S
For 2024 Pilgrims: €50,- donation = 1 year with no ads on the forum + 90% off any 2024 Guide. More here. (Discount code sent to you by Private Message after your donation) |
---|
Br. David said:So sorry about your sensitivity Annie - a screen tent. Could you explain? Is it like a tent but just made of mosquito netting - so, safe from biting critters but no privacy? We don't have them in the uk.
Thanks
Caminando said:Br. David said:So sorry about your sensitivity Annie - a screen tent. Could you explain? Is it like a tent but just made of mosquito netting - so, safe from biting critters but no privacy? We don't have them in the uk.
Thanks
Not quite true Davey. You do have them in the UK.
In England perhaps you´re right, but in Scotland there are midgies. And you need netting.
Br. David said:Ah - I remember now. This came up before a year or so back. A neat system. There are certain periods in Scotland (seems like all of the summer!) when one can be plagued by tiny black midges. They don't harm but are rather horrid. not quite sure what they eat when humans aren't around.
One of the reasons I like the UK is that we don't have that host of nasty animals going around killing humans that so many other countries seem to have! The only wild creature in England that can truly harm is the Adder. A quiet snake that occasionally gets startled enough to bite. We have about three people a year die from the bite (not the same people each year of course). In comparison, about twelve people are killed each year by farmed cows.
As for camping on the Camino - although I have got into great trouble on here for saying it before - I am quite for it, as long as one obeys the unwritten rules of care. So few will ever do it that I cannot see it becoming a problem. Better the hard ground than the bedbugs :wink:
antelope said:A fundamental aspect of this subject seems to me to be the time of year one is walking as some are more prone to rain than others, and welcome though the descriptions provided so far are, no one has mentioned this explicitly. I've just finished reading 'The Call of the Camino' by Robert Mullen [recommended], who walked at the same time I intend to, which is late april through May, and he gives the impression that it rained a lot of the time. Is this true?
Cowpie said:Torrent,
I'm a thru-hiker and have done a number of long distance hikes here in the States ,one up to 2,650 miles. You can find tents now that weigh less than a bivy. You might as well be completely out of the rain, with your gear, instead of being stuffed into a Gore-tex, eVent, Pertex, etc., bivy sack.
Take a look at some of the following sites. You may find a tent the same weight as your bivy. Zpacks has the lightest cuben fiber tent at 8.3 ounces fully enclosed. Cuben fiber is a great product; 100% waterproof, but it doesn't breath. So it's great for tents, but not rain gear. I have the Lightheart cuben fiber solo awning tent.
zpacks.com
mountainlaureldesigns.com
gossamergear.com
hyperlitemountaingear.com
lightheartgear.com
tarptents.com
yamamountaingear.com
john
Cowpie said:No Problem Torrent,
I don't see any reason why you couldn't bivy the walk. Bivy's are nice in that you can hide in places where a tent just can't fit. I carry my bivy when always climbing one of our local peaks here in the Seattle area. I keep a large plastic fish bag for stuffing my backpack in...just in case it rains.
John
Br. David said:Nice report Brian and it sounds like you had a great time too - I rest my case :wink:
Big Agnes Fly Creek? What a brilliant name for a tent!
I do not think you will have a problem in September and October. Albergues begin to close at the end of October the crowds are so small.clearly if it is unnecessary it's not worth the weight
Experienced Camper here...just usually don't need a single person tent! And the thing is is that with how small some of these tents are...they could be sent on if not needed. I happen to be staying for a longer while after the fact so I am planning on bringing one anyway...just had not decided if I was going to camp along the Camino. One of the most appealing things about camping is the fresh air and quiet that it can offer. I am not a good sleeper at the best of times and find that its difficult to get to sleep with so many people around. I have stayed in Hostels many times and always find that while I enjoy it I do tend to under sleep often being the last one falling asleep and the first to wake. So for me this is a good choice at least some of the time. I am not in a rush for time lucky me so unlike some who have limited time and tight schedules I would like to be able to move at my own pace and if Im tired and in the middle of no where setting up a tent that takes 2 mins to set up is a great way to gain some privacy even if for just a couple hours. And I have had bed bugs in my appt once...got them from travelling...and it was hell on my body ...and very expensive to deal with once they were in my house. So if there are bed bugs no thanks ...I would rather deal with flies and mosquitos. Even spiders are better than bed bugs..lol and I hate spiders!If you do not have a tent, then I am guessing that you are not an experienced tent camper!If that is the case, the camino may be a very bad place to start your camping experience. Tents with built-in floors can be very porous. You may have a lot of rain (or none at all). Tents in the rain can be a very special type of pleasure/pain. Tired, hurting, dirty, cold, hot, hungry, and in a strange country may not be the best time to test your mettle in a tent. Save the money from the tent to stay in private accommodations a few times. You probably will be happier in them than you will be in a tent.
