Camping as opposed to Albergues

[emmjayh03]

I cant wait - 7 weeks and counting until our very first Camino
Myself and my dad, are starting in SJPDP on the 9th of July.. We only have a couple of weeks or so, and so our target this time round is Burgos. We will return as soon as we are able to complete the second half..

We plan to camp a lot of the time. I like the idea that there is no rush to get to an albergue. You can just walk until you fancy, and hopefully set up camp where you want.. (Within reason of course) I just wondered how many others did/do the same?
Ive not read much on here about people camping, which maes me wonder if its quite rare?.
Do the people who stay at albergues carry a tent just in case? Ive heard that many albergues have courtyards etc. And that people are able to camp in there :lol:

With it being July when we walk, I can imagine it will be rather hot to say the least And so a sleeping bag doesnt exactly appeal. But its better to have it than not, especially on the pyrenees. Do you agree?
We are going to try and keep our sack weight to approx 7.5 kilo.

If you have camped along the camino, I would love to hear your story Or even if youve walked it in July. Would be good to hear from you

I look forward to the replies.
Best wishes - Emma, North Wales

 

[Deleted member 3000]

There are a lot of threads in this Forum asking about camping. Generally, though, very few camp. Most who carry a tent regret it. Accommodations are plentiful and inexpensive. Camping is restricted to authorized campsites. You probably cannot just stop and camp when you want. Private and public land both have camping restrictions. Getting permission requires some skill in Spanish. Spain is having a drought. Open fires are prohibited. Cooking and washing are a problem if you camp, and clean water sources are infrequent for campers. Albergues may permit you to use their shower facilities, but probably not for free; they may have space for a tent, but it probably won't be free either. When it rains, it may be days between opportunities to dry a tent.

July will be hot, so a sleeping bag will not be necessary for warmth in albergues. A sleeping bag or sleeping sack are required in almost all albergues. If you are going to camp, there may be cool evenings in higher elevations that might make a sleeping bag useful. There is plenty of discussion here about sleeping bags vs. sleeping sacks. Only you can decide which, but you have to carry your decision! Albergues have blankets on the rare occasion in July when one might be needed.

 

[tyrrek]

Hi Emma!

I've not walked in July (only spring and autumn) so I don't have experience of that time of year. However I know you are right that it will be hot and relatively busy. You will probably want to start walking early in the morning anyway, as you'll avoid the worst of the heat.

I haven't seen or heard of people taking a tent 'just in case'. They are too heavy and bulky for that, so if you're taking one you have to want to use it regularly.

There are a few albergues along the way that can accommodate tents, but they are the exception rather than the rule, in my experience. When an albergue is full matresses may be available on the floor, or sports halls opened etc.

The people I've seen camping have generally just pitched up somewhere and camped wild. Obviously you have to be sensitive about where you do this in terms of if/how the land is being farmed and also make sure you deal with any 'waste' appropriately!

There are other options such as sharing private rooms with fellow pilgrims. Generally the more people sharing the more the cost reduces.

I've been on this forum a lot over the last year and horror stories of people having to sleep outdoors due to lack of space are very rare, if not non-existent. You might be presented with some unconventional options, but that's just part of the experience!

Buen Camino!

 

[scruffy1]

Many many little villages and small towns provide a "rest area" at the entrance or as one leaves the built up area. These areas are located on the Camino are usually provided with picnic tables, some kind of running water but not all is potable!, often a not too clean grill to cook food, not many have toilet facilities washing up is French style with a washrag but all do have something for trash. Not too many farmers will appreciate you sleeping among their grapevines or smothering their wheat or uprooting their collard greens, sleeping by the highways is never fun and while there are few if any bears the wild hogs will be happy to insect your backpack in a forest. Summer is the only time one may enjoy the freezing temperatures within hostels such as St Juan de Ortega or Samos, tents are un-needed since all but the most expensive offer no real protection against the reason you bring them – rain.
I haven’t mentioned camaraderie, the real reason one stops at an albergue, sure shelter is important so is getting your laundry done, but the people one meets is a primary factor for most of us who have walked the Camino

 

[Yallah]

I echo what others have said-- that tents and camping really are not necessary on the Camino.

