Camino very busy now

[NoQ]

Well, it had been a very quiet camino until Ponferrada but now it is super busy and a lot of people are rather upset.

In O Cebreiro now and the albergue was full by 2 and all beds in private establishments are taken.

People are still coming up the hill and there are a lot of cold, unhappy pilgrims trying to get taxis to other places. Apparently people have been told they can' t sleep in the church, which resulted in a lot of Spanish style shouting.

I guess this is what all the warnings were about. Still, we were about tenth and eleventh in the queue for the albergue when we got here at11.45. So leaving early and the fitness gained on previous stages is the key to getting places in the Xunta albergues.

Not evwn at Sarria yet, which people say is even worse. At least though, it wont be really chilly down there.

 

[Deleted member 3000]

Not evwn at Sarria yet, which people say is even worse.

Sarria has lots of beds, unlike O Cebreiro, where most of the beds are in the one albergue. If you are worried, stop short of Sarria, or walk through it. Avoid the guidebook stages for the rest of the trip, and you will get away from the crowd.

Buen camino.

 

[NoQ]

Great advice. Thanks falcon.

Sadly, since my first post, I have witnessed t my first piece of violence on the camino, other than the crunch crunch stepping on snails (very sad). A group of pilgrims got particularly irate after queueing for more than 2 hours, to be told there are no beds. One then aimed a blow at one of the people that gave him the news. Seriously sad.

 

[mralisn]

There are a couple of quiet and quant places to stay past Sarria. I walked from Triacastela to Portomarin twice stopping in Sarria for lunch only. I like the walk from Sarria to Portomarin and two very nice private refugios I can visualize. Perhaps this might be more suitable to get off the "main stages".

Either way, I'm fully jealous of you.

 

[naplesdon]

Getting out of synch with the Brierley stages works well after stopping in Herreiras, Hospital de la Condesa (there is a great restaurant in town), Triacastella (there are lots of places to stay), Samos, Mercadoira (fantastic private place), Ventas de Naron, Palas de Rei (large muni), Melide (Xaneiro I is quite good), Arzua and finally Santa Irene which has a small private place and a newly remodeled muni. It's easy to walk from there all the way to Santiago by noon. I did these stops last year in unrelenting July rains and cold.

 

[Anne100]

That sounds like a very good reason to carry a small, lightweight tent.

 

[trevorcc]

So sad to hear that people have not left their anger and ego's at home, I am walking in October and I will no doubt meet a lot of people(I hope I do) and any bad vibes I will just walk on as I have had over 50 years of people at work trying to get one up, that I no longer need these issues.

To all those on the walk now please smile and greet all you meet with kindness.

Trevor

 

[daviddephillips]

We made it too Sarria, and resting a few days, however the amount of long range and sort stay pilgrims is evident, places are filling up very early in afternoon so this unique experience of the Camino is not immune to the daily competitive atmosphere you might have thought. I've notice cost increased as August approached and now full fledge capitalist fervor is not far away. In these final days of my Camino I'm beginning to agree you walk only for yourself, sustain yourself, know yourself a little better, this can all be said for all our remaining days.

 

[Deleted member 3000]

now full fledge capitalist fervor

An albergue costing 14E is expensive only in comparison to 5E early on the Camino! It still is a bit of a bargain...

Fervor is Pamplona during San Fermines. I made the mistake of departing from the Pamplona on the first day of the festival at 0630. I paid 95E for a college dorm room a couple of kilometers from the city center, and never had the time to visit the drunks. Regular hotels were up to 350E per night, and the luxury places were 2,000E+ per night! It was my most expensive room during the trip, and I stayed in some Paradors!!

 

[freeflyer123]

It is so sad when you read about frayed tempers and shuffles. But, it is only to be expected at times - as if the weather isn't enough to tire you out, finding you can't get a bed for the night on top is enough to get people hot under the collar.

We were at O Cabreiro a few week's ago (July) and also found the albergue full. That stage was very hard and I am surprised that the authorities haven't sorted out something because it will only stop people from wanting to do the camino. It must be peculiar to July and August only, when the camino is at its busiest. We did stop in a village before going up to the top where the albergue was, and were offered a hotel room - which we declined (darn). Fortunately for us, we still had some miles in us so we just kept on until we eventually found an albergue that had places.

