COVID and camping

[La Knysna]

Hi everyone. Without getting into the merits of COVID and the Camino....my husband and I have plans to walk the Camino in August (God and COVID willing). For multiple reasons (his snoring, privacy, COVID risk reduction), we had thought of camping in a small tent we have used before. (By small tent, i mean large plastic sleeping bag. It is tiny tiny and basically just covers us...I digress). I have walked twice before, alone, it will be his first Camino. I didn't ever think of camping by myself, on the previous Caminos, so didn't even ask people about it! Does anyone have experience with this? We will start in Bilbao but are super flexible about any route. We also have six weeks and are fit, so may do more than one route.
PS: we would only come if COVID was under control and we have both been vaccinated. (we are South Africans and very very responsible global citizens. I am a Health care worker)
PPS: i have been blown away by the service offered by Air France. We had tickets to walk April 2020. We cancelled two weeks before (feb 2020) and received a one year voucher. We waited and waited and then 4 weeks ago submitted the voucher for a full refund. Just got paid back in full. I immediately rebooked for August. I feel confident if the situation doesn't allow travel, my tickets would not be wasted, and I would be able to apply for a full refund so I could rebook for 2022. Viva le France!

 

[davebugg]

Hi, La Knysna,

There have been many recent threads on camping, and many more over the last few years. I have never camped on Camino, but I could suggest using the Forum search engine located at the menu bar at the top of the page on the right.

If you plug in the word or phrase 'camping on the Norte' (or any of the camino routes), you will have a lot of information that may help. If you find that the specific answer isn't there, there are a lot of great members who will be glad to assist.

 

[C clearly]

This thread has been moved. Now, if you click on "Camping on the Camino de Santiago" at the top of this thread (in bold above the thread title), you'll find most of the threads focused on camping. There are some additional threads in other sections, tagged with "camping".

 

[domigee]

I have only been friends with one pilgrim who used a tent on the Camino francés. (That was years before Covid, in 2012!). He used to camp in albergues’ gardens whenever he could and use their facilities. We used to lose him on and off as it wasn’t always easy for him finding places.
It can be done... Good luck

 

[hecate105]

I camped most nights on the Norte, some of the Ingles and much of the Portuguese. It was fairly easy if you are happy to forego warm showers etc! But if you wash when warm water is available - take a trowel and leave no trace - you should be fine! You will still be buying food etc along the way - so supporting locals....

 

[gayeh]

I am planning to get to northern Spain by mid-September and want to do the del Norte. I am travelling solo (so far) and very interested in doing a combination of 'wild camping' with a couple of nights per week 'inside' at albergues, donativos etc. I am looking for advice about doing this solo and as an older woman. I am fit and currently training. I have read some recommended advice: always ask permission, never leaving debris, etc. Generally be a responsible pilgrim! Any resources or suggestions would be very welcomed. I am 'on the fence' at this time about doing this on my first camino. Advance thanks!

PS: I am thinking that post-covid camping may also become more popular. (For example: there may inevitably be fewer places to stay due to economically-forced closures, outdoors better for virus-spreading.)

 

[hecate105]

Hi, i feel the 'asking permission ' bit is rather difficult.... trying to ascertain who is the owner of any piece of land is usually impossible!! A piece right outside someones house - yes - but a corner of unused land, a field margin, beside a vineyard.... I have asked and never found an owner... but when wild camping - just find a 'spot' and if anyone turns up - then I explain 'just here overnight - gone in the morning/on camino /etc ' and it is usually ok. It is not often the owner - just an interested local... In Spain/France - as in the Uk - land is often owned by people who do not live near..... so be prepared to take your chances. Politeness and a smile always seem to work - after all you are not doing anything bad - simply sleeping for a while on someones soil.....!
Better to ask forgiveness than permission' as my dear Thai friend says....

 

[gayeh]

Hi, i feel the 'asking permission ' bit is rather difficult.... trying to ascertain who is the owner of any piece of land is usually impossible!! A piece right outside someones house - yes - but a corner of unused land, a field margin, beside a vineyard.... I have asked and never found an owner... but when wild camping - just find a 'spot' and if anyone turns up - then I explain 'just here overnight - gone in the morning/on camino /etc ' and it is usually ok. It is not often the owner - just an interested local... In Spain/France - as in the Uk - land is often owned by people who do not live near..... so be prepared to take your chances. Politeness and a smile always seem to work - after all you are not doing anything bad - simply sleeping for a while on someones soil.....!
Better to ask forgiveness than permission' as my dear Thai friend says....

Thank you. Very good to know! I love this forum!

 

[Deleted member 73526]

Hi, i feel the 'asking permission ' bit is rather difficult.... trying to ascertain who is the owner of any piece of land is usually impossible!!

Instead of struggling to identify the owner of a specific field, find a farmer and ask if he has a field that you can camp in. (One way to find a farmer is to knock on the door of a farmhouse).