Help accommodations San Salvador

[KariannNor]

Start to get cold feets now. Would love to stay in D/M, but not possible to reserve and no railings in top beds.

Stage 1 Robla is ok, make someone call Ordonez de Celis for me, singel room.

Stage 2
I really don't know what to do. Buiza not possible, Poladura 42euro hotel only option without railings. I would really like to stay in albergues.

Could someone please suggest somewhere safe beds in the first stages? Looked at Enders (which I cannot find out how to donate, does not work) and Groonze. Distance don't matter, 30k ok. Really hoped to avoid hotels because of the social aspect.

Thank you so much!

Cannot read until tonight, need to charge when I come to Leon.

 

[Pafayac]

There is a municipal in Poladura de la Tercia. They could open the bottom room if needed.
After that, another municipal in Payares, and in Pola de Lena.

 

[David Tallan]

My experience (admittedly last year) was that the albergues were not so full. I think that the chances of your being forced into a top bunk are much less than on the Frances at this time, especially if you are willing to share your fears with fellow pilgrims.

The advantage of the lesser walked routes is that there is often plenty of choice where to sleep within the albergue, as there are generally many more beds than pilgrims. The disadvantage is that there aren't a lot of albergues to choose from.

 

[sun is shining]

You’ll have upper bunks in pretty much all the albergues with only one rail - but I really don’t think that that’s going to be an issue for you. As @David Tallan said, the chances are small if you actually needing to take an upper bunk. In the unlikely case that you do, ask to swap. I’m sure that people will be more than willing to accommodate you!

If that doesn’t work for you than maybe try this:

- La Robla - sorted
- Buiza - unpopular stop, very unlikely that the albergue/bottom bunks will be full
- Poladura de la Tercia - not much you can do about this. There are 6 bottom bunks, and I think some of the upper ones have double railings. Ask to swap if need be
- Llanos de Someron - private albergue, book a lower bunk
- Benduenos - all individual beds anyway (minus one single upper bunk). Let Sandra know and she’ll make sure you will be fine
- Mieres (individual room at university residence) or El Rollu (all individual beds)
- Oviedo - private room

So the crunch point will be Poladura de la Tercia. But again, I don’t think that the albergue will be full.

I’d be careful with the 30km days - the mountain days in the middle are though and you said you are slow on the descents. If you follow the suggestions above you have one longish day between Poladura and Llamos. Follow the Enders guide for the way that bypasses Parajes. The day will be long but doable and there will be fantastic food in Llamos waiting for you.

 

[David Tallan]

In Poladura I stayed at El Embrujo. It didn't prevent me from hanging out with the folks in the albergue. Either me heading over to the albergue and hanging out with them there or them heading to the bar at El Embrujo (where everyone ate).

Personally, I loved the walk to Pajares and the views there. Looking at the photos in Gronze of that albergue, many of the upper bunks seem to have railings. If for some strange reason you can't get a bottom bunk there, I absolutely can't imagine that no one would be willing to trade you into a top bunk with railings.

 

[jungleboy]

Distance don't matter, 30k ok.

Just remember that 30km on the Salvador ≠ 30km on the Francés.

 

[KariannNor]

Thanks for answers. Not sure if I'll start tomorrow or stay here for a day. Need to make a plan I feel.

 

[fb1]

For what it’s worth, I’m on the San Salvador now and so far, at La Robla and Poladura albergues, I was the only person at the albergue and I haven’t seen a pilgrim yet along the route.

 

[cLiffordiL]

Have faith @KariannNor, on the Salvador, capacity and lower bunk bed should be the least of your worries.
I have encountered many like minded kind hearts and I think you will too!

 

[trecile]

I think that your fear of upper bunks without rails is holding you back, and being stuck in such a situation really is not something that is not likely to happen. When I walked the Norte in June 2019 the most people in an albergue that I stayed in was 4 - bottom bunks for everyone! And if you do happen to be in a situation where your only option is a top bunk without a rail, I'm sure that someone will give up their lower bunk for you

 

[KariannNor]

Just remember that 30km on the Salvador ≠ 30km on the Francés.

You are so right! Maybe I'm underestimating this..

 

[David Tallan]

I would give yourself 6 days for the San Salvador. I have a friend from the Camino de Madrid last summer (the only pilgrim I walked with on that Camino - now there was a Camino without any need for top bunks!), who just finished the Salvador. He rushed through in 5 days and I feel he missed some of the best parts (walk to Pajares and Bendueños).