My husband and I carried a lightweight tent between us (1 kilo). We did use it before and after the Camino, so I don't regret bringing it, but we never used it along the Camino. Several nights we thought, "maybe we'll camp tonight to have a bit of space to ourselves and a break from the snorers," but the albergues were always too inviting with their hot shower, warm bed, and kitchen for only €5 or so per person. Official camp sites usually cost as much or more than albergues, and as others have said, free camping is a little dubious and means not having bathrooms/showers/kitchen/rubbish bins/clothes washing facilities, etc.

 

[emmjayh03]

]Hi All - Thankyou for all your replies... Its much appreciated

I hope I have not given the impression that i perhaps cant afford albergues.. this is not the case. From what Ive read, Albergues are wonderfully cheap and very accomodating. And we do hope to stay in a few along the way.. When camping -We would never camp somewhere illegal, or be disrespectful to the outdoors by littering or lying on farmers crop.

We simply want to be self contained and independant. That way we can take our time, and not feel the need to find the next albergue....

Theres only 7 weeks to go, so I will be sure to post a thread on here once were home to tell you about our camping experience

Thankyou again for all the replies.

Best Wishes

 

[tyrrek]

Hi All - Thankyou for all your replies... Its much appreciated

I hope I have not given the impression that i perhaps cant afford albergues.. this is not the case. From what Ive read, Albergues are wonderfully cheap and very accomodating. And we do hope to stay in a few along the way.. When camping -We would never camp somewhere illegal, or be disrespectful to the outdoors by littering or lying on farmers crop.

Hi Em!

You certainly didn't give that impression and I hope our responses didn't either! I understand your concerns about walking at a busy time of year. The thing to bear in mind is that if you found yourself stuck somewhere you would not be the only one! If push comes to shove you can all get a taxi to the nearest hotel and ask them to drop you back the next day. I'm sure that won't be necessary, though.

Buen Camino!

 

[Abbeydore]

Hi Em, (my daughters name too), I hope you can make it work :mrgreen: , & will come & tell us; you will have your Camino & that's important, everything really. Well done for realizing you are not taking the easy option, being under the stars is amazing, was on Saturday night, had a window in top of 'tent' :wink:
Buen Camino
David

 

[Telluridewalker]

There are a lot of threads in this Forum asking about camping. Generally, though, very few camp. Most who carry a tent regret it. Accommodations are plentiful and inexpensive. Camping is restricted to authorized campsites. You probably cannot just stop and camp when you want. Private and public land both have camping restrictions. Getting permission requires some skill in Spanish. Spain is having a drought. Open fires are prohibited. Cooking and washing are a problem if you camp, and clean water sources are infrequent for campers. Albergues may permit you to use their shower facilities, but probably not for free; they may have space for a tent, but it probably won't be free either. When it rains, it may be days between opportunities to dry a tent.

This is a most succinct and informative answer to a question that gets asked a lot on the forum- nice work, Falcon.

 

[JohnnieWalker]

However, whilst in the minority, a number of pilgrims do camp on the Camino Frances and other routes. They tend to carry lightweight tents and pitch them as sensitively as possible out of sight and leave early in the mornings. I've spoken to a number of pilgrims in the last days who have done this successfully and they have never been moved on. Fires of course are to be avoided. The pilgrims I've met who have successfully used tents and not encountered significant physical problems with the extra weight or suffered major inconvenience have tended to be the inveterate campers who would be reluctant to consider anything other than camping!

 

[k-fun]

Hello

My husband and I did the Camino in Sept and Oct 2011. We camped about 15% of the time. We stayed in campgrounds and on albergue premises. It was a welcomed relief from the snoring and stuffy albergues rooms. My husband carried a two-person HubbaHubba tent that weighed 4 lbs 3 oz. Having the ammenities of modern living, made this camping pleasurable. Only setback is the tear down and stowing of the tent takes time in the morning.

Also, our guide book would mention that such and such a town had camping. When we arrived, we would discover that the campground was at the other end of town, several kilometers away. After a long day of walking, the extra distance was not appealing.

