Sleeping outside?

[Kbierstube]

So, sleeping outside. What are the circumstances that would motivate a pilgrim to do so? Where exactly do pilgrims sleep outside; park bench? Street corner? Random field? Is it possible that I'll need to sleep outside during my Sept 2017 CF?! I'd prefer not to. Do I have alternatives? Tia!

 

[trecile]

So, sleeping outside. What are the circumstances that would motivate a pilgrim to do so? Where exactly do pilgrims sleep outside; park bench? Street corner? Random field? Is it possible that I'll need to sleep outside during my Sept 2017 CF?! I'd prefer not to. Do I have alternatives? Tia!

I can't imagine a reason why you would have to sleep outside.

 

[jsalt]

Hi, I had to sleep outside once, but not on the CF. There were 2 albergues in the village, one was full and the other was closed. Late afternoon the restaurant owner phoned around for us (we were 4), but there was nothing within 20kms. He let us sleep on the covered patio and provided us with pizzas and a bottle of wine before he closed up. A local man came along about an hour later with a flask of hot water, plastic cups, tea bags, sugar and coffee satchets. That was one night I was glad I was carrying my lightweight sleeping bag, and was also the most memorable night of my camino!
Jill

 

[HeidiL]

When I was volunteering at the albergue in Grado last year, in high season, we had one Monday night when the albergue, the hotel and the illegal private place were all full. We helped some pilgrims take taxis to the next few towns, but in the end, arund 10-12 young, poor(ish) pilgrims from many different countries ended up sleeping in the park. We let them use the albergue showers and offered breakfast in the morning.

A young American guy I met on the Meseta a few years ago had decided to save time by leaving the path in the evening - and getting very, very lost in the dark. I met him the next day, he'd rolled up in his sleeping bag under a tree and had found the path again as soon as it got light.

These are both quite unusual circumstances. I'd still bring my sleeping bag, because it's not that unusual to end up on overflow mattresses on the floor, but I wouldn't plan to sleep outdoors.

(On the Camino de Madrid we once slept in a huge gymnasium on the big, blue pad that jumpers land on. Very odd place to be once they turned the lights off for the evening.)

 

[SYates]

So, sleeping outside. What are the circumstances that would motivate a pilgrim to do so? Where exactly do pilgrims sleep outside; park bench? Street corner? Random field? Is it possible that I'll need to sleep outside during my Sept 2017 CF?! I'd prefer not to. Do I have alternatives? Tia!

Yes, one alternative is biting the bullet and taking a bus or taxi to the next bigger place ;-) As others have said, having to sleep outside without wanting to, is a really rare event. Apart of albergues there are also pensions, hotels and the like in many towns on the Camino or just off it (again, call taxi in that case). So, with a bit of careful planning this situation can be avoided.

I only had to sleep one time outside. Back in 2002 there was only one albergue in Villamayor de Monjardin and, despite being June they decided to close it for the weekend so that all the hospitaleros could go to a convention or something like this of their religious organization. Me and three other women who also didn't want to walk 12km more to Los Arcos nor take any form of transport to there, ended up sleeping in the churchyard. We were fine, just a bit 'eaten by mosquitoes' in the morning. Now there are several albergues in this village ...

Also important to know - If, as a woman alone, you find yourself without a roof anywhere in Spain, you can always ask the police for help, they are obliged (as far as I know) by law to find you a shelter. It would be great if 'locals' like @ivar or @natefaith could confirm if that is still the case as my information regarding this point is a bit dated.

Buen Camino, SY

 

[skipronin]

So, sleeping outside. What are the circumstances that would motivate a pilgrim to do so? Where exactly do pilgrims sleep outside; park bench? Street corner? Random field? Is it possible that I'll need to sleep outside during my Sept 2017 CF?! I'd prefer not to. Do I have alternatives? Tia!

