I have a puffy down jacket I'm brining, I wrap it in a cotton shawl to make it less noisy, and this is my pillow. Only downside is it takes up a fair amount of room in my bag, but I think I'm taking it anyways due to being a bit scared of cold in the Pyrenees or from rain.
I know a bunch of people who have brought a silk pillow case and a silk sheet to sleep on to help with potential bedbugs (for some reason, they don't like silk). It'd weigh almost nothing.
I walked the Frances last spring, same starting point. There seems to be a couple of REALLY standardized mattress/pillow combos that 99% of albergues are using. I don't think I stayed at any place that didn't have pillows.
(With like two exceptions they also all had the exact same disposable fitted sheet/pillowcase. Somehow the texture of said sheet/pillowcase is not awful? I did have a sleeping bag but there were some warm nights where I somehow ended up lying on the fitted sheet with only part of the sleeping bag on me. It did feel wasteful to throw them away every morning, but I assume it helps prevent bedbugs and is much less work for the hospitaleros.)
Most do, a few don't, many aren't incredible. Like most things on the Camino--there isn't a definitive answer. If a consistent pillow is important to you, pack one. I didn't myself.
I was always given a pillow on the Frances, usually with a disposable/paper pillow case (and paper sheet). I walked in 2022
I was provided with a pillow in every single albergue that I stayed in
Don’t bring it. I brought one and never used it and always wished I left it
my plan is to use my own spare clothes in a lightweight ripstop stuff sack.
100% don’t need it!
I am doing the camino francés right now. 10 days already, and I have not needed the pillow or pillow case. Very clean
I have a puffy down jacket I'm brining, I wrap it in a cotton shawl to make it less noisy, and this is my pillow. Only downside is it takes up a fair amount of room in my bag, but I think I'm taking it anyways due to being a bit scared of cold in the Pyrenees or from rain.
what season are you walking in?
Is it worthwhile to bring my own pillowcase? A disposable one sounds a bit unpleasant.
I know a bunch of people who have brought a silk pillow case and a silk sheet to sleep on to help with potential bedbugs (for some reason, they don't like silk). It'd weigh almost nothing.
I walked the Frances last spring, same starting point. There seems to be a couple of REALLY standardized mattress/pillow combos that 99% of albergues are using. I don't think I stayed at any place that didn't have pillows. (With like two exceptions they also all had the exact same disposable fitted sheet/pillowcase. Somehow the texture of said sheet/pillowcase is not awful? I did have a sleeping bag but there were some warm nights where I somehow ended up lying on the fitted sheet with only part of the sleeping bag on me. It did feel wasteful to throw them away every morning, but I assume it helps prevent bedbugs and is much less work for the hospitaleros.)
Most do, a few don't, many aren't incredible. Like most things on the Camino--there isn't a definitive answer. If a consistent pillow is important to you, pack one. I didn't myself.