If I were to do it again, I would definately carry the tent and try stealth camping.

 

[Deleted member 3000]

I would definitely carry the tent and try stealth camping.

Pilgrims generally are guests in Spain. The hosts have asked that campers use campgrounds and not "stealth camp." I personally find it curious that the suggestion is to ignore the expressed wishes of Spain, and simply do what we want. One may not like the rules, but the correct response if you do not like the rules, to me, is to stay out of Spain. Do we really need to travel thousands of miles to be self-centered and self-indulgent? I know I can do that at home!

 

[annakappa]

I would definitely carry the tent and try stealth camping.

Pilgrims generally are guests in Spain. The hosts have asked that campers use campgrounds and not "stealth camp." I personally find it curious that the suggestion is to ignore the expressed wishes of Spain, and simply do what we want. One may not like the rules, but the correct response if you do not like the rules, to me, is to stay out of Spain. Do we really need to travel thousands of miles to be self-centered and self-indulgent? I know I can do that at home!

I totally agree with Falcon! Anne

 

[JohnnieWalker]

I doubt the sources of some of this advice, although it is common sense that people should not camp where they would cause offence or disruption.

As far as I know it is simply another camino myth that it is illegal to wild camp in Spain and whilst I stand to be corrected I believe there to be no national law against this kind of camping. Rather the power to make such laws or regulations is devolved to local authorities often down to local town councils or concellos. As with many other aspects of life one local area can vary considerably from the another. Spain is in this regard not so different from the UK or other European countries - indeed some might say that its laws of trespass are generally considerably more liberal. Therefore as far as camping is concerned is no such thing as the "expressed wishes of Spain".

I think it is also incorrect to simply view this issue only in the context of the Camino Frances - there are many other routes to Compostela and on many of these camping may very well be a solution for some to the lack of albergues or long etapas.

There is a difference between it being sensible to camp and it being illegal to do so. People have camped or slept out along the camino routes for centuries. They will continue to do so despite what the censorious voices may say. In all cases the rules of the countryside should be observed. I have never heard of any pilgrim being arrested or having been accused of committing a crime because they camped or slept out - although I suspect that there have been times when the police or landowners have asked pilgrims doing so to move on.

Whether it is sensible to carry a tent and camp out is another matter and the arguments against in terms of carrying the additional weight of the tent, the availability of water, cooking facilities and showers have already been addressed. Accommodation of all types is available on most of the routes. Although I spent many happy years camping in the UK and abroad in my youth nowadays I wouldn't carry a tent and the rest of the gear if you paid me!

 

[steinhoj]

I carried a tent "just in case" and didn't ever end up in a situation in which I NEEDED it, however it came in handy several times and also enabled us to have some very memorable nights. We stealth camped each time. JohnnieWalker is right on the ball. Stealth camping is not perceived as criminal and doesn't seem to be frowned upon by locals. Even if it's officially illegal, it's not something anyone cares about.
Just don't be a moron. Meaning: don't leave a trace. If someone wants you to leave, they will come and tell you. Then you leave! That's it. By the way, the idea of stealth camping is to set your tent up late and depart early. Ideally, not being noticed at all. I met many pilgrims that were occasional campers, including two Spaniards that had camped all the way from somewhere in the south (tight budget).

That being said, if you make friends on the walk (you will), you'll probably want to hang out with them in the evening. Trekking back to your tent (where you will have to leave your pack unattended, or carry it around with you) is not a pleasant prospect after a few glasses of wine and having already walked 25km or so. Most good spots for stealth camping are not going to be extremely close to town.

In reply to that reply, you are in a party of two so the weight can be shared, and it's really not all that much...

 

[Sojourner47]

I doubt the sources of some of this advice, although it is common sense that people should not camp where they would cause offence or disruption.

As far as I know it is simply another camino myth that it is illegal to wild camp in Spain and whilst I stand to be corrected I believe there to be no national law against this kind of camping. Rather the power to make such laws or regulations is devolved to local authorities often down to local town councils or concellos. As with many other aspects of life one local area can vary considerably from the another. Spain is in this regard not so different from the UK or other European countries - indeed some might say that its laws of trespass are generally considerably more liberal. Therefore as far as camping is concerned is no such thing as the "expressed wishes of Spain".

