get a bus or taxi ahead to our overnight stop and wait for everyone else to catch up, rather than expect someone in the group to interrupt their walk to be with them.
This was not difficult as we booked all rooms ahead of time because some villages are so small (Keld comes to mind) that they might not have been able to accommodate us at short notice. Perhaps you should consider doing this too? July can be a busy month on the camino.
Have a great walk!

 

[chris75]

John I would be grateful if you could post some of the details regarding accommodation, at the moment we're finding it difficult getting reliable and up to date information regarding how to book rooms or beds. Until we have accommodtion confirmed we don't want to go ahead with the organisation of the the trip as we need to know what's available and the limit this will place on our numbers. All information and help would be gratefully received from anyone who has walked the route.
Chris

 

[peregrina2000]

Hi, Chris,

I just walked the Camino Ingles and stayed in private accommodations every night. We had some reservations beforehand, but they weren't necessary -- for a group your size, of course, things will be different. One good resource for you is the http://www.turgalicia.es website. There's an English version if you don't want to navigate in gallego or castellano. Click on where to stay, then click on all accommodations, and then over on the right, where it has a drop down menu of "concellos" (towns), you can pull up all available places in each town. Are you planning on staying in Ferrol, Pontedeume, Betanzos, Meson do Vento, Sigueiro, and Santiago? If so, I think you can easily find beds for 35 in each place in hotels or pensiones.

Laurie

 

[chris75]

thanks much appreciated
chris