- Time of past OR future Camino
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Possibly if you walk alone you may have the best outcome in "winging it" with lodging.
I've been following the Via Francigena facebook group, and it seems like a lot of people are having trouble finding accommodations in Italy right now, too. It's been surprising - I always thought this was a less-walked route.
Well let's just hope they keep building and providing more infrastructure to accomodate the growth so the magic of the Camino can continue!I hope this frenzy of pilgrims doesn't decrease, the more people that experience the magic of a pilgrimage surely has to be a good thing.
Ditto. I want the whole world to know about it. To WALK it. It's not my secret little holiday destination that I do not want to share. It's always meant to be celebrated. To be shared. No way would I Bogart it and say it is only mine because I found it first, or I discovered it in a less mainstream fashion than a movie or book.I hope this frenzy of pilgrims doesn't decrease, the more people that experience the magic of a pilgrimage surely has to be a good thing.
I began lurking on this forum in January 2015 when planning my first Camino in April/May that year following my retirement. I don't recall reading many posts at that time regarding the busyness of the Frances route. As a "blind" newbie and having only watched the movie "The Way", I thought all pilgrims stayed in albergues, so never reserved any private lodging, except my first and final day. I didn't have much concern for finding a bed day by day and everything worked out.
Fast forward to January of 2016. I became a forum member and began seeing more posts about the increase in numbers on the Frances route. Future pilgrims were encouraged strongly to try the Norte instead, even if it was their first pilgrimage. Well, reading that news scared me off from repeating the Frances, so instead I chose the Norte/Primitivo for spring, although I was apprehensive of the elevation changes, but ended up enjoying this 2nd camino. There were not many walkers seen during the day, but lodging was a little dicey, although we never made reservations ahead. I was surprised at how most albergues, and other reasonably priced lodgings filled up each night.
In 2017 I returned to walk the Frances with three other family members in April/May. After learning on this forum about either calling ahead, or emailing the albergues to reserve, we began doing that every day in order to stay together as everywhere was so busy.
Thankfully this June I will be walking the Via Podiensis in France and look forward to this change of pace (no pun intended), yet know we will be reserving all stages in advance because it too, apparently gets busy.
I said all of the above to say this...
This past winter until now I have been spending time on the forum again and noticed what now seems to be a large increase in walkers who start earlier and earlier. It has become a "Camino feeding frenzy" and you have to wonder if the numbers will ever taper off.
I am following a couple of walkers who are currently on the more obscure routes and they are having to either plan ahead or scurrying to get a bed, which seems to be the norm, even for these folks.
Possibly if one walks alone, that may be the best outcome in "winging it" with lodging, but I'm not even sure of that. I wonder how this growth can continue at this rate?
Clever idea if ya don't care about getting a compostela!Is there a bus from Sarria to Santiago ?
"The reports of my death have been greatly exaggerated"
That is a quote by the American author, Mark Twain. I feel that it likely applies to news or reports of the Camino, specifically the Frances, and it's popularity in a sense ruining it.
Clever idea if ya don't care about getting a compostela!
"It is not dead, but it is very different."As someone whose personal experience of the Camino Frances spans half my lifetime I have witnessed enormous changes and with all good will towards those who come to it now fresh and find great joy and pleasure and fulfillment in their pilgrimages I cannot in honesty say that I welcome many aspects of the Camino Frances today. It was my first experience of pilgrimage and the joy of solitude and reflection walking day after day in vast landscapes under huge expanses of sky has stayed with me to this day. If anything it has grown stronger with every path I have walked since. But I can no longer readily find that experience on the Frances and so I must look elsewhere. It is not dead but it is very different.
Then you should definately jump on that bus going from Sarria to Santiago! Lol!This will be my 7th Camino,I was happy with my first compostela,I don't need another one
How many volunteers does it take to issue that many compostelas in one day?!Arrivals today 1720 Pilgrims
There are 14 counters in the Pilgrimoffice . And a few desks , thats all .How many volunteers does it take to issue that many compostelas in one day?!
1720 signatures handwritten by 14 volunteers at the counters in the pilgrim's office that day equaled approximately 120 pilgrim signatures written per volunteer (unless there are several shifts per day). I think I would end up with writer's cramp before the day ended. Lol.Arrivals today 1720 Pilgrims
Arrivals today 1720 Pilgrims
It. is. only. May. 5th!
