Growing number of winter pilgrims

[Bradypus]

In one of my searches for recent news items about the Caminos and pilgrimage a few minutes ago I came across two articles side-by-side in the Google results. One from El Correo Gallego about a small but noticeable growth in numbers of pilgrims choosing to walk in the winter months. The next result from the search was from a Navarra website noting that the National Police serving the Roncesvalles and Valcarlos area have been kept pretty busy with pilgrims struggling in cold weather and short days - sometimes found tired and cold still walking the road after dark. Having walked from SJPDP in January myself I know that it can be a beautiful and joyous experience but it does have its challenges above and beyond those of a main season walk. I wonder if some of those who find themselves in difficulties have a mistaken stereotypical mental image of Spain as being largely heat and dust and sunshine rather than the very varied climate and terrain of the northern regions? My own preconceived notions of what Spain would be like certainly did not match what I found on my first Camino!

Los peregrinos que buscan caminar en 'soledad': el Camino de Santiago crece también en invierno

Las condiciones meteorológicas duras marcan el perfil del peregrino: 'más extranjeros que nacionales' y quizá 'un poco más' hombres que mujeres

www.elcorreogallego.es

Policía Nacional auxilia a varios peregrinos del Camino

Se trata de la Unidad de Extranjería de Varcarlos-Luzaide, que en esta época del año recomienda una mayor precaución a aquellos peregrinos ante las inclemencias meteorológicas

www.navarratelevision.es

 

[J Willhaus]

We will walk from Roncesvalles to Grañón this year in early March. We've walked some cooler months in various stretches before. In January I walked from Sarria with a group. Phil has walked a couple of different years in November and December to and from albergue volunteer assignments and we both walked a bit together in December 2018 away from a volunteer assignment. Helps us remember what pilgrims really need when we transition to and from hospitalero roles.

I am used to colder climates and winter has its own special beauty. Winter is Spain isn't really that cold compared to what I am used to and it's nice to walk a less crowded path. There's fewer coffee stops open and it does seem to rain more, but I can adapt.

I will say that in Santiago in January, the cathedral was almost completely empty for pilgrim mass and we had no trouble getting rooms for a group at San Martin Pinario.

 

[J Willhaus]

I think we'll hear from @mspath, too! She always walked in winter.

 

[VNwalking]

I walked from SJPP one year in early March. It was a wonderful experience.

 

[Bradypus]

I will say that in Santiago in January, the cathedral was almost completely empty for pilgrim mass and we had no trouble getting rooms for a group at San Martin Pinario.

In terms of numbers of fellow pilgrims and the infrastructure available my Camino Frances in January 2023 felt remarkably similar to walking in summer 2001. Much colder though!

 

[Takahiwai]

When I worked elsewhere, and had more of a choice, I always chose to walk in winter. Since leaving Spain in 2006, I've worked exclusively in roasting hot countries, and I always loved the change. Now, I'm working in a country where my only possibilities for getting a sizeable chunk of time off fall in winter - early spring, so I can carry on with what I prefer.

I don't doubt that winter pilgrim numbers are up a bit, since there are people with time flexibility seeking to avoid the masses, but I don't think it will ever reach significant numbers. I know there are a few people on this forum who did their first camino earlier than I did, but in 1998, in Nov-Dec, I met 14 pilgrims in total, when I was either going to, or returning from SdC. There may be more now - I'm sure there are - but I don't think there will ever be enough to put me off. I've only ever walked once in 'high season', and I was doing the Norte before it became super-popular. Everything went well until the very last couple of stages, and the American pilgrim I'd met up with along the way, with whom I met up every night, told me before the final stage, where we had to join the CF - 'you are going to have the shock of your life'. She was right. That final day on the CF was horrific, and not to be repeated. Viva el invierno, say I, and may it not become toooo popular!

 

[mspath]

Wherever you do plan to walk in winter do keep these thoughts in mind.
In addition to the Valcarlos alternate to Roncesvalles difficult CF stretches after winter storms could be across the Montes de Oca from Villafranca, Najera to Santo Domingo de la Calzada, Monte Irago and, of course, to and from O Cebreiro. Be prepared.

For any winter camino I stress this bit of info re: carrying food supplies.

Whenever you do walk keep warm, stay safe and Buen camino!

 

[dbier]

To opine on Bradypus's speculation, I see again and again that people who are unfamiliar with mountain weather patterns (!?) , high deserts, and geography in general ( not just in Spain) regularly underestimate/ mistake the efforts, preparations, and training required to complete a distance under unpredictable and adverse conditions. Take a look at rescue statistics for any of the popular trails/ parks in the US.

And yes, people whose only knowledge of Spain is the south ( and who don't come from higher latitudes (?)) have *no* idea what winter can be like in the north, or how quickly it gets dark.

 

[JabbaPapa]

What I found over the course of my last very long Camino spanning a few years and all seasons is that three manners of foot pilgrimage, previously rare and unusual, are becoming more common.

1) The pilgrimage from home. I used to be one in a minority number of oddball freaks doing this, Spaniards and Portuguese always excepted of course, but in recent years I would encounter several in any given week on the Francès. There have always been the Dutch of course, but it is becoming a normal manner of pilgrimage projects throughout the whole of Western Europe.

2) A Winter Camino. I had been wanting to do one since the early 1990s, so I'm glad I finally got that personal itch scratched, but as to this one, mostly I think that it's less vocational and more the consequence of a squeeze from the previously less populous Spring and Autumn becoming ever more populated over the decades. Once Spring, and Summer, and Autumn have all become too crowded for those who prefer a quieter hike, then Winter it is.

