Way of St. James--Spain
 

Planning on a hiking trip to Way of St. James. Will focus on the last part of the Pilgrim's trail in Spain. Should I join a tour? Any suggestions?

I walked the last 400is kilometres of the Santiago trail abouth ten years ago. There are hotels in all the small towns enroute,there are also free shelters for pilgrims,and I mean realy free,even food sometimes.The hotels are ofcs sometimes realy basic,since their in villages,I newer used the free acomodation,which is VERY BASIC.You can get nice lunch and so on in almost evry village en route,no need to cary any food beyond some snacks.Do not expect small hotels/restaurants to understand english.Its generally very easy walking,although sometimes the "trail" follows roads with heavy trafic,which can be a bit anoying.Remember that the trail is sometimes in the mountains,where it can get cold,and ewen more so at night in unheated or very poorly heated rooms.

If you joined a tour I think you would have to walk a certain amount of rather low Ks evry day,which I do not think would be very practical,as your capasity increases drastically,well mine decreased the first days,then it shot up!!! Also,I supose,your exposure to local culture would be very low,and I supose thats one of the great things abouth a trip like this,unless you do it for religious reasons!!

Its a realy great trip,just dont expect something like a NZ walking route!! Actually,to call it a "hiking trip",might not be totaly correct,it genarally(90 %) follows minor roads,and often even not so minor,paved roads.

I walked it with apr 7 kg on my back,including extra shoes and clothes layers,but no sleeping bag,no real problem,although taking a realy ultralightweight bag for cold rooms might be a good idea if you do not mind carying it, this was in spring,in the summer I think it would be rather hot,bcs the "trail" is along public roads that are exposed to the sun.

Thanks for the information. Very helpful.

Are the free lodgings provided by families along the route similar to a BnB?

I think poster means never used, but VERY BASIC being bolded speaks VOLUMES @:-)

Based on above, I very much doubt it. Possibly showers without hot water, like many hostals in Centroamerica.

Was going to post earlier - TV series Globetrekker had a segment on this, in one of their treks episode IIRC.

The free lodgings are provided by a rather large religious organisation based in Rome!! And,yes I very seriously doubt that the showers would have hot water,their like,20 person dormitories,with no bedding,-you use your sleeping bag. Think NZ "tramping huts".

By "VERY BASIC",I indeed mean,VERY BASIC as in oposed to "realy basic".

While I have newer stayed in hostals in Central America,I would think that they actually come fairly close to some of the simpler "normal acomodation" in the mountain villages,however I never realy planned where to sleep in the morning,and always found a room in the evening,-you tend to sleep well afrer having walked 20+miles,followed by dinner and a few glasses of wine!!! If theres nowhere to sleep in a given village,there will always at least be a bar where you can ask abouth a taxi to the nearest town.