Then you should definately jump on that bus going from Sarria to Santiago! Lol!
Personally I would not walk as far as Sarria and not carry on to Santiago - but I must confess that passing through Sarria in October 2016 I came very close to doing exactly that. I loathed what has happened to the place in recent years. Instead of stopping for lunch as I planned I completely lost my appetite - physically nauseated by the place - and for several hours I was fuming with anger and resentment. But things got better once I left it a few km behind me. That last 100km of the CF is never going to be in my top 10 list though.I plan to do just that but can't find details for times etc.
Personally I would not walk as far as Sarria and not carry on to Santiago - but I must confess that passing through Sarria in September 2016 I came very close to doing exactly that. I loathed what has happened to the place in recent years. Instead of stopping for lunch as I planned I completely lost my appetite - physically nauseated by the place - and for several hours I was fuming with anger and resentment. But things got better once I left it a few km behind me. That last 100km of the CF is never going to be in my top 10 list though.
If you really do intend to take a bus on to Santiago Monbus seem to run just one direct bus each day at 07:15. The more common and popular option is to take a Monbus service to Lugo and change there to an Empresa Freire bus to Santiago. More options and better timing.
Is there a bus from Sarria to Santiago ?
Yes, via Lugo. I had to bail out at the end of my 2016 Camino Madrid due to health issues. As I already have four Compostelas, that was not my imperative.
The bus goes from Sarria to Lugo. You change buses at Lugo. The second bus follows the Camino route into Santiago.
I began lurking on this forum in January 2015 when planning my first Camino in April/May that year following my retirement. I don't recall reading many posts at that time regarding the busyness of the Frances route. As a "blind" newbie and having only watched the movie "The Way", I thought all pilgrims stayed in albergues, so never reserved any private lodging, except my first and final day. I didn't have much concern for finding a bed day by day and everything worked out.
Fast forward to January of 2016. I became a forum member and began seeing more posts about the increase in numbers on the Frances route. Future pilgrims were encouraged strongly to try the Norte instead, even if it was their first pilgrimage. Well, reading that news scared me off from repeating the Frances, so instead I chose the Norte/Primitivo for spring, although I was apprehensive of the elevation changes, but ended up enjoying this 2nd camino. There were not many walkers seen during the day, but lodging was a little dicey, although we never made reservations ahead. I was surprised at how most albergues, and other reasonably priced lodgings filled up each night.
In 2017 I returned to walk the Frances with three other family members in April/May. After learning on this forum about either calling ahead, or emailing the albergues to reserve, we began doing that every day in order to stay together as everywhere was so busy.
Thankfully this June I will be walking the Via Podiensis in France and look forward to this change of pace (no pun intended), yet know we will be reserving all stages in advance because it too, apparently gets busy.
I said all of the above to say this...
This past winter until now I have been spending time on the forum again and noticed what now seems to be a large increase in walkers who start earlier and earlier. It has become a "Camino feeding frenzy" and you have to wonder if the numbers will ever taper off.
I am following a couple of walkers who are currently on the more obscure routes and they are having to either plan ahead or scurrying to get a bed, which seems to be the norm, even for these folks.
Possibly if one walks alone, that may be the best outcome in "winging it" with lodging, but I'm not even sure of that. I wonder how this growth can continue at this rate?
Absolutely! Fantastic place. Make sure you walk around on top of the city walls: Roman, wide enough to drive a car along the top and completely circle the old city. Great town for tapas tooIs Lugo worth a stopover ?
Absolutely! Fantastic place. Make sure you walk around on top of the city walls: Roman, wide enough to drive a car along the top and completely circle the old city. Great town for tapas too
Arrivals today 1720 Pilgrims
Hi Tara ,Peter, where do you find out these stats? My partner and I would love to know how many pilgrims arrived in SDC the day we did. We got there early enough to get the free pilgrim lunch at the Paradore!
Yes.Is Lugo worth a stopover ?
Thanks Peter,
And Lugo is such an interesting city to visit for a day, it's a great place to get off the bus before the final ride into Santiago!Yes, via Lugo. I had to bail out at the end of my 2016 Camino Madrid due to health issues. As I already have four Compostelas, that was not my imperative.
The bus goes from Sarria to Lugo. You change buses at Lugo. The second bus follows the Camino route into Santiago.