 

[galawyr]

Does anyone have "the numbers" for July. How many people were on the Camino in July 2013 vs July 2012?
Thanks so much,
George

 

[nalod]

There is more than one Camino, there are also long distance walks where you can get spiritual fulfilment (if that is what you want). ie discover the gr10. So many options.

 

[Tia Valeria]

Does anyone have "the numbers" for July. How many people were on the Camino in July 2013 vs July 2012?
Thanks so much,
George

Johnnie Walker posts monthly statistcs here on the forum and also on his blog. July's statisitcs are here under the topic News from Santiago

 

[Bajaracer]

I completed the Camino on 27Jul. The dynamics changed for us when we got to Villafranca del Bierzo, rolled into town around 14:00 and there were few beds to be found, 60 of 80 beds at Albergue Fenix were reserved by a private group and the last private Albergue on the way out of town had 15 of 30 beds were also reserved. The Camino became a race for the beds in the last 100km if you wanted to stay in the municipal Albergues.
Your best bet is to stay at the private Albergues before or after bigger towns and get there early.

 

[Loretta Jane]

Speaking of nasty peregrinos, I was hospitalera in El Burgo Ranero last Oct and we were full 3 nights in a row, 2 were rainy ones. Completo sign on the door in 5 languages. Well some peregrinos were downright abusive, yelling and screaming as if it is their right to have a bed. Other peregrinos tryed to calm them down. This village has two reasonable private hostals/hotels with vacancy (the other two albergues were closed for the season) yet the yelling and screaming went on - to think they may have to pay somewhere, more than donativo by going to a private place! What I found really curious, on many nights there, pilgrims were rolling in at 4, 5. 6, 7 pm expecting a bed. Oh well, it all blew over. Just not good days for us at that time.

 

[D.Matthew]

I completed the Camino on 27Jul. The dynamics changed for us when we got to Villafranca del Bierzo, rolled into town around 14:00 and there were few beds to be found, 60 of 80 beds at Albergue Fenix were reserved by a private group and the last private Albergue on the way out of town had 15 of 30 beds were also reserved. The Camino became a race for the beds in the last 100km if you wanted to stay in the municipal Albergues.
Your best bet is to stay at the private Albergues before or after bigger towns and get there early.

Good advice. I found the same thing last year on the Camino. Traveling solo, it's always pretty easy to find a bed for one. So on the Camino, I never had to reserve a place until the end. In Sarria, I stopped at four or five places before finding a bed at La Magdalena. A gentleman having a beer in a restaurant saw me wandering around and sent me up the hill to where he was staying. He told me to hurry as they were almost full, too. I believe it's one of the last albergues before the path heads out of town. From then on, I used my John Brierley guidebook, and reserved a bed in private albergues one day at a time.

 

[Bajaracer]

It never ceases to amaze me that people expect a bed to be available at a municipal/donativo albergue late in the afternoon/early evening, and then complain about it. Heaven forbid, you'll have to pay 5-9 euros for a bed at a private albergue!
I wasn't bound by the "I have to stay in the municipal/donativo albergue" mentality, I took what was available when I got into town, if it cost a few euros extra, so be it. I preferred the private albergues in the last 100km into Santiago and also on the way to Finsterre as well.

 

[sillydoll]

If you walk the Via Francigena pilgrimage trail to Rome you expect to stay in a hotel or pension. Finding a bed in a church or refuge is the exception. I really hope that doesn't change. It makes pilgrims presumptuous, leading to the situation on the Camino where people expect to be accommodated for next to nothing. No wonder the tax-paying Spanish people feel that they are subsidising accommodation for hundreds and thousands of hikers looking for a cheap holiday.

 

[Deleted member 3000]

No wonder the tax-paying Spanish people feel that they are subsidising accommodation for hundreds and thousands of hikers looking for a cheap holiday.

The precise reason stated for closing the municipal albergue in Leon!