There are other threads on camping with information about availability and cost of campgrounds. Only a few albergues have places for tents, so you should expect to find other places for showers, laundry, and cooking. Commercial campgrounds cost as much as, or more, than a bed in an albergue.
Good luck!
Get some information on the open hours of the Spanish Correos! You will need to be at an office between 9 a.m. and 11 a.m. weekdays in some towns. Even the big cities will have inconvenient hours for pilgrims. It sounds like you want to camp, so the weight of the tent will be justified. I initially had the impression that you were taking it "just in case."they could be sent on if not needed
The answer to this question is like the answer to so many questions that are asked and that answer is - Well - that depends. Sometimes it's rainy in April and May and sometimes it isn't. I've walked at that time when it hasn't rained at all and was quite hot. I've also spent several days in the rain in the spring and this year escaped all of the rain in May. It was sunny but really quite cool at the time I walked. Mother Nature can be a most confusing and unpredictable woman.... I've just finished reading 'The Call of the Camino' by Robert Mullen [recommended], who walked at the same time I intend to, which is late april through May, and he gives the impression that it rained a lot of the time. Is this true?
Thank You, Brian. I have been looking for some positive feedback regarding camping. I too have a Big Agnes and start in mid June. I want to stay in alburges too, but I have chronic vertigo and migraines, and in the event of an attack, I want to tuck away in my tent until symptoms pass. I'm also not wild about bed bugs, snoring, flatulence, or racing for a bed. Maybe I'll find a group or troop of campers I can shadow. That would make me feel safer.I just finished a Camino from St Jean to Finisterra earlier this summer and remember looking to this forum for advice on camping before I left so I wanted to share my experience carrying a tent and trying to camp during our hike. I was also the leader of the group of Boy Scouts that was discussed briefly on this forum earlier in the summer so our group of hikers was 21 people. Here's a few details on our experiences out there.
Of our 37 nights on trail I stayed in my tent 31 times. I carried a Big Agnes Fly Creek UL1 and overall it performed very well. It was easy to set up, very light weight, kept out bugs, had a small footprint, and held up well to some of the strong storms that blasted us on our journey. We stayed at very few, if any, commercial campgrounds, and usually just stayed in gardens, public parks, and pastures along the way. We always started out by asking about some public land at the municipal albergue and if we couldn't find anything that way we would ask some people around town and were usually able to camp in a pasture near the edge of town. We also found that people were less receptive to camping in the eastern portion of the Camino but as we moved west where there were more pilgrims there were usually designated spots or grass where pilgrims could camp given that there was often an overflow.
I found that staying in tents didn't really affect our ability to socialize with fellow hikers along the way. We were able to hang out with whomever we liked during the afternoons and evenings at the local cafes and simply retired to our tents at night when they retired to their beds in the albergues.
We saw some hikers that had some bad experiences with bed bugs at albergues from time to time so it was nice to have the option to avoid that possibility all together.
Tents also gave us flexibility for when we went to bed and when we woke up. We could go to bed as early or late as we wanted and not have to worry about disturbing anyone or being disturbed. We could also wake up as early or late as we wanted without having to worry about other hikers schedules. Also, there was only one hiker in our group that snored, and I would just not set my tent up next to his.
We saw many hikers rushing through the day simply to make sure that they got one of the limited beds in the albergues and we also saw some hikers having to press on late in the day if they arrived in a small town and the only albergue was full and they weren't carrying tents. The tents gave us the flexibility to choose our target town, then spend a few minutes finding a piece of grass, and not have to worry about how crowded the albergue was.
Lastly, no one would want a group of 21 people descending on an albergue and taking the limited beds, so it was just as easy for us to set up in the nearby pasture, and leave the beds for the other hikers.
Overall, we really enjoyed our experience of camping on the Camino and I'd be glad to answer any questions for anyone else that is looking to camp along the way.
Buen Camino
Brian
Hi Cowpie, how did your camping Camino go? I would love to know where you camped along the way? I've been hearing that many albergues either don't have the space or don't let people camp.Book Listing Camp Sites?
THANK you all for making my day. I'd heard there was no camping, but was pleased to hear I can bring my tent. I plan to bring a Big Agnes Fly Creek 2. I like the idea of keeping my gear in my tent at night for only 6 ounces of additional carrying weight.
