Advice on Camino Norte

[Jersey]

looks like I’ll be able to do 4 or 5 weeks on the Camino Norte next May/June
I’m not looking to finish. I like to take my time and enjoy the towns along the way.
( I have to be in Valencia the middle of June for a weeding )
I’ll be more than happy to finish the following year.
Good book to get?
It’s possible I’ll also be bringing along a 6~8 month old dog ( Labrador) if he or she is in the shape for it. Would that be a problem as far as hotels, hostels and pensions?

 

[oursonpolaire]

The two guides most people use are Perazzoli and Whitson's Northern Caminos (http://northerncaminos.com/) and the Confraternity of Saint James 2 guides to the del Norte (www.csj.org.uk). There are several threads here on the advisability of taking a dog with you on the Camino and you should look through them to consider the factors involved-- many hotels will accept them, fewer pensions, and almost no hostels/albergues.

 

[Jersey]

The two guides most people use are Perazzoli and Whitson's Northern Caminos (http://northerncaminos.com/) and the Confraternity of Saint James 2 guides to the del Norte (www.csj.org.uk). There are several threads here on the advisability of taking a dog with you on the Camino and you should look through them to consider the factors involved-- many hotels will accept them, fewer pensions, and almost no hostels/albergues.

Thanks
For the life of me I can’t understand why the Spanish name so many hotels hostals. I stayed in a few hostals that were clearly hotels.
Are the names interchangeable in Spain?

 

[SYates]

...
It’s possible I’ll also be bringing along a 6~8 month old dog ( Labrador) if he or she is in the shape for it. ...

6-8 months is a bit young for long distance walking as joints/bones are still growing, you might want to check with your vet first. BC SY

 

[LTfit]

Check previous posts regarding your dog, I know that I have answered several as I walked from Santillana del Mar to Gijón with mine last October.

The short of it is that you will have to stay in hostales in a private room if they even allow you in. A municipal is definitely a no go. Most bring a tent due to the problem with accommodations.

Mine did great walking for a week but I found it too much of a hassle and you miss out on contact with other pilgrims.

 

[Anemone del Camino]

Thanks
For the life of me I can’t understand why the Spanish name so many hotels hostals. I stayed in a few hostals that were clearly hotels.
Are the names interchangeable in Spain?

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hostal

The Four Seasons is a hotel, the 2-3 mom and pop small hotel in town is a hostal or pension. Albergue/dorm type lodging is also known as a hostel.

 

[Anemone del Camino]

Thanks
For the life of me I can’t understand why the Spanish name so many hotels hostals. I stayed in a few hostals that were clearly hotels.
Are the names interchangeable in Spain?

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hostal

The Four Seasons is a hotel, the 2-3 star mom & pop small hotel in town is a hostal or pension. Albergue/dorm type lodging is also known as a hostel.

 

[Leigh Taylor]

We are on the Norte now and we have seen a guy with a dog on trail. The dog definitely stayed at the private albergue in Colombres but we haven't seen him anywhere else. It looks like they are camping with the dog too.

 

[Jersey]

6-8 months is a bit young for long distance walking as joints/bones are still growing, you might want to check with your vet first. BC SY

Yes without a doubt. I would never take a chance walking a dog like that unless the vet said it was safe. I would also get a second opinion.
If I have to I would fly him over when I finished walking.

 

[Deleted member 3000]

if he or she is in the shape for it.

How will you determine that?

Many places in Spain do not permit dogs, so do some advance research to find the places, probably private accommodations, that will.

 

[trecile]

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hostal

The Four Seasons is a hotel, the 2-3 star mom & pop small hotel in town is a hostal or pension. Albergue/dorm type lodging is also known as a hostel.

Also many, if not most hostales and pensiones don't have a 24 hour front desk. Many are a few rooms above a bar. It is the norm to receive two or more keys when staying at these establishments: a key for the door to the building, a key to the hostal or pensión, which is often upstairs which may or may not have an elevator, and finally a key to your room. I have also stayed in places where my private bathroom wasn't ensuite, but I had to walk across or down the hall. In that case I had a fourth key to the bathroom!

 

[C clearly]

For the life of me I can’t understand why the Spanish name so many hotels hostals. I stayed in a few hostals that were clearly hotels.
Are the names interchangeable in Spain?

I suspect that if you delve into the licensing and regulation for lodgings in Spain, which I have not done, you will find that "hotels" have certain features, "hostales" have different (fewer amenities), and "albergues" are different again. For example, 24-reception, dining/breakfast facilities, multiple uses (sometimes the owners live on-site), option of shared bathrooms, shared dorms, etc. In some cases the distinction might be some technicality that is not so obvious to us.

