Slow Walker Advice

[psgerboc]

Greetings peregrinos. I am a very slow walker, for many reasons. So is it possible to walk the Camino Francés five miles at a time? The guidebooks show specific stops in specific locations, there must be places to stay in between those stops, yes? I'll be starting around Villafranca this fall. I am not limited by time. Thank you.
Been Camino

 

[Rick of Rick and Peg]

So 8 to 10 km. Look at the Gronze online guide for the Camino Francés starting here:

Villafranca del Bierzo - O Cebreiro | Camino Francés | Gronze.com

Es la Etapa Reina, cuyo recuerdo permanecerá indeleble al paso del tiempo, gracias a la bellísima, apasionante y temida subida a O Cebreiro, el mayor ascenso del Camino Francés en territorio español. La subida transcurre, en buena parte, por corredoiras, con un desnivel de 660 metros a lo largo...

www.gronze.com

It is in Spanish but the Chrome browser should translate it for you. It is simple to understand it anyway.

 

[Rick M]

I have not done the research, but from Villafranca del Bierzo, there likely ARE accommodations at five or so mile increments. Further back, this is simply not so. The www.gronze.com website will allow you to see all the stage maps, and figure the distances between albergues. If you DO find a gap, consider using a taxi to make up any shortfall in your planned distances.

 

[Former member 92300]

Greetings peregrinos. I am a very slow walker, for many reasons. So is it possible to walk the Camino Francés five miles at a time? The guidebooks show specific stops in specific locations, there must be places to stay in between those stops, yes? I'll be starting around Villafranca this fall. I am not limited by time. Thank you.
Been Camino

For the most part - yes you can do 5 miles at a time. But there may be an occasional part of the trail with bigger distances between towns. Check out the Camino Planner on this website. You first select the starting and stopping point on the Camino Frances, then on the next page you can pick towns at various distances to plan your nightly stops. The longest stretch between towns is 17km, but more often there are towns every 2-5km... making your goal of stopping every 5 miles very much possible. Are you just a slow walker or can you not walk further distances? That answer makes a difference here. You can be a slow walker and still do a 10km walk if you HAD to, but if you can't make it more than 5km ever then you just need to verify that you are not walking in any of the areas with greater than 5 mile distances between towns. So... play with this tool and plan accordingly. And remember - there ARE taxi services available should you get in a jam.

By the way 5 miles = 8 km (roughly)... so look for towns 8km or less in distance and see what kind of lodging is available.

Camino Planning Tools,

Great planning tools to help you prepare for your camino adventure.

www.theroadtosantiago.com

 

[C clearly]

The guidebooks show specific stops in specific locations, there must be places to stay in between those stops, yes?

The guidebooks show sections on different pages. Those sections tend to be 20-35 km in length from one town to another town because that makes a convenient size for the map on the page. The authors also consider whether these might be convenient daily stages for some people. However, all the guidebooks I have seen also include many towns and villages and accommodation all along the way. They also indicate distances.

there must be places to stay in between those stops, yes?

The guidebooks usually show those places, too, and there are lots. However, many of them will be smaller albergues or casa rurales - so, they may be busy in high season, or closed in low season. You would really need to examine the route carefully to look at your options. Are you physically unable to walk longer if needed? Are you willing to take a taxi if needed? What season? and what type of accommodation do you need?

Are you just a slow walker or can you not walk further distances?

Jeannine makes a good point here - there is a difference.

 

[alexwalker]

You can pay around with this tool for a long time (select "En" language in upper right corner):

Planificador - Camino de Santiago - Godesalco.com

Perfiles altitudinales, planificación de etapas y archivos GPS para el Camino de Santiago.

godesalco.com

It will show you distances, elevations, what accommodation(s) each place, etc. You can print it out and laminate, and bring it in your backpack. Forget guidebooks, but get an app like WisePilgrim for your guide.

 

[Former member 92300]

The guidebooks show sections on different pages. Those sections tend to be 20-35 km in length from one town to another town because that makes a convenient size for the map on the page. The authors also consider whether these might be convenient daily stages for some people. However, all the guidebooks I have seen also include many towns and villages and accommodation all along the way. They also indicate distances.

I will add to this statement though - the sections that the guidebooks put together are not just because the distances are convenient for breaking up maps in a book... but those "stages" as many guidebooks refer to start and end in towns that have more services for pilgrims. These towns at the start and end of each stage tend to be a little bigger and have more accomodation options as well as more bars/restaurants. There are plenty of towns in between - and most do have accommodations, bars/restaurants... but may only have 1 or 2 of each... or more. Just depends. But don't let those tiny towns with minimal services detour you - I had some very lovely experiences in some of those tiny towns with very lovely accommodating hosts both in the albergues and in the bars/restaurants. Including one gentleman whom I asked if they would be serving dinner anytime soon. He told me to wait - disappeared upstairs - returned - and told me to "hush" and quietly follow him upstairs as he didn't want his other customers to see - and I nervously followed. Upstairs was a small closed dining room and he had asked his wife to make me dinner! And it was wonderful.

