Walking Sept/Oct with Prosthetic Limb solo

[candacecarnahan]

Hi!

I'm walking the Camino beginning in Sept and I have so many questions! The most important is finding out what the typical distance in between hotels/hostels is? I am aiming to do 10 - 15 kms a day - however my limb may be a challenge by times along the Way - I would like reassurance in knowing that I won't be stuck walking for much longer than that without the option to stop.

Also - Are there mainly hostels with many beds at most stopping points or are there options for private rooms as well?

Thanks !

 

[Deleted member 3000]

Except in a few stretches, you can stop about every 5 km. I met an American from Los Angeles (living in Paris) with one leg (luisunapata). He did the entire monty to Fisterra on one leg and Canadian crutches. He did use a baggage transport service for reasons of balance. He confessed to being pretty tired the first week, but he was keeping up with the normal flow, which made it harder than it needed to be. He had some pretty sturdy gloves for crutch blister control. Buen camino.

 

[PEI_Heather]

Hi Candace!
Where are you in NB? I'm in Charlottetown; if we're reasonably close (say if you are in Moncton or close to there), I could pop over--over you could pop over here for a visit and I could answer whatever questions you have that I can answer. While anytime is good, July is especially nice here. Plus, while it will have just finished (in June), lobster season is close enough to get a few for a good feed!

Hey Falcon; what are Canadian crutches? (Do they have red maple leafs painted on them or something? Dribbled with maple syrup? Shaped like a hockey stick? LOL)

 

[Rajy62]

I'm walking the Camino beginning in Sept and I have so many questions! The most important is finding out what the typical distance in between hotels/hostels is? Thanks !

I walked the Camino Sept 26 - Oct 31st. Most of the times staying in Private alberques, some of them do offer private rooms also. There are also hostels, pensions and hotels in most cities. If you get a good guide book like "Brierley", it also includes accommodation and distances.

To get an idea for distances between accommodation, have you seen this list, contains all the alberques on the camino.

Camino Frances is the most walked trail, so you shouldn't have any issues in terms of accommodation. I would recommend you get a local cell phone just for peace of mind in case you need to call for taxi/help.

 

[Anemone del Camino]

Visit the Eroski amd Gronze sites, or get yourself a copy of the Brierly guide or the list lf all the albergues on the Frances you will find here in the resource section and you can decide what suits you.

Good for you for doing this, and if I may say so, putting in perspective what a Camino challenge is.

 

[Mark Lee]

Only a few (2-4 I think?) spots in the Camino Frances where there are long stretches (10-15 km) between accommodations. As far as accommodations go, it's kind of up to whatever you are looking for. There's a wide variety of albergues, both private and municipal with communal living as well as hotels, casa rurals and pensiones where you can get your own room. Wide gambit of prices too. All depends on your tastes and budget.
Best bet is as someone already recommended. Get a guidebook and study it a bit and get an idea of what you are looking for and how you want to do it. You can actually get a guidebook on here with a credential included for free.
cheers and ultreia

 

[Kanga]

@candacecarnahan go for it! There are only a few stretches that are over 15km, and there are always taxis if the struggle becomes too much. There are also bag carrying services all the way along. Having said that, starting in SJPDP to Roncesvalles is a long stretch - even if staying in Valcarlos. Have a look at these sites to see the distances:

http://www.gronze.com/camino-frances
http://caminodesantiago.consumer.es/los-caminos-de-santiago/frances/

And take yourself something to sit on out on the track - I have a light-as-air polystyrene square that is so useful. Your luxury item might be a lightweight folding stool.

 

[Deleted member 3000]

To plot a custom itinerary, try:

http://www.godesalco.com/plan/frances

 

[VNwalking]

Hi and welcome Candace! On thing that could be a challenge is the shower. In some albergues they're quite small with not much room for a folding stool--believe me, you won't want to sit on the floor! So in your planning look to stay at private albergues where the facilities are generally better. That way you can more easily wash the liner of your prosthesis as well.
And hopefully the hospitaleros will be kind enough to give you a bottom bunk! If you stay at places where you can book ahead you could do so, and appraise them of your situation.
PEIheather knows the ropes so don't feel shy to connect with her!
It's so wonderful that you are doing this. Buen Camino!

 

[Pingüigrino]

Hi Candace. You will no have problem about long distances between albergues, but maybe this year could not be a good idea walking in september. September is the mos travelled month of the year ( estadistic says july o august, but those stadistic are about people arriving at Santiago. Thousands and thousands of people walking the las 100 km) This year is a "Jubilar Year" The "orde " in the way will be huge. If you can, walking in october or november would be much more quiet, no problems with "full" albergues, the weather probably better for walking, and the landscapes, wonderfull.
Buen Camino.

 

[Albertagirl]

Hi, Candace:
I walked the camino frances from Sept. 30 to Nov. 17 last year. By the middle of November, as I was approaching Santiago, a lot of albergues were closed for the season and I could not always stay at the albergue which I would have preferred or, one night, had to beg a closed albergue to reopen, as all the others nearby were closed too. You might be better off going earlier in Sept. and booking beds, or rooms, for the first few weeks. If you are a slow walker, as I am, you may have to choose between leaving early, with the crowds, and leaving so late that the albergues are closing. I shall be joining the camino frances at Puenta la Reina in late September, so we may meet en route. Good luck and buen camino.

 

[PEI_Heather]

Hi and welcome Candace! On thing that could be a challenge is the shower. In some albergues they're quite small with not much room for a folding stool--believe me, you won't want to sit on the floor! So in your planning look to stay at private albergues where the facilities are generally better. That way you can more easily wash the liner of your prosthesis as well.
And hopefully the hospitaleros will be kind enough to give you a bottom bunk! If you stay at places where you can book ahead you could do so, and appraise them of your situation.
PEIheather knows the ropes so don't feel shy to connect with her!
It's so wonderful that you are doing this. Buen Camino!

Thanks Viranani!