Sooo .. is 2022 'normal' or many tents??

[David]

Hi - was wondering, after all our pondering over the last couple of plague years re refugio dorms and tents .... here we are in 2022 with Camino/s in full swing .... so ...what is it like out there on Camino post plague?

Are there lots of tenters and/or pilgrims bedding down on sleeping mats in hallways and on porches or is it just back to normal with folk filling refugio dorms??

??????

 

[JesperK]

Hi - was wondering, after all our pondering over the last couple of plague years re refugio dorms and tents .... here we are in 2022 with Camino/s in full swing .... so ...what is it like out there on Camino post plague?

Are there lots of tenters and/or pilgrims bedding down on sleeping mats in hallways and on porches or is it just back to normal with folk filling refugio dorms??

??????

For me it's like my previous camino in 2018. Lots of pilgrims, quite hot, some difficulty for some to find bed but it seems to solve itself. And as usual I can't figure out how to change language on the tv.

 

[David]

For me it's like my previous camino in 2018. Lots of pilgrims, quite hot, some difficulty for some to find bed but it seems to solve itself. And as usual I can't figure out how to change language on the tv.

Thanks - but are there lots of tenters and/or pilgrims bedding down on sleeping mats in hallways and on porches or is it just back to normal with folk filling refugio dorms??

 

[Ralph Ayling]

Thanks - but are there lots of tenters and/or pilgrims bedding down on sleeping mats in hallways and on porches or is it just back to normal with folk filling refugio dorms??

Hi David,
It seems pretty much similar to 2017 but my view based on walking from SJdP to Burgos my be limited because we stay in private rooms, although many are part of alberges.I am not seeing many pilgrims taking strong covid type precautions.
Ralph

 

[MichelleElynHogan]

Sorry you're still looking for guidance on this. I must assume that we are discussing the CF?
One possible answer would be to search here (top right corner button), under;

Camino Frances Traffic May, 2022.
You may find that all that can be found is Compostela Stats as that is all that officially exists. And those stats are for all caminos.
More to the point, I have heard the skuttlebutt that it is quite busy, but I am not there.

The last thought I had was to watch for new LIVE threads from the Camino Frances.

Good Luck!

 

[WayWalker]

Consider that it's also a holy year which brings more people to the Camino typically.

 

[Former member 92300]

Hi - was wondering, after all our pondering over the last couple of plague years re refugio dorms and tents .... here we are in 2022 with Camino/s in full swing .... so ...what is it like out there on Camino post plague?

Are there lots of tenters and/or pilgrims bedding down on sleeping mats in hallways and on porches or is it just back to normal with folk filling refugio dorms??

??????

I am not there - YET. But I haven't seen anyone report that they are being forced to sleep in hallways or porches or outdoors (well - some are choosing outdoors). The only places I am seeing that are on some days "completo" are SJPDP/Roncesvalles/Zubiri and then Pamplona has had very few beds and some people are having to walk or taxi further forward to accommodations. But again - it doesn't seem to be EVERY day - just depends on the day you started from my understanding. After that - not hearing much about not finding beds - just the sporadic instances where someone couldn't find a bed.

I might be able to report back in a couple weeks though - still deciding on Frances vs Norte. Watching both closely.

 

[Anniesantiago]

We saw people sleeping on the streets in SJPP

 

[Tincatinker]

People sleep on the streets in my home town every night of the year and we’re not even on a Camino

 

[Jeff Crawley]

Hi - was wondering, after all our pondering over the last couple of plague years re refugio dorms and tents .... here we are in 2022 with Camino/s in full swing .... so ...what is it like out there on Camino post plague?

Are there lots of tenters and/or pilgrims bedding down on sleeping mats in hallways and on porches or is it just back to normal with folk filling refugio dorms??

??????

Post plague? You think it's over?

 

[Former member 95219]

Post plague? You think it's over?

Have we not kinda promised to the mods to not get into subjective covid debates about travelling, masks, vac etc. Technically it won’t be over until no one has it which is probably never! Second post In have seen to this effect today!

Just a reflection and no criticism meant or implied!

 

[David Tallan]

Post plague? You think it's over?

I think he was referring to the numbers of people that seem to be returning to the Camino. I think that there is also an acknowledgement that many might not consider it completely over inherent in his wondering about people using tents for reduced exposure, as had previously been discussed. If people were truly not worrying at all, that wouldn't be a factor. But that's just how I'm reading it.

 

[Rick M]

No tents. No church porches. Not one. I'll be in o cebreiro tomorrow, and the rumoured pilgrim apocalypse had not manifested itself. It feels exactly the same as as pre covid time in all respects. Albergue capacity back to normal, few to no mitigation measures in place. That means people leaving in early may, and no doubt early September will find pilgrim waves around the Brierly stages for the first week until it all strings out and diffuses, as usual. No apocalypse. As for people in terror of covid, I'm not seeing it, likely because they are at home, not on Camino.