 

[Jersey]

How will you determine that?

Many places in Spain do not permit dogs, so do some advance research to find the places, probably private accommodations, that will.

I figured if the dog was going on 8 to 15 mile daily hikes with me here at home he would be OK to do the same in Spain
Only problem is he won’t know much Spanish lol
My biggest obstacle right now seems to be getting the dog from La Coruna to Valencia and back again.

 

[Jersey]

I suspect that if you delve into the licensing and regulation for lodgings in Spain, which I have not done, you will find that "hotels" have certain features, "hostales" have different (fewer amenities), and "albergues" are different again. For example, 24-reception, dining/breakfast facilities, multiple uses (sometimes the owners live on-site), option of shared bathrooms, shared dorms, etc. In some cases the distinction might be some technicality that is not so obvious to us.

That makes the most sense of everything I’ve heard.
I spent a few nights in hostals that were clearly to my American eyes hotels.

 

[LTfit]

[QUOTE="Jersey
My biggest obstacle right now seems to be getting the dog from La Coruna to Valencia and back again.[/QUOTE]

Renfe accepts dogs for an extra fee of €5 on longer trips. Requirement is a muzzle which can be bought for a couple of euros at s bazar chino. Buses are the real problem!

 

[Jersey]

[QUOTE="Jersey
My biggest obstacle right now seems to be getting the dog from La Coruna to Valencia and back again.

Renfe accepts dogs for an extra fee of €5 on longer trips. Requirement is a muzzle which can be bought for a couple of euros at s bazar chino. Buses are the real problem![/QUOTE]
Wow really? You can take dogs on the train?
I’ve traveled back and forth Madrid & Coruna multiple times and never saw a dog. Great news. Thanks
Is there a size limit?

 

[LTfit]

Renfe accepts dogs for an extra fee of €5 on longer trips. Requirement is a muzzle which can be bought for a couple of euros at s bazar chino. Buses are the real problem!

Wow really? You can take dogs on the train?
I’ve traveled back and forth Madrid & Coruna multiple times and never saw a dog. Great news. Thanks
Is there a size limit?[/QUOTE]

Not that I know of but mine was 5 kilos. The muzzle didn't even fit properly, actually just to show that I complied with the rules.

I have even flown with him at my feet. Previously I had never seen dogs in airports or on flights but you can take them on the plane up to 7 kilos. I put him into a dog bag (also bought at the Chino store) with his head sticking out. When asked if he fit into the bag I said sure (if I tried). The stewardesses were amazed, he kept quiet the whole time but then again it was only a 2 1/2 flight.

 

[peregrina2000]

Thanks
For the life of me I can’t understand why the Spanish name so many hotels hostals. I stayed in a few hostals that were clearly hotels.
Are the names interchangeable in Spain?

I think C Clarely is right. It has to do with the different amenities offered and is regulated by some government entity. This may be done at the level of autonomous community (region) which would mean less uniformity across the country, I don't know. But some of the distinctions have to do with whether the room has telephone, television, bathroom (shared or private), size of room, front desk, etc. A hostal is typically cheaper and with fewer amenities. But I don't think price is one of the regulated aspects, so there is a lot of overlap here. There are also a few other less common designations like "HR" (hostal residencia) and C (camas). For me the real blurring of distinctions is between a hostal and a pension.

What is more confusing for many English speakers is that the closest Spanish word to our "hostel" is not "hostal" but "albergue", which is nothing like a hostal in Spanish. But I don't think anyone who walks a Camino will have trouble distinguishing between an albergue and a hostal.

 

[Walking Lover]

looks like I’ll be able to do 4 or 5 weeks on the Camino Norte next May/June
I’m not looking to finish. I like to take my time and enjoy the towns along the way.
( I have to be in Valencia the middle of June for a weeding )
I’ll be more than happy to finish the following year.
Good book to get?
It’s possible I’ll also be bringing along a 6~8 month old dog ( Labrador) if he or she is in the shape for it. Would that be a problem as far as hotels, hostels and pensions?

Consider pilgrims like myself who are very allergic to dogs and cats, so having one in an albergue would be a problem for me.

 

[Jersey]

Consider pilgrims like myself who are very allergic to dogs and cats, so having one in an albergue would be a problem for me.

No worries for you. I would stay in private rooms.
Never in a million years would I bring a dog into an alburgue where someone might be allergic to a dog

 

[Walking Lover]

My husband and I carry cash in a money belt beneath our clothing. I take about 20 Euros out each morning, pyt it on a Fanny Pack do that no one ever sees I have more. This has worked well for us.

