Is there allowed camping?

[JonasKopp]

Hello
I?m from Czech Republic and I?d like to do to Santiago. Is there allowed camping in nature? I don?t want to take with me a tent, but only a tarpaulin. And a campfire? Is it allowed in nature?
Thanks

[Covey]

Every year you see people starting out with tents and cooking kit, but the urge to camp seems to disappear very quickly!

There are places available to camp at some locations but not everywhere, and they are usually on the outside of the town or village.

Camp fires are not welcome in the summer months because of the fire risk and as most of the land on the trail is in private ownership, you have the problem of getting permission to camp unless it is on an official site. Many of the official sites charge to camp, so you may as well stay in the albergue and get a bed, shower and toilet.

Most, if not all albergues are near the middle of the village/town and within 50m of the bars or eating places and of course the shops and pharmacy.

Given the problems I would suggest you use the albergues.

Self catering appears attractive to some, but even that can prove difficult. All the official albergues have some form of cooking facilities. This can just be a couple of electric rings and maybe the odd pot or pan. Some albergues have very good cooking facilities with electric/gas hobs and ovens and a fridge, pots and pans and plates and cutlery.

Buying food can be difficult in that the pack sizes they sell food in the supermarkets in are geared to the family size cartons which means either a lot of wasted food, or you have to eat pasta for a week!!

Given that we all try and carry as little weight as possible, lugging a lot of half used cartons of food around seems a burden too far!! The bar food in Spain is cheap, if somewhat repetitive, especially if you don't like bread!

Your bed in the albergue and an evening Pilgrim Menu meal will cost you ?15 a day. It is money well spent!!

[JonasKopp]

Thanks very much :-)

Every year you see people starting out with tents and cooking kit, but the urge to camp seems to disappear very quickly!

There are places available to camp at some locations but not everywhere, and they are usually on the outside of the town or village.

Camp fires are not welcome in the summer months because of the fire risk and as most of the land on the trail is in private ownership, you have the problem of getting permission to camp unless it is on an official site. Many of the official sites charge to camp, so you may as well stay in the albergue and get a bed, shower and toilet.

Most, if not all albergues are near the middle of the village/town and within 50m of the bars or eating places and of course the shops and pharmacy.

Given the problems I would suggest you use the albergues.

Self catering appears attractive to some, but even that can prove difficult. All the official albergues have some form of cooking facilities. This can just be a couple of electric rings and maybe the odd pot or pan. Some albergues have very good cooking facilities with electric/gas hobs and ovens and a fridge, pots and pans and plates and cutlery.

Buying food can be difficult in that the pack sizes they sell food in the supermarkets in are geared to the family size cartons which means either a lot of wasted food, or you have to eat pasta for a week!!

Given that we all try and carry as little weight as possible, lugging a lot of half used cartons of food around seems a burden too far!! The bar food in Spain is cheap, if somewhat repetitive, especially if you don't like bread!

Your bed in the albergue and an evening Pilgrim Menu meal will cost you ?15 a day. It is money well spent!!