Cost of accommodation on the Ruta de la lana

[Patrick Hickmott]

My wife and I are looking at doing this Camino in a few weeks but she has been reading online that accommodation costs are high compared to the Frances.

Can anyone confirm, deny or clarify this for us?

Muchas gracias y buen Camino

 

[roving_rufus]

Having done some research last autumn (but didn't actually get to go) the reality of the Lana compared to the Frances is often the lack of choice. In some places there are albergues but in others it's a hostal or hotel. More of the albergues are opening back up. In some places it will be cheaper while in other places prices might start at €50
Worth looking at recent experiences https://www.caminodesantiago.me/com...-peregrina-on-the-lana-—-november-2021.72556/

And guide from Alicante camino group is very detailed

Asociación de Amigos del Camino de Santiago en Alicante

Asociación de Amigos del Camino de Santiago en Alicante

www.encaminodesdealicante.org

 

[Patrick Hickmott]

Having done some research last autumn (but didn't actually get to go) the reality of the Lana compared to the Frances is often the lack of choice. In some places there are albergues but in others it's a hostal or hotel. More of the albergues are opening back up. In some places it will be cheaper while in other places prices might start at €50
Worth looking at recent experiences https://www.caminodesantiago.me/community/threads/an-alaskan-peregrina-on-the-lana-—-november-2021.72556/

And guide from Alicante camino group is very detailed

Asociación de Amigos del Camino de Santiago en Alicante

Asociación de Amigos del Camino de Santiago en Alicante

www.encaminodesdealicante.org

Thanks for your quick reply. So just to be clear, are you saying €50 per person? That's really expensive for a couple!! I will check other information and look at what Sitka had to say...

 

[roving_rufus]

50 for a double

 

[Tandem Graham]

Hi Patrick,
We cycled the Lana in 2019. As @roving_rufus says, the difference from the CF is restricted choice. Where we stayed in municipal, religious or Amigo-run accommodation the price was free (eg the matodors' rooms in Trillo), affordable or donativo.
In a couple of places, the only alternatives were hotels or Casa Rurales, which offered pilgrim rates but were a little more expensive than private albergues may have been.
However, food and drinks were typically a little cheaper than the CF, and cafes much further apart, so on balance we spent a similar daily budget to our CF bike-pilgrimage.
It is a very different adventure to the CF and if you are comfortable with your own company while walking and Spanish-dominated conversation in the evenings then the scenery and the welcomes are second to none. Summer heat must be difficult, with long gaps between safe water sources. But at any other time I would thoroughly recommend.
Buen Camino y Viva La Ruta de Lana!
Graham

 

[Sitkapilgrim]

So I averaged 16 Euros/day as a single person in November 2021, but sometimes I was sharing the cost of a double room which made for more economical lodging. The 16 Euros/day averages in 9 donativos where I contributed an average of 10 Euros/night. And this covers just the 22 days from Alicante to Atienza where I stopped. Further north there are relatively more donativos. The most expensive night was 46 euros for a single room in a pension, and if I hadn't been tired that day, I could have found lodging less expensive. A typical hostal in a small town was 40 euros for 2 beds. So yes, this is more expensive than the camino frances for a budget-minded pilgrim, and I find is typical of the less traveled caminos of Spain.
In November there were only 2 albergues closed because of the pandemic, so covid did not significantly change the cost of lodging for me on the Ruta de la Lana.
Hope this helps.

 

[dick bird]

My wife and I are looking at doing this Camino in a few weeks but she has been reading online that accommodation costs are high compared to the Frances.

Can anyone confirm, deny or clarify this for us?

Muchas gracias y buen Camino

When exactly? We plan to walk from Alicante on the 3rd May. Our research suggests that choice is often very limited but when you average out hotels and the floor of the polideportivo, you'll end up spending about what you would on the Francés.

 

[Patrick Hickmott]

So I averaged 16 Euros/day as a single person in November 2021, but sometimes I was sharing the cost of a double room which made for more economical lodging. The 16 Euros/day averages in 9 donativos where I contributed an average of 10 Euros/night. And this covers just the 22 days from Alicante to Atienza where I stopped. Further north there are relatively more donativos. The most expensive night was 46 euros for a single room in a pension, and if I hadn't been tired that day, I could have found lodging less expensive. A typical hostal in a small town was 40 euros for 2 beds. So yes, this is more expensive than the camino frances for a budget-minded pilgrim, and I find is typical of the less traveled caminos of Spain.
In November there were only 2 albergues closed because of the pandemic, so covid did not significantly change the cost of lodging for me on the Ruta de la Lana.
Hope this helps.

Thanks Sitka. That sounds very reassuring.

 

[Patrick Hickmott]

When exactly? We plan to walk from Alicante on the 3rd May. Our research suggests that choice is often very limited but when you average out hotels and the floor of the polideportivo, you'll end up spending about what you would on the Francés.

