August on the Norte?

[trecile]

I'd like to walk the Norte next year, but am somewhat limited on when I can go, as I am an (old) university student. And I'm going to Guatemala for about 6 weeks this winter to study Spanish, so I don't want to leave my husband again too soon after that. But I'm concerned that it might be harder to find accommodations with so many tourists in the area at that time. Of course I'll be mostly staying in albergues. I'd probably start at the beginning of August so that I can get home and over my jet lag and Camino homesickness before classes start on September 24th.

 

[nickymd1]

I walked starting mid-July and finished mid-August. I won't lie, there were times when bed race was an issue, but things actually got better as I got less stressed out about rushing to get a bed and just learned to enjoy the walk. Did I have to book ahead a few times? Yes. But it wasn't more than two or three times. Did I have to sleep in uncomfortable conditions a few times? Yes, but that is part of pilgrimage. If you walk shorter stages just after the cities so you arrive in good time at the Albergues, and you aim for the non-traditional stops for the other stages (PUT THE GUIDEBOOK AWAY!), you'll have a great time in August. The Norte isn't as hot as the other Caminos, and when it is, the ocean is literally *right there* to cool off in.

I'd also suggest trying to plan your stages such that you're rarely if ever in or leaving a city over Friday/Sat/Sun/Mon. It's easily done since the cities are about a week away from each other. It just means you'll likely travel the first few weeks with fewer others as there'll be fewer people starting their caminos on those days. I left Hendaye on a Monday and took it easy to miss the busy festival day of the Assumption of Mary, arriving in Santiago on a Thursday 32 days later. It worked perfectly.

You're going to have a blast.

Buen Camino!

 

[Camino Chrissy]

I walked the Norte mid April-May 2016 and had no problems with lodging, doing a combination of municipal and private. I will say that in my research ahead of time it was mentioned quite often that July and August were heavy tourist times along the ocean for Europeans on holiday, which you already know. My experience was that many albergues along the coast were actually hostels that gave no preference to pilgrims heading to Santiago. Many youngish Europeans were using them simply because they are inexpensive...me too! I can only imagine this could be more problematic in August with students who are "set free".

That said, I would not let going in August scare you off if it is your best time to go. Worst case scenario you may have to call ahead a few times for lodging, but we are finding that many are doing that on the Frances, so there really isn't much difference.

 

[trecile]

I totally forgot that I started this thread. It's looking like I will need to start the Norte the first week of July if I want to attend classes in the Fall term this year, because I need to be in New York on August 16th. I'm just hoping that there will be enough pilgrims to walk and socialize with and not just tourists in the albergues.

 

[nickymd1]

I totally forgot that I started this thread. It's looking like I will need to start the Norte the first week of July if I want to attend classes in the Fall term this year, because I need to be in New York on August 16th. I'm just hoping that there will be enough pilgrims to walk and socialize with and not just tourists in the albergues.

You're going to have an amazing time - and there will definitely be pilgrims on the way for you to hang out with and laugh at the lazy tourists with!

 

[trecile]

You're going to have an amazing time - and there will definitely be pilgrims on the way for you to hang out with and laugh at the lazy tourists with!

Thanks for the encouragement! I haven't found many first hand accounts of the Norte during July and August.

 

[Camino Chrissy]

I totally forgot that I started this thread. It's looking like I will need to start the Norte the first week of July if I want to attend classes in the Fall term this year, because I need to be in New York on August 16th. I'm just hoping that there will be enough pilgrims to walk and socialize with and not just tourists in the albergues.

Tourists shouldn't be staying in the pilgrim type albergues, but there are quite a few hostels in the touristy areas, similar to albergues, but no dinner option and they are open to anyone. I walked the Norte in mid April-May and although not officially tourist season, the lodgings were quite full, but saw very few other pilgrims while walking.

 

[trecile]

Tourists shouldn't be staying in the pilgrim type albergues, but there are quite a few hostels in the touristy areas, similar to albergues, but no dinner option and they are open to anyone. I walked the Norte in mid April-May and although not officially tourist season, the lodgings were quite full, but saw very few other pilgrims while walking.

I suppose that if I'm not having the kind of Camino experience I want - meeting and socializing with other pilgrims - I can always switch to the Frances, or to the Primitivo when I reach that point.

 

[Camino Chrissy]

I suppose that if I'm not having the kind of Camino experience I want - meeting and socializing with other pilgrims - I can always switch to the Frances, or to the Primitivo when I reach that point.

I turned onto the Primitivo and loved that route, too, different, but great. I had the same experience there of not seeing too many walkers during the day, but busy at night. You probably will have opportunity to be connected to a pilgrim family if you choose. I walked with my son so we were our own little team, although we still met some interesting folks to share a drink or dinner at the end of day.

 

[trecile]

I turned onto the Primitivo and loved that route, too, different, but great. I had the same experience there of not seeing too many walkers during the day, but busy at night. You probably will have opportunity to be connected to a pilgrim family if you choose. I walked with my son so we were our own little team, although we still met some interesting folks to share a drink or dinner at the end of day.

How much time did it take you to walk the Norte/Primitivo combination?

 

[Camino Chrissy]

How much time did it take you to walk the Norte/Primitivo combination?

5 weeks, but I'm slow on the uphills. We started from San Sabastian, not Irun, and ended in Lugo, staying an extra day to walk the walls and enjoy the city. We then took a bus to Santiago, as the route becomes less scenic after Lugo and joins the busiest part of the Frances. Of course we did not qualify for a compostella, but didn't care. I loved the way we did it and wouldn't change a thing!