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The total numbers so far this year are greater than the first four month of 2010, the last Jubilee Year!
I intend to start in Lourdes so will be on a lonely route for 8 days when I arrive in SJPP if it's as busy as they say I will just switch to a different Camino. That's my recommendation. Nevertheless lets wait and see when we get there?This really makes me nervous. I will be doing my first Camino starting the end of May. I've booked Orrison for the first night. With my M.S. pain I have no idea as to how far my body will allow me to walk. My hope was to book as I go. With M.S. You just never know how your body will react from day to day. Should I consider bringing a tent ???
Hey noticed we are almost neighbours, I'm from Grimsby, OntarioI intend to start in Lourdes so will be on a lonely route for 8 days when I arrive in SJPP if it's as busy as they say I will just switch to a different Camino. That's my recommendation. Nevertheless lets wait and see when we get there?
Hey noticed we are almost neighbours, I'm from Grimsby, Ontario
Buen Camino
Penny, it may be that you just have to walk "between the stages" instead of the guidebook stages and perhaps walk shorter stages. Give yourself extra days. Also, you can not book most of the municipal and parochial albergues to my knowledge so the people who are booking are booking private lodging.Hey noticed we are almost neighbours, I'm from Grimsby, Ontario
Buen Camino
Pamplona makes more sense. The downhill into Zubiri was brutal. We are exhausted.Thanks for the traffic update mccopeland.... good to know. I'll be starting from Pamplona in a week...
250 left St. Jean on the day with us but they are ahead of us now. We are hoping to walk an average of only 10 miles a day and have a rest day coming up in Pamplona. We'll try to avoid the popular places and maybe no hit the "wave" so much.It could be that you are in larger wave of pilgrims. When Albergues/people tell you they are flabbergsted at the amount of people in that place they are also saying we have not had these larger amounts in the preceding days, it could be also quieter again after this wave has passed. If you find a simpatico hospitalero you could ask him to find out what the crowds are like the day behind, it maybe worth slowing down or waiting for the etapas after Viana where it may be easier to go to quieter stopping places.
Hang in there! The first two days can really pack a one-two punch. Take it easy for a day or two, and pay extra attention to stretching to head off over-exertion in your tendons. Also, eat plenty of protein if possible to help jump start your muscles' healing process (my son and I each ate about 20 oz. of chicken that we stir-fried in the albergue kitchen on our third day, and that made a HUGE difference in our exhaustion and our aching legs).Pamplona makes more sense. The downhill into Zubiri was brutal. We are exhausted.
I have never publicly confessed to doing that now and again- it feels a bit like being a peeping-Tom. Good to know I'm not the only voyeur around hereWatching the webcam at Bando, San Marcos near Monte de Gozo, less than half the current pilgrims are carrying backpacks!
Oh my oh my, I will arrive mid May in Arzua from the Norte, is that means I will have to fight the crowds? How about albergues in Santiago?
Zzotte
I have never publicly confessed to doing that now and again- it feels a bit like being a peeping-Tom. Good to know I'm not the only voyeur around here
http://www.crtvg.es/crtvg/camaras-web/o-bando-san-marcos
Deeply frustrating for those of us who would like to spend more of our day walking, not just a few hours each morning. Or who might be mad enough to actually enjoy walking in the afternoon (very unlikely on the meseta in summer, I admit, but there must be some...). One of the reasons why I prefer the less popular Caminos these days and also walking out of high season. I have the great good fortune to be free to pick and choose more or less at will - something for which I am very grateful.You have to be realistic if you want to stay at the cheaper places, you have to be there when they open, usually at 1:00pm.
When I arrived in Melide from the Primitivo last year it was a real shock to see people with backs at each street corner, walking in groups. I all of a sudden felt a bit claustrophobic. I asked a local where I could find an albergue, he ponted to one across the street and I made a quick dash to avoid the frenzy I felt on the street. I was lucky as they had beds available. After a shower and a bit of a rest I headed back outside and there wer still backpacks everywhere but the shcok had passed. It was a very strange sensation to go from walking alone for hours and hours, only having a couple of people pass you here and there, to racing what seemed like an overwhelming sea of bakpacks.By the next day the shock was over but I still much prefered the quieter days now behind me alas.Oh my oh my, I will arrive mid May in Arzua from the Norte, is that means I will have to fight the crowds? How about albergues in Santiago?
