Accomodation in a Holy Year

[Jack Russell]

Hi,
First time on the forum, or indeed any forum.
I want to walk the Camino this summer, probably the Frances but I have heard that this is a Holy Year.
Does this mean it will be a nightmare to find 'cheap' accomodation along the way and in particular as you near Santiago?
I am thinking of going in June/July or could wait until September.
Any thoughts much appreciated.

[bindhii]

hey
where are you from?i am thinking/almost sure ,of going in spetember.
its first time for me too.
a lil scared
so let me know

[Jack Russell]

Hi,
I live in London.
I'm a little scared too and was worried about it being too busy this year.
But there is no time like the present.
Where are you based?

[Covey]

You are probably better off going in September. The main "rush" will be leading up to 25th July which is the Saints Day so I suspect that the numbers will ease off after then.

I am leaving London on the 3rd Sept and should be back in London Town towards the end of October.

[adelphi]

I am looking at walking the camino frances starting in October....flying from Australia...would like to get there directly..is a flight into paploma the way to go or do others have advice as to travel from toulouse...

[Covey]

I assume that there are no flights from Oz to Pamplona direct, so your best bet is either Madrid, London or Paris. Most want to travel as cheaply as possible so I suspect that might be London, from where you catch the Ryanair flight from London Stansted to Bairritz, bus from the airport to Bayonne Station, and the train from the station to St Jean.

If Paris is easier, then catch the overnight TGV train from Paris to Bayonne and then the local train to St Jean.

Madrid is more awkward in that you either train or fly to Pamplona and then use the taxi service to St Jean.

[Tanya Yaksich]

Hi,
If you fly from the West, most international flights Fly you to various continental destinations. My last flight was with K.L.M and i flew to Alicante via Singapore and Amsterdam. Next month i'm flying Lufthansa Via Singapore, Frankfurt to Madrid, all for the same price as if i went to one city
Cheers from Downunder Tanya

[adelphi]

Thanks...still looking the best option

[Franky]

what if your time only permits you to go during the holy year? is it better to just put it off a year or more.

If I go it will be alone, if I was going in a group I would reconsider but I figure theres always room for 1? (or not )

[Brid]

Hi Everyone

Ok...I booked my flights before realising it was a holy year... Im beginning to freak out now as looking at some of the other forums there seems to be alot of crimb, and serious accomodation problems... I'm a novice walker and travelling on my own... HELP!

[Tanya Yaksich]

Hi Brid,
Don't panic. There's crime everywhere, and as for the accomodation i hear local Shires are setting up tents in ovals and opening up halls for the extra Pilgrims. If you do have to sleep out, you won't be the only one. If you like comfort take a wuss mat with you.
Which Camino are you walking and from where?? I fly to Madrid on monday.
The Camino will provide.
Cheers Tanya

[Covey]

Brid........

First, the crime. The Camino is rather like being on holiday in some respects, in that you have to be aware of the circumstances you are in and look after your possessions. In four trips down the Camino Frances in the past four years I have only come across one incident where a pilgrim in an albergue I was in "lost" kit, and that was their boots!! In many albergues you have to leave your boots and sticks in a room away from the dormitory, and in this incident the guy went to put on his boots and found they were gone, and by the time everyone had put on their boots, the only ones left in the rack were a pair where the soles were coming away from the uppers, but the same size as the missing ones. Not likely to be a mistake, but fortunately the guy had a pair of trail sandals which he used for the rest of the Camino.

You occasionally "hear" of people who have lost mobile phones and ipods but that is always in the big albergues in the larger towns, where it is difficult for the albergue staff to control who goes in and out of the building. You often hear of pilgrims who have accidentally left kit, including things like cameras, at the various bars where we stop for coffees and food, so when you are ready to move off, just check that you have everything with you. Poles are a favourite to leave behind!

As there are lot of pilgrims on the trails this year, you have to adjust your timings. If you wander along and pitch up at an albergue at 5pm you are not going to find a bed this year. In normal years I aim to finish around 2pm and find my bed, but this year in Sept/Oct I might have to make that a little earlier. It is not a problem really, but you just have to judge your timings depending on how many pilgrims you see on the trail and the numbers of beds available in the next town. If everyone in your last albergue was going to head to an albergue "in a nice village but it only has 20 beds" then walk through there and aim for the next town which has more beds.

[robermarbe]

Hi guys
There are problems with the accommodations but nobody is without place to sleep.
I will start also on the 6-7th July from Roncesvalles. I think the fact there is not nice accommodation for granted gives the Camino a real dose of adventure. In the worst of the cases you still have "Casas Rurales" and private albergues. None of them are expensive.
The closer you get to Santiago the bigger problems with the accommodation you will face.
Good camino!

[Leslie]

In Castile and Leon - Castile and Le they have had tents out in the past during the high points of the summer. I have stayed in these and they were fine - though a bit colder at night. This area do a lot to help pilgrims - people from the district drive down parts of the route checking that pilgrims are okay, these are local civil service employees.

I would trust that the same will be available this year - however it would be great to know for sure if anyone has info?