It’s a common question and one that can create some heated debate online. To book accommodation ahead or just wing it on the day and turn up.
I’ve always adopted a kind of middle ground. I book 2-3 days in the beginning to get me started, and then maybe a day ahead as I’m walking. I’m a slow walker, and that way I don’t need to worry about racing to secure a bed. Though on less popular routes, that’s much less of a problem.
Obviously, there are some places that don’t take bookings. Many Municipal and Parochial Albergues for example. This last Camino, we returned a week ago, was a very different one in many respects.
I did a few things differently.
As Pat was coming with me and she doesn’t like uncertainty, I actually booked most of our nights before leaving Australia! I didn’t really intend to do that, but it ended up that way. Once I booked a few, I just kept going…….
It snow-balled.
So, what was different? And did it work?
I normally have my first few nights booked and then have an “idea” of my likely stopping places, booking one or two days ahead. Or not at all, as mentioned.
I like the freedom to change plans along the way, depending on how I’m coping, who I meet etc.. But this one was different.
Firstly, it was three different routes.
▶️ 7 days on the Madrid.
▶️ 7 days on the Sanabres from Ourense, and
▶️ 7 days from Muxia back to SDC.
I booked a couple of nights in Madrid to start us off. Then looked at likely stages that were within our capabilities. And there weren’t many accommodation options, at all. And some were not so simple to book. The Youth Hostal at Las Dehesas in Cercedilla on the Camino Madrid for example had to be booked and paid by bank transfer well ahead of time.
So the first 3-4 days on the Madrid ended up getting booked. Then there were some “unbookable” Albergues of course. But I had contacted them to let them know we were coming.
We left it flexible in terms of where we would leave the Madrid. We’d walk 7-8 days as a taster of a more remote Camino for Pat. And we’d jump off at one of a few likely points.
But the next “line in the Sand” was Salamanca.
I adored that when walking the VdlP and wanted Pat to see it. So we booked two nights there. That effectively locked in an end date for the Camino de Madrid. From there we would go by Bus/Train to Ourense to walk the last part of the Sanabres.
So I booked the train. (The Bus tickets had to be bought at the Bus Station)
As I’d booked the train, I might as well book accommodation in Ourense. And so it continued…….starting to get the picture! As we try to keep our distances under 20 kms and there is a big hill out of Ourense……..
A likely day one end point was Tamallancos. With only one place to stay. So, I booked that. And so, it went on…….
The other end of the trip was a Camino from Muxia back to SDC. This was somewhat time constrained as we had a flight booked out of Porto post Camino. So that kind of gave us a “line in the sand” at the end point.
So…….I thought I might as well make some bookings for the end of the trip…….
And work backwards.
I had walked that route before and so had a good idea of the terrain and what stages would suit us. And for a couple of stages, there was only one option for accommodation. So, I booked them. Then it made sense to fill in a few gaps……..
With no intention of doing so initially, I think I ended up pre-booking 19 days out of 21. Pre booking meaning booking a long time ahead (weeks) as opposed to a day or two ahead.
Did it work and would I do it again?
Yes it worked.
Just.
Mainly because given our daily distance limitations and the lack of accommodation options that created sometimes, there weren’t really any “options” on many stages.
Did it create issues?
Not as such.
On 2-3 days we felt pushed to walk further than we wanted to, due to tiredness, heat and terrain. But we managed OK.
Would I do it again?
If walking alone, No way.
I much prefer the flexibility of not sticking to a schedule and I’m happy to wing it regarding accommodation.
If walking again with Pat?
On a short route? Yes probably.
Though I will make sure I study the route better to ensure it’s within our/her abilities (see below)
She prefers the certainty of having a booking and is certainly not into “winging” it.
I think this worked, because it was basically three short Caminos of 7 days, with travel or rest days in between. That gave us some flexibility in the schedule in case of any issues. On the Madrid for example, we had not really decided how far to walk before jumping off to go to Salamanca. There were 3-4 jump off points I had in mind. We actually walked a longer last day than planned, right at the last minute, to “gain back” a day, allowing us to have a night in Valladolid. Halfway to Coca, we decided to stop there instead of Nava. So there was still a bit of flexibility in it all.
Would I try to fully book a Camino of more than 7 days?
I don’t think so. I would only do it anyway, to give Pat some certainty if she was walking with me. But pre booking a longer route, without lots of built in flexibility would be stressful I think. It only needs one day to be a lot harder than expected and you’re playing “catch up” on your schedule.
CAVEAT.
I think this worked out OK, because we have both walked a few Caminos. That means we know our comfort zone in terms of distance over varied terrain and conditions. The distances were all manageable, and our expected walking hours, start and finish times each day, were fairly close to plan.
Important if you want to catch last orders for a Menu del Dia lunch! 😊
You can see the daily videos here 📹 Camino 2026 Playlist
NOTE
Next time walking with Pat I need to study the terrain better. The Hills caught me out!
The obvious ones were OK. Cercedilla to Segovia, coming out of Ourense etc. I made sure to allow extra time and be careful of distances.
It was the smaller ones! Like Oseira to Botos on the Sanabres. It was up and down all the way. And the planned 23 kms, if I had applied Naismiths rule, was probably more like 30 kms!
It sure felt like it.
Particulary with the “new route” diversion around the highway prior to Dozon that added a couple of kms.
Doing things in a different way to what we normally do, can be interesting!
QUESTION
Do you prefer to pre book, or wing it, or something in between?
What works for you?
0 Comments