Spikemitchell
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- Time of past OR future Camino
- Frances
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Roncesvalles is not already booked up for September.including Roncesvalles being already booked up for September
The Camino Francés isn’t the only possibility for walking your kind of Camino. There are many other great Camino routes available for the pilgrim who doesn’t want the more “crowded” experience. To paraphrase an old Will Ragers saying, I’ve never met a Camino I didn’t like!I want to be able to have space and time to walk, think, and follow my curiosity.
Wish I were there! 2.5 weeks ago Cirauqui was full! I can't recall about Luquin. I did have peaceful walking time, but it was unusually hot in early May and many -- including self -- were having departure and quitting time constrained by heat. I think it created a kind of "squished accordion" population.I'm on the Camino Francés right now, and this is also a very busy time for the early stages, but I saw a total of five other pilgrims while I was walking today. The reason is that I'm not staying in traditional end stage towns. Last night I was in Cirauqui where only 9 of 20 beds were full, and tonight I'm in Luquin where only half the beds are taken.
I wholeheartedly agree with your 'traditional/stage' town theory. It certainly worked for me last September.I'm on the Camino Francés right now, and this is also a very busy time for the early stages, but I saw a total of five other pilgrims while I was walking today. The reason is that I'm not staying in traditional end stage towns. Last night I was in Cirauqui where only 9 of 20 beds were full, and tonight I'm in Luquin where only half the beds are taken.
Trecile, if you’re still in Luquin when you read this, please remember me to Tiago. He was exceptionally kind to me last year when I got sick. Tell him I’ll be coming through in a month!I'm on the Camino Francés right now, and this is also a very busy time for the early stages, but I saw a total of five other pilgrims while I was walking today. The reason is that I'm not staying in traditional end stage towns. Last night I was in Cirauqui where only 9 of 20 beds were full, and tonight I'm in Luquin where only half the beds are taken.
The bed race has an undeserved negative connotation. One starts early because everyone else is starting earlier. At around noon, just after second breakfast, the end of the day is contemplated. Goal is to end the day walking around 2:30. If beds are unavailable still plenty of time to consider options, walk or taxi to the next town.Hello.
I am considering walking the Camino for the first time this fall, probably beginning the third week of September in St. Jean. But I keep reading about how crowded the Camino is, including Roncesvalles being already booked up for September.
I want to be able to have space and time to walk, think, and follow my curiosity. The last thing I want is to find myself in a daily race, rushing to the next albergue, worrying about securing a bed, or working the phone, reserving beds in advance.
So I am wondering if the Camino is too crowded to allow for the kind of experience I am hoping for?
Not my goal. On most days I would rather walk for another two or three hours after that. One of the reasons I would now consider making a reservation when I would not have done in earlier years.Goal is to end the day walking around 2:30.
I think you might be able to do it even now, except for the heat. I was shocked only a few weeks ago by how the sun seemed to drain me by 1pm. I started leaving just before 6am to have walking time while it was still cool, and the temperatures were hovering only around 24C at mid-day, but it felt so much hotter than that...Not my goal. On most days I would rather walk for another two or three hours after that. One of the reasons I would now consider making a reservation when I would not have done in earlier years.
That was what I did most days on my first two Caminos. Walk until lunchtime. Have a menu if I could find one or a picnic lunch bought earlier in the day. Then doze for an hour or two in the shade somewhere before walking another couple of hours. At the time some refugios did not open their doors before 4pm or even later. There was certainly no expectation that people would have stopped their walking around noon as seems increasingly common these days.I think that if I ever get to go again I will have to learn to nap under a tree in the heat and then carry on later to arrive somewhere around 5:30.
I think, TBH, that part of my hesitation about this strategy is that it feels "unsafe" or ill-advised in the current realities of the world (in which people are pretending to be pilgrims and leaving albergues pre-dawn with other people's belongings...). Napping in the wild as a small-ish woman of a certain age feels very vulnerable in a way I'm not sure I want to test. All the nappers I have seen have been strapping young men, or pairs of older men together.That was what I did most days on my first two Caminos. Walk until lunchtime. Have a menu if I could find one or a picnic lunch bought earlier in the day. Then doze for an hour or two in the shade somewhere before walking another couple of hours. At the time some refugios did not open their doors before 4pm or even later. There was certainly no expectation that people would have stopped their walking around noon as seems increasingly common these days.
The current running total is now 18% up on last year. I walked the Portugues from Tui a few days ago and I have certainly never seen numbers like it on any Camino - even when walking the Frances in September 2016 or SJPDP to Logrono in September last year. Sitting down for a brief rest more than 50 pilgrims passed by in a few minutes. 60+ pilgrims in the bar and garden of a small rural cafe at 10:30 on a Sunday morning. Almost never out of sight of another pilgrim (and occasionally a dozen or more) for more than a minute between Caldas de Reis and Santiago. An interesting glimpse of the Portugues these days but not an experience I will be repeating any time soon.I see that Ivar notes 23% up this year from last... so that makes the Sarria or Tai to SdC stretches sound pretty unappealing right now.
...As compared to the past when we never booked *anything* unless one was perhaps taking a rest day in a city and needed something for the second night...We (with spouse) began walking May 10 and are now in Sahagun. Reserved in Borda and Roncesvailles, but after that only booked one day ahead via Whapsapp in off stages and have not had a problem at all. Empty beds in many albergues.
And about crowds, I found myself walking alone much of the time, seeing a pilgrim way ahead and behind. Because I’m 74 and slow, I was passed by a pilgrim or two throughout the day in an average 20-26 km/day. Bars not too crowded either. I expected bed races and crowds mid-May and late May, but have encountered neither yet.
