Lodging possibilities in November?

[dukesofglory]

Greetings fellow pilgrims,

I walked the Camino Frances in September & October 2009 and found the experience so addictive that I want to hike Via de la Plata this coming Fall: Late September - early/mid November 2011. My question is basically this: will I be able to find sleeping accomodations in November? I prefer the cheapest options when possible: albergues, pilgrim hostels, schools, churches, athletic centers. I know the weather in Galicia will be less than ideal in early November, but given my job situation, this is the only time I can do it...I just need to know if accomodations will be available in November or if things start to close down?

Buen camino y animo (in your camino, job, life, etc.),
Jonathan

[geraldkelly]

Most accommodation on the Via is open all year. I walked it in February and had no problems.

Ger

[dukesofglory]

Thanks, Ger, I appreciate your feedback. More questions: considering that you walked the Via in winter, did you encounter much rain? Did you find the shorter days challenging in terms of having enough daylight to walk full days?

Thanks again, Jonathan

[geraldkelly]

I was extremely lucky in that it always rained at night. The first day's rain was when I was near to Astorga. Then after Foncebandon we had snow. Then after that it was fine all the way to Santiago. So you have to go prepared for everything.

The shorter days weren't a problem but you had to keep moving during the day. So no siestas.

[John Hussey]

Greetings fellow pilgrims,

I walked the Camino Frances in September & October 2009 and found the experience so addictive that I want to hike Via de la Plata this coming Fall: Late September - early/mid November 2011. My question is basically this: will I be able to find sleeping accomodations in November? ...
Jonathan

I walked in November and December and i always found an albergue open. Often I was the only pilgrim, though, and in many of the smaller villages I had to search out the person in charge of the alberque so to get the key and pay. What did amaze me, though, was the capital expenditure some of these smaller villages had invested in completely rehabbing very old buildings into very modern alberques, often with full facilities. I was often duly impressed and just hoped that more pilgrims would be smart enough to walk in the warmer months so the village might recoup more of their investment, instead of the winter like this idiot. Man, was it ever a bone-chilling, cold experience in the mountains in December for this pilgrim more accustomed to a more tropical clime! Not much rain in the south heading north until further north after the making the hard turn to the west. It has been a few years, though. You will always find a place to stay. But do dress warmly!