Question...... Is there a book with maps pointing out all the camp sites along the way???
THANKS in advance, John
I just finished a Camino from St Jean to Finisterra earlier this summer and remember looking to this forum for advice on camping before I left so I wanted to share my experience carrying a tent and trying to camp during our hike. I was also the leader of the group of Boy Scouts that was discussed briefly on this forum earlier in the summer so our group of hikers was 21 people. Here's a few details on our experiences out there.
Of our 37 nights on trail I stayed in my tent 31 times. I carried a Big Agnes Fly Creek UL1 and overall it performed very well. It was easy to set up, very light weight, kept out bugs, had a small footprint, and held up well to some of the strong storms that blasted us on our journey. We stayed at very few, if any, commercial campgrounds, and usually just stayed in gardens, public parks, and pastures along the way. We always started out by asking about some public land at the municipal albergue and if we couldn't find anything that way we would ask some people around town and were usually able to camp in a pasture near the edge of town. We also found that people were less receptive to camping in the eastern portion of the Camino but as we moved west where there were more pilgrims there were usually designated spots or grass where pilgrims could camp given that there was often an overflow.
I found that staying in tents didn't really affect our ability to socialize with fellow hikers along the way. We were able to hang out with whomever we liked during the afternoons and evenings at the local cafes and simply retired to our tents at night when they retired to their beds in the albergues.
We saw some hikers that had some bad experiences with bed bugs at albergues from time to time so it was nice to have the option to avoid that possibility all together.
Tents also gave us flexibility for when we went to bed and when we woke up. We could go to bed as early or late as we wanted and not have to worry about disturbing anyone or being disturbed. We could also wake up as early or late as we wanted without having to worry about other hikers schedules. Also, there was only one hiker in our group that snored, and I would just not set my tent up next to his.
We saw many hikers rushing through the day simply to make sure that they got one of the limited beds in the albergues and we also saw some hikers having to press on late in the day if they arrived in a small town and the only albergue was full and they weren't carrying tents. The tents gave us the flexibility to choose our target town, then spend a few minutes finding a piece of grass, and not have to worry about how crowded the albergue was.
Lastly, no one would want a group of 21 people descending on an albergue and taking the limited beds, so it was just as easy for us to set up in the nearby pasture, and leave the beds for the other hikers.
Overall, we really enjoyed our experience of camping on the Camino and I'd be glad to answer any questions for anyone else that is looking to camp along the way.
Buen Camino
Brian
Cowpie has not visited the Forum since May 2, 2013, so you may not get a reply.Hi Cowpie, how did your camping Camino go? I would love to know where you camped along the way? I've been hearing that many albergues either don't have the space or don't let people camp.
I just finished a Camino from St Jean to Finisterra earlier this summer and remember looking to this forum for advice on camping before I left so I wanted to share my experience carrying a tent and trying to camp during our hike. I was also the leader of the group of Boy Scouts that was discussed briefly on this forum earlier in the summer so our group of hikers was 21 people. Here's a few details on our experiences out there.
Of our 37 nights on trail I stayed in my tent 31 times. I carried a Big Agnes Fly Creek UL1 and overall it performed very well. It was easy to set up, very light weight, kept out bugs, had a small footprint, and held up well to some of the strong storms that blasted us on our journey. We stayed at very few, if any, commercial campgrounds, and usually just stayed in gardens, public parks, and pastures along the way. We always started out by asking about some public land at the municipal albergue and if we couldn't find anything that way we would ask some people around town and were usually able to camp in a pasture near the edge of town. We also found that people were less receptive to camping in the eastern portion of the Camino but as we moved west where there were more pilgrims there were usually designated spots or grass where pilgrims could camp given that there was often an overflow.
I found that staying in tents didn't really affect our ability to socialize with fellow hikers along the way. We were able to hang out with whomever we liked during the afternoons and evenings at the local cafes and simply retired to our tents at night when they retired to their beds in the albergues.
We saw some hikers that had some bad experiences with bed bugs at albergues from time to time so it was nice to have the option to avoid that possibility all together.
Tents also gave us flexibility for when we went to bed and when we woke up. We could go to bed as early or late as we wanted and not have to worry about disturbing anyone or being disturbed. We could also wake up as early or late as we wanted without having to worry about other hikers schedules. Also, there was only one hiker in our group that snored, and I would just not set my tent up next to his.
