Sleeping outside

[ehaldenb]

Hello, I'm trying to make St. Jean PdePort-Santiago in 28 days...if I walk farther than most daily traffic, what are the chances I'll be sleeping alone outside? Just need to buy the appropriate sleep gear. Thanks!!!

 

[Anonymous]

Hi ehaldenb, your walking rythm, physical shape, motivation, and more, come into play here. The "El pais/Aguilar" guidebook has divided the CF into 30 days, so I don't know, sounds like u may be squeezing the whole experience, here. Well, acc to them anyway. U may want to start from Pamplona, perhaps, or Puente La Reina...I guess u r refering to bed availability in albergues...I hear there r a lot of pilgrims on the CF right now, don't know of anyone yet whose had to walk further bec of albergues being full. Then again the CF may get crowder this summer, usually does. I'd just take a sleeping bag. During what season would u be walking? Best, xm 8)

 

[ehaldenb]

Hi XM, I'm leaving 2 weeks from today! Not sure if I should get a sleeping bag or just a liner. Everyone says a liner should suffice with late May-June temperatures, but I think sleeping in the rocks without some fluff underneath may be a bit rough. Does everyone bring a sleeping bag? Any big animals I should know about, wandering around eating lone American girls sleeping under the stars? :shock:

 

[Anonymous]

ehaldenb, most everyone, except two, takes sleeping bags. But like all, bag/liner, it's a question of preference. Hope u hear from "liner people." I prefer the extra super light, sleeping bag. Big animals? Hmm...probably no larger than the ones around ur home! Nah, just be aware of dogs that if u carry a staff, pole, palo, whatever u want to call it, should scare them away. r u planning on camping? Best, xm 8)

 

[marktqm]

ehaldenb,

No need to be scared of large animals, even those with sharp horns. Be afraid of the four (or ten-) wheeled vehicles that can run you down when you cross the busy roads, e.g. entering Leon.

Mark

 

[ehaldenb]

Weather permitting and if the hostels are full and I can't afford a hotel (which I can't, by the way, at the prices I've been reading on here :shock: ) MAY I sleep outside? How common is this?

 

[summer2005]

Most albergues will let you sleep outside on their property. I saw a handful of people sleeping in tents they set up in fields along the path outside of town. It wasn't terribly common, but it also didn't seem to be a problem. I also met one guy who regularly set up a tent in yards in towns (with permission, I assume).

If you're planning to sleep outside, you should definitely take a sleeping bag rather than just a liner. I slept outside (by choice) a couple of times with a liner and a borrowed blanket and nearly froze. And this was in August. I would have been absolutely miserable if I'd had to sleep outside without an extra blanket.

I realize people are saying the Camino seems unusually crowded right now, but I'd be surprised if you were ever forced to sleep outside. Sleep on the floor, yes. Walk an extra 2 or 3 kilometers to the next albergue, maybe. But the hospitaleros seem to work fairly hard to make sure that all the pilgrims in town have a roof over their heads.

Buen camino!

 

[sillydoll]

When I walked in May/June it was much too cold at night to sleep outside. We took a small tent with us but dumped it 4 days into the walk.

...if I walk farther than most daily traffic, what are the chances I'll be sleeping alone outside?

The camino isn't quite like that. It's not like a marathon with everyone starting at the same time. There are people starting every day so even if you race ahead you will just be a part of yesterday, or the day before's pilgrim masses. That is the amazing thing about the camino for me. Every day there are people walking - like a never ending stream of life. Even when you get home you can see in your mind's eye, pilgrims trudging all the trails. And its a great comfort to know that anytime you want to join in, you just have to go and step on the camino conveyor to be a part of it again.

 

[WolverineDG]

Several folks (approx. 40) had to sleep outside last night at Torres del Rio. Most camped out at the church, but some slept on the grass. To the hospitelera´s credit, she let these people inside to use the bathrooms, showers, vending machines & kitchen. When I got up this morning, I saw people everywhere, including the kitchen, so she must have let people in until she had no more floor space to give. Those who had to stay outside were able to use the facilities free of charge.

Along the way to Viana, we saw several sites that looked like others had stopped there for the night. One was an ermita, but the others were stone shelters put up by the farmers.

Yesterday, on my way to Villamayor, I saw someone camped out in a tent as well, but that was probably by choice.

Definitely bring a bag because you never know where you´ll end up.

dg

 

[Anonymous]

dg, there's a nice private albergue there run by a very nice lady, lts got a nice terrace on the top, is it also packed? u in Torres now? There's a cyber cafe there? The portion to Viana was hard/boring for me, good luck with it. xm

 

[WolverineDG]

xm, it sounds like you are describing Casa Mari. Yes, she is very nice & giving, as we saw last night. Now we are in Viana & it was a nice walk. There are still muddy places, but at least they are few & far between, not the entire way.

We are at the Andres Munoz Albergue & I think now they are complete here. When I was upstairs last, there were only 3 top bunks in room 4 left open. All the others were taken.

I hear you on certain paths being very hard on you. The first few days, up to Estella, were really tough on me.

dg

 

[Anonymous]

I met a pilgrim once who told me that he slept in cemeteries. Cheaper, no snoring, and nobody ever bothered u at night. OK... Best, xm 8)

 

[ehaldenb]

Thanks! I've decided to bring a thermarest, which is cheap and super light, because I know I'll sleep better that way. If it turns out I don't have to use it, I'll leave it somewhere or give it away. I have slept on hardwood floors, cement and grass in my life, the latter being the only tolerable option except for moisture.