HOSTERÍA DE BOO

[Kiwi-family]

Does anyone know how much it costs to stay here? Dinner is 8euros according to the website, but no room tariffs that I could find. (I'm busy trying to chop up long stages between municipal albergues and see if it can be done at reasonable cost - this might be a nice place to stay, but it might cost half a kidney and prevent us from walking the next day!)

 

[TerryB]

Hi Kiwi-family
I presume you mean Bóo de Pielagos.
I stayed there in April 2009. I got off the ferry in Santander at 12.00 noon and walked the 16k as a first day. No real idea what the cost may be now, but I seem to remember it was around €18 for a single at that time. There was some road noise but it did not worry me - I was just glad to be in a bed which did not move after 20 hours at sea
The welcome I got was great! A cafe con leche when I walked through the door and my rucksack carried up to my room.
Try an e-mail if you do need the price for 2013:- info@hosteriadeboo.com

Blessings for Christmas
Tio Tel

 

[peregrina2000]

Hi, kiwi-family,

Although the priest has closed the albergue in Boo, there is a private albergue very close to the church (church's name is San Juan Bautista). It is run by Pilar, beds were 12 euros last I heard. I had thought about staying there this past summer but decided to continue on to Mogro, where I stayed in a nice hotel rural called Condado de la mota. http://www.condadodelamta.com

People rave about Pilar and her albergue, but I don't have any contact information. I will try to see if I can find someone on the Spanish forum with her phone number and/or email. Or maybe someone here has it.

And as you continue westward, may I suggest that you continue on to Santillana for the next night and not stop in the albergue Arco de Iris a few kms earlier? That place spooked me out, the vibe was very weird (I know others disagree). In Santillana, the albergue is up a hill on the way out of town in the campground and looks very nice (though I didn't stay there).

So, you've decided on the Norte it seems -- what time of year are you planning to walk?
Buen camino, Laurie

 

[peregrina2000]

Got a quick response on the Spanish forum where I participate. Turns out her name is Maria Piedad, not Pilar. Here's the information on her private albergue:

Mª Piedad
Bº/San Juan Nº 23 Boo de Pielagos

 

[Jubilado]

Hi, kiwi-family,

the priest has closed the albergue in Boo,

I wonder why. Care to elaborate on this?

 

[peregrina2000]

Well, actually, I have since learned that it was a municipal albergue and not a religious albergue. So I must have read something wrong as I was searching for information. My mistake.

 

[Jubilado]

Well, actually, I have since learned that it was a municipal albergue and not a religious albergue. So I must have read something wrong as I was searching for information. My mistake.

No worries Peregrina. I was only curious.

Speaking for myself, remembering detail from a camino can be elusive, in my case tricky. Things can blend and meld in a most heartening way - because I'm out of time! Tho' some can recall well.


I've sometimes been astonished to read detail of a place I've been to, but simply can't recall. Is it age?

 

[Kiwi-family]

Hi, kiwi-family,

So, you've decided on the Norte it seems -- what time of year are you planning to walk?
Buen camino, Laurie

No, not decided....I'm in the finding information stage. I know my 10-year-old managed to do the hike up to O'Cebreiro, and then a 21km day (with detour) to Triacastela and then 25km next day to Sarria....but that night he was had it. His legs ached and he was reduced to tears which is completely unusual for him. So I am checking out different routes, trying to see if I can reduce stages to about 20km and certainly no more than 25km....yet at the same time not have to pay 50euros for a room! You can stop almost anywhere if you can pay for it. Certainly the Norte route intrigues me and so I am focussing my efforts there at this stage, but if it turns out that you really have to walk 30km some days, I will abandon that idea and return the the Frances (although I am less than keen to repeat the stage we have already done...on the other hand it would be interesting to see how much easier we would find it!....I can always find the good in a situation!)
As for timing, I know we would not walk in winter as albergues may be closed and we'd have to carry more gear. Any other time would be a possibility.

Research, research.....! (though I do long for the trip I will take one day where I pick up my pack and journal and just start walking without inordinate amounts of preparation - obviously that will be without young children and so far in the future!)

 

[Al the optimist]

It's not age jubilado (congratulations on your retirement) but extended periods of stree in your life has impaired the function of your hypo-campus. :lol:

 

[Jubilado]

It's not age jubilado (congratulations on your retirement) but extended periods of stree in your life has impaired the function of your hypo-campus. :lol:

You could be right about stree, unless my eyes are failing too. :wink:

 

[mikevasey]

No, not decided....I'm in the finding information stage. I know my 10-year-old managed to do the hike up to O'Cebreiro, and then a 21km day (with detour) to Triacastela and then 25km next day to Sarria....but that night he was had it. His legs ached and he was reduced to tears which is completely unusual for him. So I am checking out different routes, trying to see if I can reduce stages to about 20km and certainly no more than 25km.