Zzotte
Buen Camino George...and I am another neighbour from Burlington, just up the QEW.
We had a guy from Grimsby doing an estimate for our bathrooms at 6pm tonight. Pat O'Hara , maybe another neighbour?
I start my Camino from SJPP on May 26 and will also try and be a little off cycle re the Brierley stages.
Good luck and buen camino Penny,
Bhirc (Bronte Harbour International Running Club)
George
I agree. I enjoy leaving later. Especially when it is so chilly.I really enjoy walking and I'm sure I will find a place to sleep, but I refuse to leave before 9/9:30 some days at 11amI can peacefully walk to about 19:30/ 20:00h and still walk 25/35 km in a day, right now we have so much day light short of a pouring rain I just keep on walking, my idea is what is one to do from 1pm to 10pm ( lights out)? I would go mad with all this time on my hands with nothing to do
Zzotte
Penny, definitely better booking between the designated stages. I did that much of last year and never had a problem. Wish you Buen Camino.I'm hoping if I alter my stages and not stay in the favoured stage end towns I'll have better luck.
Penny, definitely better booking between the designated stages.
This coming week is an attractive holiday period for the working population in various European countries: Monday 2 May is a public holiday in the UK, Thursday 5 May is a public holiday in large countries like France and Germany as well as in a few other countries. And Spain in general has experienced a strong increase in the numbers of foreign visitors this year (a plus of 16% for January to March, compared to the same period last year) because people are shunning other destinations around the Mediterranean.
A question to the group: I did not book ahead last July on the CF. But, given this discussion I am wondering the preferred method for booking ahead. Do people call ahead or use an online source like booking.com?
Thanks for the clarification. Both my walks along the Frances predated Brierley's guide. I hadn't fully appreciated how much it has become the de facto standard. My walks in the recent past have steered clear of the Frances but I am considering walking it again from St Jean in the next year or two. Very unlikely to be in summer though.Brady, it's probably the wrong use of the word. Many who use Brierley's Guidebook, take the beginning and end for each day, to be the overnight point, when of course it can be any location you choose.
Summer would be the least time that I would do the CF. I had that heat inIndia while volunteering for 3-month stays since 2006. Spring 2017, considering the Portuguese.Thanks for the clarification. Both my walks along the Frances predated Brierley's guide. I hadn't fully appreciated how much it has become the de facto standard. My walks in the recent past have steered clear of the Frances but I am considering walking it again from St Jean in the next year or two. Very unlikely to be in summer though.
I walked from Porto to Santiago in February. Thoroughly enjoyed it. Hope you find the same. It is not so much the heat as much as the crowding that rules out summer on the Frances for me.Spring 2017, considering the Portuguese.
It is not so much the heat as much as the crowding that rules out summer on the Frances for me.
I walked from Porto to Santiago in February. Thoroughly enjoyed it. Hope you find the same. It is not so much the heat as much as the crowding that rules out summer on the Frances for me.
I call in the afternoon for the next day after I have showered. This being said, I saw somewhere there is now a booking service that a number of albergues are using, with a fee of a couple of Euros per booking, or a slightly better deal if you book a number of nights, but I don't know the name of the Web site. If there is a larticular place I want to stay I book from home, for example this time Casa Fernada which feels up weeks in advance apparently.A question to the group: I did not book ahead last July on the CF. But, given this discussion I am wondering the preferred method for booking ahead. Do people call ahead or use an online source like booking.com?
Ditto for me. Last yr Sep/Oct was perfect. No crowds (except briefly out of Sarria). And gorgeous weather.I walked from Porto to Santiago in February. Thoroughly enjoyed it. Hope you find the rsame. It is not so much the heat as much as the crowding that rules out summer on the Frances for me.
