lreynold1,
My husband & I are planning to walk part of the camino de Santiago in mid-Sept. We are planning to take the train to Leon from Madrid, spend the night, then probably bus or train to Astorga before actually beginning the walk. We would be interested in knowing how difficult it is to get a bed at the refuges, as I understand it is first come, first served & are there some you would recommend & some you wouldn't. Also, do you have recommendations for Leon & Santiago for lodging. I did not know this was a Holy Year until reading all of the above, so hope we won't have trouble finding accommodations! Thanks for all of the information. My email is [email protected]. Robin

lReynold1,
I forgot to ask you is it necessary to carry a sleeping bag for use in the refuges, or can you rent one for the night? We plan to stay in pousadas part of the time, perhaps in Leon & Santiago, so do not want to carry one if not necessary. Thanks. Robin

Robin, you will need a light weight sleeping bag to stay in the refugios. And because it is a holy year and you may need to sleep on the floor, an insulating sleeping mat is also recommended.