 

[Colette Z]

We are on the Norte now and we have seen a guy with a dog on trail. The dog definitely stayed at the private albergue in Colombres but we haven't seen him anywhere else. It looks like they are camping with the dog too.

How is El Norte? Where did you start? Do you think a trekking boot vs a trail shoe is better given the elevations/more ruggedness? Thanks I’m planning to walk it from airy. March 2018

 

[amancio]

How is El Norte? Where did you start? Do you think a trekking boot vs a trail shoe is better given the elevations/more ruggedness? Thanks I’m planning to walk it from airy. March 2018

Hi! I just finished the Camino del Norte on good sturdy Teva sandals. Not a problem at all, quite the opposite!

 

[Anemone del Camino]

Ups and downs dosn’t mean rougher terrain, just more cardio. Actually, the Norte has quite a bit of road walking, much easier to navigate on than those horrible tractor tracks or rocky hills on the Frances.

On the general topic of high boot or regular below the ankle, if you chose to immobilise your ankle with a high boot, you will actually put the strain on your knees with every step. Not a good idea. Good old trekking runners, or yes, trekking sandals will do.

 

[Colette Z]

Ups and downs dosn’t mean rougher terrain, just more cardio. Actually, the Norte has quite a bit of road walking, much easier to navigate on than those horrible tractor tracks or rocky hills on the Frances.

On the general topic of high boot or regular below the ankle, if you chose to immobilise your ankle with a high boot, you will actually put the strain on your knees with every step. Not a good idea. Good old trekking runners, or yes, trekking sandals will do.

Thank you fellow Canadian ! Glad to hear that El Norte is not more “rugged”vs CF. Good comment about boot and knee strain (it’s why I want to do El Norte now when knees are still not too bad)....down is my issue....I’m alpaca-like on climbs I just keep going LOL.

 

[Anemone del Camino]

When walking down a hill, a smooth hill mind you is best, make sure you zig-zag from one side to the other. It makes the incline, and therefor the stress on the knees, lesser. And use your poles by making them longer.

 

[Colette Z]

When walking down a hill, a smooth hill mind you is best, make sure you zig-zag from one side to the other. It makes the incline, and therefor the stress on the knees, lesser. And use your poles by making them longer.

Thanks. Yes I’ve used both those techniques this year on the downhill out of Castrojedrez. I’m a daily 10-15km walker.

 

[CaminoJoy123]

The two guides most people use are Perazzoli and Whitson's Northern Caminos (http://northerncaminos.com/) and the Confraternity of Saint James 2 guides to the del Norte (www.csj.org.uk). There are several threads here on the advisability of taking a dog with you on the Camino and you should look through them to consider the factors involved-- many hotels will accept them, fewer pensions, and almost no hostels/albergues.

I used the Gronze guide on the Norte. It's in Spanish but it's easy Spanish. I think it lists whether an albergue allows dogs.

Having said that, the Norte is very strenuous in parts. I don't really recommend taking a dog.

 

[Colette Z]

Yes without a doubt. I would never take a chance walking a dog like that unless the vet said it was safe. I would also get a second opinion.
If I have to I would fly him over when I finished walking.

Dogs of the Camino: PLEASE RECONSIDER, I WILL SIT YOUR DOG if you no other option I’m in Slovakia !

I always walk my dog 10-15km, he trained with me for my CF 2017 tethered to my pack waist belt. He’s an 8 year old rescue hunting dog (caged and abandoned for first 2 years of life) his hunting instinct was never trained so he’s unreliable re running after a smell in forested areas if off leash. I love him, he’s been my buddy for 6 years and I missed him like heck while on my CF/ Fisterra/ Muxia (42 days away from him), I did meet 2 pilgrims w dogs. One gave up after Zubriri because his 3 year old lab couldn’t handle the distances and ruggedness or him having to sleep in a tent in the Albergue bike rooms (very cold in March 2017) the other shocked me (met them in Leon very warm I was in flip flops and they were walking w an English bulldog, OMG those dogs can hardly breathe never mind walking 20-30km a day.

I did consider (very briefly) walking my recent 110km Slovakia Camino with my dog BUT I remember someone here wrote: you choose to walk but your dog doesn’t decide they just follow you out of love. This brought it into reality. Perhaps I’d bring my dog IF I only walked 10-12 km/day, had good tenting weather, could spend extra for hotels regularly and could ensure my dog had access to his regular diet of dry food.

 

[Jersey]

[QUOTE="Jersey
My biggest obstacle right now seems to be getting the dog from La Coruna to Valencia and back again.