I think it is also incorrect to simply view this issue only in the context of the Camino Frances - there are many other routes to Compostela and on many of these camping may very well be a solution for some to the lack of albergues or long etapas.

There is a difference between it being sensible to camp and it being illegal to do so. People have camped or slept out along the camino routes for centuries. They will continue to do so despite what the censorious voices may say. In all cases the rules of the countryside should be observed. I have never heard of any pilgrim being arrested or having been accused of committing a crime because they camped or slept out - although I suspect that there have been times when the police or landowners have asked pilgrims doing so to move on.

Whether it is sensible to carry a tent and camp out is another matter and the arguments against in terms of carrying the additional weight of the tent, the availability of water, cooking facilities and showers have already been addressed. Accommodation of all types is available on most of the routes. Although I spent many happy years camping in the UK and abroad in my youth nowadays I wouldn't carry a tent and the rest of the gear if you paid me!

Thank you Johnnie, for your most succinct and informative answer to a question which has been asked many times on this forum.

 

[Deleted member 3000]

once while wild camping in the Basque region of Spain I was awoken early in the morning by a pistol being pointed at my head and being shouted at allot !

After being sat in a stress position in my pants with by the way my balls spilling out down my leg but I did not want to remove my hands from my head in case they thought I was going for my "lethal weapon" !!!!!
after a while and a thorough search ! I managed to convince the 10 police /military that I was not anything to do with any terrorist group and yes actually we were just some drunk Englishman camping in the middle of nowhere !

and the pistol they had seen us with hours earlier was a water pistol and was on the floor over there !

After a lengthy discussion they said will you just feck off then I said of course we will !!!!

one of life's strange turns.
__________________
SLOBODA

From a forum.

 

[Pieces]

lesson being, don't camp while armed...

 

[Sojourner47]

Well, I guess anyone who takes a water pistol with them on camino deserves everything they get.... :lol:

 

[Sojourner47]

I would definitely carry the tent and try stealth camping.

Pilgrims generally are guests in Spain. The hosts have asked that campers use campgrounds and not "stealth camp." I personally find it curious that the suggestion is to ignore the expressed wishes of Spain, and simply do what we want. One may not like the rules, but the correct response if you do not like the rules, to me, is to stay out of Spain. Do we really need to travel thousands of miles to be self-centered and self-indulgent? I know I can do that at home!

Correct me if I'm wrong, but Spanish law "Decreto 79/1990" - Del ocho de mayo - gives:
Official permission to camp 100m from a road or river, or 5km from a designated campsite.

 

[JohnnieWalker]

To reprise the discussion - there is apparently no law against wild or stealth camping and therefore you should continue to arrive and leave unnoticed

 

[Deleted member 3000]

In Aragon on public lands:

Article 46. - Camping traveling.

Itinerant camping is considered that, while respecting property rights and land use takes place outside of the tourist camps or camping areas for groups consisting of up to 3 stores and 9 people, with a stay in the place no more than two nights. The minimum distance between groups is 1 km.

There may be a camping traveling less than 5 kms. a campsite or campground, or less than 1 km. urban centers, public places or areas usually crowded, and less than one hundred meters from the banks of a river or a road, although in this latter limitation is allowed except for disabled people.

It is absolutely prohibited the lighting of fires outside the places provided for this purpose. The relevant authorization shall be required of the owner of land on which to settle. His absence will mean the immediate lifting of the camp.

The campers will be responsible for the deterioration and abandoned waste produced, facts will be punished according to the applicable legislation.

The residues from the camping activity for the campers will be transported to disposal in landfills or disposed containers specifically for this purpose.

These hygiene standards are extended to all forms of camping.

 

[JohnnieWalker]

"There may be a camping traveling less than 5 kms. a campsite or campground, or less than 1 km. urban centers, public places or areas usually crowded, and less than one hundred meters from the banks of a river or a road, although in this latter limitation is allowed except for disabled people."