I began lurking on this forum in January 2015 when planning my first Camino in April/May that year following my retirement. I don't recall reading many posts at that time regarding the busyness of the Frances route. As a "blind" newbie and having only watched the movie "The Way", I thought all pilgrims stayed in albergues, so never reserved any private lodging, except my first and final day. I didn't have much concern for finding a bed day by day and everything worked out.
Fast forward to January of 2016. I became a forum member and began seeing more posts about the increase in numbers on the Frances route. Future pilgrims were encouraged strongly to try the Norte instead, even if it was their first pilgrimage. Well, reading that news scared me off from repeating the Frances, so instead I chose the Norte/Primitivo for spring, although I was apprehensive of the elevation changes, but ended up enjoying this 2nd camino. There were not many walkers seen during the day, but lodging was a little dicey, although we never made reservations ahead. I was surprised at how most albergues, and other reasonably priced lodgings filled up each night.
In 2017 I returned to walk the Frances with three other family members in April/May. After learning on this forum about either calling ahead, or emailing the albergues to reserve, we began doing that every day in order to stay together as everywhere was so busy.
Thankfully this June I will be walking the Via Podiensis in France and look forward to this change of pace (no pun intended), yet know we will be reserving all stages in advance because it too, apparently gets busy.
I said all of the above to say this...
This past winter until now I have been spending time on the forum again and noticed what now seems to be a large increase in walkers who start earlier and earlier. It has become a "Camino feeding frenzy" and you have to wonder if the numbers will ever taper off.
I am following a couple of walkers who are currently on the more obscure routes and they are having to either plan ahead or scurrying to get a bed, which seems to be the norm, even for these folks.
Possibly if one walks alone, that may be the best outcome in "winging it" with lodging, but I'm not even sure of that. I wonder how this growth can continue at this rate?
I hiked part of El CF in April and decided to make advance reservations for a private room at each destination. So I started doing this in February only to find out that in certain locations I had already waited too long! Pilgrims are starting earlier and earlier and booking ahead. Plan ahead.I began lurking on this forum in January 2015 when planning my first Camino in April/May that year following my retirement. I don't recall reading many posts at that time regarding the busyness of the Frances route. As a "blind" newbie and having only watched the movie "The Way", I thought all pilgrims stayed in albergues, so never reserved any private lodging, except my first and final day. I didn't have much concern for finding a bed day by day and everything worked out.
Fast forward to January of 2016. I became a forum member and began seeing more posts about the increase in numbers on the Frances route. Future pilgrims were encouraged strongly to try the Norte instead, even if it was their first pilgrimage. Well, reading that news scared me off from repeating the Frances, so instead I chose the Norte/Primitivo for spring, although I was apprehensive of the elevation changes, but ended up enjoying this 2nd camino. There were not many walkers seen during the day, but lodging was a little dicey, although we never made reservations ahead. I was surprised at how most albergues, and other reasonably priced lodgings filled up each night.
In 2017 I returned to walk the Frances with three other family members in April/May. After learning on this forum about either calling ahead, or emailing the albergues to reserve, we began doing that every day in order to stay together as everywhere was so busy.
Thankfully this June I will be walking the Via Podiensis in France and look forward to this change of pace (no pun intended), yet know we will be reserving all stages in advance because it too, apparently gets busy.
I said all of the above to say this...
This past winter until now I have been spending time on the forum again and noticed what now seems to be a large increase in walkers who start earlier and earlier. It has become a "Camino feeding frenzy" and you have to wonder if the numbers will ever taper off.
I am following a couple of walkers who are currently on the more obscure routes and they are having to either plan ahead or scurrying to get a bed, which seems to be the norm, even for these folks.
Possibly if one walks alone, that may be the best outcome in "winging it" with lodging, but I'm not even sure of that. I wonder how this growth can continue at this rate?
Were you a single?my guess is the frances, unlike the norte has private and public albergues every 5 km on the average so i wouldnt worry about "the competition" at all. more importantly the stress of constantly worrying, getting up in the middle of the night or running to stay ahead will destroy what the camino is all about: trust that you will ok and find other solutions on the fly.
ive completed 5 caminos without booking ahead, running or night walks, if that helps ;-)
Were you a single?
Things change so quickly!Nice to hear a good report of plenty of available beds you are finding along the way!
And what they both said.What he said...
Absolutely! Fascinating walled old city in centre and you can walk along the ramparts for great views.Is Lugo worth a stopover ?
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