Organising camino for group in May 2019

[angelabee]

Hello there

I completed the last 115 kms of Camino Frances in May 18 and am keen to organise a trip for a different group to do the Camino Ingles from Ferrol to Santiago in May 19, but have some questions that I hope people may be able to help me with:

1. How does the terrain differ between the final stage of the Frances and the Ingles - more ascents/descents? Is there much walking on tarmac for example?

2. How easy would it be to walk the Ingles in stages of not more than 25 kms per day over a week?

3. How easy is it to do a self-guided walk - is the camino well signposted?

4. Accommodation. Last time our accommodation was booked for us in a mixture of 2 and 3 star hotels, close to the camino. Part of the reason for this was that the group was half visually impaired walkers, half sighted guides, so accommodation needed to be fully accessible, so we used an agency to plan our camino. How easy would it be next time to book suitable accommodation direct for a group of around 12 people in twin bedded rooms? I am a light sleeper and don't do hostels/dorms.

5. Can we arrange to have our luggage sent ahead for us to the next stop? How would we book this.

6. Transfers from airport to start of walk - any advice?

Thanks very much.

Angela

 

[miguel_gp]

Answers to some of your questions below.

1. How does the terrain differ between the final stage of the Frances and the Ingles - more ascents/descents? Is there much walking on tarmac for example?

I've not walked the Frances but I can say that the Ingles is undulating with a few steep pitches but the steep hill that many used to comment about between Betanzos and Bruma has now been by-passed and is a lesser incline and cuts the stage by several kilometres. There is a considerable amount of tarmac but there are some really pleasant off road stretches. In all it is a really nice route, particularly the first 3 standard stages.


2. How easy would it be to walk the Ingles in stages of not more than 25 kms per day over a week?

The route is not abundant with accommodation so you may need to walk a little more or a little less than 25km to fit or use taxi to and from. I think that there was another thread on this so will try and find it and post a link.

3. How easy is it to do a self-guided walk - is the camino well signposted?

Very easy, the route is very well waymarked.

4. Accommodation. Last time our accommodation was booked for us in a mixture of 2 and 3 star hotels, close to the camino. Part of the reason for this was that the group was half visually impaired walkers, half sighted guides, so accommodation needed to be fully accessible, so we used an agency to plan our camino. How easy would it be next time to book suitable accommodation direct for a group of around 12 people in twin bedded rooms? I am a light sleeper and don't do hostels/dorms.

You can stay in private accommodation throughout the route. I would recommend booking as soon as possible if you have a large group as the Ingles seems to get busier each year.

5. Can we arrange to have our luggage sent ahead for us to the next stop? How would we book this.

The Spanish Post Office run a luggage transfer service. Currently €20 from Ferrol to Santiago.
https://www.elcaminoconcorreos.com/es/transporte-mochilas

6. Transfers from airport to start of walk - any advice?

I took a group of 10 on the Ingles in 2016 and I actually booked a private transfer with Monbus. They collected outside the terminal in Santiago and dropped right by the Hotel in Ferrol. Although we were only 10 they gave us a full size coach so plenty of room. €22 each from memory. It was only 5 or 6 more than the public bus I seem to remember once you have caught the airport bus into Santiago and then the Ferrol bus.
http://www.monbus.es/es/alquiler-vehiculos-con-conductor

 

[KinkyOne]

Hello there

I completed the last 115 kms of Camino Frances in May 18 and am keen to organise a trip for a different group to do the Camino Ingles from Ferrol to Santiago in May 19, but have some questions that I hope people may be able to help me with:

1. How does the terrain differ between the final stage of the Frances and the Ingles - more ascents/descents? Is there much walking on tarmac for example?

2. How easy would it be to walk the Ingles in stages of not more than 25 kms per day over a week?

3. How easy is it to do a self-guided walk - is the camino well signposted?

4. Accommodation. Last time our accommodation was booked for us in a mixture of 2 and 3 star hotels, close to the camino. Part of the reason for this was that the group was half visually impaired walkers, half sighted guides, so accommodation needed to be fully accessible, so we used an agency to plan our camino. How easy would it be next time to book suitable accommodation direct for a group of around 12 people in twin bedded rooms? I am a light sleeper and don't do hostels/dorms.

5. Can we arrange to have our luggage sent ahead for us to the next stop? How would we book this.

6. Transfers from airport to start of walk - any advice?

Thanks very much.

Angela

Hi, Angela,

Can I send you the number of my bank account along with answers to your questions?

Sorry, don't mean to be insulting. Especially if you are organizing this voluntarily
But just a little bit of using Search function (on this forum) and Googling will get you all the answers.