Which is exactly the advice which Silvia gives in her book and has previously given on this forum - and proves the legality point. However it seems that there is a basic misunderstanding of what "wild" or "stealth" camping entails - and may make a very good theme for googling! But basically it means pitching the tent in a discreet location late at night and removing it very early in the morning with the objective of leaving the site in exactly the same condition it was before the tent and person was there.

I fear we won't all agree on this. I come from Scotland where the laws of trespass are liberal and wild camping is practised and tolerated and promoted by the Mountaineering Council for Scotland and the Ramblers Association. In this respect at least Scotland is very much the land of the free!

From talking to pilgrims wild camping goes on all the time on the camino routes - just because you don't see it doesn't mean it isn't there. In fact not seeing it is exactly the point. It may take the form of a pilgrim sleeping out under the stars from time to time particularly in summer or using a tent instead of albergues as described. Some years ago I met this delightful group of young people walking with their priest. Every night they just laid out a ground sheet and slept. In the morning they bought milk and knocked on doors to ask local people to heat it for them so they could make coffee. Delightful.

Of course if everyone did it then there wouldn't be enough sites, church porches or outbuildings but that won't happen. Most of us, this old camper included, prefer a bed at night nowadays!

Happy camping.

 

[PaulB Hayward]

I couldn't agree more with Johny Walkers post about just 'copy and paste'
We come to this forum to share.....and......help. I feel a lot of negativity from some. Such a shame.
If any one feels strongly that they disagree with what Emma is asking.....fine...say so, then drop it; your point is made.
There is no need to be patting each other on the back, and going off at a tangent suggesting the Balearics might be an option.
As I have understood the mater from the Police in Spain; I took the suject up with two officers stood by their patrol car; Guarda Civil,........you cannot camp within 1k of a recognised camp site, otherwise wild is fine ...no trace to be left.
Permission should always be sought if possible.
I brace myself for those who dissaprove, and of course....... the 'copy and pasters'.
Paul.

 

[Rebekah Scott]

All this reminds me of one hardy Englishman who stayed with us while we were hospitalero-ing at Rabanal del Camino. He traveled with a simple bivvy bag, (not even a tent) and insisted on camping out in the huerta, even though we had room inside. "OK by us," we said.

And when a storm blew in, with hail and ice and wind, Paddy went out and convinced the guy to move indoors, to sleep in a bed for a change. When I made the rounds before locking up for the night, I found the guy in his bivvy bag, asleep in the concrete entryway, just out of reach of the raindrops but "under the sky as God intended!"

He slept outdoors all the way down the Frances, far as I know. Tough as nails.

 

[Deleted member 3000]

But basically it means pitching the tent in a discreet location late at night and removing it very early in the morning with the objective of leaving the site in exactly the same condition it was before the tent and person was there.

I put that in BabelFish and it was translated as, "Do what you want, but avoid getting caught." :mrgreen:

 

[PaulB Hayward]

Thank You Rebekah,
For relating a tale....without an opinion.
Understanding that there are those of us who live a little differently....but do respect the enviroment and peoples property.
For not quoting rules and regulations.
And not making those of us who respectfully and coniderately camp wild, leaving no trace, feel that we are being Policed by some contributors of this forum.
And finaly, thanks to all who gave good advice, tales of their own expieriences, and words of encouragement.
Paul.

 

[Deleted member 3000]

Re: Camping as opposed to Albergues

There are about 1,000 licensed campgrounds in Spain. If you draw a 5 km circle around them, what remains is eligible for "wild" camping. [As an example, the distance from Lorca to Irache would be closed to camping by a campground north of Estella. The law blatantly protects campgrounds and the investment they have made in complying with very specific laws on sanitation, water, etc.] Then eliminate the urban areas and 1 km around them, where camping is prohibited. Next, remove all the privately owned land where camping is trespassing. Put your tent in the remaining space, and everyone is happy, the host, his rules, and the guest walking his "own" camino! I sense that the guest does not like this arrangement. If I were the host, I would ask him to stay home.

 

[grayland]

Please drop the personal remarks....
Obviously this is a thread with a great deal of interest and response, but watch the personal attacks on other members.