 

[santiago_67]

So sad to hear that people have not left their anger and ego's at home, I am walking in October and I will no doubt meet a lot of people(I hope I do) and any bad vibes I will just walk on as I have had over 50 years of people at work trying to get one up, that I no longer need these issues.

To all those on the walk now please smile and greet all you meet with kindness.

Trevor

Trevor, We have the same plan = Peace. I will start in Roncesvalles on Sept. 27. Hope to see you on the Camino.

 

[edgarguedes]

my advice after 7000 kms of walk .... dont do it when TURIGRINOS do it. take a tent with you ... dont comment on it .... go for the walk in your inner peace .... if you dont find a room its destiny ...
Bom caminho .... abraços e muita força.

 

[fraluchi]

This issue has been touching tender pilgrim spots since many years, particularly since the Camino Francés has become ever more popular. Ten years back I also had reserved thoughts about the "turigrinos", but many contributors to this Forum changed my views.
Whereas the "cheap " albergues, i.e. the municipal and "donativo" ones, have not changed in numbers and available beds, accommodations along the Camino have become plentiful in private albergues, hostals and private facilities in most locations. They don't cost an arm and a leg, you can reserve in advance, and you don't have to start the "early morning rush" (without further qualifications) so that you can enjoy your Camino.
I've also found that somehow pilgrims move in "waves". Not just at the classical (guides') stopovers, but all along the road. By 'phoning back to previous albergue hospitaleros and find out their occupancy factors, one can get a fairly good idea what to expect (in lower volumes, of course) Spend a day doing some alternative scouting where you happen to be, can have some tranquilizing effects.

 

[Deleted member 3000]

Half the pilgrims are Spanish. Imagine how they feel about ALL of us tourists! Live and let live. It is still pretty easy to ignore the crowds, at least for me. I do tend to stay in more habitaciones as I age!!!

 

[edgarguedes]

why not walk on winter? or spring? i worked for 3 years without vacations to have that possibility go for it ... if your inner peace its a chance

 

[Loretta Jane]

The fact that so many people love the camino experience and do it over and over again unfortunately doesn't help matters. Perhaps more people could take the hospitalero training and offer to serve after a couple of caminos or so.

 

[trevorcc]

Trevor, We have the same plan = Peace. I will start in Roncesvalles on Sept. 27. Hope to see you on the Camino.

That would be great, just post if you can and we will see where we are at.

 

[Bajaracer]

I only reserved ahead for a room once, it was for Santiago on 27 Jul, a few days after the train crash, some of the media had booked a lot of hotel rooms, otherwise, I wouldn't have bothered to.

 

[Yodapsy]

We finished the Camino Frances on July24. We tried to avoid the Brierly statges and still had extreme difficulty fining a bed some nights. The worst stretch was from Sarria to Portomarin. That day we started walking from about 5K after Triacastela and we were hoping to find an albergue right after Sarria. There was not one bed of any kind left between Sarria and Portomarin. When we walked into Portomarin it was 7pm and we had walked about 40k that day. everything is Portomarin was full. They had opened up the Sports Complex there for emergency beds (small) and even that was full. We were lucky that that even though they were full, we were able to squeeze in on mats in one of the huge rooms. It was mostly students there also, so no "roncadores." Unfortunately there were only two showers and someone had taken a "dump" right in the middle of one of the mens' showers smelling up the entire bathroom area! Probably our least pleasant lodging experience on the Camino! It would have been easy to get angry at some of the people starting after Villafranca but we didn't, and the late starters were some of the nicest people we met on the Camino.

 

[sillydoll]

From the time they were first suggested at the Jaca conference in 1987, pilgrim hostels were meant to offer shelter to pilgrims who might not be able to afford alternative accommodation on the way to Santiago. I doubt they were ever meant to provide cheap beds to the masses or compete with the existing hospitality industry. This is one of the reasons why one of the oldest albergues - Santo Domingo de la Calzada - is now charging pilgrims. The system has been abused.