Brrrrrrr!
40 years ago I worked for Parcs Canada in minus 40!!I use to winter camp in minus 20 degree temperatures
Good luck to both of you,having done the Frances twice I was going back for a third time this year,but will put the trip of till 2017,as have seen its a year of mercy on the Camino.if you think there are lots of Pilgrims, wait till you get to Sarria thats when the fun starts,if I was you I would book placesWe started from St. Jean on Tuesday, stayed at Orisson (having booked back in February) and were told not to worry about reserving in Roncesvalles. We're slow, and when we arrived in Roncesvalles all beds in the new section were taken. They placed us in one of the rooms of the old section - very cold, with no heat. They were surprised at the amount of pilgrims who came through that day. Today we came into Zubiri, again thinking we did not need to book ahead. We got the last room (at a hotel) in town. Everything else was sold out by 3. The next town was also sold out. The albergues are flabbergasted that so many pilgrims are here and are telling us that we need to book tomorrow's stay tonight.
Been there, done that (once!), much more sensible these daysI use to winter camp in minus 20 degree temperatures
I'm planning on starting my Camino from Pamplona around the 12th. I haven't booked ahead or even looked into booking ahead. Is this something that everybody does or have I missed this completely.
Oh my oh my, I will arrive mid May in Arzua from the Norte, is that means I will have to fight the crowds? How about albergues in Santiago?
Zzotte
@Kylz72:Hi , new to all of this , what would be the best time to do this walk ?
Thanks for this; one more note for my 2017 planning….One more suggestion
Avoid starting the Camino during the May 1 holiday period, especially if it falls on the weekend.
Thanks for this; one more note for my 2017 planning….
This really makes me nervous. I will be doing my first Camino starting the end of May. I've booked Orrison for the first night. With my M.S. pain I have no idea as to how far my body will allow me to walk. My hope was to book as I go. With M.S. You just never know how your body will react from day to day. Should I consider bringing a tent ???
I don't understand the phrase "designated stages". Designated by whom? Where would I find the list?
I'm planning on starting my Camino from Pamplona around the 12th. I haven't booked ahead or even looked into booking ahead. Is this something that everybody does or have I missed this completely.
Me too! Penny! I'm starting 1st June and have my first night booked in Orisson. Hopefully this is going in waves as some people suggest, I really don't want to be caught up in a crowd and having a problem each night finding a bed.This really makes me nervous. I will be doing my first Camino starting the end of May. I've booked Orrison for the first night. With my M.S. pain I have no idea as to how far my body will allow me to walk. My hope was to book as I go. With M.S. You just never know how your body will react from day to day. Should I consider bringing a tent ???
Arrived today in Zubiri at 3. Very full. I recommend reservations.We started from St. Jean on Tuesday, stayed at Orisson (having booked back in February) and were told not to worry about reserving in Roncesvalles. We're slow, and when we arrived in Roncesvalles all beds in the new section were taken. They placed us in one of the rooms of the old section - very cold, with no heat. They were surprised at the amount of pilgrims who came through that day. Today we came into Zubiri, again thinking we did not need to book ahead. We got the last room (at a hotel) in town. Everything else was sold out by 3. The next town was also sold out. The albergues are flabbergasted that so many pilgrims are here and are telling us that we need to book tomorrow's stay tonight.
Dont need to remind me that!
Sounds like quite a memorable Easter weekend in 2013.
Amber I don't book ahead on the CF except for Orisson and particular hotels in big towns (eg Burgos and Leon) and I've never failed to find a bed. One night last September we were allocated beds in the albergue laundry (nice and private!) because it was full, but that was the closest call. It is often not my first choice, and sometimes i have to pay more, but there is always something.
This year I head out on 12 May and I will take a phone, just in case. If it is too difficult I'll walk another route.