There are a multitude of reasons. Just as there are different reasons that people walk the Camino. Money. The peregrino is trying to save money to use for food due to severely limited budget. They may have made an unexpected purchase which severely dented their budget: backpack or shoes in the lead. Animal companion(s). Some peregrinos travel with dogs. Dogs are not allowed in most albergues. Isolation. Some peregrinos do not want to deal with the 5 am wake-up call (lights) and do not wish to spend the extra money for a single room. These are some, but not all of the reasons. Where do people sleep. Anywhere they will not be disturbed. Woods, churches, out of sight locations in city parks.

 

[whariwharangi]

I thought about it ... its a habit from hiking to remember places in case a place was needed NOW.

Any place along the camino that looked like a suitable rest spot was inevitably fouled with garbage and human waste. Otherwise the land was actively in use as cow pasture.

Sleeping out of doors on the camino? No thanks.

 

[Bradypus]

(On the Camino de Madrid we once slept in a huge gymnasium on the big, blue pad that jumpers land on. Very odd place to be once they turned the lights off for the evening.)

On my first Camino I couldn't get into the refugio in Cacabelos - the priest was away and no one seemed to have a key. A kind lady led me to a big new sports centre. The manager gave me a referee's changing room complete with private shower and toilet. He also sent some young lads to bring me a high-jump mat which filled the room and was very comfortable. Then he told me about good places to eat, handed me the keys of the building, and wished me a good night and a buen camino. Very comfortable and very generous.

 

[Felipe]

Besides random emergencies, some people just like to camp. Wild camping may be a good or bad idea (it has been debated, sometimes hotly, in other threads).
Pilgrims of yore used to sleep on the floor, at the doors of churches, when there was not another friendly place. Some monasteries (as Moissac) even have a pilgrim's portal to this effect.
I personally have not had this experience, although once I seriously considered it. I was not sure if I was in the right way, the night was falling in a very lonely path, and started to be worried. Fortunately, I had the strangest of the meetings: an old gentleman walking his dog in the middle of nowhere (and no, he did not seem to be Saint James in disguise). He showed me the way to the nearest paved road...and the bus stop. S0metimes, you just have to give up and do the practical thing.

 

[Anemone del Camino]

On the Norte, in Pobena, the albergue sometimes gets filled. They pitch a few tents in the backyard, and when yhose are full then send people off to sleep under the church port. On the Primitivo, those who waltzed in rather late evening (8pm) in Borres slept outised on the albergue's ground, on a licnic table and under a tractor.

 

[Don Camillo]

Horses for courses ! On the Frances I had no need to sleep out as there were plenty of places to stay overnight. On the Norte/Primitivo things were slightly different due to the stages I wished to walk and the fact that a fair few places were full. It is a matter of choice. My sleeping bag weighed 1Kg, the bivvy bag I used weighed 770g. For me two nights out in a row were enough but those nights were memorable. Of course you have to stay away from the immediate vicinity of the path for reasons already explained but apart from that there are plenty of places to stop. A big plus is that you do avoid the noise of people trying to be silent at 6am or the bright headlamps shining in your face. In all honesty (for the most part) I slept better outside than I did inside and the experience of looking up at the Milky Way watching satellites and shooting stars will be with me for a long time. Horses for Courses though , each to their own.
Don.

 

[frida1]

A funny story is that I slept outside once, not because I had to, but because the person in the bunk above snored so loudly he actually shook the entire bed frame. Rather than endure that, I slept on a bench in the courtyard!

 

[Mark Lee]

A funny story is that I slept outside once, not because I had to, but because the person in the bunk above snored so loudly he actually shook the entire bed frame. Rather than endure that, I slept on a bench in the courtyard!

A few times I vacated the sleeping quarters for greener pastures due to snoring, smell (stench?), stuffiness and heat due to closed windows and doors. Fortunately I always found a place to lay down in the common area of the albergue, but there were also outside options on the porch, etc.

 

[trecile]

Is it possible that I'll need to sleep outside during my Sept 2017 CF?!

People have mentioned some extreme cases. But in general, on the Frances? No.

 

[RENSHAW]

Pilgrims of yore used to sleep on the floor, at the doors of churches, when there was not another friendly place. Some monasteries (as Moissac) even have a pilgrim's portal to this effect.

