Winter on the Camino: hostal and albergue availability

Most good guide books list albergues and opening/closing dates.
There is a lot of info on this forum on walking in winter - a quick search will be invaluable.
You can also have a look at the post on winter waking on my blog.
Buen suerte!

FranksWildYears said:

Greetings All,

I'm planning on flying into Pamplona mid-December, crossing the border to Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port and then beginning the walking westward to Santiago de Compostela. I have heard that some of the albergues and hostals along the camino are closed throughout winter... is this something I should be concerned about? Anyone made the walk during winter, especially during Christmas and New Years? Any advice or things I need to know? Appreciate the response and will see you down the trail.

Jeff
Granada, España.

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Hi Jeff,

Ask the hospitaleros for the availability of the next albergues, they always know everything about.

About crossing the border to St. Jean, may be it's not possible after last snow storms. Ask in Pamplona and, if so, consider to begin in Roncesvalles.

Buen Camino,

Javier Martin
Madrid, Spain

I heard on National Public Radio (NPR) this morning (15 Decemebr) that a looooooooot of snow fell in northern Spain this weekend...You may wanna wear your polar-bear suit as you start your trek!

Have a wonderful adventure, be safe and live large!

Life is good,

"Ginn"
Happily Snowed-in Here in Santa Fe
http://www.pulverpages.com

vjpulver said:

I heard on National Public Radio (NPR) this morning (15 Decemebr) that a looooooooot of snow fell in northern Spain this weekend...You may wanna wear your polar-bear suit as you start your trek! ...

"Ginn"
Happily Snowed-in Here in Santa Fe
http://www.pulverpages.com

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Snow is the today's new in Spain. Asturias and Galicia, Cebreiro, all this area is absolutely buried under snow (1 metro in Pedrafita). The motorway between Leon and Oviedo has had hundreds of cars and trucks stopped during the whole day.

In Mallorca's mountains has snowed 5 times during this autumn.

Buen Camino, (a little cold today)

Javier Martin
Madrid, Spain

More news today:

Snow has blocked access roads to villages in Lugo Province.
The mayor of Becerreá, Manuel Martinez, told Efe that rainfall this year was "exceptional" and there was not a storm like this since 1983, to the point that "the snow comes to the waist," which has left some 170 people held incommunicado in some villages.
He noted that this coincides with the time of the traditional slaughter of pigs, which complicates their work and makes it impossible without electricity."

This picture was taken on the road between Cebreiro and Triacastela.

The weather here is lovely, but with Christmas so near we are seeing more problems with albergue closings.

With us tonight is Joxe, a Navarrese Basque pilgrim who walked all the way from Carrion de los Condes. He phoned last night to ensure the albergue in Terradillos de Templarios was indeed open all year, as his guidebook said. They told him yes, they´re open. And when he arrived there this afternoon, nobody was there, the gate was locked, the "Cerrado" sign was up! Que barbaridad!

He is sure St James sent him here, as nobody else directed him. Ours is the first house in the village when you come off the N120, so whose door did he knock on, to ask for water? The Peaceable!

Be reminded that, if you´re traveling over the holidays many albergues and refuges and hostals are family-owned or run by volunteers. With so few pilgrims about, and so many parties and gatherings going on in town, you may find doors closed to you that "ought" to be open! (Including the big albergue in Sahagun.)

BTW, if you´re on the Road and lonely at Christmas, stop in! We have a BIG capon to share.

Rebekah