That is not to say that only mendicant pilgrims should be admitted to albergues. (It would be impossible to exercise a means test for every pilgrim who arrives at the door). Although many people can afford to stay in private accommodation, pilgrims want to experience the spirituality and 'soul of the Camino' hospitality of the traditional albergues that we read about. You know the ones, mattresses on the floor, helping the hospitaleros prepare communal meals eaten around a long table by lamplight, old pilgrim songs and blessings (one that even includes washing the pilgrim's feet).

But this doesn't mean that you have to stay in the all the low cost, municipal dormitory hostels taking up beds that could go to less affluent pilgrims. If you can afford a €700 airfare, €150 backpack, Gortex boots and carry your iPad, why not choose a few of the traditional albergues just for the experience, and book the rest of your overnight stays in private accommodation, leaving the dormitory hostels to those who can't afford anything else. This way you support the local economy instead of adding a strain to the local churches and municipalities.

Sadly, the perception grew that those who did not sleep in the refugios were not 'real pilgrim' and have been branded 'touro-grinos'. This too has exacerbated the whole problem.

 

[Annie Little]

I am sorry and do NOT mean to offend BUT ... maybe the Camino is different from what I .... well if I can afford to a fly across the globe ... I am not looking for free accommodation ( or close to it ) ... and yet I have found some who have been discrimantory to those who stay in Hotels...... I am confused .... seems like double standards...

we are ALL pilgrims in this life...... it has nothing to do with which accommodation we chose.... I will pay to support local economy as I still have a job... next time if I do not have a job I will stay in albergues....

Can we just live and let live....... not get angry....... not have expectations... or assume Spain will provide us with free accommodation..... because we call ourselves "pilgrim"

Sorry NOT meaning to offend anyone but ...... really confused about peoples judgements etc etc

I shall walk my own walk...... do not expect anything for free .... I thank Spain for allowing me to walk in their country... as I do all countries I visit........ I am happy to experience their culture

Annie

 

[Deleted member 3000]

There was not one bed of any kind left between Sarria and Portomarin.

I wasn't with you, but there are two albergues in Ferrerios, one in Mercodoiro, and one in Vilacha, all of which almost never fill up because they are at the wrong distance from Sarria. Did you try them all? I am just curious because I have stayed in them all during busy times, and there always was room. Yes, Portomarin can be awful when student groups are on the march. I have skipped it three of the last four times, and the one visit was to a hotel! Everyone stops there (except me), and I find it a town almost without charm, except on Fridays when the market is in town.

The same student groups will make Palas de Rei a hell hole the next night, so I suggest one of the two albergues near Portos and the side trip to Vilar de Donas, or going past Palas to San Xulian and its "best on the Camino" albergue. Call ahead to San Xulian, since it does fill with pilgrims who have missed a bed in Palas.

 

[sarsos]

Great advice. Thanks falcon.

Sadly, since my first post, I have witnessed t my first piece of violence on the camino, other than the crunch crunch stepping on snails (very sad). A group of pilgrims got particularly irate after queueing for more than 2 hours, to be told there are no beds. One then aimed a blow at one of the people that gave him the news. Seriously sad.

That is so sad to hear this , not in true spirit of Camino. Sadly some pilgrims perhaps lack fitness or cannot deal with heat etc. and stress easily when their plans don't come together.
In Pontferrada last wednesday at 13.00 I was in queue for over hour, when I joined queue I watched an irate pilgrim arrive counting the numbers and then proceeded to tell me rather agressivlly that he was there before me. I advised him he wasn't but "that it was a long way to Santiago and that if he needed a bed before me to go ahead."
An Italian lad beside intervened and said he was there after me and seen 'our friend' arriving.
Pilgrims were still arriving at 21.00 . Next morning I spoke to the hospitaliar who told me they had 215 (including a horse) sleeping on all available flat surface.
Amazing staff - all volunteers, amazing people with an amazing attitude.

 

[sarsos]

Getting out of synch with the Brierley stages works well after stopping in Herreiras, Hospital de la Condesa (there is a great restaurant in town), Triacastella (there are lots of places to stay), Samos, Mercadoira (fantastic private place), Ventas de Naron, Palas de Rei (large muni), Melide (Xaneiro I is quite good), Arzua and finally Santa Irene which has a small private place and a newly remodeled muni. It's easy to walk from there all the way to Santiago by noon. I did these stops last year in unrelenting July rains and cold.

