When walking backwards can you stay in albergues?

[Anniesantiago]

When I've walked backwards I've always gotten private lodging.
Will they let you stay in albergues if you are walking backwards?

 

[Tincatinker]

I was once told, very firmly, by a Hospitalero at the municipal in Burgos that the Albergues were for pilgrims walking to Santiago. When I asked him where pilgrims walking home again were supposed to stay he told me "no-one walks home, they all get a 'plane". The evenings discussion was long, and friendly. At the end of it I think I had convinced him that Albergues were for pilgrims, on pilgrimage, and that pilgrimage was a journey and that a journey was not over until the pilgrim was home again.

If you hold a credencial, to show you are a pilgrim: stamped to show where you last sheltered and where you have walked from...

My ruck started because I confessed that I was walking only to Moratinos. To pick some litter. At one point in a good discussion I was asked "where is Santiago in this?" To which the only reasonable answer is everywhere and so are his pilgrims.

 

[JohnnieWalker]

Hi Annie - I've met a good number of pilgrims who have walked the Camino Francés in reverse, including one today. They all say that they were able to use albergues without a problem.

 

[Dinkumdigger]

After completing the Camino Frances earlier this year I then walked El Norte in reverse from Arzua to Ribadeo and had no problem whatsoever staying in albergues.

 

[Kanga]

Oh @Tincatinker what a good question!

 

[AJ]

I walked the Norte in reverse in 2013 and had no trouble staying in albergues except when they were full - it was August.

A surprising number of local people tried to tell me I was going the wrong way until I said "vuelvo".

 

[Rebekah Scott]

You ran into the occasional hospitalero who doesn't know what the heck he's talking about. Of course reverse hikers can stay at albergues, long as they have credentials.
I always shiver when I hear someone say "just ask the hospitalero, he knows..." Because sometimes he doesn't know Jack. Especially if he's as much an out-of-towner as you are! Most will just tell you "I don't know," but then you meet people like that one in Burgos.
Go figure.

 

[MichaelSG]

I would say that pilgrims walking backwards are much more entitled to stay in an albergue than the rest of us. How they do that without tripping and bumping into things all the time amazes me.

 

[Kanga]

Very droll Michael.

 

[dougfitz]

I would say that pilgrims walking backwards are much more entitled to stay in an albergue than the rest of us. How they do that without tripping and bumping into things all the time amazes me.

I have been waiting for this, having been tempted myself!

 

[waveprof]

I met a pilgrim who had walked the portuguese from his home in Lisbon to Santiago. He was then walking the Frances in reverse to Lourdes. From Lourdes he hoped to make it to Rome, and by Christmas, he hoped to make it to Jerusulum.

He was carrying a small dog in a pack.

He also had wife.

They were staying in an albuergue when I met him a day north of Leon.

Remarkable fellow. The dog had his own passport btw, or should I say three passports that were already full.

 

[obinjatoo@yahoo.com]

I would say that pilgrims walking backwards are much more entitled to stay in an albergue than the rest of us. How they do that without tripping and bumping into things all the time amazes me.

Very funny wise guy...

 

[JabbaPapa]

When I've walked backwards I've always gotten private lodging.
Will they let you stay in albergues if you are walking backwards?

Yes -- though in some small number of places, it's better to have your Compostela with you as well as your Credencial, so I'd personally suggest doing a quick 100 km run at least into Santiago before starting a revès. Just a suggestion -- those places are not very many, and during the season, alternatives will nearly always exist -- but it's always good anyway to walk into Santiago and get your Compostela.

For comparison, though, I've half-hiked half-hitched back along the Way more than once, and even then, I had very few problems with the albergues. People returning along the Camino instead of by transport are treated differently by hospitaleros, most of whom know very well how lonely it can be for a backwards pilgrim walking the opposite direction to the crowd, and so make special effort to be welcoming.

 

[Kiwi-family]

We met a guy walking backwards on the Portuguese who was having a terrible time of it. We suggested he start telling hospitaleros he was walking to Fatima!

 

[JabbaPapa]

We met a guy walking backwards on the Portuguese who was having a terrible time of it. We suggested he start telling hospitaleros he was walking to Fatima!

My first ever "proper" walking backwards guy was a gift of the Apostle and the Camino to me, and I was extremely grateful to be able to return the gift 2-3 weeks later, and to be a gift of the Apostle and the Camino to him, while hitch-hiking back along the Way.

My friend was having a terrible time too when I met him the second time, and he wanted to give up, but somehow those few KM we did to walk out of Burgos towards France and my next hitching spot were sufficient to lift his spirits.

I heard subsequently of his successful completion from another Pilgrim months later in Paris who had met him in Roncesvalles. The internet did not exist as such in those days.

There are stages both before and beyond the 3/4 "stages of the Camino" sometimes referred to in Camino folklore, and the sheer abject loneliness of the walk home is one of those extra stages to get through. (it's been the most difficult one for me personally)

But first-time backwards Pilgrims still need every ounce of help you can give !!

 

[Danie Penaar]

Ha ha ha. Could not help myself. You mean "walking the wrong way round." I can only see you walking BACKWARDS all the time. Only joking.

 

[Stephen Nicholls]

The correct English terminology is "walking in reverse".

When I was a young guy - 65 years ago - there was a lady living in Southampton [UK] who could only walk backwards, being born - as I understand it - with knees that bent in the opposite direction to everyone elses.
Thank God we are 'normal' ..... well, as 'normal' as any peregrino can be .

 

[jann]

I am so pleased to find this!
I couldn't find a thread regarding walking both ways. I walked the Camino 5 years ago but this coming year I'm wishing to walk from St. John Pied de Port to Santiago, have a few days there and walk back to St John Pied de Port, solo.For walking back is October an okay month? Being from NZ , when we visit Europe it needs to be for a length of time away ...its a long journey to get there! Walking is so much better than plane travel!

 

[jann]

Changed my plans, am going to head off end of April, four of five days in Santiago, then walk back again. I guess walking against the crowd could be a bit lonely but will meet up in the albergues. Has anyone out there done this who could tell me a little more?
Thank you!