The stage which will pose most difficulty for you is Deba to Markina where there is zilch facilities after 8km and it is about 21km but it is one of the most beautiful sections I have walked with trails through high forested areas.

yet at the same time not have to pay 50euros for a room! You can stop almost anywhere if you can pay for it.

I have walked the norte twice, the 1st time was quite expensive to stay in places which was through July 2010 but this time in June 2012 it felt a lot cheaper, I stayed in a lot of double ensuite rooms which were clean for about 15 euros. I will try and dig my credencial up and post details.

Mike

 

[MikeJS]

Walked the norte in Sept this year and although accommodation was OK to find and often stayed in ‘pensions’ for 39 euros for 2. That said the norte demands a lot more from you than the Francis and we often had to walk 30km plus a day to find somewhere to stay. In addition that 30km frequently involved a lot of climbs as well.

 

[Kiwi-family]

Walked the norte in Sept this year and although accommodation was OK to find and often stayed in ‘pensions’ for 39 euros for 2. That said the norte demands a lot more from you than the Francis and we often had to walk 30km plus a day to find somewhere to stay. In addition that 30km frequently involved a lot of climbs as well.

This is exactly what I'm scared of. I know I cannot expect a ten year old to walk 30km. If the route requires such distances, then I would stick to the Frances.

But if Deba to Markina is the worst bit and is only 21km, then I think it would be completely doable.
Mikevasey...were those double ensuite rooms 15euros per person or for the room? (I'm guessing the former!)

 

[MikeJS]

Typo in my previous post the pensions were 30 euros for the two of us. I still think you will find some of the stages too long unless you are content to do some very short (around 8km) days.

If you have the time you can see the details of my Camino on the Norte at http://mikesroaming.blogspot.co.uk (Ignore the last few posts which refer to my hip op after the walk!)

 

[mikevasey]

But if Deba to Markina is the worst bit and is only 21km, then I think it would be completely doable.
Mikevasey...were those double ensuite rooms 15euros per person or for the room? (I'm guessing the former!)

Some places were holiday apartments on my 1st camino, were there was a sliding scale of costs depending on how many people stayed, I was the only person in one in Muros de Nalon and paid 30 euros if another person came I would have got 10 euro back and we would have paid 20 euro each and there was bed 3 more beds in the quite sizable apartment so I it may have gone down per person quite a bit more.

Another option for you is camp sites and there is quite a few along the northern route, a lot have static tents which can be rented out per day and could quite easily house 8-10 people. What I noticed was some sites I stopped to eat and drink in June of this year looked very empty in comparison to July 2010, so if you show your credencials and walk out of season you may be able to get discounts.

Distances will be a problem, I was trying to remember what would be problem areas for you, I would have to add Santona to Guemes 26km but I did not walk the coastal way so there may be options on that route for you, I headed inland and took my own way. Deba(gijon albergue) to Aviles, there is 31km gap here, I would walk into Gijon train staion(6km) which is quite a nice walk from Deba as long as you follow the canal to the sea once you get to Sporting Gijons ground, from the train station take a train to Aviles, this will miss out quite dangerous road walking and long stretches next to Industrial complexes, you may be able to head out to a possible new albergue in Raices Viejo which if it opens is 4km after Aviles. Soto de Luina to Cavedeo, by the road route is 25km with only a 10 bed albergue at the end however there is a lot of campsites and other accommodation there. If you walk the high route it is only 18km, quite tough but very beautiful, read MikeIans blog for their description of Cudillero to Cavadeo. After Luarca there is a route called Costa Naveiga, look for it on wikiloc, which used to be on the camino, but I think they changed it when they opened the albergue in Pinera and took the route inland over more asphalt, so that is a beautiful 'off' camino way to look for, albergues are quite frequent after Luarca with the exception being Miraz to Sabrado dox Monxes, about 24km, but this is quite a gentle stage. Another suggestion is that from Colombres take the train 2-3 stops on and miss out some really bad road walking, the start of the E9 coastal route is about 8km after it and is a treat for you and your kids.

Sorry I couldnt give you more details about accommodation but I have had to email friends who walked as couples, so I will see what responces I get from them.

Mike