 

[muddy-mama]

I agree with others who say checkout Gronze .com. I stayed mainly off stage in some wonderful small places. There were two sisters walking at the same time as me who walked a maximum 10k per day the slower you take it the more time you have to enjoy it.

 

[trecile]

You may find that you can walk farther when you are on the Camino than in your daily life. If you currently can walk 2-5 miles in one go, you might be able to walk a few more miles on the Camino, since your only "job" is to walk. Think about not only splitting up the Camino into stages, but each day's walk into 3-4 stages, with a break of a half hour or so between each stage.

 

[Kanga]

Take something to sit on and and an umbrella and you can stop and rest as often as you like. I have a very lightweight foam pad, a free giveaway from a football match, that folds up and goes into one of the side pockets of my pack. I also have an umbrella that I can use as shelter from the sun if there is no shade, or if it is raining. It makes a big difference to have those two bits of kit. I love to sit and watch the world go by, have a drink, maybe have a snack, give my toes a stretch, take in the air and the sounds around me. As @trecile says, if you break up the day into segments you will find you can cover a lot of ground. There are many hours in daylight in summer, and no reason to cram the whole walk into just a few hours.

 

[psgerboc]

You may find that you can walk farther when you are on the Camino than in your daily life. If you currently can walk 2-5 miles in one go, you might be able to walk a few more miles on the Camino, since your only "job" is to walk. Think about not only splitting up the Camino into stages, but each day's walk into 3-4 stages, with a break of a half hour or so between each stage.

This is a great idea. Thank you.

 

[psgerboc]

For the most part - yes you can do 5 miles at a time. But there may be an occasional part of the trail with bigger distances between towns. Check out the Camino Planner on this website. You first select the starting and stopping point on the Camino Frances, then on the next page you can pick towns at various distances to plan your nightly stops. The longest stretch between towns is 17km, but more often there are towns every 2-5km... making your goal of stopping every 5 miles very much possible. Are you just a slow walker or can you not walk further distances? That answer makes a difference here. You can be a slow walker and still do a 10km walk if you HAD to, but if you can't make it more than 5km ever then you just need to verify that you are not walking in any of the areas with greater than 5 mile distances between towns. So... play with this tool and plan accordingly. And remember - there ARE taxi services available should you get in a jam.

By the way 5 miles = 8 km (roughly)... so look for towns 8km or less in distance and see what kind of lodging is available.

Camino Planning Tools,

Great planning tools to help you prepare for your camino adventure.

www.theroadtosantiago.com

I can probably do 10km at at time. Maybe I'll check out places 10-12km since I can do 12k without too much trouble. I will have had six surgeries (in two years) before I reach the Camino in September so slower is necessary.

 

[Marbe2]

From Villafranca, you can definitely find places 10km to SdC. Use booking.com and gronze. But there are other considerations than distance. While surely not insurmountable there are some hills (climb to OCebriero) and a moderately steep short decline into Portomarin and Triacastela.

If you are traveling in September make reservations. The towns fill up. Since you have an idea of how far you can walk,plan accordingly, especially if you want a private room.

Watch when you make reservations that there is food available. Some places will not have food in their location, but just machines. They might be two miles outside a town with no real sustenance and really no cooking facilities. Also there are a couple of clunkers along this route. So use booking.com and read the reviews. The services available will also be listed.
Use Correos.com to send your bag ahead! Correos is the most economical when walking short stages because they charge you a flat fee from a Villafranca to SdC…regardless of how many stops you make. The more you stop the more economical it becomes.
@Anniesantiago posted a great idea of obtaining taxis! As you pass through towns. You will see taxi info posted in the various tiendes and bars. Take a picture of them should you need help in the middle of nowhere, you can call for one.

Going up to O Cebriero might be a bit challenging for you. It is a climb up to top. There are alternatives. There is a bus, I believe that stops in Ambasmestas on NVI ( Alsa.com) albeit, I believe, only once a day. Or you could order a taxi to the top. It can be quite full up there, so if walking in September, definitely make-reservations ahead. We vary our walks. We may do 23km one day, then 10km the next, so we have stayed in many towns in between stages. And despite what others may say, in high season most of the places on booking.com fill up, even between the towns from Sarria to SdC.

 

[psgerboc]

From Villafranca, you can definitely find places 10km to SdC. Use booking.com and gronze. But there are other considerations. Than distance. While surely not insurmountable there are some hills and a moderately steep short decline into Portomarin and Triacastela.