Also: does anyone recommend buying a guide book for the trail before starting? I'll be in Pamplona for 2 nights at the start, and begin from there. I haven't got one yet. Some say to get one is a must, some say don't bother!I'm in Rioja now. I started from SJPP 2 weeks ago. Some days I've booked ahead as I'm slow and arrive about 5:00, not sure if I needed to though because some albergues and hostals have been half full. Up to yesterday (May 1st holiday) I've literally been walking alone most of the time, often no one visible for long stretches. I haven't felt any panic for beds, and am working on controlling my unnecessary fear of scarcity! I don't know what summer will be like, but now it's fine out here from my perspective anyway. I'm learning a lot and seeing interesting and beautiful things, as well as funny and ordinary things. I wouldn't worry so much, if it's too crowded to enjoy figure the Camino is not for you, there's plenty else to explore in Spain.
Kanga, Are you leaving from SJPP on the 12th? I will be leaving that day too. Can You tell me if it is possible, without killing myself in the effort, to reach Pamplona by Saturday night if I stay in Orisson on Thursday night? I have a paid for reservation at Hotel Eslava for Saturday night. They won't let me change since I used Booking.com I don't think I can make it until Sunday night. Opinion?Amber I don't book ahead on the CF except for Orisson and particular hotels in big towns (eg Burgos and Leon) and I've never failed to find a bed. One night last September we were allocated beds in the albergue laundry (nice and private!) because it was full, but that was the closest call. It is often not my first choice, and sometimes i have to pay more, but there is always something.
This year I head out on 12 May and I will take a phone, just in case. If it is too difficult I'll walk another route.
You won't need it to find your way. It's a personal preference!Also: does anyone recommend buying a guide book for the trail before starting? I'll be in Pamplona for 2 nights at the start, and begin from there. I haven't got one yet. Some say to get one is a must, some say don't bother!
Possible, but not easy. [Edited. See later post!]Can you tell me if it is possible, without killing myself in the effort, to reach Pamplona by Saturday night if I stay in Orisson on Thursday night?
I do, not for finding your way but for understanding where you are and where you are heading. Understand the history makes these walks so much richer.Also: does anyone recommend buying a guide book for the trail before starting? I'll be in Pamplona for 2 nights at the start, and begin from there. I haven't got one yet. Some say to get one is a must, some say don't bother!
Thank you C ClearlyYou won't need it to find your way. It's a personal preference!
Not only possible, but probable.
You won't need it to find your way. It's a personal preference!
Not only possible, but probable.
Can You tell me if it is possible, without killing myself in the effort, to reach Pamplona by Saturday night if I stay in Orisson on Thursday night?
SJPP to Pamplona in 3 days is the "standard" route: SJPP, Ronceslavelles, Zubiri, Pamplona.,And since you want to star day1 in Orisson, ot will be even easier.Kanga, Are you leaving from SJPP on the 12th? I will be leaving that day too. Can You tell me if it is possible, without killing myself in the effort, to reach Pamplona by Saturday night if I stay in Orisson on Thursday night? I have a paid for reservation at Hotel Eslava for Saturday night. They won't let me change since I used Booking.com I don't think I can make it until Sunday night. Opinion?
As I read it, Thursday night at Orisson and Saturday night at Hotel Eslava in Pamplona only allows one night (Friday) at either Roncesvalles, Zubiri or some point in between. Or am I missing something?SJPP,r
SJPP to Pamplona in 3 days is the "standard" route: SJPP, Ronceslavelles, Zubiri, Pamplona.,And since you want to star day1 in Orisson, ot will be even easier.
@Joodle - @Albertagirl is absolutely right. I miscalculated/misread the situation. You would want 2 days after Roncesvalles, one to Zubiri or thereabouts, another Pamplona. Are you sure you can't change on booking.com?As I read it, Thursday night at Orisson and Saturday night at Hotel Eslava in Pamplona only allows one night (Friday) at either Roncesvalles, Zubiri or some point in between. Or am I missing something?
Kanga, Are you leaving from SJPP on the 12th? I will be leaving that day too. Can You tell me if it is possible, without killing myself in the effort, to reach Pamplona by Saturday night if I stay in Orisson on Thursday night? I have a paid for reservation at Hotel Eslava for Saturday night. They won't let me change since I used Booking.com I don't think I can make it until Sunday night. Opinion?
