Camino inglés in December

[Luis Branco]

Good afternoon everyone . I'm planning to do the English way in the first week of December. Thanks to those who already did, any feedback on whether the hostels will be open? and bars restaurants? Thank you very much in advance.

 

[Bradypus]

The Xunta albergues will usually be open in December. But it is worth checking that the albergue you are aiming for isn't closed for repairs or maintenance which tends to take place during the winter. Bars and restaurants on the Ingles will be probably be open - on the Ingles most bars cater mainly to local people and therefore are not seasonal in their opening hours. Very different from the Frances.

 

[nilesite]

It's a great walk. It will take a bit more planning and that's where the Wise Pilgrim app will help. Each night, you plan to see what's ahead, what's open. I wrote a book about walking in winter that might help too. It's on Amazon - called "Buen Camino! Tips From a WINTER Pilgrim."

 

[El Cascayal]

Stop at Casa Avelina just outside Hospital de Bruma. Bar run by two sisters, Avelina & Mari Carmen, so gentle, welcoming and hospitable.

 

[MTowers]

Stop at Casa Avelina just outside Hospital de Bruma. Bar run by two sisters, Avelina & Mari Carmen, so gentle, welcoming and hospitable.
We stopped off here in 2019 and the sisters were so kind and welcoming. It was a wonderful experience. I fully recommend it.

 

[dbeatriceb]

Good afternoon everyone . I'm planning to do the English way in the first week of December. Thanks to those who already did, any feedback on whether the hostels will be open? and bars restaurants? Thank you very much in advance.

My daughter and I did the Camino Ingles in early December 2017 and had no problems finding places to stay, etc. But that was pre-pandemic, so things might be different now. We stayed in small hotels and pensiones, not public albergues. We figured out day to day our destination then called a day ahead to see where we could sleep that night.
We had just finished walking from Lisbon and had time before our flight home, so did the Ingles without any specific plan. We stopped by the tourism office and another pilgrim related office in Santiago and got info about the route and lodging then winged it. People were super nice up there but it’s not the Camino frances in terms of amenities. We did see a few other pilgrims, but not many. Most days we were on our own. We enjoyed stopping and chatting with the locals though.

 

[GregorMc]

It's a great walk. It will take a bit more planning and that's where the Wise Pilgrim app will help. Each night, you plan to see what's ahead, what's open. I wrote a book about walking in winter that might help too. It's on Amazon - called "Buen Camino! Tips From a WINTER Pilgrim."

I’ve just finished the Inglés today. Be prepared for wet weather. This week has been continuous rain since Wednesday. At the moment it’s warm enough but in the winter wet and windy weather could be dangerous. Unfortunately, the Wise Pilgrim app for the Camino Inglés is out of date and in places, the quoted distance between towns is wildly inaccurate. I was warned of this by @wisepilgrim, so it will be updated at some point.

Until then. I recommend the Buen Camino app for this particular route. It takes a while to get used to its quirks but it is very accurate. Finally, I was impressed by all the Xunta investments in the CI: the new network of water fonts, QR codes on places of interest, and the new/refurbished Albergues. Modern, clean, and comfortable for €8! Despite (or because of) the weather, this past week has been a perfect Camino. The Inglés has all the highs and lows of a longer route but packed into 5 or 6 days. A perfect essence of the Camino!

 

[botvot]

Exactly what GregorMC said. I also did the CI this week despite heavy rain from Thursday - not too fun! Most of the lodgings and cafes on the route don't feel particularly pilgrim driven...especially as I've opted for private lodgings. So I have a feeling these places might be open for locals regardless. The Buen Camino app was very useful, but it takes a few tries to get used to the weird layout. Don't give up! Especially the variations are very good. Luckily I had very good cell reception most everywhere, so could always find my way with the help of the app, especially where yellow arrows failed on variations.
You don't have to carry too much water with you (fountains every 5km and they often list the distance to the next official fountain too!) but I would definitely carry ample snacks, especially for days 3 & 4, as I didn't find much food options. I was also very grateful for my 2 min noodles on 2 occasions, where I would arrive hungry at my lodgings at 4pm, but dinner wouldn't really be accessible until much later.

 

[SawSian]

I am considering the English way last week of February 2023, would appreciate tips and advice--- weather, lodging and packing
Thanks!!

 

[m.teo]

Good afternoon everyone . I'm planning to do the English way in the first week of December. Thanks to those who already did, any feedback on whether the hostels will be open? and bars restaurants? Thank you very much in advance.

Hello there!
starting from Ferrol on december 2nd!