If you are traveling in September make reservations. The towns fill up. Since you have an idea of how far you can walk,plan accordingly, especially if you want a private room.

Watch when you make reservations that you there is food available. Some places will not have food in their location, but just machines. They might be two miles outside a town with no real sustenance and really no cooking facilities. Also there are a couple of clunkers along this route. So use booking.com and read the reviews. The services available will also be listed.



Use Correos.com to send your bag ahead! Correos is the most economical when walking short stages because they charge you a flat fee from a Villafranca to SdC…regardless of how many stops you make. The more you stop the more economical it becomes.
@Anniesantiago posted a great idea of obtaining taxis! As you pass through towns. You will see taxi info posted in the various tiendes and bars. Take a picture of them should you need help a you can call for one.

Going up to O Cebriero might be a bit challenging for you. It is a climb up to top. There are alternatives. There is a bus, I believe that stops in Ambasmestas on NVI ( Alsa.com) Or you could order a taxi to the top. It can be quite full up there, so if walking in September, definitely make-reservations ahead.

Oh my gosh this is excellent information! Thank you. Would October be less crowded?

 

[psgerboc]

You can pay around with this tool for a long time (select "En" language in upper right corner):

Planificador - Camino de Santiago - Godesalco.com

Perfiles altitudinales, planificación de etapas y archivos GPS para el Camino de Santiago.

godesalco.com

It will show you distances, elevations, what accommodation(s) each place, etc. You can print it out and laminate, and bring it in your backpack. Forget guidebooks, but get an app like WisePilgrim for your guide.

I just downloaded WisePilgrim, can't wait to look around the app.

 

[Marbe2]

Oh my gosh this is excellent information! Thank you. Would October be less crowded?

Yes, Early October is still busy, but many places will begin to close down on the routes towards the end of Oct. If you want specific info about a place, PM me. I would be happy to give you whatever input I can.

 

[Anamiri]

You may find that you can walk farther when you are on the Camino than in your daily life. If you currently can walk 2-5 miles in one go, you might be able to walk a few more miles on the Camino, since your only "job" is to walk. Think about not only splitting up the Camino into stages, but each day's walk into 3-4 stages, with a break of a half hour or so between each stage.

Yes I think its easier if you think of it in stages rather than 20-25 kms straight. We took my 13 year old grandson - and our system was to break the walk into:
Breakfast 5-8 kms
Second breakfast 8-10kms
Drink/snack stop 8-10kms.
Worked for him - teenage boys eat SOOO much. He was only ever thinking of the next food stop, then voila, we were nearly there. In the beginning he wanted to stop every 5kms for food, so then we just made sure he had enough snacks to last between breaks.
(The first thing he did when he reached our destination was to look for lunch/dinner place.)

 

[trecile]

Oh my gosh this is excellent information! Thank you. Would October be less crowded?

October will be less crowded, but I don't think you need to be worried in September. The large numbers of pilgrims in the last parts of the Camino are mostly during the summer months.

 

[Former member 92300]

I can probably do 10km at at time. Maybe I'll check out places 10-12km since I can do 12k without too much trouble. I will have had six surgeries (in two years) before I reach the Camino in September so slower is necessary.

I would suggest coming up with a rough game plan of where you want to stay each night, but don't make firm plans. That way if you are feeling up to walking a little further, you can. Or... if you aren't quite up to the distance that day, you can call it quits early. Keep your phone with you and utilize Camino apps to make night before or same day reservations as needed. And if you get in a bind, and can't walk further to the next albergue, you can always call a taxi. It might also help to take at least a 15 minute rest in each village so you can assess your ability to get to the next town. Don't leave one town until you are sure you feel well enough to make it to the next. Take your time and enjoy!

 

[Rick of Rick and Peg]

Going up to O Cebriero might be a bit challenging for you. It is a climb up to top. There are alternatives. There is a bus, I believe that stops in Ambasmestas on NVI ( Alsa.com) albeit, I believe, only once a day. Or you could order a taxi to the top.

You can also go up by horse. There is some information here:

https://www.caminodesantiago.me/community/threads/riding-a-horse-up-to-o-cebreiro.65759/

 

[psgerboc]

I would suggest coming up with a rough game plan of where you want to stay each night, but don't make firm plans. That way if you are feeling up to walking a little further, you can. Or... if you aren't quite up to the distance that day, you can call it quits early. Keep your phone with you and utilize Camino apps to make night before or same day reservations as needed. And if you get in a bind, and can't walk further to the next albergue, you can always call a taxi. It might also help to take at least a 15 minute rest in each village so you can assess your ability to get to the next town. Don't leave one town until you are sure you feel well enough to make it to the next. Take your time and enjoy!