We started from St. Jean on Tuesday, stayed at Orisson (having booked back in February) and were told not to worry about reserving in Roncesvalles. We're slow, and when we arrived in Roncesvalles all beds in the new section were taken. They placed us in one of the rooms of the old section - very cold, with no heat. They were surprised at the amount of pilgrims who came through that day. Today we came into Zubiri, again thinking we did not need to book ahead. We got the last room (at a hotel) in town. Everything else was sold out by 3. The next town was also sold out. The albergues are flabbergasted that so many pilgrims are here and are telling us that we need to book tomorrow's stay tonight.
Last year I walked the CF in September for the second time when it was very busy - I stayed between stages (Brierley stages) and had no problem with beds, I never booked forward and ended up meeting some lovely hospitaleros in smaller villages - worth considering when the route is busyWe started from St. Jean on Tuesday, stayed at Orisson (having booked back in February) and were told not to worry about reserving in Roncesvalles. We're slow, and when we arrived in Roncesvalles all beds in the new section were taken. They placed us in one of the rooms of the old section - very cold, with no heat. They were surprised at the amount of pilgrims who came through that day. Today we came into Zubiri, again thinking we did not need to book ahead. We got the last room (at a hotel) in town. Everything else was sold out by 3. The next town was also sold out. The albergues are flabbergasted that so many pilgrims are here and are telling us that we need to book tomorrow's stay tonight.
I'm hoping if I alter my stages and not stay in the favoured stage end towns I'll have better luck.
It always does. It may provide that you have a Plan B!Well, I guess I will just have to trust that "the Camino provides".
I'll go with the plan BIt always does. It may provide that you have a Plan B!
We started from St. Jean on Tuesday, stayed at Orisson (having booked back in February) and were told not to worry about reserving in Roncesvalles. We're slow, and when we arrived in Roncesvalles all beds in the new section were taken. They placed us in one of the rooms of the old section - very cold, with no heat. They were surprised at the amount of pilgrims who came through that day. Today we came into Zubiri, again thinking we did not need to book ahead. We got the last room (at a hotel) in town. Everything else was sold out by 3. The next town was also sold out. The albergues are flabbergasted that so many pilgrims are here and are telling us that we need to book tomorrow's stay tonight.
That is the start of the really busy season. Start early so that you can avoid the heat. Stop early so you can get a bed. Pamplona will be holding its San Fermin festival, so a bed in that area will be quite difficult, and you will not be able to transit the city until the streets are reopened after the bull run.I am planing my first camino walk fronm july 4th 2016.
thanks for this ...could you share with me some of the email address to get a booking confirmation? I am doing these bookings more as a supporting document for my visa processing than to be sure i have a bed reserved. I personally would like to take it as it comes along cos i know each day will be different.To book ahead I usually phone the albergue/hotel or contact them through email if it is an option.
I am going in July too and have only booked a hotel for the first night in Bayonne (because my flight arrives late), the second night in Orisson (because in peak season it is a must) and finally the last night in Santiago.
I refuse to panic and book ahead other places as it is impossible to tell EXACTLY where I will be on which night. Even though I have walked this Camino before, this time I may feel like walking longer distances or have to walk shorter ones.
If it looks quite impossible to find a bed anywhere (and I still seriously doubt that...) I 'll switch to Plan B and walk somewhere else!
As for going at another time, why not of it is a possible option for you...it depends how worried you are going to be about finding a bed...
Michelin do a great one ..its very small and light ..With distances and most of stage info you need . You should find it online.Also: does anyone recommend buying a guide book for the trail before starting? I'll be in Pamplona for 2 nights at the start, and begin from there. I haven't got one yet. Some say to get one is a must, some say don't bother!
I have the Wise Pilgrim app on my phone, and Brierley's map only book, and that's enough. I threw my other guide book out about a week in, didn't need it.Also: does anyone recommend buying a guide book for the trail before starting? I'll be in Pamplona for 2 nights at the start, and begin from there. I haven't got one yet. Some say to get one is a must, some say don't bother!
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