He he - Sansol was my baptisim of fire when I choose to sleep under the church entrance .............. all settled at 11 pm and there was this strange pulley sound followed by a deafening clang as the bell chimed away ........every 15 minutes!
I have carried a tent on some caminos and had some great wild nights ( it is not legal ) ......on my own but I would not like to camp every night. I found it difficult getting going in the morning .....packing the tent and extras.
Still , if you find a friend along the way who you can trust , it is quite an experience spending a night out under the stars.

 

[Mark Lee]

Though I never did it, there were several times along the CF I looked out at the cut hay fields with their stacks of square bales and thought that looked like a good place to sleep outside. Lay out for the night on top of some square bales, with that freshly cut smell they have. It would have to be a clear and cool night to be really enjoyable, but ain't nothing like sleeping under the stars under those circumstances.
Before I get chastised for advocating wild camping on the CF, I'm not recommending doing anything destructive or even leaving behind the smallest trace you had been there.

 

[Deleted member 43780]

When I biked the CF in 2014 I slept outside a few times. Paid the A'berg. Used shower. Did clothes, etc. Slept in the "garden" area of the A'berg in my small tent.
Others did the same.
Got a good nights sleep.
When I walked the CF in 2015 had bivy sack. Slept outside a few times.
Walked the Ingles last year. Did not sleep outside.

If stealth camping...leave NO trace. Best, if possible, to ask permission from property owner.
Rule I follow: no fires, no smoking, no music, no cooking. Take out what took in.

I saw many places to stealth camp along the Ingles. But elected not to do so. Only a hand full of walkers at each town. Plenty of beds.

 

[Carlos Santiago]

A few times I vacated the sleeping quarters for greener pastures due to snoring, smell (stench?), stuffiness and heat due to closed windows and doors. Fortunately I always found a place to lay down in the common area of the albergue, but there were also outside options on the porch, etc.

Closed doors and windows will be a problem - the smell, stuffiness, and heat. A very light tent is now a serious consideration. Thanks for the heads-up.

 

[Anemone del Camino]

I keep having dreams of albergues setting up a few hammocks outside, eather for an afternoon nap or to spend the night under the stars.

 

[mspath]

I keep having dreams of albergues setting up a few hammocks outside, eather for an afternoon nap or to spend the night under the stars.

Such as these seen 2011 in Villatuerta?

 

[jsalt]

Such as these seen 2011 in Villatuerta?

Ah, Casa Magica - my favourite albergue!

 

[Anemone del Camino]

Such as these seen 2011 in Villatuerta?View attachment 31547

Ahhhhh.... yes, exactly. What Camino dreams are made of.

 

[Mark Lee]

Closed doors and windows will be a problem - the smell, stuffiness, and heat. A very light tent is now a serious consideration. Thanks for the heads-up.

I wouldn't let the prospect of possibly staying in a hot, stuffy albergue sleeping quarters drive you to hauling around a tent. I only encountered those conditions in the albergues a few times. Not so many times that I wished I had brought a tent. Something else to consider is what if the albergue with the stuffy, hot sleeping quarters is in the middle of a larger town? You are going to vacate it at 1:00 am, with all your stuff, walk out of town and then start searching for a place to bivouac for the night in your tent? In the dark?
Leave the tent at home. Travel lighter. Albergue sleeping quarters and all their foibles are all part of the Camino experience.
ultreia

 

[Carlos Santiago]

I wouldn't let the prospect of possibly staying in a hot, stuffy albergue sleeping quarters drive you to hauling around a tent.
ultreia

Thanks Mark. I'll keep that in mind.
Actually I'm considering a tnet (I'll call it that since part of this tent idea comes from the mosquito net). I have used the "first version" of this inside a jungle bamboo hut. I'll keep the weight down to between 200 and 300 grams. It is still a concept not only for the Camino but for general travel (accommodation) emergencies. wish me luck.

