Doing the walk in winter

The last time I walked the Camino Frances, I split it into 4 sections. The 3rd section, Fromista-Astorga, which would be the 1st part of what you are planning, I walked in November. It was cold - woolly-hat and mittens weather throughout - but exceptionally clear. I was originally thinking of walking further in that week, but gave up as the snow in the mountains was knee-deep. This was unusual so early, but by no means unknown. If the weather is bad, you can use the road rather than the track over the Cruz de Ferro, and from Ponferrada, you could detour on to the Camino de Invierno, a low-level alternative route via Lemos, which should be ready by then.

There are unlikely to be many pilgrims around, but there will probably be some, so you should have company in the refuges. You will not however have heating. Partly for this reason, I stopped in hotels. Most of the facilities should be open. I'm not a single woman, but I would think your main problem will be not safety but what to do in the long dark evenings. Dark from around 18.30, light around 8.