From Astorga the groups complete with t-shirts and printed caps are more noticable.
I had to remove my 'judgemental hat' and admit that they all have there place and everyone's Camino is different.
I agree - avoiding John Brierley's stage suggestions helps.

 

[Bajaracer]

Within the last 150km of the Camino before Santiago. would you really expect to find a bed arriving in town at 1900 or even later? After seeing what happened in Villafranca del Bierzo, I made a choice not to stop at the end of the Brierly stages, stopping before O'Cebreiro at places like La Faba instead, which was one of my more memorable albergues, a fountain to cool off your feet, no wifi, well equipped kitchen, and the perfect time to begin the ascent up to O'Cebreiro, in the morning and cooler.

 

[MissM]

Simple, don't follow the Brierley stages. I have walked the Frances twice both times finishing in July - and by staying in the smaller towns and away from "the end of the page" experienced no problems.

 

[Yodapsy]

I wasn't with you, but there are two albergues in Ferrerios, one in Mercodoiro, and one in Vilacha, all of which almost never fill up because they are at the wrong distance from Sarria. Did you try them all? I am just curious because I have stayed in them all during busy times, and there always was room.

All three towns were totally full. My wife and daughter actually got the last two beds in Morgade and we would have stayed anywhere with a bed. My son and I tried the three towns you mention with no luck. This was our first Camino, and we weren't prepared for the crowds in the last 150k.

 

[BeatriceKarjalainen]

It is hard to get a bed if you stop after 1400 at JB stages even here in the beginning. People start to que at 12 and getting up and walk around 0530. I do longer stretches instead and for instance today I'm in The lovely municipality albergue in Azofra.

 

[Yodapsy]

In the 700+k we walked from Pamplona to Santiago I don't think we ran into one demanding or rude peregrino. Given the comments above, perhaps we were very lucky. The staff of the albergues and hostels, the pilgrims, townspeople along the way, were for the most part polite despite what were sometimes trying circumstances. I was impressed by the kindness and graciousness of so many people on the Camino. I hope we can afford to go back some day.

 

[JillHives]

It is hard to get a bed if you stop after 1400 at JB stages even here in the beginning. People start to que at 12 and getting up and walk around 0530. I do longer stretches instead and for instance today I'm in The lovely municipality albergue in Azofra.

I am jealous. That places holds a lot of my favorite memories.

 

[Bajaracer]

I've seen people get angry when they were told the municipal/donativo Albergues were full, there was a sign coming into Negreira stating that it was Completo (full) and it was 1km past the town, we told them they were full at 1300, they didn't believe us and walked to it to find it full, then they started to complain about paying 9€ for a private albergue after walking back from the Completo municipal albergue that cost 6€ and had a kitchen with no equipment.

 

[Bajaracer]

It is hard to get a bed if you stop after 1400 at JB stages even here in the beginning. People start to que at 12 and getting up and walk around 0530. I do longer stretches instead and for instance today I'm in The lovely municipality albergue in Azofra.

I think your Camino will be more pleasant by doing the longer stretches, sometimes you will end some days like the JB guidebook because there is 15km distance to the next town. Some of the best Albergues were the ones before and after the JB stages.

 

[JabbaPapa]

It's most difficult for pilgrims walking long daily distances, because the walking day is longer and harder, they're more tired and in greater need of rest, they're systematically among the last to arrive, and they're the ones who'll often end up sleeping on the floor or outdoors.

I guess it's something you learn to live with, but the "5 AM crowd" with their alarms, and their switching on of lights, the noise they make, their loud conversation, in order to rush out, do their 15-30 Ks as early as possible in order to be first in line at the next albergue where they fully intend to engage in the same antisocial behaviour do tend to fuel a certain amount of resentment ...

 

[JabbaPapa]

May 2014 is looking more and more likely than the summer for my next Camino ...

 

[BeatriceKarjalainen]

I had a really great afternoon and evening there. With lots of nice people. And a good night sleep in the 2-bed room. Best so far. Now I'm in Belorado in the church albergue and it is also nice so far. Donotivo and still they serves breakfast. Will donate some more on leaving.