Exact date not confirmed yet but thanks for your reply. That’s very helpful.

 

[Patrick Hickmott]

Hi Patrick,
We cycled the Lana in 2019. As @roving_rufus says, the difference from the CF is restricted choice. Where we stayed in municipal, religious or Amigo-run accommodation the price was free (eg the matodors' rooms in Trillo), affordable or donativo.
In a couple of places, the only alternatives were hotels or Casa Rurales, which offered pilgrim rates but were a little more expensive than private albergues may have been.
However, food and drinks were typically a little cheaper than the CF, and cafes much further apart, so on balance we spent a similar daily budget to our CF bike-pilgrimage.
It is a very different adventure to the CF and if you are comfortable with your own company while walking and Spanish-dominated conversation in the evenings then the scenery and the welcomes are second to none. Summer heat must be difficult, with long gaps between safe water sources. But at any other time I would thoroughly recommend.
Buen Camino y Viva La Ruta de Lana!
Graham

Thanks Graham. Your advice is much appreciated

 

[marilyn van graan]

Hi - I walked the La Lana in September 2019 and yes indeed this is a very solitary route - I was lucky enough to meet one pilgrim on day 1 just before Novelda. Thereafter it was just the two of us. I do not think that the accommodation for the trip was any more expensive than previous caminos. I am going back again to rewalk the La Lana as I had a few feet issues along the way and it was a bit stop start experience - now I am hoping that I can walk it and enjoy it from day 1 to the end in Burgos and have even more happy and wonderful memories. I will be starting on the 24th April and hope to be in Burgos by the 19 May. It is a beautiful walk with lots of variations and lovely people and even with my limited Spanish was able to get along just fine. It will be interesting now to be able to see how the pandemic has influenced the many small villages I walked through. Buen Camino

 

[CaminoAddict]

Hi - I walked the La Lana in September 2019 and yes indeed this is a very solitary route - I was lucky enough to meet one pilgrim on day 1 just before Novelda. Thereafter it was just the two of us. I do not think that the accommodation for the trip was any more expensive than previous caminos. I am going back again to rewalk the La Lana as I had a few feet issues along the way and it was a bit stop start experience - now I am hoping that I can walk it and enjoy it from day 1 to the end in Burgos and have even more happy and wonderful memories. I will be starting on the 24th April and hope to be in Burgos by the 19 May. It is a beautiful walk with lots of variations and lovely people and even with my limited Spanish was able to get along just fine. It will be interesting now to be able to see how the pandemic has influenced the many small villages I walked through. Buen Camino

Hi Marilyn. I'm planning to start the Camino de la Lana at the beginning of August. It would be good to read your posts from this year's Camino, your advice and recommendations. Good luck with your feet! Buen Camino

 

[dick bird]

Hi Marilyn. I'm planning to start the Camino de la Lana at the beginning of August. It would be good to read your posts from this year's Camino, your advice and recommendations

Hi Marilyn. I'm planning to start the Camino de la Lana at the beginning of August. It would be good to read your posts from this year's Camino, your advice and recommendations. Good luck with your feet! Buen Camino

. Good luck with your feet! Buen Camino

It will be very hot in August, very hot. We are on the Lana now, mid May and already leaving at first light to avoid the heat. Good news is that albergues are open, way marks are good except in town (advise ludus peregrinus Wikilocs) and people are overwhelmingly kind and generous.

 

[CaminoAddict]

It will be very hot in August, very hot. We are on the Lana now, mid May and already leaving at first light to avoid the heat. Good news is that albergues are open, way marks are good except in town (advise ludus peregrinus Wikilocs) and people are overwhelmingly kind and generous.

Thanks for that, Dick Bird. I am planning for sustained heat. I always set off just before first light and plan to get to my destinations before mid-day, and appreciate your concern. I completed the Francés last August, which was hot on the Meseta. I expect the de le Lana will be hotter and intense. As long as the temperature does not exceed normal expectations then I should be okay. How was your Camino? What is 'ludus peregrinus Wikilocs'?
Best wishes
Ralph Keith Redhead

 

[dick bird]

Thanks for that, Dick Bird. I am planning for sustained heat. I always set off just before first light and plan to get to my destinations before mid-day, and appreciate your concern. I completed the Francés last August, which was hot on the Meseta. I expect the de le Lana will be hotter and intense. As long as the temperature does not exceed normal expectations then I should be okay. How was your Camino? What is 'ludus peregrinus Wikilocs'?
Best wishes
Ralph Keith Redhead

Wikiloc is a GPS app. Ludus Peregrinus is the name of someone who posted a route on the site. You will need it or something like it as the waymarks are not always good. The distance between places on the Lana will make it difficult to always arrive by noon, Castillo La Mancha is sparsely populated, unlike the meseta. I would contact the Amigos de Camino de Santiago and see what they think of walking in August. Autumn would be much pleasanter, buen camino whatever you decide.