We saw many hikers rushing through the day simply to make sure that they got one of the limited beds in the albergues and we also saw some hikers having to press on late in the day if they arrived in a small town and the only albergue was full and they weren't carrying tents. The tents gave us the flexibility to choose our target town, then spend a few minutes finding a piece of grass, and not have to worry about how crowded the albergue was.
Lastly, no one would want a group of 21 people descending on an albergue and taking the limited beds, so it was just as easy for us to set up in the nearby pasture, and leave the beds for the other hikers.
Brian
This is EXACTLY what I was looking for! I want to hike the Camino but camp most of the time , like you. I need it to be cheap and I also have an aversion to getting any sort of bed bug.
The only thing is I need to use a CPAP machine and I have a very small one to carry. My goal is to use some sort of solar pack I've researched. To gather power all day and sleep for 8 hours. Do you happen to know if any parks have power? (i know very unlikely, but thought I'd ask)
How did you research the camping before you left?
Also, I will be alone. Which from what I've read is* fairly* safe on the Camino . ( rip Ms Thiem) Do you think I could camp close by the albergues if that's the case?
I'm trying to be as prepared as I can.
Cost is a big factor for me. As I don't have a lot of money as it is, and will be paying for things at home I'd love to be able to take 4 months off and take my time to meet people, see things. LOL. I want to meet them but not be in a large room with all kinds of noises and smells and possibly beg bugs.
@WriterChantal , regarding your solar pack and CPAP, if you apnea is sombad that the CPAP is a must, be sure to try to power source. I would be skeptical about it being able to reliably power your CPAP, so get one you can return and test it at home. Whenmy insurance coverage allows it I will be getting a mouth peice done for the Camino, as kt's twice the price of the CPAP. Good luck.
A budget is what I am trying to gauge right now, So I can make a plan to go at the end of school in June 2016. Simply math tells me if I take 2 months at 10 euros a day (600.0) which is not bad. Cheapest flight into Europe is Dublin about 800 American dollars. Ferries, Trains are extra. Plus all the bills at home which don't stop because I am away.
My plan is to figure out a budget, then for safeties sake, double it. and try to save. Sometimes I feel like I will never get there!
A budget is what I am trying to gauge right now, So I can make a plan to go at the end of school in June 2016. Simply math tells me if I take 2 months at 10 euros a day (600.0) which is not bad. Cheapest flight into Europe is Dublin about 800 American dollars. Ferries, Trains are extra. Plus all the bills at home which don't stop because I am away.
My plan is to figure out a budget, then for safeties sake, double it. and try to save. Sometimes I feel like I will never get there!
your find starting in Pamplona as you mention on a similar thread flying in to dublin will be costly......when Madrid from the states would be better then its simple to reach Pamplona from Madrid in June
try using skyscanner .com (not dot net).
the trick here is to arrive Madrid early morning with any connection or waiting done your side.,,getting to Pamplona from Madrid is cheap by Alsa Coach .
You know the thing about it? I have to actually quit my job, because no one will give me that length of time off a save my position. Now I understand this and I'm not blaming them in any way. But to do this camino it is such a great expense and I am opening myself to not having a job when I come back.
How do 1000's of people do this? is everyone just independently wealthy? It's ironic that its only the wealthy are able to afford to make pilgrimage!?
True. This is not a vacation for me. It's a personal pilgrimage.And I need it like I need medicine, food or water for my body.fact of my life money just mad life worse..
some people are unemployed and you have to eat where ever you are........many take loans out or save for a long time......
it was said to me once on camino by two people , "they said to me how could they not afford to go"its important to focus on you getting there..
If its Central the mouth piece will not help. Not that I know of. And a travel size CPAP, not for Central, will cost you 500$ easily. 50 nights in an albergue will be a breakeven.I have both central and obstructive apnea. I've slept with out it before ( accidentally) and I 'm okay, but never really get the rest I need.
You know, that's a good idea, I'm going to call my medical supplies company and ask for advice on equipment for what I want to do!
Thank you!
You know the thing about it? I have to actually quit my job, because no one will give me that length of time off a save my position. Now I understand this and I'm not blaming them in any way. But to do this camino it is such a great expense and I am opening myself to not having a job when I come back.
How do 1000's of people do this? is everyone just independently wealthy? It's ironic that its only the wealthy are able to afford to make pilgrimage!?