I attended evening masses in Gasteiz (Vitoria) in August 1985 and in Murgia, Alava - both in Pais Vasco. The doors and windows of both churches were all closed in spite of high summer and the number of people inside (causing a friend to faint).

 

[HedaP]

There were a few nights on the CF in September/October 2015 when beds were hard to get. In Lorca pilgrims were being turned away from about 4 pm. Some in tears having spent a long hot afternoon walking up and down rocky paths. The hospitalera was fantastic. She was ringing one and even two towns ahead to reserve beds for them and then calling taxis. I was lucky enough to have a private room in that albergue with two single beds. I told the hospitalera I was happy to share the room and around 6 pm she put a young Lithuanian woman who had hurt her knee in with me. The woman's travelling companion, an ex-army man, ended up sleeping in an empty barn on the edge of town. I asked him in the morning how he'd managed and he said fine because he'd had a bottle of good wine. ;-)
Same situation with beds at Villamayor de Monjardin. A group of pilgrims slept out on the spongy surface under some play equipment. The albergue nearby let them use the showers and other facilities.
The message here is not to worry because the hospitaleros/as and your fellow pilgrims are generally very helpful so you won't have to solve any problem by yourself.
Also there are a couple of simple things you can do if you get caught in a bubble of a big group of pilgrims. You can either slow down or speed up to get out of the bubble and you can stay in towns that aren't on the Brierley schedule.
Buen camino

 

[Davey Boyd]

I sleep outside on the Camino often. I do it out of choice, even when I have lots of money. Even when it is cold and raining. I just like it, and last year I didn't even use a tent. Church porches are good when its raining, but when its warm with no chance of rain I like concrete picknic tables, they stay warm for a while if they have been in the sun all day too. It means I can walk in the late evenings or sleep out on the Meseta after a nightwalk etc. Last year I had the company of a young fox while sleeping out in a forest above Villafranca. Sometimes I pay and book into an albergue, cook, shower and chill out with the other pilgrims then go and sleep outside. No obnoxious smells, no bag rustling and no snoring. Lots of fresh air. If I am in an albergue that is completo I am very happy to give my bed away to someone who needs it, and have done this often.

I like Spanish bars after all the pilgrims have been locked up for the night. Sometimes they really come alive at five past ten! And there are a few bars on the Frances that let you sleep outside in their porch if you buy a meal.

You also get to meet many 'characters' that also sleep outside for various reasons, that you would not meet otherwise. In a church porch on the Primitivo I met a young girl sleeping there in the rain who was amazing. She walked from home in Belgium, was robbed of everything while in Paris, and carried on to Santiago with nothing. No money or credit card, no footwear, no rucksack, no coat and no ID card or passport. She ate from the fields and out of bins. And she was very happy (and would not except money from people). She said God will provide.

I was sleeping outside on the Camino Finisterra when I was woken up around midnight by a young French girl carrying a guitar. I said hola, she said 'I have a bottle of wine'. We walked together from then on. It took us seven days to walk to Finisterra from Negreira!

I have never had any problems at all. In fact the opposite, I have been offered barns and sports halls to sleep in by locals. One man brought us newspapers to line the floor of a church porch on a cold night in the mountains, another brought a bottle of wine.

And sometimes I get a hotel room!

Davey

 

[Koidream]

We once were late at the only refugio around. There was no more place for us. We were advised to walk another 7 km to the next refugio (that by then also would have been full)
But...
With the right "Donativo" we were offered a quiet place in the kitchen

 

[Davey Boyd]

What do you carry for this purpose?

Hi Jimmy
I just carry a decent sleeping bag (made by RAB, comfort rating zero degrees, emergency rating -10 degrees, weight 1.2 kilos) and a good rollmat. Last year decided not to take my tent (1.5 kilo) but found not taking it cut down my freecamping possibilities somewhat (I walked back to Saint Jean from Finisterre in December). I will be taking the tent this year on the VDLP.