Just a hint:
https://www.gronze.com/camino-frances VS https://www.gronze.com/camino-ingles
And so on


Buen Camino!

 

[angelabee]

Answers to some of your questions below.

1. How does the terrain differ between the final stage of the Frances and the Ingles - more ascents/descents? Is there much walking on tarmac for example?

I've not walked the Frances but I can say that the Ingles is undulating with a few steep pitches but the steep hill that many used to comment about between Betanzos and Bruma has now been by-passed and is a lesser incline and cuts the stage by several kilometres. There is a considerable amount of tarmac but there are some really pleasant off road stretches. In all it is a really nice route, particularly the first 3 standard stages.


2. How easy would it be to walk the Ingles in stages of not more than 25 kms per day over a week?

The route is not abundant with accommodation so you may need to walk a little more or a little less than 25km to fit or use taxi to and from. I think that there was another thread on this so will try and find it and post a link.

3. How easy is it to do a self-guided walk - is the camino well signposted?

Very easy, the route is very well waymarked.

4. Accommodation. Last time our accommodation was booked for us in a mixture of 2 and 3 star hotels, close to the camino. Part of the reason for this was that the group was half visually impaired walkers, half sighted guides, so accommodation needed to be fully accessible, so we used an agency to plan our camino. How easy would it be next time to book suitable accommodation direct for a group of around 12 people in twin bedded rooms? I am a light sleeper and don't do hostels/dorms.

You can stay in private accommodation throughout the route. I would recommend booking as soon as possible if you have a large group as the Ingles seems to get busier each year.

5. Can we arrange to have our luggage sent ahead for us to the next stop? How would we book this.

The Spanish Post Office run a luggage transfer service. Currently €20 from Ferrol to Santiago.
https://www.elcaminoconcorreos.com/es/transporte-mochilas

6. Transfers from airport to start of walk - any advice?

I took a group of 10 on the Ingles in 2016 and I actually booked a private transfer with Monbus. They collected outside the terminal in Santiago and dropped right by the Hotel in Ferrol. Although we were only 10 they gave us a full size coach so plenty of room. €22 each from memory. It was only 5 or 6 more than the public bus I seem to remember once you have caught the airport bus into Santiago and then the Ferrol bus.
http://www.monbus.es/es/alquiler-vehiculos-con-conductor

Thanks Miguel for the detailed replies - very helpful.

 

[miguel_gp]

Sorry I can't find the the thread re < 25km stages but barring Ferrol to Pontedeume I think they all are now anyway. Ferrol to Pontedeume can be split by staying at Hotel Kensington in Naron which virtually splits the stage in half.

 

[peb]

About 40% of the Ingles is on tarmac, but it is mainly on country roads.

the first days to Betanzos are really nice as the walk winds round the coast. Thereafter, it is less picturesque. The 15 km part where you walk beside the motorway on the way to Sigueiro is tiresome.

There are uphill slogs out of Pontedeume and Betanzos, but these are at the start of the day, and do not last more than 20 minutes. The real big hill up to Hospital de Bruma has been taken out when the Ingles was rerouted.

The Ingles is fairly well waymarked. I would still take a guidebook, as there are not many people to follow. I took the CSJ guidebook for the directions and the Cicerone guidebook for the maps.

As a group, as said by Miguel, you will need to book accommodation.

Consider looking at these.

Ferrol - Hotel El Suizo
Xubia - Hotel Kensington
Pontedeume - Pension Luis
Betanzos - Hotel Garelos

hospital de Bruma - this is where you become unstuck. It is 30km from Betanzos to Hospital de Bruma and there is no private accommodation on the route. Consider staying at Pension Nova at Meson de Vento, who can arrange for you to be picked up and dropped off next day on the route, for example at Bar Casa Avelina

Sigueiro - the Albergue Camino Real has private rooms, but I do not think enough for 12. Alternatively, look at the Hotel San Vicente 30 minutes past Sigueiro (but it does not have good reviews).

If Meson de Vento to Sigueiro is too far, stay halfway at Casa Rural Donamaria in A Rua.


I can vouch for the efficiency of Correos and the huge difference is makes transporting your luggage and being able to walk with a day pack. Plus you can take a suitcase, which makes your possessions easier to find. Each place I stayed knew what to do with the suitcase, and there is was when I arrived at my next stay. There is a 20kg weight limit and you need to have your case ready by 8am / 9am depending upon the hotel you stay.

On arrival, I do not know where you are flying in from, but I found it much cheaper to fly into Madrid and then connect to La Coruna, rather than Santiago. It also meant I could look round La Coruna (which is well worth it) and then take the very picturesque train journey from La Coruna to Ferrol.

Going back, trains leave Santiago for La Coruna every 20 minutes.