In your first post @Corksfinedtboy you mention package tours. You can do the Camino two ways. As a pilgrim or as a tourist. As a pilgrim, you stay in cheap hostels (albergues), eats simply, walk when you want and the way you want and carry your own backpack. If you walk the last 100Km in one go (say five days) you qualify for The Compostela (certificate of completion). As a Tourist you stay in hotels, are driven to scenic parts of the walk, they carry your backpack and you are handed your daily meals. You donât qualify for the Compostela.
After I walked it a lot of people asked me for info so I ended up generating a fairly long email about it. Hereâs some of it. Bits added and taken out.
As posted above there are several routes to Santiago, the Camino Frances being the most popular. So the whole thing is very flexible. Youâre probably looking at 30-35 days to complete the whole Camino Frances with a degree of comfort. So for most people if working that is the limiting factor. The main problem with breaking it up is getting to/from the stages. Itâs tricky and can be very expensive to fly into Leon for example.
I was often asked if I was ever lonely walking on my own. That was a tricky one for me to answer. It is of course lonely and I ate many meals on my own. But I also got to meet a lot of interesting people. But for an average person loneliness isnât a problem. At the start if you target hostels that provide communal evening meals, this is a great way to get to know people. When you stop for coffee, people will sit together rather than sit on their own. Itâs very normal as there are lots of lone travellers. This is particularly true for the early stages. The last 100KM can be very busy and very impersonal, as this is the minimum distance you must walk to qualify for a certificate. Spain is the country but English is the communal language.
Is finding accommodation a problem each day?
Generally Iâd say no. Iâve slept on church floors, in steeples, and in a big wardrobe. I was never stuck. The only time I pre-booked was in Refuge Orisson on the second night. I was a bit worried that the first stage over the Pyrenees would be too much for one day. So I decided to split it. Lots of people think the same which is why it can be busy and must be booked. After that I never had a problem. Most places you can phone and book ahead and your place will be held until 5pm. They of course have apps now. During quieter times hostels close down. So itâs supply and demand. You will always find somewhere. People are always helpful. In Santiago itself I hadnât booked ahead and I had to stay outside the city.
What were the evenings like after a dayâs walking? Could you have a few beers?
The day fills up pretty fast. I always got my washing done and then went for a walk around, done a lot of stretching, stop for a beer or two and sus out where to get an evening meal. The hostels close at 10pm and youâre up by 6:30am so thereâs no party/ foreign holiday atmosphere. You just get sucked in and go with the flow. The Estrella Galicia is particularly good and available in most of the provinces. The pilgrim menu in most restaurants comes with a bottle of water and a bottle of local wine. I always kept the water for the following day. All fountains are clearly labelled, Agua Potable and Agua Non-potable. Water and hydration were always my number one priority, as in having to carry a minimum amount to reach the next town/fountain. I donât know if youâre religious but the pilgrim masses (hostels attached to churches) are well worth attending. Itâs mass â meal â stamp.
How did you manage the clothes washing/drying , could you wash and dry at the evening accommodation?
Most hostels have basic hand washing facilities. Carry some soap/powder. Make sure all your clothing and towel are quick drying and you wonât have a problem. Bring two sets of clothes, wash one, wear one. I decided beforehand that I would shower every day, and wash out my clothes every day. Lots of people didnât and you could tell. Bed bugs are a problem, see the book below for best advice.
If you were to go again what would you do differently?
Next time I probably wouldnât stay in Orisson. With that said it was a great place to stay. Itâs a private hostel so itâs expensive. But they have a great communal meal where everybody is introduced to everybody else. Youâll make friends there that youâll meet again and again. I trained beforehand in Ireland in heavy woollen socks. I never had blisters, so I decided to walk in the same socks. Bad choice, I just couldnât get them dry and always had them hanging out the back of my rucksack the following day. Wi-Fi was scarce enough back then. So I think a good phone with a roaming data tariff to allow internet access is a must.
The agreed best trail book for the Camino Frances is here:
Make sure you get the latest addition as hostels open and close all the time, shops, fountains etc.
This website is definitely one of the best.
The forum is busy and up to date. You can find fellow travellers hoping to share taxis from the airport. Lots of other questions answered. He can organise your backpack or excess luggage. Money wise, you can survive on 20 Euros a day, but 30 is more realistic especially if you have a couple of beers and CafĂŠ con leche which is addictive. Theyâre 2014 figures. Cash is still king over there as far as I know.
You can get an Irish credential here:
Itâs just a bit different from the one available over there. So they know your Irish!
Also a film here thatâs worth a look, if you havenât already.
Buen Camino!