Thank you so much for your great advice.

 

[Vince Rollason]

Greetings peregrinos. I am a very slow walker, for many reasons. So is it possible to walk the Camino Francés five miles at a time? The guidebooks show specific stops in specific locations, there must be places to stay in between those stops, yes? I'll be starting around Villafranca this fall. I am not limited by time. Thank you.
Been Camino

Hi
You might find the book MY Own Pace by Bryan Paul Steward of interest.
Buen Camino
Vince

 

[cardifflad52]

Greetings peregrinos. I am a very slow walker, for many reasons. So is it possible to walk the Camino Francés five miles at a time? The guidebooks show specific stops in specific locations, there must be places to stay in between those stops, yes? I'll be starting around Villafranca this fall. I am not limited by time. Thank you.
Been Camino

Welcome to the club for slow walkers ..I too only walk 5km an hour , stp en route to see the beauty of what the canino offers , on top of that I have my comfort breaks and it gives me the opportunity to take y footwear off to let my feet get plenty of fresh air before I set of again .. there is a lot of info in John Brierley guide book which I am taking so you should find plenty of places to stay and like me you will not be the only one on the day walking slow ..enjoy every minute of it as not everyone has the luxury of doing the Camino over a long period of time .
Buen Camino

 

[trecile]

Welcome to the club for slow walkers ..I too only walk 5km an hou

5 km/hour is not a slow pace on the Camino!

 

[cardifflad52]

5 km/hour is not a slow pace on the Camino!

I thought i

5 km/hour is not a slow pace on the Camino!

It's not ??? Well that surprises me then , then again that is on the flat surface don't include up hills and stopping to catch your breath ..I find out when I get out there as I only done the Inglis which can be done without poles and manageable with a good pair of trainers and a 20 litre backpack ..

 

[Susan Peacock]

For the most part you should be able to walk 8-12 km. While you will get to town before the crowds, you will find that the Camino has changed a bit during COVID. More people are making reservations due to bed insecurity. Also because of pent up demand and the extended Holy Year I would expect it to be busy. I am hoping that some of the albergues and tiendas that were closed in October will open this spring. Gronze is a good source for what is open and how to contact them. My suggests:
Villafranca to Trabadelo Definitely don't miss staying with Susi and Fermin and Casa Susi
Trabadelo to Las Herrrerias Check and see what is open. I heard the relatively new place there had closed for good. This is where you can get the horses to O'Cebrerio if interested. You would need to prearrange this with Victor. He had to sell some of his horses during COVID and I believe he is down to four. Depending on the time he is taking the horses up, you might be able to walk and catch the horses in one day.
Las Herrerias to O'Cebreiro: Accommodations are hard to come by here as its a small town with limited accommodations for pilgrims and tourist. The municipal doesn't take reservations, so if you only ride the horses up you should be able to get a bed. If you don't want to stay in the municipal then make reservations as soon as you can.
O'Cebreiro to Fonfria: The albergue there has private rooms and large dorm rooms and has a wonderful large communal meal in one of the traditional Palloza buildings. It also looked like there was a new place in Fonfría but I didn't go check it out.
Fronfria to Triacastela plenty of places to stay
Triacastela to Samos I recommend you take this alternative and see the Monastery.
Samo to Sarria
Sarria to Morgrade
Morgrade to Vilacha Stay in the reopened Casa Bandaras with Dominque and Ray a lovely American couple
Vilacha to Gonzar There are a couple of places to stay here. I enjoyed Casa Garcia in 2018 but they were closed in 2021. Hopefully they are reopening
Gonzar to Portos Nice little bar/albergue here with giant ant sculptures
Portos to Ponte Campana Albergue Casa Domingo. They also have some private rooms in a building that is down on the river and they have a communal dinner.
Ponte Campana to Meilide where you can enjoy the pulpo
Melide to Ribadiso Stay in the most welcoming municipal albergue here and soak you feet in the river.

I'll stop here, as there will be places to stay in most towns. Probably most important is to stay away from the stage towns (those with lots of accommodations) in the last 100km if you don't want to walk with 100-200 pilgrims including the tour groups and school groups. Also, in the fall because it doesn't get light until 8:00-8:30 many pilgrims are starting at the same time to avoid the dark.
This exercise was actually fun as I started thinking how nice it would be to go that slow and stay in more of the towns/albergues. You will have a wonderful Camino!

 

[trecile]

I thought i

It's not ??? Well that surprises me then , then again that is on the flat surface don't include up hills and stopping to catch your breath ..I find out when I get out there as I only done the Inglis which can be done without poles and manageable with a good pair of trainers and a 20 litre backpack ..

