Pierre Julian
Active Member
- Time of past OR future Camino
- Frances, Ingles, VdP, San Salvador, Aragonese & Northern. Sections of Portuguese & Mozarabic.
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I agree. It's one of the best on the Norte. I've stayed there twice, and in the same bed both times.Second: the other albergue at Piñera. It is in a wonderful old school building, very spacious, very comfortable and a joy to visit. But most of all the hospitalero is Ezekiel (Fecky - not sure how to spell). Like Aurelio, he is friendly, kind welcoming and informative. He home-cooks probably the best albergue a communal meal I have ever had -
Which is why I'm encouraging future pilgrims to stay in these places over the next few months ...In busy periods people stay at the Albergues in between the stages, I stayed at Pinera 10 years ago and on the day I was there some young Spanish guys were given mattresses and slept in the hall because the bunks were taken. The unfortunate circumstances we are going through mean a lot of places will be bypassed this year,if they can make it too next year and there is a vaccine or something else in the first part then it is likely the Albergues will be rammed on the most popular routes wether or not they are in between the Gronze,Brierley or Cicerone stages.
Buen Camino
Both times I stayed in Piñera I had started my walk that day in Villademoros (just past Cadavedo). It was about a 28 km day.But you aren't going to have enough non Spanish pilgrims to make a difference this year anyway, next year( fingers crossed) it changes. One of the problems of the location it is in, is that it's only 17 km past Luarca and even if Pinera was the end of the stage, many people would still go to Luarca. Pinera holds many fond memories for me,the lovely meal I received, the pens on the ceiling,the warm hospitality,but even if I go that way again I will be heading around the Costa Naviega so I will end up bypassing it. But in a normal busy year many people stay there so it's a not usually a problem.
As soon as there is a vaccine I am off to Sevilla to walk the VDLP. The more caminos I walk the more I want to walk Caminos less traveled.Current Covid conditions aside, there are three ways to avoid the crowds:
1) Walk off season - I went in February and March when there are a tenth of the pilgrims as in the summer.
2) Walk the less traveled routes - Only 1 % of all pilgrims getting a Compostela start the lesser traveled Portuguese Route in Lisbon (most start in Porto) as I did three years ago.
3) Stop in between the "official" legs suggested in Gronze and the guide books.
And if you do want to do the popular French Route - Think about finishing it on the Invierno Route.
I love quite restaurants, empty albergues and deserted pensions.
I think on all the camino routes that I have walked there are many people who follow the stages that are in the different guide books and websites. There is alot of overlap from guide to guide of the stages for each camino. I would assume, but don't know for sure that new pilgrims are probably more inclined to follow guide book stages. The more crowded the route the better it is to "walk your own camino" and stay in non stage towns.I have just been walking a section of the Northern Camino. Unfortunately, so many people follow the Gronze "official stages", which means that the albergues in between have very few visitors. This is a terrible shame because if this continues they will surely go out of business. In my opinion two of the very best albergues on the Northern Camino are sadly being rarely visited.
First: the Albergue St Roch in Navia where I stayed last night. It has to be one of the best laid-out albergues I have ever stayed in. It is incredibly clean, bright and has everything a pilgrim needs. Most of all, it is run by Aurelio - such a welcoming, friendly, informative, kind and helpful hospitalero, and I have stayed there now three times. He reports that in recent weeks there has only been one or two pilgrims per night sometimes none. Last night they was just myself and another. I think it will be impossible for such an albergue to survive after such an awful year if this continues.
Second: the other albergue at Piñera. It is in a wonderful old school building, very spacious, very comfortable and a joy to visit. But most of all the hospitalero is Ezekiel (Fecky - not sure how to spell). Like Aurelio, he is friendly, kind welcoming and informative. He home-cooks probably the best albergue a communal meal I have ever had - it was amazing. He put so much hard work and love into it - truly of high class restaurant standard - for a minimal price. Again it is in-between stages and so not well patronised.
I believe that the Spanish pilgrims are very strong on following the Gronze specific stage endings. Maybe those of us from non-Spanish countries could make a real effort when we are on the Camino to stay in-between stages in order to support the very good and hardworking hospitaleros and albergues, and ensure they survive after the pandemic? Please do pass the word around. Thanks.
I haven't stayed there but it is lovely, and popular! I would recommend reservations for the more popular months. I couple of girls I was walking with wanted to stay there and were disappointed to find it fully booked when they arrived around noon. That was in early June last year.If I may recommend one of the all time best albergues on any camino that is literally in the woods in the middle of nowhere, the Albergue O Xistral. It is about 6k past Abadin. I doubt if you can find an albergue anywhere
This is an interesting and ambiguous sentence. Discouraging people from walking is one thing, but no one is discouraging people from "helping" those places! For example, see the notice at the top of every page on the forum.If you discourage people from walking and helping those places to survive...
This is very good idea!I have just been walking a section of the Northern Camino. Unfortunately, so many people follow the Gronze "official stages", which means that the albergues in between have very few visitors. This is a terrible shame because if this continues they will surely go out of business. In my opinion two of the very best albergues on the Northern Camino are sadly being rarely visited.
First: the Albergue St Roch in Navia where I stayed last night. It has to be one of the best laid-out albergues I have ever stayed in. It is incredibly clean, bright and has everything a pilgrim needs. Most of all, it is run by Aurelio - such a welcoming, friendly, informative, kind and helpful hospitalero, and I have stayed there now three times. He reports that in recent weeks there has only been one or two pilgrims per night sometimes none. Last night they was just myself and another. I think it will be impossible for such an albergue to survive after such an awful year if this continues.
Second: the other albergue at Piñera. It is in a wonderful old school building, very spacious, very comfortable and a joy to visit. But most of all the hospitalero is Ezekiel (Fecky - not sure how to spell). Like Aurelio, he is friendly, kind welcoming and informative. He home-cooks probably the best albergue a communal meal I have ever had - it was amazing. He put so much hard work and love into it - truly of high class restaurant standard - for a minimal price. Again it is in-between stages and so not well patronised.
I believe that the Spanish pilgrims are very strong on following the Gronze specific stage endings. Maybe those of us from non-Spanish countries could make a real effort when we are on the Camino to stay in-between stages in order to support the very good and hardworking hospitaleros and albergues, and ensure they survive after the pandemic? Please do pass the word around. Thanks.
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