3) Home to Home. I finished my own this year, but I met dozens of other pilgrims in 2024 doing the same. This is a more recent development than the other two ; in 2021 and 2022 I did meet a few others, more than in previous decades, but nothing like the number I encountered this year.

 

[roving_rufus]

I love walking on camino in winter - I dislike too much heat. I loved arrived in SdeC on a January midmorning and getting a free ticket to see the restored Portico of Gloria.

But it does mean you need to be prepared. Weather can widely vary - appropriate clothing for cold and wet conditions. You need to carry food. You need some emergency funds in case of needing a taxi or private room. The short days means having a headtorch and reflective gear as you are walking in darker conditions.

But that first day from SJPDP to Roncesvalles via Valcarlos is a tough day even in good weather. I know I split it at Valcarlos. And it's a tough start to a winter camino beginning with crossing mountains

 

[traveler]

We are currently on our seventh winter Camino and there are a few more people walking than in the past but not many. In the past we could walk for a week and see no one.

This year we started in Pontraveda and the first two days we didn’t see any other pilgrims. The last few days we have seen 3-5 people walking each day but that’s about it. The few people we talked to started in St Jean and are planning to arrive in Santiago on or before Christmas Eve. We are walking at a bit more leisurely pace (~20 km/day).

 

[Laurie Bryan Larson]

This is strictly anecdotal but I served last December as a hospi in Najera and am here this year as well. I've noticed a definite decrease in the number of peregrinos from a year ago, especially Spanish people and to a certain extent Korean's. We'll see how the rest of the winter goes. Ultreya!

 

[traveler]

As an update we’ve seen about 20 pilgrims a day for the past few days (+ the group of 10 that joined us in Sarria). So more people but still reasonably quiet.

 

[mahz]

Zero pilgrims. I just walked from Los Arcos to Logroño and from Logroño to Nájera, 27 and 28 of december 2024 (today). I did not see any pilgrims at all. As if I were at the Via de la Plata in January. I was surprised to be all by miself at the albergues.

 

[JabbaPapa]

Zero pilgrims. I just walked from Los Arcos to Logroño and from Logroño to Nájera, 27 and 28 of december 2024 (today). I did not see any pilgrims at all. As if I were at the Via de la Plata in January. I was surprised to be all by miself at the albergues.

I walked through that way 2 years ago in the direction of SJPP, and what I found is that there tended to be tiny waves of pilgrims but then very few people in-between.

Very few Spaniards between about 20th to 22nd December and the New Year.

 

[Bradypus]

Very few Spaniards between about 20th to 22nd December and the New Year.

I think that being in the time between Christmas and New Year is probably the reason for the absence of others. I set off from SJPDP on 2 January 2023 and from Roncesvalles I found myself part of a constantly changing bubble of about 12-15 pilgrims making each daily stage. Occasionally more. A very large percentage of my fellow pilgrims were Korean. With only one albergue open in most places we were very likely to walk the same stages and then see each other again in the evenings.

 

[LesBrass]

I walked Pamplona to Burgos in the last 2 weeks of October and coukd not believe how quiet the trail was. We hardly saw another pilgrim. The weather was good and I'd definitely walk later again. It was glorious

 

[bakedbeans]

Last year I started the Camino Madrid > Frances on 1st November. I didn't meet a single pilgrim for the first 7 days and for the whole thing met 2. By early-mid December was on the latter half of the Frances. There were a few towns and villages where there was only one albergue open and typically it was a bad one. Presumably the one that got the least business during the main season so had to stay open. There were quite a few people on the Frances though, a bubble, enough people to hang out with and get a table at a restaurant etc. It was good.

I think if you want to do a winter Camino there are three concerns: Weather, accommodation, and people. The weather will be wet and cold but plenty of people prefer that to the heat of summer anyway. Practically this means a heavier / bigger bag. There will be fewer accommodation options, maybe none on the quieter routes, so what do you do then. The options you have might be poor and also quite crowded as they're the only options. There will be fewer people, there might not be any. I've gone 10 days on some Caminos without meeting any pilgrims. Some want that, others hate it, some people can tolerate it but prefer not to. Depends what you want.

 

[Bradypus]

There will be fewer people, there might not be any. I've gone weeks on some Caminos without meeting any pilgrims. Some want that, others hate it, some people can tolerate it but prefer not to. Depends what you want

Very much a matter of personal preference. I have walked the Via de la Plata in January/February and met fewer than 20 other pilgrims over the 1000km. Some only to nod at and exchange a "Buen Camino!" in passing. Most of those within the final 200km or so. I am quite comfortable with that level of company. For those who equate the busyness of a route like the Frances or the Portugues in summer with "the Camino spirit" then clearly it would be a non-starter. A lot of disappointment can be avoided by being clear in your own mind about the type of experience you hope to find.

 

[bakedbeans]

Totally agree. It's a wonderful thing about Spain and the Camino routes is that you can pick what you want. If you want people and the social aspect, then it's the Frances and Portugese. If you want to go in winter probably also pick those but there will be fewer people. If you want fewer people or almost none choose another one but there might not be much accommodation outside the season. If you want to get blasted by the sun with very few people do the Lana in July.

 

[Corned Beef]

Just finished after starting in Lugo. Have seen no more than 10/15 pilgrims, mostly Spanish. It’s a great time to do it if you’re looking for quiet contemplation. Also learn the meaning of the Spanish word Cerrado - heard it a lot.