Actually, 5 km is an average or even "brisk" walking pace.

How fast is the average walking speed (+brisk walking pace) - The Pacer Blog: Walking, Health and Fitness

Walking at a brisk pace is often recommended as a great form of cardio exercise, but what is the average walking speed, and how does it vary by age (and sex)?

blog.mypacer.com

 

[C clearly]

Welcome to the club for slow walkers ..I too only walk 5km an hour

5 km/hour is not a slow pace on the Camino!

I don't claim to be a "slow walker". Nor a fast one. I walk 5 km/h on fairly flat surfaces and consider that to be a fairly brisk pace. On the Camino with a backpack I walk 4 km/h. Factoring in a few breaks, I expect to cover 3 km/h over the day. If I need to walk a longer stage I could probably maintain 4 km/h over the day.

 

[Chris Gi]

You can also go up by horse. There is some information here:

https://www.caminodesantiago.me/community/threads/riding-a-horse-up-to-o-cebreiro.65759/

We rode Victor's horses up to O Cebreiro - you need to book ahead but a great way to climb this rather long hill.

 

[cardifflad52]

I don't claim to be a "slow walker". Nor a fast one. I walk 5 km/h on fairly flat surfaces and consider that to be a fairly brisk pace. On the Camino with a backpack I walk 4 km/h. Factoring in a few breaks, I expect to cover 3 km/h over the day. If I need to walk a longer stage I could probably maintain 4 km/h over the day.

Good for you as being on the camino is a special place to be and has a special place in the hearts of many ..its not about how long it takes but the full meaning of it and knowing when to stop for the day

 

[Marbe2]

October will be less crowded, but I don't think you need to be worried in September. The large numbers of pilgrims in the last parts of the Camino are mostly during the summer months.

Respectfully,
There are many pilgrims who walk the last section of the camino in September. Except for the summer months when many Spaniards walk. September is the busiest month of theyear to walk! It is very busy!

If you have limited mobility, and don’t want to be competing for lodgings, I urge you to make reservations! And if you are looking for private accommodations in between (10km per day) the major towns the choices are limited for private rooms! I have walked this route a lot, even last September. Even with COVID 19 still a concern, the CF had very heavy traffic from Sarria. We left Arzua early in the morning and stopped for a rest in Salceda about 10:30 am. heading for OPedrouzo. We sat for about a half hour. The traffic was heavy and relentless the entire time.

 

[psgerboc]

For the most part you should be able to walk 8-12 km. While you will get to town before the crowds, you will find that the Camino has changed a bit during COVID. More people are making reservations due to bed insecurity. Also because of pent up demand and the extended Holy Year I would expect it to be busy. I am hoping that some of the albergues and tiendas that were closed in October will open this spring. Gronze is a good source for what is open and how to contact them. My suggests:
Villafranca to Trabadelo Definitely don't miss staying with Susi and Fermin and Casa Susi
Trabadelo to Las Herrrerias Check and see what is open. I heard the relatively new place there had closed for good. This is where you can get the horses to O'Cebrerio if interested. You would need to prearrange this with Victor. He had to sell some of his horses during COVID and I believe he is down to four. Depending on the time he is taking the horses up, you might be able to walk and catch the horses in one day.
Las Herrerias to O'Cebreiro: Accommodations are hard to come by here as its a small town with limited accommodations for pilgrims and tourist. The municipal doesn't take reservations, so if you only ride the horses up you should be able to get a bed. If you don't want to stay in the municipal then make reservations as soon as you can.
O'Cebreiro to Fonfria: The albergue there has private rooms and large dorm rooms and has a wonderful large communal meal in one of the traditional Palloza buildings. It also looked like there was a new place in Fonfría but I didn't go check it out.
Fronfria to Triacastela plenty of places to stay
Triacastela to Samos I recommend you take this alternative and see the Monastery.
Samo to Sarria
Sarria to Morgrade
Morgrade to Vilacha Stay in the reopened Casa Bandaras with Dominque and Ray a lovely American couple
Vilacha to Gonzar There are a couple of places to stay here. I enjoyed Casa Garcia in 2018 but they were closed in 2021. Hopefully they are reopening
Gonzar to Portos Nice little bar/albergue here with giant ant sculptures
Portos to Ponte Campana Albergue Casa Domingo. They also have some private rooms in a building that is down on the river and they have a communal dinner.
Ponte Campana to Meilide where you can enjoy the pulpo
Melide to Ribadiso Stay in the most welcoming municipal albergue here and soak you feet in the river.

