Reiterate best forum advice

[NoQ]

In Villamayor De Monjardin now and one piece of advice from the forum is more than worth its weight in gold. ... GET OFF THE MAIN GUIDEBOOK STAGES. We started in Ibaneta and for the first 3 days we thought the Camino was more akin to La Ruta del Bacalao. There were always people in front of us and right behind us and it was noisy andlike a race to get to the albergues. The albergue Zaldiko in Zubiri was full before 2. The main albergue in Pamplona, Jesus y Maria, was full by mid afteroon. It felt like a noisy procession. However, yesterday we extended our stage and did not stop in Puente, but went on to Maneru. As soon as we left Puente,everthing changed. We saw nobody between Puente and Maneru. The albergue was fantastic and only 6 pilgrims stayed there. Today we continued off the guidebook stages to Villamayor and in over 26 kms we saw only a couple of pilgrims and are now in a lovely albergue but again less than half full. So much for July having the rep for being crazy busy. If we walk between stages the Camino is incredibly peaceful, even in July. The smaller albergues are fantastic and the churh services are genuinely observed. It is wonderful to experience such a quiet and spiritual camino and it is thanks to the forum for guiding pilgrims to this profound alternative.

 

[Tonm]

Thanks for the advise. I am leaving next week and will keep this in mind

 

[suzenripley]

Thanks!!! I leave SJPP in 3 days..

 

[OzAnnie]

Hi tonm and Susan
If opportunity to access forum in next few weeks while you are partway on your journey and follow this 'off main stages' too , I would love to hear how it works out for you at this time. i will start from sjpp in 4 wks so reading all posts with anticipation.
Buen Camino
Annie

 

[KiwiNomad06]

Noq, I did this when I left from Pamplona last year- staying Uterga, Lorca Ventosa etc- and just loved the atmosphere in some of those smaller places. Only thing was, I tended not to see the same people another night. Quite a lot of people staying in smaller places seemed to be walking lots of extra long stages- ie more than 30km or so, so I never saw them again. That took me a bit of getting used to.
Margaret

 

[BuzzBuzz]

Thanks for the advice! If you get a chance can you list some places you have stayed? We are leaving July 29 from SJPP-Logrono and really just want to chill in none over crowdedness if that makes sense

 

[mspath]

Thanks for the advice! If you get a chance can you list some places you have stayed? We are leaving July 29 from SJPP-Logrono and really just want to chill in none over crowdedness if that makes sense

BuzzBuzz,

If you really want to chill walk in late autumn and winter. It may be COLD but there are always plenty of bunks! Not all albergues will be open, but the welcome at those albergues which are is often most sincere since the throngs of summer have passed.

What ever the season the Camino is an amazing challenge both physical and mental. You will love it.

Buen Camino,

Margaret Meredith

 

[andycamino]

I am starting in three weeks and this has put my mind at ease.

I have been reading one of the more popular guide books and was wondering myself that if most people follow it "religiously" all the "in between" albergues would be a less crowded. Makes sense.

Thanks for the advice!

 

[NoQ]

Kiwinomad, yes some pilgrims are on longer stages, but a few are also enjoing quieter in between book stage endpoints.
Buzzbuzz, the weather is really glorious and so far it has been a tale of 2 caminos. Roncesvalles was very busy with even the big old overflow almost filling up. Zubiri was saturated, with all albergues full and some pilgrims ended up outside, although I heard there was still space in the sports hall at about 6 pm. The main albergue in Pamplona was sending pilgrims on to Cizur Menor in the midst of ferocious thunderstorms. Then once we reached Puente it all changed, as mentioned. Mass in Villamayor was lovely and the hospitalera explained the great significane of the amazing cross in the side of the church. Today again we saw nobody for miles.In fact it was almost at Torres when we encountered pilgrims who had stayed the previous night in Los Arcos. In Viana now and there is still loads of space in the albergue (as of 5.35). It is busier than recent end
I,ll update on bed space levels as I go on, but in short, once off the guidebook endpoints, it,s a very quiet, relaxing and friendly Camino with perfect balmy weather and wonderful services in historic churches attended by few people so more time to linger and find out more about the history etc.
The Camino can offer the camino that anyone desires, be it a quiet pilgrimage or a social melee. You'll love it.

