CF - UK school summer holidays

davejsy

Walked the Camino Francés for SSD UK 2023

Donating Member

Time of past OR future Camino

CF 2023 sept/Oct
Primitivo July 2024

• Dec 26, 2023

• #1

Hi all,
Just how busy is it potentially likely to be if you choose to walk the CF at this time? Realistically last two weeks of July and whole of August. I'm considering taking my godson, and logistically this is the only time we could get long enough to do it (at least until he finishes school!).

 

Tincatinker

Veteran Member

Donating Member

Time of past OR future Camino

2012

• Dec 26, 2023

• #2

How’s your godson with heat? Apart from the heat in the afternoon and early evening I can’t think of another impediment. The spring season rush of international pilgrims from St Jean will have got to Santiago or faded from the trail. The native Spanish traffic kicks off from Sarria and yet there are many ways to walk the Way in comfortable traffic.

How old is the subject? The wants and needs of pre-teens, teenagers and “can I buy you a drink God- Dad?” are much apart

 

davejsy

Walked the Camino Francés for SSD UK 2023

Donating Member

Time of past OR future Camino

CF 2023 sept/Oct
Primitivo July 2024

• Dec 26, 2023

• #3

Tincatinker said:

How’s your godson with heat? Apart from the heat in the afternoon and early evening I can’t think of another impediment. The spring season rush of international pilgrims from St Jean will have got to Santiago or faded from the trail. The native Spanish traffic kicks off from Sarria and yet there are many ways to walk the Way in comfortable traffic.

How old is the subject? The wants and needs of pre-teens, teenagers and “can I buy you a drink God- Dad?” are much apart

Click to expand...

He will be nearly 15 by that time, he's been dragged up and down mountains in NW Spain with me for the past couple of years, so physically he should be fine.
The heat is one thing I'm not that keen on, but this would be our only window of opportunity in the near term.
We could potentially look at a shorter alternative such as the Primativo which would be amazing, but I think they CF for my GS would be an amazing experience at his age, something that would stay with him forever.

 

Tincatinker

Veteran Member

Donating Member

Time of past OR future Camino

2012

• Dec 26, 2023

• #4

I coped far better with the heat of central Spain as a 15/16 year old than I can possibly do now. In my late 30’s I switched to winter season walking for most routes apart from the ones with really big sticky-up bits where snow might be an issue.

IMO your godson will be fine, watch yourself - stay hydrated and don’t try to keep up

If you want a quieter route switch to the Invierno or the Konig from Ponferrada

 

J Willhaus

Veteran Member

Donating Member

Time of past OR future Camino

2016, 2022, 2023, 2024, planned 2025

• Dec 26, 2023

• #5

The Spanish student groups start in July and families walk in August, but these are mainly from Sarria to Santiago. He should be fine and may meet some young people.

 

David Tallan

Moderator

Staff member

Donating Member

Time of past OR future Camino

1989, 2016, 2018, 2023, 2024...

• Dec 26, 2023

• #6

davejsy said:

Hi all,
Just how busy is it potentially likely to be if you choose to walk the CF at this time? Realistically last two weeks of July and whole of August. I'm considering taking my godson, and logistically this is the only time we could get long enough to do it (at least until he finishes school!).

Click to expand...

I walked with my son in July/August on the CF (it was a similar situation). I booked the first couple of days before we set out and then it wasn't busy enough to cause concern until we got into Galicia. When we arrived in Triacastela there was plenty of room for us, but the first three albergues I tried has been completely booked in advance. So, at that point I started to book a day or two in advance. It wasn't hard because by that time I knew how far our bodies liked us to walk each day. For us, getting up and on the road early each morning was important - not to secure beds but to avoid as much as possible walking during the heat of the day.