I'll stop here, as there will be places to stay in most towns. Probably most important is to stay away from the stage towns (those with lots of accommodations) in the last 100km if you don't want to walk with 100-200 pilgrims including the tour groups and school groups. Also, in the fall because it doesn't get light until 8:00-8:30 many pilgrims are starting at the same time to avoid the dark.
This exercise was actually fun as I started thinking how nice it would be to go that slow and stay in more of the towns/albergues. You will have a wonderful Camino!

Oh my gosh thank you so much.

 

[cardifflad52]

Oh my gosh thank you so much.

Wow that is a lot of information to take in , I was thinking if I need to make reservations for holy week I should be around the Leon area by then but things slowly opening up I can see that getting busy ..oh no room at the INN then there is an option to sleep under the stars...

 

[Marbe2]

For the most part you should be able to walk 8-12 km. While you will get to town before the crowds, you will find that the Camino has changed a bit during COVID. More people are making reservations due to bed insecurity. Also because of pent up demand and the extended Holy Year I would expect it to be busy. I am hoping that some of the albergues and tiendas that were closed in October will open this spring. Gronze is a good source for what is open and how to contact them. My suggests:
Villafranca to Trabadelo Definitely don't miss staying with Susi and Fermin and Casa Susi
Trabadelo to Las Herrrerias Check and see what is open. I heard the relatively new place there had closed for good. This is where you can get the horses to O'Cebrerio if interested. You would need to prearrange this with Victor. He had to sell some of his horses during COVID and I believe he is down to four. Depending on the time he is taking the horses up, you might be able to walk and catch the horses in one day.
Las Herrerias to O'Cebreiro: Accommodations are hard to come by here as its a small town with limited accommodations for pilgrims and tourist. The municipal doesn't take reservations, so if you only ride the horses up you should be able to get a bed. If you don't want to stay in the municipal then make reservations as soon as you can.
O'Cebreiro to Fonfria: The albergue there has private rooms and large dorm rooms and has a wonderful large communal meal in one of the traditional Palloza buildings. It also looked like there was a new place in Fonfría but I didn't go check it out.
Fronfria to Triacastela plenty of places to stay
Triacastela to Samos I recommend you take this alternative and see the Monastery.
Samo to Sarria
Sarria to Morgrade
Morgrade to Vilacha Stay in the reopened Casa Bandaras with Dominque and Ray a lovely American couple
Vilacha to Gonzar There are a couple of places to stay here. I enjoyed Casa Garcia in 2018 but they were closed in 2021. Hopefully they are reopening
Gonzar to Portos Nice little bar/albergue here with giant ant sculptures
Portos to Ponte Campana Albergue Casa Domingo. They also have some private rooms in a building that is down on the river and they have a communal dinner.
Ponte Campana to Meilide where you can enjoy the pulpo
Melide to Ribadiso Stay in the most welcoming municipal albergue here and soak you feet in the river.

I'll stop here, as there will be places to stay in most towns. Probably most important is to stay away from the stage towns (those with lots of accommodations) in the last 100km if you don't want to walk with 100-200 pilgrims including the tour groups and school groups. Also, in the fall because it doesn't get light until 8:00-8:30 many pilgrims are starting at the same time to avoid the dark.
This exercise was actually fun as I started thinking how nice it would be to go that slow and stay in more of the towns/albergues. You will have a wonderful Camino!

We don’t know what your physical limitations (if any) are except mileage. Having had numerous surgeries you are wise to take it slow. Can you climb stairs? Do you desire or need a private room. If in an albergue, can you sleep on a top bunk? Do you have any other specific needs? Note that not every albergue will have private rooms.


Susan mentioned an albergue in Fonfria. The albergue with the great communal dinner in Fonfria is Albergue Reboleira. Can be booked on booking.com It has some small private rooms in the main building. These rooms are on the same floor. There is an attached building with lovely large rooms one floor up called Casa Nunez. From Fonfria it is all a downhill to Triacastela. There are two buses that stop on the main road in the morning which stop in front of this albergue and go to Triacastela, Samos and then Sarria. Sometimes downhills can be tougher on the body?

 

[JimDerry]

I don't see any problem with walking short distances per day. We walked however far we could and stayed where we landed. If no accommodations were available we would find places that were open and taxi back and forth to the starting spot! Quite reasonable, also. We found many exciting places that way, old mills, museum-type places and stayed with Emilio Estevez's newest in-laws!
The guidebooks are exactly that....a guide.

 

[psgerboc]

We don’t know what your physical limitations (if any) are except mileage. Having had numerous surgeries you are wise to take it slow. Can you climb stairs? Do you desire or need a private room. If in an albergue, can you sleep on a top bunk? Do you have any other specific needs? Note that not every albergue will have private rooms.


