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To Tent or not to Tent?

Jme

New Member
Time of past OR future Camino
Planning on walking the Camino.
Hi Guys,
Planning on doing the Camino Next year in July. I've had very mixed feelings about wether or not to bring a tent. I've done a fair bit of research and know I will be travelling at one of the busiest times on the Camino. As such I was thinking that bringing a tent would be a good idea so I don't have to worry about making it to Alburgues only to be turned away. I've also been looking at Tents and can find a lightweight tent for a little under one kilo. Just wondering if people think it's worth bringing or think i'll be fine without it?
Any advice or opinions you could offer would be very appreciated!
 
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Hi, if you give in tent into the forum search box you will find a lot of threads dealing with this.

In short, pretty much every piece of land in Spain is owned by somebody, so wild camping means you trespass on somebody's property - unless you asked beforehand obviously.

Also rules and regulations regarding wild camping vary wildly depending on where in Spain you are. Sometimes, but not always, you can camp in the grounds of the albergue and use the facilities there. Because, what many people not think of, where do you go to the toilet when camping wild???

Buen Camino, SY
 
When I was on the Camino Frances two years ago I kept looking for for spots where it it would be good to pitch a tent in an out of the way place and discovered that it would be difficult. I recommend not bringing a tent. If you do and find out that it isn't worth it you can mail it to Ivar's luggage storage for pickup in Santiago.
 
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Rather than carry a tent, take a lightweight sleeping bag (not just a liner). If there is no room at the inn, you can sleep in the church porch. I always carry a sleeping bag all year round: in case I have to sleep outside in summer, or there’s no heating in winter.
Jill
 
Somewhere on the forum a year or two back on a 'tenting' thread there was a lad who noted that he had walked from SJPDP to Finnisterre - he had tented EVERY night - not for me . However I have had some great nights in a cheap tent and discarded it in a obvious place with note after exhausting my adventurous perversion - The Gaurda do not tolerate vagrancy - it is illegal so be cautious - a tent in the the garden of a full albergue is quite comfy.
I can honestly say that I had a ball for 5 or 6 nights in my tent - with discretion of course .......... you may have walked straight past me without seeing me.:):D
 
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I would not take a tent because, for me, that would just be switching the stress of finding an albergue for the stress of finding a legal place to camp (plus the weight of carrying the thing around).

I would just be safer on the budget side and, if albergues are full, go to a private accomodation (which are still cheap, if compared to normal Australian prices). Especially on CF there are pleeeeeenty of inns and hotels not far from the route.
 
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The tent was a bit of freedom. We didn't have to participate in the silly wake up at 4am to race to the next albergue. Part of the camino experience is letting go a bit, and the tent helped with that. If the albergue had spaces, then that was great, and a shower especially was welcome. If not, there was always the tent. We could take our time, experience whatever came our way. Nights in the tent without an albergue, I think was 7 or 8 nights, and one or two nights, just sleeping outside a full albergue in the open. We never had problems with the Guardia Civil, and never were moved on, but possibly we were just lucky, and I've heard that between Sarria and Santiago, pilgrims are much more likely to be moved on. Sometimes, in whichever village we were in, we just asked at the local bar where the best place to camp was, and then we weren't worried.
 
One of the greatest joys on the Camino is the often instant camaraderie formed while walking, drinking and dining together, as well as shared meals and albergue life. Choosing a tent may save you the 0400 reveille, some places it occurs many it doesn't, but you will be voluntarily conceding a fantastic experience. Consider well.
 
One of the greatest joys on the Camino is the often instant camaraderie formed while walking, drinking and dining together, as well as shared meals and albergue life. Choosing a tent may save you the 0400 reveille, some places it occurs many it doesn't, but you will be voluntarily conceding a fantastic experience. Consider well.
This is also very true. I think that a nice balance can be found. For us, if an albergue bed was available, we took it, if it wasn't, the flexibility of the tent was also helpful.
 
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I'm on the Camino right now, and it doesn't seem as busy as when I was walking last September. I did book the first few nights just to get past Pamplona during San Fermin, but others I was walking with didn't have any problems getting beds without reservations.
I wouldn't bring a tent "just in case", because you're likely to carry it 800 km and never need it. Same with sleeping pads. A lot of people are carrying them, and they are really not necessary. One guy is carrying two, his and his girlfriend's. I asked him why, and he said he heard that if an albergue is full, that they will let you lay a mat on the floor. I haven't seen that happen yet.
 

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