Camping

[aniesolo]

I'm about to start the Camino Norte on 26 August and hope to be able to camp. My guidebook is a bit dated. I see only a few places to camp. How likely is it that albergues will let me put up my tiny tent on their grounds?
Thank you,
Aniesolo (walking solo)

 

[dick bird]

A lot of albergues are in the middle of towns or villages so they don´t have grounds, otherwise they would mostly be OK with it. you may have to wild camp (technically illegal and as a solo walker you may have good reason not to want to do that) or accept that will have to stay in an albergue from time to time. Gronze, the website, might give you more up to date info.

 

[Peterexpatkiwi]

Welcome to the forum!
Camping is one of the controversial topics for this forum, so be prepared for some negativity. There are however a handful of members who do camp, hopefully a few will be along to give some decent pointers.

Having researched this topic (because I also intend to camp at times) the answer to your question would appear to be 'maybe'. In addition some may let you shower but not have place for your tent: in another words you may be able to shower before leaving town to carefully wild camp for example. Sometimes it's because they genuinely have no place, at others it is because of regulations. At Bruma on the Inglés I was told that it was illegal to allow us to camp, but I am unsure if that was a local (town) regulation, a regulation specific to the Albergue licence, or if that applies to the whole of Galicia.

I've copied this from another thread, it was about the only useful item on that particular one.

Just had a look at Open Street Map to see where the [commercial] campsites were on the Norte up to Santander. Gives a general idea of where gaps might be.

There are a lot of surf camps on the Norte so you shouldn't be short of somewhere to pitch a tent though there will be a cost. Stop at Surf shops along the way and ask. They should know where to pitch a tent.

If you click on the camping tag under your thread you will find other posts.

As always if you set up late and breakdown early, and practice the Old Creed of 'leave no trace' that the majority of us follow you shouldn't have any real difficulties.

 

[aniesolo]

A lot of albergues are in the middle of towns or villages so they don´t have grounds, otherwise they would mostly be OK with it. you may have to wild camp (technically illegal and as a solo walker you may have good reason not to want to do that) or accept that will have to stay in an albergue from time to time. Gronze, the website, might give you more up to date info.

Thank you. I'd like to wild camp but my husband is worried. I will simply take what is offered and make do.

 

[aniesolo]

Welcome to the forum!
Camping is one of the controversial topics for this forum, so be prepared for some negativity. There are however a handful of members who do camp, hopefully a few will be along to give some decent pointers.

Having researched this topic (because I also intend to camp at times) the answer to your question would appear to be 'maybe'. In addition some may let you shower but not have place for your tent: in another words you may be able to shower before leaving town to carefully wild camp for example. Sometimes it's because they genuinely have no place, at others it is because of regulations. At Bruma on the Inglés I was told that it was illegal to allow us to camp, but I am unsure if that was a local (town) regulation, a regulation specific to the Albergue licence, or if that applies to the whole of Galicia.

I've copied this from another thread, it was about the only useful item on that particular one.

If you click on the camping tag under your thread you will find other posts.

As always if you set up late and breakdown early, and practice the Old Creed of 'leave no trace' that the majority of us follow you shouldn't have any real difficulties.

Thank you. I'll check that out.

 

[Richard Smith]

One important point - no fires of any kind if you are camping, therefore buy your dinner before you stop and get your cafe con leche after you have packed up.
Spain has had some big wild fires over recent years.

 

[aniesolo]

One important point - no fires of any kind if you are camping, therefore buy your dinner before you stop and get your cafe con leche after you have packed up.
Spain has had some big wild fires over recent years.

I haven't a stove. I do not plan to do any cooking.

 

[trecile]

Thank you. I'd like to wild camp but my husband is worried. I will simply take what is offered and make do.

Taking what is offered and making do is what a pilgrim does!

 

[Gavala]

In contradiction to what people comment, there are many wild camp places throughout.

 

[Peterexpatkiwi]

@aniesolo, presumably you have now finished walking the Norte. What was your experience, did you find plenty of places to camp along the way?