Do I really need a tent?

[terese]

Hello everybody! After many years of thinking about it it seems I might finally get to walk the camino next summer and I'm considering el camino del norte all the way from the Pyrenees. My only hesitation with that route is that I have read that the albergues are a bit too far apart and that I might need a tent, and I had not planned on doing any camping. Will a tent really be necessary? And how far apart are the albergues and is there a chance they are full in summer so I will be forced to camp?
Thanks in advance for all your help!

 

[Deleted member 3000]

This site shows the distances and albergues:

http://www.gronze.com/camino-de-santiago/caminos/guia-del-camino-del-norte

 

[Mountainman]

Will a tent really be necessary? And how far apart are the albergues and is there a chance they are full in summer so I will be forced to camp?

This thread http://www.caminodesantiago.me/community/threads/crowding-on-the-camino-del-norte.26633/ basically informed me that in july and august you might encounter full albergues, but that the hospitaleros usually have backup options so you are almost always ok... SO I woud say dont take a tent!

Personally I am taking a bivy bag and sleeping bag (together are 1kg) just because I like to camp out on the beach a few times, and also because in the few instances that could occur that there is no sleeping space inn the albergue, I dont want to pay hostel prices...

 

[MKalcolm M]

I considered taking a tent when planning to walk the Norte in May /June 2013, but was very glad I didn't. I always managed to find a bed in an alberge or low cost accommodation, which allowed for comfort, showers, hot food etc. The additional weight of a a tent would have been a burden, and the weather was unpredictable which would have meant decamping in the rain. The alberges are not so far apart as to cause problems, and you can always get good current information from the hospitaleros as to what your options for the next day are.

 

[terese]

Thank you so much for your messages. I have been doing some more reading on the subject and come to the conclusion that a tent won't be needed. And thank you for the link to gronze.com, what an amazing site, it will come really handy!