This has been reported on the forum in the past, but it's a very rare occurrence, and not something I worry about. I never leave my valuables unattended, and I doubt there's any value in my dirty socks.in which people are pretending to be pilgrims and leaving albergues pre-dawn with other people's belongings
spell check has struck again.I would not necessarily advise the reverse Ignition
Hello.
I am considering walking the Camino for the first time this fall, probably beginning the third week of September in St. Jean. But I keep reading about how crowded the Camino is, including Roncesvalles being already booked up for September.
I want to be able to have space and time to walk, think, and follow my curiosity. The last thing I want is to find myself in a daily race, rushing to the next albergue, worrying about securing a bed, or working the phone, reserving beds in advance.
So I am wondering if the Camino is too crowded to allow for the kind of experience I am hoping for?
At least it was to humorous effect this time!spell check has struck again.
Yes, I recognise the rarity, but it is information that continues to dissuade me from napping in the open, anywhere... *not even* in the "camino bubble"...This has been reported on the forum in the past, but it's a very rare occurrence, and not something I worry about. I never leave my valuables unattended, and I doubt there's any value in my dirty socks.
But I definitely am not inclined to take a nap alone out in the open anywhere in the world, including the Camino.
Perhaps time for a reminder that may help to provide useful advice for the OP: The OP is planning to walk in the near future, in 2024, starting "probably beginning the third week of September in St. Jean"… the OP asks about the likelihood of conditions for a Camino walker who starts around the 16th of September 2024 in SJPP and later on. IOW, he is likely to walk much of the Camino Francés in October
There are many other Caminos that are well worth walking. They are beautiful and less crowded.Hello.
I am considering walking the Camino for the first time this fall, probably beginning the third week of September in St. Jean. But I keep reading about how crowded the Camino is, including Roncesvalles being already booked up for September.
I want to be able to have space and time to walk, think, and follow my curiosity. The last thing I want is to find myself in a daily race, rushing to the next albergue, worrying about securing a bed, or working the phone, reserving beds in advance.
So I am wondering if the Camino is too crowded to allow for the kind of experience I am hoping for?
You've got me thinking about the norte again. I wanted to walk it from Irun, but was discouraged by the lack of municipal albergues the first few days out of Irun and lack of affordable alternatives. Gronze shows Zarautz having two hotels with 25 Euro beds, but they are $44 or $45 on booking.com, no thanks. Then, I thought of starting from Irun and walking the camino vasco to Burgos and then following the frances from there, but I dislike the huge crowds after Sarria. Ultimately, I decided that I will travel to Bilbao in early September and start the norte from there, as there's no issue with municipal albergues at each etapa. I start walking early, so arriving at the albergues prior to the check-in opening time should be fine and has always worked well for me on other caminos. Best of all, I will have time to travel from Santiago to Leon and walk the San Salvador to Oviedo for that certificate.Yes. The Norte is fantastic and much, much better than the Frances. "he Invierno is also less crowded.
I do hope it will not be too crowded. I O much want to do my second Camino Frances starting around 12th of September. The first one was in September 2014 and lovely.Hello.
I am considering walking the Camino for the first time this fall, probably beginning the third week of September in St. Jean. But I keep reading about how crowded the Camino is, including Roncesvalles being already booked up for September.
I want to be able to have space and time to walk, think, and follow my curiosity. The last thing I want is to find myself in a daily race, rushing to the next albergue, worrying about securing a bed, or working the phone, reserving beds in advance.
So I am wondering if the Camino is too crowded to allow for the kind of experience I am hoping for?
I started from San Sebastian which is a fabulous city. San Salvafor is also great, although difficult CaminoYou've got me thinking about the norte again. I wanted to walk it from Irun, but was discouraged by the lack of municipal albergues the first few days out of Irun and lack of affordable alternatives. Gronze shows Zarautz having two hotels with 25 Euro beds, but they are $44 or $45 on booking.com, no thanks. Then, I thought of starting from Irun and walking the camino vasco to Burgos and then following the frances from there, but I dislike the huge crowds after Sarria. Ultimately, I decided that I will travel to Bilbao in early September and start the norte from there, as there's no issue with municipal albergues at each etapa. I start walking early, so arriving at the albergues prior to the check-in opening time should be fine and has always worked well for me on other caminos. Best of all, I will have time to travel from Santiago to Leon and walk the San Salvador to Oviedo for that certificate.
The first thing I wonder is what is the experience you're hoping for? What is that experience based on?Hello.
I am considering walking the Camino for the first time this fall, probably beginning the third week of September in St. Jean. But I keep reading about how crowded the Camino is, including Roncesvalles being already booked up for September.
I want to be able to have space and time to walk, think, and follow my curiosity. The last thing I want is to find myself in a daily race, rushing to the next albergue, worrying about securing a bed, or working the phone, reserving beds in advance.
So I am wondering if the Camino is too crowded to allow for the kind of experience I am hoping for?
.I understand your feelings about the Tui camino path. Did in early may last year. Having started my walk in Tomar, had got used to a quiet path. It got busier after Rates...them tui happened! Not complaining as such, it was kinda nice seeing the enthusiasm of the new pilgrims and the path is quite pleasant, but all the groups....that was a noticeable change.The current running total is now 18% up on last year. I walked the Portugues from Tui a few days ago and I have certainly never seen numbers like it on any Camino - even when walking the Frances in September 2016 or SJPDP to Logrono in September last year. Sitting down for a brief rest more than 50 pilgrims passed by in a few minutes. 60+ pilgrims in the bar and garden of a small rural cafe at 10:30 on a Sunday morning. Almost never out of sight of another pilgrim (and occasionally a dozen or more) for more than a minute between Caldas de Reis and Santiago. An interesting glimpse of the Portugues these days but not an experience I will be repeating any time soon.
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