Planning in advance v. being free

[marigold]

When I have been on the Camino before I never planned the journey, I walked further when I had energy, and only walked a bit when I was tired or had overdone it. Looking at postings here it seems as if people plan their journey and book hotels before leaving home these days. I am wondering if I am being niave in not doing this?
I have booked a couple of places to stay, but not all (I want to stay in some municipals so I won't be able to pre book them anyway).
I also wanted to be able to send my pack on some days, but Jacotrans says they need to know the itinerary and dates in advance.
Maybe it's different on the smaller Caminos where there are fewer people. I will be walking the Ingles from A Coruna and then to Muxia..
What are your thoughts?

 

[Deleted member 3000]

Yesterday had the most Compostelas this year, and we are not near St. James Day! The daily average already exceeds any previous year with the busy days of July still ahead, so the average will increase. What you experienced in the past will not be your experience this year!

As you know, booking more than one day in advance ignores how you will feel on a particular day while walking. Jacotrans only needs to know the day before where you are going, so it may not be worth your while to book more than one day ahead. Websites like www.booking.com will allow you to search accommodations a day in advance to see what is available. I suggest that you use one of those sites.

Other caminos are seeing increases, too. The Camino Portugues has grown 600% in the last decade. Since infrastructure is not growing very fast on those other caminos, the bottlenecks have become worse.

You probably will have to take conditions as they exist, not as you wish them to be. The Camino rarely changes to accommodate the pilgrim.

 

[Deleted member 43985]

You didn't mention when you are walking and that could have a big part to play. In April and May there were many people on the CF after León but as busy as it was, there was always a room to be had. We sometimes used Jacotrans after León based on how far we wanted to walk the next day and found it pretty easy to just call places listed in the Brierley guidebook the day prior to make a reservation and then we booked Jacotrans online before their 8pm deadline. Worked out well for us as it kept a little flexibility in it for us and allowed us to not waste energy wondering about bed availability and just focus on the enjoyment of walking at our own pace.

 

[domigee]

When I have been on the Camino before I never planned the journey, I walked further when I had energy, and only walked a bit when I was tired or had overdone it. Looking at postings here it seems as if people plan their journey and book hotels before leaving home these days. I am wondering if
What are your thoughts?

I'll be walking the Camino francés in a few days' time. I have booked a hotel in Bayonne, the auberge Orrisson and a hotel in SdC. That's it. I refuse to panic and mega book in advance. I know the Camino will not change for me but if I find this is indeed now the norm on the CF, I'll choose somewhere else...
Now, watch this space, I may change my mind very rapidly as I arrive in StJean and see trillions of pilgrims abandoned in the wilderness without a bed

I haven't walked the Inglés but I would think it is less crowded than the francés?

Buen - relaxed - Camino

 

[Deleted member 3000]

I haven't walked the Inglés but I would think it is less crowded than the francés?

It is less crowded, but has grown 515% since 2009! Infrastructure is about the same. There may be fewer pilgrims, but there may not be less crowding.

 

[J Willhaus]

Actually we found we did not have to book ahead as long as we stayed off the stages. Even the stage towns had some beds although the longer in the day you walk the less choice. We did book ahead toward the end as we knew better how far we thought we wanted to walk over the terrain and elevation and were often the only pilgrim's staying in a private room although the bunks in the albergue were sometimes full. Also when using booking.com we found that if we called there were sometimes beds open even when booking.com said they were full.

 

[mylifeonvacation]

I agree with the comment that not all rooms are listed on booking.com, so a call can help find a room. But on the English route, there just aren't a lot of rooms to be found between stages.

Not many people walk from Coruna, so if you wish to break up the Coruña - Bruma section, there should be accommodations, including an albergue. Once you get to Bruma there's the albergue there and Meson do Vento is close by with a couple of hotels. Then it's Sigueiro, the last place with rooms before Santiago. There are a couple of B&Bs (cases rurales) between Bruma and Sigueiro, but not budget accommodations. Last summer was also very busy on the English route, and I read of people having difficulties finding places to stay.

 

[Felipe]

In France it is customary to reserve (or at least call, in parochial or municipal auberges) in advance.
I walked Camino Frances last October with my wife, and after a day in Portomarín when we had serious problems for getting beds, I started to make reservations, usually early in the morning, after "feeling" how we felt, and a look at the weather. It worked well.
I noticed a situation that apparently is increasingly common. Some hotels and hostals are jumping in the albergue bandwagon, although they are careful to inform you (for legal reasons, I guess) that they are not really albergues; but the accomodations are roughly the same.
Also, a very formal hotel in Molinaseca (after the village, in the road to Ponferrada) was offering a room for four persons, ten euros each. It seemed evident to me that they were thinking on pilgrims. October is "low season", restaurants in the village were almost empty, and I suppose hotel owners suffer, too.

 

[Deleted member 3000]

Actually we found we did not have to book ahead as long as we stayed off the stages.

May and June are not July and August!! Yesterday had more pilgrims than every day last July except July 25, and more than every day in August except four days! Today's midday split is more than yesterday's. The daily average is above any July in published history.

It is going to be crowded until the middle of September, so be prepared.

 

[marigold]

Ok, I get it, things ain't wot they used to be! Thanks for your comments.
I've worked out/ booked a few places on the Ingles, (only place I'm worried about is the albergue in Sergude - is there anywhere else to stay if it is full when I get there? I'll be slow!).
Then, I'm going to walk to Finesterre and Muxia, so I'd better start booking I suppose!
Thanks

 

[obinjatoo]

Actually we found we did not have to book ahead as long as we stayed off the stages. Even the stage towns had some beds although the longer in the day you walk the less choice. We did book ahead toward the end as we knew better how far we thought we wanted to walk over the terrain and elevation and were often the only pilgrim's staying in a private room although the bunks in the albergue were sometimes full. Also when using booking.com we found that if we called there were sometimes beds open even when booking.com said they were full.

"The Stages". Therein lies the problem. I think folks put too much stock in guide books, specifically Brierly. I never had a problem finding a place to stay even when it was busy. I didn't plan at all.

 

[Tia Valeria]

This was really a question by the OP about the Inglés which does not touch on the Francés anywhere so has differing infrastructure and guides, and not Brierly. The 'stages' on the Inglés are to some extent dictated by the accommodation available. There are a few 'off route' options which can be reached by taxi and then return to continue next day. @JohnnieWalker has just put the new guide on-line through the Forum resources section.
Buen Camino