You're right, @WriterChantal - very few people can take 2 months off work and have their job held for them. That's why the vast majority don't walk that far all at once, but walk much shorter sections of the Camino, for shorter periods. Around half (roughly) of all those who walk the Camino Frances walk only the last 100km to Santiago, the minimum distance required for a Compostela. Many others start further back, but do it in stages, sometimes spread over many years. So they might do only 2 weeks, then go home and start saving again, and come back a year or two or more later and walk another 2 weeks, and so on. Some people who live closer to the Camino do it a weekend at a time! Obviously for those of us who have to travel thousands of miles to get there, lots of short trips may be harder than one longer one. But it may be something for you to consider, if you were able to get some time off work. There is nothing, no rule at all, that says you must walk for 2 months - or any set distance or timeframe or from any specific starting point. The only "rule", such as it is, is the one about walking 100km to earn a Compostela, if that is important to you. Then again, if it important to you to walk a longer Camino and at one time, and giving up your job is what you need to do to achieve this, then your cost-saving ideas are good and you're on the right track (excuse the pun!). You may find more on this Forum if you spend time trawling through it, it is a wonderful source of information and ideas. I do agree with @mountaingoat999 above that the cost overall will probably be cheaper if you fly into Madrid, especially if you want to start from Pamplona. Getting from Dublin to your starting point would probably cancel out any savings you might make by flying there. Anyway - whatever you decide, good luck with your savings, and enjoy the planning - that's part of the fun!
Good advice. I booked my flight with Iberia Express early online and it was only 40 euros. The public bus to the airport in Santiago is only 3 euros.its also very easy and cheaper to fly from Santiago to Madrid ..
I'm taking my tent. No way I'm trekking to the next town because albergues are full, and I'm not rushing either. Thanks for the info Brian. Buen Camino!I just finished a Camino from St Jean to Finisterra earlier this summer and remember looking to this forum for advice on camping before I left so I wanted to share my experience carrying a tent and trying to camp during our hike. I was also the leader of the group of Boy Scouts that was discussed briefly on this forum earlier in the summer so our group of hikers was 21 people. Here's a few details on our experiences out there.
Of our 37 nights on trail I stayed in my tent 31 times. I carried a Big Agnes Fly Creek UL1 and overall it performed very well. It was easy to set up, very light weight, kept out bugs, had a small footprint, and held up well to some of the strong storms that blasted us on our journey. We stayed at very few, if any, commercial campgrounds, and usually just stayed in gardens, public parks, and pastures along the way. We always started out by asking about some public land at the municipal albergue and if we couldn't find anything that way we would ask some people around town and were usually able to camp in a pasture near the edge of town. We also found that people were less receptive to camping in the eastern portion of the Camino but as we moved west where there were more pilgrims there were usually designated spots or grass where pilgrims could camp given that there was often an overflow.
I found that staying in tents didn't really affect our ability to socialize with fellow hikers along the way. We were able to hang out with whomever we liked during the afternoons and evenings at the local cafes and simply retired to our tents at night when they retired to their beds in the albergues.
We saw some hikers that had some bad experiences with bed bugs at albergues from time to time so it was nice to have the option to avoid that possibility all together.
Tents also gave us flexibility for when we went to bed and when we woke up. We could go to bed as early or late as we wanted and not have to worry about disturbing anyone or being disturbed. We could also wake up as early or late as we wanted without having to worry about other hikers schedules. Also, there was only one hiker in our group that snored, and I would just not set my tent up next to his.
We saw many hikers rushing through the day simply to make sure that they got one of the limited beds in the albergues and we also saw some hikers having to press on late in the day if they arrived in a small town and the only albergue was full and they weren't carrying tents. The tents gave us the flexibility to choose our target town, then spend a few minutes finding a piece of grass, and not have to worry about how crowded the albergue was.
Lastly, no one would want a group of 21 people descending on an albergue and taking the limited beds, so it was just as easy for us to set up in the nearby pasture, and leave the beds for the other hikers.
Overall, we really enjoyed our experience of camping on the Camino and I'd be glad to answer any questions for anyone else that is looking to camp along the way.
Buen Camino
Brian
I'm taking my tent. No way I'm trekking to the next town because albergues are full, and I'm not rushing either. Thanks for the info Brian. Buen Camino!
Good to know that some albergues are accommodating. That can really help reduce anxiety created by the "bed race"scenario. Thanks for the info Davey! Buen Camino!I carry a tent on all my camino's. But if the weather is good I just use roll mat and sleeping bag. Being willing to sleep outside gives you ultimate freedom. Many albergues will let you camp outside even when full, and you can use the facilities and shower, though you pay of course.
Buen Camino!
Davey
We use cookies and similar technologies for the following purposes:
Do you accept cookies and these technologies?
We use cookies and similar technologies for the following purposes:
Do you accept cookies and these technologies?