Susan mentioned an albergue in Fonfria. The albergue with the great communal dinner in Fonfria is Albergue Reboleira. Can be booked on booking.com It has some small private rooms in the main building. These rooms are on the same floor. There is an attached building with lovely large rooms one floor up called Casa Nunez. From Fonfria it is all a downhill to Triacastela. There are two buses that stop on the main road in the morning which stop in front of this albergue and go to Triacastela, Samos and then Sarria. Sometimes downhills can be tougher on the body?

Thank you. I cannot climb to an upper bunk. I will have to watch out for bedding situations.

 

[psgerboc]

Respectfully,
There are many pilgrims who walk the last section of the camino in September. Except for the summer months when many Spaniards walk. September is the busiest month of theyear to walk! It is very busy!

If you have limited mobility, and don’t want to be competing for lodgings, I urge you to make reservations! And if you are looking for private accommodations in between (10km per day) the major towns the choices are limited for private rooms! I have walked this route a lot, even last September. Even with COVID 19 still a concern, the CF had very heavy traffic from Sarria. We left Arzua early in the morning and stopped for a rest in Salceda about 10:30 am. heading for OPedrouzo. We sat for about a half hour. The traffic was heavy and relentless the entire time.

Oh no.

 

[Former member 92300]

Thank you. I cannot climb to an upper bunk. I will have to watch out for bedding situations.

If other pilgrims know someone has medical issues, they are usually more than willing to trade bunks to give the person with the medical issues access to the lower bunk and/or electrical outlets as needed. Just let the host of any albergue know your needs either when you reserve or when you check in. If they can't accommodate because of limited beds remaining - you can ask others in the dorm room if they would be willing to trade bunks. But I will also say - if you are walking shorter distances, chances are you will be one of the earlier pilgrims to arrive at any albergue, so that shouldn't be a problem. Speaking of albergues - I suppose it would also help you to know that most albergues/hostels that cater to pilgrims have an early morning checkout (perhaps by 8 or 9 am) and check in at the next albergue is usually after 1. So you may want to take that into account when selecting places to stay. If you want to leave later in the AM - you may need to select specific accommodations that allow you to stay in your bunk/room longer. Private rooms may or may not have the same time limitations. Hotels and places that cater to regular tourists on the other hand usually allow later checkout.

 

[J Walking]

Villafranca to Trabadelo Definitely don't miss staying with Susi and Fermin and Casa Susi

I heard that Casa Suzi might have closed (as in CLOSED). She was delightful on a video clip but struggled financially due to COVID. I hope I am misinformed, and correct me if I am wrong.

 

[WalkingJane]

For the most part - yes you can do 5 miles at a time. But there may be an occasional part of the trail with bigger distances between towns. Check out the Camino Planner on this website. You first select the starting and stopping point on the Camino Frances, then on the next page you can pick towns at various distances to plan your nightly stops. The longest stretch between towns is 17km, but more often there are towns every 2-5km... making your goal of stopping every 5 miles very much possible. Are you just a slow walker or can you not walk further distances? That answer makes a difference here. You can be a slow walker and still do a 10km walk if you HAD to, but if you can't make it more than 5km ever then you just need to verify that you are not walking in any of the areas with greater than 5 mile distances between towns. So... play with this tool and plan accordingly. And remember - there ARE taxi services available should you get in a jam.

By the way 5 miles = 8 km (roughly)... so look for towns 8km or less in distance and see what kind of lodging is available.

Camino Planning Tools,

Great planning tools to help you prepare for your camino adventure.

www.theroadtosantiago.com

I was not able to do more than 5-6 km a day and found that besides taxis, I could use the local buses when I wanted to go further. They do not exactly follow the Camino route but I found it near enough. For me, mixing with local people was a bonus. At one stop a local woman "took me in hand" at the bus stop and led me to the big monastery/albergue that was run by nuns and had a communal supper. To assuage any feelings that I might be doing it "wrong" I reminded myself that those who created the path way back when didn't have the guide books I was thinking so important...

 

[Marbe2]

October will be less crowded, but I don't think you need to be worried in September. The large numbers of pilgrims in the last parts of the Camino are mostly during the summer months.

Accordng to Camino stats that were posted the busiest times of starting the camino CF in SJPdP are end of August to about first two weeks of September… and then, how many others are starting at this time from Roncevalles or Pamplona?
It takes these folks, if most of them follow Brierly’s guide circa 25 - 27 ( two rest days) days later until they will arrive in Villafranca. That likely puts lots of pressure on available beds from Villafranca from approximately around the 21st of September to circa Oct. 10 in Sarria (34 days) in my opinion. This of course is a rough estimate, but if you want to avoid crowds, I would avoid walking at this time. My experience of walking from Leon to Santiago during this period is that accommodations are quite tight!