 

[markros73]

My wife and I are looking at doing this Camino in a few weeks but she has been reading online that accommodation costs are high compared to the Frances.

Can anyone confirm, deny or clarify this for us?

Muchas gracias y buen Camino

 

[dick bird]

Hard to say really. 50 euros seems the going rate for a double room, but a lot of albergues are free or 5 euros per person so it may even out. There is often little or no choice.

 

[Peter74]

Having done some research last autumn (but didn't actually get to go) the reality of the Lana compared to the Frances is often the lack of choice. In some places there are albergues but in others it's a hostal or hotel. More of the albergues are opening back up. In some places it will be cheaper while in other places prices might start at €50
Worth looking at recent experiences https://www.caminodesantiago.me/community/threads/an-alaskan-peregrina-on-the-lana-—-november-2021.72556/

And guide from Alicante camino group is very detailed

Asociación de Amigos del Camino de Santiago en Alicante

Asociación de Amigos del Camino de Santiago en Alicante

www.encaminodesdealicante.org

Thank you everyone, very interesting and informative reading all your posts. My turn is coming up, i’ll be starting on april 13th. Looking forward to it!

Peter

 

[C clearly]

My turn is coming up, i’ll be starting on april 13th.

We'd love to hear from you occasionally while you are walking! Buen Camino!

 

[Houltt]

Hi Patrick,
We cycled the Lana in 2019. As @roving_rufus says, the difference from the CF is restricted choice. Where we stayed in municipal, religious or Amigo-run accommodation the price was free (eg the matodors' rooms in Trillo), affordable or donativo.
In a couple of places, the only alternatives were hotels or Casa Rurales, which offered pilgrim rates but were a little more expensive than private albergues may have been.
However, food and drinks were typically a little cheaper than the CF, and cafes much further apart, so on balance we spent a similar daily budget to our CF bike-pilgrimage.
It is a very different adventure to the CF and if you are comfortable with your own company while walking and Spanish-dominated conversation in the evenings then the scenery and the welcomes are second to none. Summer heat must be difficult, with long gaps between safe water sources. But at any other time I would thoroughly recommend.
Buen Camino y Viva La Ruta de Lana!
Graham

 

[Houltt]

Great information but could you tell me if you ran into any sections that were impassable on the bike please?

 

[Tandem Graham]

Oh yes, there were many sections where the walking route would have been uncyclable (on a road tandem, certainly) or at best somewhat dangerous for ourselves or walkers. We plotted our own road/wide trail route to connect all the listed villages.
We did meet an intrepid German cycle-pilgrim who attempted to follow the whole walkers' route route on his full suspension mountain bike. Even he was forced to deviate on several occasions and he typically arrived two hours later than us each day, even though we tend to take long breaks for refreshment and 'tourism'.

 

[Houltt]

Thank you very much, any chance you can remember which sections were worst? We are planning the Ruta on hybrid bikes and we would like to do as much of the original Ruta as possible depending on weather, accommodation etc

 

[Tandem Graham]

I'm a bit rusty now on the detail, and away from home where my maps and schedules are. But, from memory, the second walkers' stage, (assuming starting in Alicante) is on very broken single track paths and the section from Santo Domingo dos Silos to Covarrubia is on sketchy forest tracks. There were other sections we stayed on the road too, but others on here might have more details on whether they're feasible on hybrid bikes.
I have to repeat that the Lana is very empty in places but also very beautiful. We were there in July and I wish it had been in May or September; the heat made maintaining our water supplies our number one priority. Don't miss the hospitality of the Amigos in Villaconejos!

 

[Houltt]

Oh yes, there were many sections where the walking route would have been uncyclable (on a road tandem, certainly) or at best somewhat dangerous for ourselves or walkers. We plotted our own road/wide trail route to connect all the listed villages.
We did meet an intrepid German cycle-pilgrim who attempted to follow the whole walkers' route route on his full suspension mountain bike. Even he was forced to deviate on several occasions and he typically arrived two hours later than us each day, even though we tend to take long breaks for refreshment and 'tourism'.

I'm a bit rusty now on the detail, and away from home where my maps and schedules are. But, from memory, the second walkers' stage, (assuming starting in Alicante) is on very broken single track paths and the section from Santo Domingo dos Silos to Covarrubia is on sketchy forest tracks. There were other sections we stayed on the road too, but others on here might have more details on whether they're feasible on hybrid bikes.
I have to repeat that the Lana is very empty in places but also very beautiful. We were there in July and I wish it had been in May or September; the heat made maintaining our water supplies our number one priority. Don't miss the hospitality of the Amigos in Villaconejos!

Thank you again. I am riding with my brother who I have not spent time with for 50 years. Also, the loneliness is a big part of the appeal for me. We are leaving next week but any more bicycle tips would be appreciated.