 

[StuartM]

I remember a friend of mine telling me a story about walking across Spain (not on the Camino) and ending up lost and late and far from any kind of bed for the evening. She ended up stumbling into the ruins of a castle where she saw lights into the middle of an impromptu (and probably illegal) feast. A lamb being roasted over a fire, plenty of wine, etc. She said it was one of the best nights she had ever had anywhere. I remember a few years ago getting stuck just before Bastille Day in France with no hotels free for miles, I ended up sleeping in a clearing under the stars. I woke at dawn to see the Pyrenees lit up by the sun and as it got light I was on the rim of an incredible canyon (Gorge de Galamus). Absolutely beautiful and only found through what appeared bad luck.

It's a shame that the Camino cannot be about just letting go and ending up where you end up. In a southern Europe summer not many people are going to find themselves in trouble from a night under the stars. Adversity very often brings something better than comfort would. At worst, you'll be a bit uncomfortable. Sit and watch the sunset somewhere nice, fall asleep against a wall, let the dawn wake you and treat yourself to a big breakfast in the next town. It's sad that all the fears modern/urban life can follow us even after so many miles. Do we really travel half way round the world to have all the trappings of home?

 

[refindingmypurpose]

I WANT this, StuartM!!!!

 

[JP]

I know what you mean, in the Summer of 1979 I spent two weeks on my own in France after graduating from University. I had planned out my stay in France taking notes in the old guide book "Europe on $15.00 a day", unfortunately after a few days in Paris, the cleaning lady at the Youth Hostel threw my book in the trash. Months of preparation down the drain, the rest of the trip was spur of the moment. Went to the Normandy Beaches, Dieppe, went to Bayeux to see the tapestry and saw a great display of D-Day landing artefacts set-up in the Town Hall by a local collector. At the Monastery of Mont St-Michel in Normandy, I met a lady from California on a day trip from Paris and I spent the rest of the day acting as her translator, we had a great time visiting the Island together and I was glad to have someone to talk to, in the evening she went back to Paris and I made my way to the South of France. We talked about my experiences at the Youth Hostels, and she told me a joke I will always remember. She said that she was staying in a small, dark and dusty room in Paris and the only thing clean in that place was her! Went to the Loire Valley to see the Castles, saw Roman Ruins in Arles and Nîmes. Even went to see my Ancestor's home Village (La Peyrouse) in the mountains north of Clermont-Ferrand. On the third week I met up with two friends from my hometown in Canada and we crossed by Ferry over to Ireland and rented an Austin Mini (called a Mini Cooper now) and drove all over Ireland (Eire). Land of my Ancestor on my Mother side of the Family. I always meant to return to Europe, but never made it back since that trip so long ago. If my plans work out, I hope to relive the excitement of that wonderfull trip of my youth but this time on the Camino, meeting new people and seeing the Ruins of Ancient and old Medieval Spain.

 

[Deleted member 3000]

I WANT this, StuartM!!!!

Just bring your time machine with you. Woulda, coulda, shoulda.

 

[johnsondav]

I am sorry and do NOT mean to offend BUT ... maybe the Camino is different from what I .... well if I can afford to a fly across the globe ... I am not looking for free accommodation ( or close to it ) ... and yet I have found some who have been discrimantory to those who stay in Hotels...... I am confused .... seems like double standards...

we are ALL pilgrims in this life...... it has nothing to do with which accommodation we chose.... I will pay to support local economy as I still have a job... next time if I do not have a job I will stay in albergues....

Can we just live and let live....... not get angry....... not have expectations... or assume Spain will provide us with free accommodation..... because we call ourselves "pilgrim"

Sorry NOT meaning to offend anyone but ...... really confused about peoples judgements etc etc

I shall walk my own walk...... do not expect anything for free .... I thank Spain for allowing me to walk in their country... as I do all countries I visit........ I am happy to experience their culture

Annie

Amen Annie! Have you made your Camino? I'm going in May & plan on staying at hotels or private places. I too don't mind the extra expense. I'm curious if even the hotels fill up quickly?