Week of	Friday	Sunday
Week 35	08/27/2021	08/29/2021
Week 36	09/03/2021	09/05/2021
Week 37	09/10/2021	09/12/2021
Week 38	09/17/2021	09/19/2021

 

[psgerboc]

I was not able to do more than 5-6 km a day and found that besides taxis, I could use the local buses when I wanted to go further. They do not exactly follow the Camino route but I found it near enough. For me, mixing with local people was a bonus. At one stop a local woman "took me in hand" at the bus stop and led me to the big monastery/albergue that was run by nuns and had a communal supper. To assuage any feelings that I might be doing it "wrong" I reminded myself that those who created the path way back when didn't have the guide books I was thinking so important...

This is such a beautiful story, my eyes filled with tears. ❤

 

[Lynnhardy]

Take something to sit on and and an umbrella and you can stop and rest as often as you like. I have a very lightweight foam pad, a free giveaway from a football match, that folds up and goes into one of the side pockets of my pack. I also have an umbrella that I can use as shelter from the sun if there is no shade, or if it is raining. It makes a big difference to have those two bits of kit. I love to sit and watch the world go by, have a drink, maybe have a snack, give my toes a stretch, take in the air and the sounds around me. As @trecile says, if you break up the day into segments you will find you can cover a lot of ground. There are many hours in daylight in summer, and no reason to cram the whole walk into just a few hours.

I agree it does tend to become walk as early as possible and finish by lunchtime almost to get a bed…. Even if you reserve the albergue expects you to be there by a certain time …. When to walk and spread the day into finishing at 5/6 or later is really noce

 

[ktchnofdngr]

From Villafranca, you can definitely find places 10km to SdC. Use booking.com and gronze. But there are other considerations than distance. While surely not insurmountable there are some hills (climb to OCebriero) and a moderately steep short decline into Portomarin and Triacastela.

On my first Camino, I got tendinitis and had to skip from Leon, then only walk about 10 km a day afterward. I decided to start walking in O' Cebreiro, and I can tell you with certainty that you can easily walk that much from there on into Santiago, since I did exactly that! Starting further out, I couldn't tell you for sure, but I can tell you that it is relatively easy to get a taxi from the bottom of the hill into O'Cebreiro if you need to. When I took the bus from Leon, it stopped in a little town at the bottom of the hill, and then I was able to talk to someone at the bar there to get me a taxi. If hills are an issue, this is a good option.

Ruth

 

[Mahonsk]

I heard that Casa Suzi might have closed (as in CLOSED). She was delightful on a video clip but struggled financially due to COVID. I hope I am misinformed, and correct me if I am wrong.

Only just seen this but my Wife and I stayed there on Sept 2022. There is an Australian singer, Dan Mullins who helped them in someway. He was there when we stayed and we enjoyed music well past 22:00. He wrote/sang the Camino Song (somewhere along the way). Suzi and Fermin were fantastic and we will definitely stay there again on our next Camino.

 

[markie6]

Only just seen this but my Wife and I stayed there on Sept 2022. There is an Australian singer, Dan Mullins who helped them in someway. He was there when we stayed and we enjoyed music well past 22:00. He wrote/sang the Camino Song (somewhere along the way). Suzi and Fermin were fantastic and we will definitely stay there again on our next Camino.

No not closed. They had one of their busiest years '23 and are looking forward to next year according to their instagram. Lovely people and a great place to stop

 

[marigold]

Greetings peregrinos. I am a very slow walker, for many reasons. So is it possible to walk the Camino Francés five miles at a time? The guidebooks show specific stops in specific locations, there must be places to stay in between those stops, yes? I'll be starting around Villafranca this fall. I am not limited by time. Thank you.
Been Camino

Hi yes don't worry, there will be lots of places to stay at short distances. I walked in 2012 and often only did short days. Now there will be even more albergues as its ever more popular.
Buen camino!

 

[Susan Peacock]

I heard that Casa Suzi might have closed (as in CLOSED). She was delightful on a video clip but struggled financially due to COVID. I hope I am misinformed, and correct me if I am wrong.

Definitely not closed!!! They are closed for the off-season now. I stayed with them in May and have some communication with them.

 

[trecile]

@markie6, @marigold and @Susan Peacock - this thread is almost two years old now, so some of the information, eg. Casa Susi, etc. may be out of date.

 

[WalkingJane]

I have not done the research, but from Villafranca del Bierzo, there likely ARE accommodations at five or so mile increments. Further back, this is simply not so. The www.gronze.com website will allow you to see all the stage maps, and figure the distances between albergues. If you DO find a gap, consider using a taxi to make up any shortfall in your planned distances.

Local buses and/or trains are often near enough to the Camino trail that you could use them instead of taxis. I enjoyed the contact with local people when I used these several times.