 

[David]

No tents. No church porches. Not one. I'll be in o cebreiro tomorrow, and the rumoured pilgrim apocalypse had not manifested itself. It feels exactly the same as as pre covid time in all respects. Albergue capacity back to normal, few to no mitigation measures in place. That means people leaving in early may, and no doubt early September will find pilgrim waves around the Brierly stages for the first week until it all strings out and diffuses, as usual. No apocalypse. As for people in terror of covid, I'm not seeing it, likely because they are at home, not on Camino.

Thanks - ah, so after all the speculation about freestanding tents and worries about crowded dorms and the plague and pilgrims wanting distance, etc (a lot of it started by me ) it has gone completely back to normal? Fab!!

 

[Karl Oz]

People sleep on the streets in my home town every night of the year and we’re not even on a Camino

I guess the issue is whether this is a normal situation for SJPP, compared to previous years.

 

[Lindsay53]

Thanks - but are there lots of tenters and/or pilgrims bedding down on sleeping mats in hallways and on porches or is it just back to normal with folk filling refugio dorms??

I have just finished the Portuguese and it seems that having your own mattress will not get you a spot on the floor in a full albergue. I was turned away once by a very apologetic hospitalero and I saw several others turned away on another occasion. Probably to do with overcrowding and fire regulations.

 

[trecile]

I have just finished the Portuguese and it seems that having your own mattress will not get you a spot on the floor in a full albergue. I was turned away once by a very apologetic hospitalero and I saw several others turned away on another occasion. Probably to do with overcrowding and fire regulations.

It absolutely has to do with fire regulations, and possibly sanitary regulations as far as needing to have a certain number of toilets per beds.

 

[Stephan the Painter]

Hi - was wondering, after all our pondering over the last couple of plague years re refugio dorms and tents .... here we are in 2022 with Camino/s in full swing .... so ...what is it like out there on Camino post plague?

Are there lots of tenters and/or pilgrims bedding down on sleeping mats in hallways and on porches or is it just back to normal with folk filling refugio dorms??

??????

I just finished the Camino France. Today. I heard reports of two people regularly sleeping in tents. I probably saw a dozen people carrying obvious backpacking sleeping pads on their packs.

I didn’t run into anyone who said they had trouble finding a place to stay. I only noticed it was a little tight around Easter.

Pilgrims are staying in dormitories. As far as I could tell, most people are completely ignoring any Covid precautions. After all, if you’re staying in Albergue’s, you’re sleeping in the same room. What’s the point?

About halfway through, I’ve developed this cough, which seems to be finally going away after about 10 days, that I was worried was Covid. Worried enough so that I went and took a test, which was negative. But I think there’s other people with the same cold….

But since that cough keeps me up half the night, I haven’t been staying in Albergue’s, both out of politeness, but also for my own comfort.

To summarize, my sense is that very few people are sleeping in tents, and hardly anyone is thinking about Covid at all. And there is currently no bed crunch.

 

[wisepilgrim]

I’ve been up and down a few camino stretches so far this year and I just don’t see the levels of crowding that others have reported. I’ve been giving the advice that if you are overly concerned, make reservations up to Pamplona, and along the way pay close attention to occupancy. It may be that you fall into a trough rather than a peak.

I was happy to see that there are still many pilgrims out there just turning up for a bed and they are surviving just fine.

 

[Tincatinker]

I guess the issue is whether this is a normal situation for SJPP, compared to previous years.

StJean has its own “resident” rough sleeper community as does just about any municipality of any size anywhere. StJ and through to Pamplona is also regarded as a good area to collect a few hand-outs and pick up any discarded clothing and camping gear. Mostly from those pilgrims who discover just how heavy that pack is once it’s not on an airport trolley.

 

[Richard of York]

I'm in Villachá, at 94km from Santiago, so day 1 from Sarria. My albergue neighbours are on a (whatsapp/facebook?) group of Portomarin hospitaleros (we are 2.5km before). They are informed if Portomarin is full, so they can warn people not to go there without a booking. It has happened a couple of times since Easter that the alarm has gone out, but we don't think any of the hotels have been full.
My advice would be to ask your current hospitaler@ what s/he thinks the situation will be at whatever place you are heading for. They do all talk to each other.

 

[Former member 94614]

I Started in Roncesvalles on April 22. currently I am in Leon. it started getting busier around Burgos.

as a solo traveler, the albergues are still possible to get fairly easilyat the last minute but sometimes you have to try several before you can find a spot. this is my first camino so I don't know what it used to be like.

I have only seen one person with a tent sleeping in a remote spot near navarra

there have been reports of folks with Covid on the camino. I met one woman who did test positive for Covid and she was still staying in an albergue so I don't know what's up with that. i have unfortunately stayed in albergues 3-4 times with other pilgrims who were obviously ill- not pleasant! I didn't find out until afterwards about the one who had covid!

as for people who are booking private rooms, apparently most of those places are booked solid so there's kind of a bed race vibe right now as far as I can tell among the people who book ahead if you want private accomodations.

I hope this is helpful. it was wonderful free and easy until the recent greater volume of pilgrims. i would bring the tent if i were you if you are leaving soon. i wish i had one, seems like that would be great! i noticed maybe 6 signs for camping places so far.