 

[JohnnieWalker]

But basically it means pitching the tent in a discreet location late at night and removing it very early in the morning with the objective of leaving the site in exactly the same condition it was before the tent and person was there.

I put that in BabelFish and it was translated as, "Do what you want, but avoid getting caught." :mrgreen:

I think this comment is unfortunate and may be rooted in a misunderstanding of the tradition of camping - wild, informal stealth or whatever you wish to call it. Campers don't simply "do what they want and avoid getting caught" to say so besmirches people who generally have a deep appreciation of nature and the need to protect and preserve the earth and all it affords. Therefore wild campers operate to rules - such as pitch late, arrive early, leave the site as you found it with the exception that you should remove your own and other people's litter - the rule is do not disrupt the site or the lives of others. Much as the rules we have here on this forum!

So to again answer the original question - it is perfectly possible to camp along the camino and many people do. However it may not be sensible or practical to carry the extra weight or spend time finding suitable sites if there is no organised site available.

 

[Deleted member 3000]

wild campers operate to rules - such as pitch late, arrive early, leave the site as you found it with the exception that you should remove your own and other people's litter - the rule is do not disrupt the site or the lives of others.

But they are making up the rules from their point of view! Virtually all "wild camping" violates the rules and regulations of various Spanish governments. It is the height of being self-centered -- the rules I make are the only ones that count. You keep putting lipstick on the pig (humor, not offense, intended)!

If we hearken back a few years to this blog,

http://kaybeetravels.blogspot.com/2009/ ... ll-of.html

we see a pilgrim who did it her way. Virtually every outdoor experience violated the law. Had I been in her shoes, given the choices she made, I would have done the same. But it all went against the wishes of her hosts, right up to resenting her dog not being allowed into the Cathedral in Santiago. Even her dog's "rights" were elevated above those of Spain.

I am the dinosaur here, but I don't perceive that the Facebook Generation has much appreciation of the civilization that has preceded it. "If it didn't happen to me today, then it is not important." Personally, I think the wishes of my host dominate my hubris and self-interest. I can always choose not to accept his hospitality and walk elsewhere, say India, where the street is the norm for many.

We may be doomed to disagree, John! I give you the last word...

 

[Sojourner47]

-But they are making up the rules from their point of view! Virtually all "wild camping" violates the rules and regulations of various Spanish government..

I reiterate my post. SPANISH LAW (Decreto 79/1990) explicitly states that "camping is permitted 100m from river or road, and 5km from designated campsite"

 

[tyrrek]

Oh please! Stop bickering! What must Emma think on one of her first posts seeing how a simple question turns into a riot (by this forum's standards)?

Buen Camino!

 

[Abbeydore]

Camped in (my) field last night, stars have gone away for now.

I reckon we all would love do camp along our Camino :!: Closer to nature, & all that, but we are so tired @ the end of big day a bed in an Albergue is really a must for most of us, & sometimes a bath too :lol:

 

[vagabondette]

Personally I would prefer camping, but I'm too lazy to carry the gear and I think it would make it more difficult than needed. Plus, being social is something I'm looking forward to. I think that as long as you're respectful and ask permission as much as possible it won't be a problem with most of the people who own the land. you just have to be careful to not cause damage. Good luck!

PS: Could a mod PLEASE fix the typo in the title. It makes my left eye twitch every time I see it.

 

[PaulB Hayward]

Thank you all for your input.
We have returned from a wonderfull Camino; on which, we stayed in Albergues, Church porches, wild camped, and even just under the stars.
There was no problem from any one about our camping.........the moral here, is simply leave the area just how you found it.
When groups of people rushed by us as we bathed our feet in the many streams, or enjoyed views, churches, and so on; we always saw getting a bed as a bonus.......not a reason to race the crowd in search of a bed.
We enjoyed a pleasant balance of social life, and peacefullness
I would recomend it to anyone. We didn't carry a tent, just a lightweight groundsheet and basher....the ultimate in flexibility.
Be carefull
Be respectfull
And enjoy.
Paul.

 

[lovingkindness]

Excellent!