Renfe accepts dogs for an extra fee of €5 on longer trips. Requirement is a muzzle which can be bought for a couple of euros at s bazar chino. Buses are the real problem![/QUOTE]
I checked with RENFE and no large dogs allowed unless it’s a service dog. Unfortunately I have come across a bigger problem concerning sending a dog in the cargo section of the plane.
If the temperature reaches 85F ( 30C ) they can refuse to fly the dog.
This makes absolutely no sense. They should have a cargo section climate controlled. No?
I wouldn’t be too concerned traveling to Spain in May but coming back home in August? And there is a heat wave in Spain?

 

[Kanga]

@Jersey I'm glad you are seeing the problems before you start. I'm reluctant to discourage anyone from their dreams, but please don't take your dog. At 6 to 8 months he is just a baby. In any case I would discourage anyone from taking a dog unless the dog is used to walking 20km day after day after day. It is very different to walking that distance once or twice a week.

As another person said, a dog will follow you out of love - to the end of the earth - but what does that say about the person?

Some dogs are happy on the camino - as far as we can tell. But they did not ask to be there.

 

[Jersey]

@Jersey I'm glad you are seeing the problems before you start. I'm reluctant to discourage anyone from their dreams, but please don't take your dog. At 6 to 8 months he is just a baby. In any case I would discourage anyone from taking a dog unless the dog is used to walking 20km day after day after day. It is very different to walking that distance once or twice a week.

As another person said, a dog will follow you out of love - to the end of the earth - but what does that say about the person?

Some dogs are happy on the camino - as far as we can tell. But they did not ask to be there.

I appreciate all the great advice and it is all very good advice.
But I have to say on my own behalf and defense lol
I would never walk the dog more than 10 or 12 km a day.
Not to mention the rest days we will take when I come across a great town.
I’m not in a rush to finish a Camino. There is always next year.
I would plan things out where we stayed in private rooms, hotels etc.
The dog would always be well rested and well fed.
I’m also in the unique position of having two very good friends that live in Spain whom I can send the dog to if I saw the animal having any problems. ( both of whom would be thrilled to take charge of the dog for a few weeks )
Very true the dog will not ask to walk the Camino but if I were able to ask him to go? Under the circumstances I mentioned? I’m guessing he would say “ let’s give it a shot “

 

[Jill81]

Hi Jersey,

I’ve just returned from a few days with my dog on the Cele River route in France (a variant of the Le Puy route). Like you, I was curious what it would be like to walk with her and so decided to do a short section to see how it went.

A few thoughts . . .

While it was a good little experiment it’s not something I’ll probably repeat. You can expect to carry several kilos extra weight in food, water, and other necessities. Dogs drink a lot when it’s hot! While your dog might be fine off the leash at times you’ll probably need to clip him onto a flexi lead when approaching houses, farms, roads, or other built up areas. I found that I had to be constantly on guard to ensure her safety, and there were many dogs that reacted aggressively when we passed by.

As far as the logistics of accommodation with a dog, I pre-booked in chambre d’hôtes and gîtes where I could be guaranteed a private room. Although France is more accepting of dogs than Spain she was not allowed in any of the common areas of the lodgings and had to stay in the room at all times. You might find the same restrictions in Spain.

Because of unexpectedly warm temperatures I had to adjust my plans and ended up cutting the walk short. This wasn’t a big deal for me as I live nearby but do you really want to run the risk of complications if it’s a special trip that you’ve put a lot of money and effort into?

While I could manage the heat, it wasn’t fair to my dog or worth the risk and so we returned home via bus and train. Have you thought about what you will do if there is a long hot spell when you’re walking, something that’s more and more common in Spain and France in late spring? Or what you will do if your dog is injured?

Please give this some careful consideration — especially with such a young dog.

 

[Kanga]

Yes, my advice was also written with the experience in mind of several people who abandoned their with-dog caminos (or had their dogs collected) when it did not work out. @Jersey if you do take your dog, definitely have a plan B. Which you seem to be doing by having friends in Spain available to take your pup. Good luck!

 

[Tia Valeria]

As an added caution:-
We stayed in a hotel on the Norte that allowed dogs. However they could not be left alone in the bedroom and were not allowed in the restaurant. The owner of the dog we saw had to eat in the small cafe area and was alone, apart from the dog. Other places in town also did not allow dogs so one cannot assume that meals/accommodation will be easy to find. Many hotels will not accept dogs (apart I assume from assistance dogs which are a different issue).
If you insist on bringing your dog then a check on hotels etc on the Gronze site and then on booking.com etc might give some idea of the places which will/will not accept your dog.
This could be an issue which is becoming more, not less, difficult.