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Starting the walk in the afternoon

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Bob008

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Time of past OR future Camino
Camino Frances 2024
Are there any issues in starting the walk in the afternoon and arriving at the next destination right before the sunset in mid-April so long as you booked your room/bed?
 
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You might need to be careful about the check-out times of wherever you are staying. Most albergues want you out of the place by 8am. Might be 10am or later for hostals. Some places will not routinely hold a bed that late even with a reservation because too many people have made multiple reservations and not cancelled the unused ones. By late afternoon they may assume you are not coming and give the bed to someone else. You might need to be very specific and state your late arrival time when booking.
 
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Which route are you considering. That may impact the advice.
And if starting in the afternoon, what will you do before walking?
You will have had to check-out of your accommodation between 8-10 am usually (depending on type)
So I presume you are planning to use the mornings for sight seeing.

Another option is to have a nice lunch alone the way and have a Siesta under a tree for 2-3 hours.....

Something to consider when arriving at about sunset (which I see will be about 9pm) is that you will have little time for laundry etc before lights out. And less drying time for your clothes.

Not saying it isn't a great idea!
Just a few things more to think about.
 
I've started 2 Caminos in the afternoon - St Jean to Orisson (came in from Lourdes) and Astorga to Murias de Rechivaldo (!!!) (came in from Madrid). I enjoyed those little stages to help me prepare for the longer days ahead.
 
Robo said:
Which route are you considering. That may impact the advice.
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From reading all comments, it seems that starting in the afternoon should be OK as long as you re-confirm the bed/room reservation. If things go as the plan, I will arrive at Sarria in the afternoon and I want to get going straight away. I think that I can get to Portomarin around 7p.m. and have dinner there. It will be my first Camino, so I want to make sure whether this is feasible. Just wondering in the worst possible case in which the hostel mistakenly gave away my reserved bed/room (even after re-confirmation) to someone else, would I be able to find a bed/room after 7? I would hate to sleep outside for obvious reasons. Another question I have is where can I get my first stamp quickly in Sarria in the afternoon? I will have the pilgrim passport before the arrival.
 
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Consider walking from Sarria to Barbadelo and sleep there. It will give you a lovely morning start with no crowds for hours and still allow you to get to Portomarine with time for lunch and laundry the next day. Casa Barbadelo has great food and it allows you to meet some other pilgrims, giving a good 1st start.
 
You can get a stamp in Sarria at anywhere that is open. Any Bar or Cafe will oblige.

As to finding a bed, on spec, that late in the evening. In mid-April you should be ok, but take a sleeping bag

Now, my question: What is the rush? Sarria is a delightful little town, the Camino equivalent of the Klondike, and a great place to spend some time and start soaking up that Pilgrims atmosphere. Portomarin deserves some time also - time to explore the Roman and medieval bridges. Enjoy the Church that they took apart stone by stone and rebuilt above the floodwaters.

If you really need to undertake a 5 hour walk up and over a big hill just in time to gulp down some supper go for it. I wouldn't
 
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Tincatinker said:
Now, my question: What is the rush?
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I had originally thought that I would spend the night in Sarria. However, since I will arrive in Sarria very well rested, I thought that I can get going straight which will afford me an extra day that can be potentially used for rest in case I were to develop some issues such as blisters, knee pain, etc. Also, given the tight schedule I have, I would like to spend as much time as possible in Santiago de Compostela after the walk. However, I'm still open to spending the night in Sarria or other ideas.
 
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@Bob008 just how tight is your schedule? Most walk Sarria to Santiago in 5 days, many managing to get there in time for midday mass and an afternoon stroll to the Pilgrims Office. I can appreciate wanting to spend time in Santiago. It’s a wonderful city with much to see and enjoy. I think my point was that the likes of Sarria, Portomarin, A Pino are just as much part of the Camino Frances as that final lunge into Obradoiro.

That said I have never spent a night in St Jean pied de Porte. I’ve always just checked in with the pilgrim’s office and then taken an afternoon stroll to Valcarlos

Buen Camino
 
On the clothing drying issue. A good reason to take 2 spare walking outfits, not just one. So you can catch up on washing when you have more time.
I included a few days with afternoon walking, similar time last year, arriving about 6-7pm.. It's quite relaxing, with less pilgrims on the path.
 
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I did this in 2019 and it worked well for me.

I flew from London to O Coruña arriving around 1.30am, had a quick sleep in an AirBnB in O Coruña then bussed to Santiago de Compostela (to pick up my backpack which I had previously left there, long story, another time...) then bussed to Lugo and finally to Sarria arriving at around 1.45 pm.

I had accommodation pre-booked in Portomarin and had mentioned that I wouldn't arrive until around 6 pm. The albergue host asked me to keep in touch with him during the day and so I used WhatsApp to message him are various key points along the way.

I eventually arrived around 7 pm and my bed was waiting for me in an otherwise completely full albergue

It was a hard day for me after all the travel but it is certainly doable if you want to do it.
 
I would recommend a short first day for you. Walking the camino is special and will quickly be finished, no need to rush.
 
Camino Way markers in Bronze
The one from Galicia (the round) and the one from Castilla & Leon. Individually numbered and made by the same people that make the ones you see on your walk.
Or maybe even to Ferreiros . That would give the option to continue to Gonzar or thereabouts the next day. Portomarin is propably one of the more crowded locations.
 
Sarria to Portomarin feels like a long walk in the afternoon, especially if it ends up rainy. I second staying a night I either Sarria or one of the closer stops. Also, if you do walk to Portomarin, when the road splits, stay to the right or take the bike route, the middle route gets dicey right before the bridge.
 
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