 

[createspace]

We stayed between the stages for the first part of the Camino but then met people we wanted to be with at the end of the day so stayed their route. Left SJPP May 30 - Some of the albergues or towns we stayed in between stages from SJPP were: Obanos - Usda priv.; Villamayor de Monjardin at the Dutch Hogar Monjardin; Navarette (which I really liked) was Villa de Navarette Hostel; Granon Par. Alb.; Ages Municipal; Boadilla del Camino in the En El Camino; Ledigos at Los Templarios Priv; Villarente at San Pelayo which was great.

 

[KinkyOne]

Actually it's kind of a great thing that most of the pilgrims don't read or acknowledge constant "warnings" regarding the usual etape starts/ends on this forum. Guess that gives some of them opportunity to walk mostly alone and being able to find a place in albergues with no additional effort.

Ultreia!

 

[waxwing]

This is great to hear! I will be stepping off from Pamplona in about 3 weeks. I've taken the advice from the forum to heart -- "the Camino will provide" -- and so have done almost no research on specific auberges or towns.

So, I'd like to follow this advice as well and "avoid the stages". Will it be simply obvious to me where everyone else is starting and stopping? Or is there a list that everyone else is following that I should actively avoid?

Thanks!

 

[KinkyOne]

@waxwing

In general try to avoid recommended stages by Brierley etc. guides.
Second - try to avoid bigger villages/cities or come in there early (after 10km or so) or spend an extra day for sight-seeing or...
Third - try to stop before or after major "stops".
Fourth - listen to yourself, because Camino always provide 8)

Ultreia!

 

[refindingmypurpose]

Yes...my thoughts exactly..the Camino shall provide...can't wait til the second week in Sept!

 

[NoQ]

Update on numbers. July 20 in El Cantaro in Navarette only 5 from 12 beds occupied.
July 22 Azofra was packed! Completo by 5.
Today in Granon and plenty of space so far. Hospitalero said last night only 14 pilgrims slept there.
Nobody is worrying about beds as far as I can tell and most are enjoying fantastic w eathera choice of albergues and not since Zubiri have I come across anyone actually making reservations as there is no need if arriving by mid afternoon.
Fantabulous range of people on the Camino and other than blisters, everyone is having a great time as far as I can see.

 

[Dave2013]

So my question to you all would be... How do you manage to stay off the main stages? Looking at the Camino Planner here http://www.godesalco.com/plan/frances it seems that I would be unable to consistently stay off the main stages without walking some much shorter or much longer days. But if I want to be somewhat consistent with say 20-25 km/day I'll end up having to hit a variety of normal stage stops. And if that is what most of you do then do you consider which main stops or just accept how things lay out?

 

[NoQ]

Hi Dave2013
Ithink a combination of main stages and in between stage halts is ideal. Planning to jst walk between stages would make for a limiting Camino.
Since Buegos I have been on main stage endings and accommodation has been no problem whatsoever. In fact even on main stage end stops, albergues have mostly not been full.
In Hornillos only 6 out of 20 beds were occupied in the excellent new albergue. In Castrojeriz, an amazing town and well worth staying at, only just over half the beds in San Esteban were occupied and in Fromista there is still lots of space as of 5.05pm. Mass at churches has been equall undersubscribed, with only 9people present at the big main church in Castrojeriz last night.
Really, I wouldn't worry at all about finding a place to stay as there are loads of albergues trying to attract pilgrims and not filling up as well as restaurnt owners really trying hard to entice pilgrims to dine, with bonus offers that arw not included on the menu.
I have found all the dire warnings about summer numbers to be way way off the mark.

 

[waveprof]

I have found all the dire warnings about summer numbers to be way way off the mark.

What is most interesting about this to me, is that every albergue owner and restaurant owner I talked to in May/June talked about it being more crowded than they could remember....potentially more crowded than most July's. Is it possible that this year, more people went earlier in the year?? I find that hard to believe, but it would be interesting if it was. The numbers will tell in a few months.

 

[Deleted member 3000]

is that every albergue owner and restaurant owner I talked to in May/June talked about it being more crowded than they could remember

My experience was the opposite; they all said it was a slow year!

 

[Tia Valeria]

There was a theory that May had all the May walkers plus those who had 'held over' from April because of the bad weather.

Although it will only give the numbers completing the Camino a look at Johnnie Walker's break down of statistics on his blog, or a look at the official stats themselves, might show up some interesting differences to expected numbers in given months.