Bed Bugs on Norte

[Llew]

Currently walking Norte. While at Guemes (2 June) a number of pilgrims picked up bedbugs. Also heard a couple of days ago that others had experienced bugs prior to this. 2 nights later 3 of us were in room 3 at Camping Santillana. One person woke at 11.30pm yelling out she had bugs all over her. We got all our gear out of the room and spent the next couple of hours inspecting everything and killing what we could find on our sleeping bags and clothes. We lifted the mattresses in the room and under 2 of them there were literally hundreds of bugs. Spent the rest of the night outside and next morning gat a taxi to Coromillos, found a pension with washer and dryer and hot washed and hot dried our sleeping bags and clothes. No further trouble but checking rooms when we arrive at a place. now.
Would also advise pilgrims not to stay at Camping Santillana. Toilet and shower facilities are filthy and when we went to the pool to bathe our feet the pool was laso dirty and had a dead mole floating in it. Place does not appear to have been cleaned properly for quite a while.
Unable advise earlier as this is first chance I have had to use a computer.

 

[nathanael]

Currently walking Norte. While at Guemes (2 June) a number of pilgrims picked up bedbugs. Also heard a couple of days ago that others had experienced bugs prior to this. 2 nights later 3 of us were in room 3 at Camping Santillana. One person woke at 11.30pm yelling out she had bugs all over her. We got all our gear out of the room and spent the next couple of hours inspecting everything and killing what we could find on our sleeping bags and clothes. We lifted the mattresses in the room and under 2 of them there were literally hundreds of bugs. Spent the rest of the night outside and next morning gat a taxi to Coromillos, found a pension with washer and dryer and hot washed and hot dried our sleeping bags and clothes. No further trouble but checking rooms when we arrive at a place. now.
Would also advise pilgrims not to stay at Camping Santillana. Toilet and shower facilities are filthy and when we went to the pool to bathe our feet the pool was laso dirty and had a dead mole floating in it. Place does not appear to have been cleaned properly for quite a while.
Unable advise earlier as this is first chance I have had to use a computer.

wow hope it gets cleared up by the time I start july 25..so much for Guemes and the Reverend never like the place and the way he pontificates who needs to go out of there way to pick up bugs...went and purchased 2 bottles of permetherin this morning to finish spraying so will be ready. thanks for warning.

 

[Anniesantiago]

Yup. Tis the season.

 

[nathanael]

Currently walking Norte. While at Guemes (2 June) a number of pilgrims picked up bedbugs. Also heard a couple of days ago that others had experienced bugs prior to this. 2 nights later 3 of us were in room 3 at Camping Santillana. One person woke at 11.30pm yelling out she had bugs all over her. We got all our gear out of the room and spent the next couple of hours inspecting everything and killing what we could find on our sleeping bags and clothes. We lifted the mattresses in the room and under 2 of them there were literally hundreds of bugs. Spent the rest of the night outside and next morning gat a taxi to Coromillos, found a pension with washer and dryer and hot washed and hot dried our sleeping bags and clothes. No further trouble but checking rooms when we arrive at a place. now.
Would also advise pilgrims not to stay at Camping Santillana. Toilet and shower facilities are filthy and when we went to the pool to bathe our feet the pool was laso dirty and had a dead mole floating in it. Place does not appear to have been cleaned properly for quite a while.
Unable advise earlier as this is first chance I have had to use a computer.

What do you think of the bed bug preventative sheet.

 

[Kanga]

We stayed at Camping Santillana - in our tent. No problem!

 

[Anemone del Camino]

Solar de Hidalgos is a magnificent old mansion, now operating as a pension, with albergue at the back. All the feedback on the "muni" and camping were horrible, so I was delighted to find this albergue by chance, just at the entrance of the pedestrian street. It was out of a movie set, and bug free. Well worth the 10 Euros. And it is now on the Eroski site.

 

[sharon w]

Hope all is going well now, Llew. Thanks for the warning.
Sharon

 

[Chris Boehle-Silva]

Hello del Norte Peregrinos,
More bedbugs!! Not one for posting many tips or updates for this forum, but just left the municipal albergue in Tapia de Casariego on the Asturian coast between La Caridad/A Carida and Ribadeo. The village is not to be missed because the views and atmosphere are amazing, but you should AVOID the municipal albergue if you can. Last night many Peregrinos were bit up by bedbugs. Not the cleanest albergue and no hospitalerio on sight to help keep it clean. You just check in yourself and hope for the best. If you need an alternative, you might try the private camping business west of town past the beaches/playas. If you have no other alternative, I saw a "Dyppo" tienda/shop in town that might sell insect spray. Spray your bed and you might come out the next day bug free. I think my permitherin sprayed bedding and backpack saved us. Hope you stay bite free.
Buen Camino,
Christopher

 

[nathanael]

Solar de Hidalgos is a magnificent old mansion, now operating as a pension, with albergue at the back. All the feedback on the "muni" and camping were horrible, so I was delighted to find this albergue by chance, just at the entrance of the pedestrian street. It was out of a movie set, and bug free. Well worth the 10 Euros. And it is now on the Eroski site.

so where is this place.

 

[Anemone del Camino]

In Santillana del Mar, an altermative to he ca,ping groundsvand albergue at the back of the museum which are oftrn the only two options listed for that town.