Note that my normal pack weight is 16 kilos (with tent), as I ALWAYS carry an extra days food and water (and beer or wine) so I can freecamp whenever I feel like it. I am a little tiny bloke (I weigh 58 kilos), but I find carrying 16 kilos fine. Not recommended for everyone but I am happy with it. I prefer the extra weight that gives me the total flexibility I want on Camino.

Davey

 

[FLEUR]

Ah, Casa Magica - my favourite albergue!

We (stupidly) arrived late 20.00 at Lorca, arrived dehydrated and tired only to discover both albergues were full and of course pilgrims meals had already been served. The very kind lady behind the bar gave us endless glasses of water, phoned the next albergue at Villatuerta (no answer there). She then called for a taxi to come from Estella. Taxi driver took us to Casa Magica. Such kindness there. We were quickly directed to the cafe about to close, where we bought the remains of the pilgrim's supper as a take away meal. We ate this outside on the albergue patio, the hospitaleros provided plates cutlery and a bottle of wine. We slept like logs on the very top floor. Wonderful memories of true Camino kindness.
I never slept out in the open but before we arrived at Lorca I was really considering sleeping in the underpass.

 

[Mailo]

Yes! To avoid snorrers-i do sleep outside the albergues sometimes- in my experience it is great to sleep under the stars!

 

[Karen Cap]

In early September 2016, pilgrims had to sleep in the area outside of one of the 2 completo albergues in town.

 

[Burchy]

I slept out a couple of times, once when me and a Scottish guy went out drinking and missed the curfew! Once on the hill outside Atapuerca when I wanted to sleep under the stars, I was woken up by a deer which was sniffing loudly by my sleeping bag at about 1am. I'd seen them walking around before I went to sleep, still made me jump.

 

[englishstu]

Mmm ,this thread has enthused my trip on the Camino; the option of finding somewhere away from the snorers and bag rustlers is good to hear. The idea of choosing sometimes to sleep under the stars has its appeal.

 

[Deleted member 43780]

I have slept outside on the camino(s) many times now.

Started with a tent. Then went to a b i v y sac. Too small and condensation problem. Even though it was top of the line one.

Now I use a hennessy Hammock. Light weight back packer one.
Love it.
Gotten many good nights sleeps outside Alburgues and even stealth camping.

When stealth camping: no fires, no smoking, no noise, no lights, etc. Leave it way I found it: no trace.
Set up at sunset. Pack up at sunrise. Love it.

I got tired of the bag rustlers, snorers, talkers, and other dumb things in the alburge.

Many of the alburgue have a area outside to set up small tent or use hammock.
I shower, do clothes, go eat and then sleep. Of course when staying at alburgue I pay my cost.
They are happy. Making some money off me outside while having one more bed for walkers who have no tent or hammock.

Stealth camping takes time to get used to. Never go over a fence. Never go through a gate. never go somewhere it is posted to keep out.
I have asked permission before. After explaining I make no mess, not drinking, no drugs, no smoking...simply want a place to put hammock up for the night. I have always been granted permission.

The worse thing you can do when stealth camping in Portugal or Spain is to make a fire. THIS IS A HUGE NO NO! YOU WILL BE BUSTED and FINED.
DONT DO IT.

 

[Deleted member 3000]

I got tired of the bag rustlers, snorers, talkers, and other dumb things in the alburge.

People really are a useless nuisance.

 

[Deleted member 43780]

Yep But over the years I have met many nice wonderful people.

I find it nicer to sleep out side in my hammock.

Used to use a light weight tent. But now prefer the hammock.
And don’t have to be bothered with 0400 bags diggers, snoring, Carter’s, talkers etc

 

[VNwalking]

Thank you for this warning, Marty:

The worse thing you can do when stealth camping in Portugal or Spain is to make a fire. THIS IS A HUGE NO NO! YOU WILL BE BUSTED and FINED.
DONT DO IT.

Besides potentially starting a forest fire.
That's a much bigger issue than the potential fine and arrest.

 

[Deleted member 43780]

VN, yes. So right.

There have been some big fires this year in Spain and Portugal.

Even walkers need to be careful with their cigarette butts.