It’s Crazy Busy out here!

[Becky 59]

We are in Pontedueme tonight, after starting from Ferrol yesterday on Sunday am August Aug 4. We stayed in Neda last night at the municipal albergue (28 bunks, all full, with 2 overflow in a tent outside and 2 more on couches). After our albergue mates left us in the dust (did I mention we are tortugas?!), we must have seen another 40+ people today, many in groups of 8 or so. There was also a group of 25 that left Ferrol early before us. I wonder if I am seeing a “start of the week beginning a week vacation on the Ingles” bump. Wouldn’t it be great if these numbers brought about new infrastructure?
Many postings in the past have reported few native English speakers, which is definitely the case this week; indeed most seem to be Spanish, followed by Italians. The average age so far seems heavily weighted to the 20-35 crowd. We lucked out and got inside the Monastery San Martin, 9 miles outside Ferrol; it is only open on Sat and Sun.

 

[frontiers]

Thanks for the post.

I was planning to start the Inglés from Ferrol on the 9th and walk to either Fisterra or Muxia.
However, I have also been considering the Invierno, among other things, precisely to avoid crowds. In fact, I am still oscillating between the two ...

Although I have arranged tickets to Ferrol I could still make a last minute change and swap trains in Madrid.
@Becky 59, as you are perceiving it, do you think that the Inglés may actually turn into a bed racing unless reservations are made in advance? That is something I definitely would like to avoid ...

On the other hand, for those having walked the Invierno, if you are so kind to give your opinion, I'd appreciate it. I have max 12 days (ideally 11) to make it to Santiago. I'm not physically in shape to walk it in 10 days as suggested in Gronze ... Besides, although I quite enjoy solitude I'd still like to see someone in the road every so often. Do you think this balance can be achieved at this point? Most likely it will, in the next few years ...

 

[NorthernLight]

Many caminos have a bubble of people who start walking on a weekend. If you delay, and start on Monday through Thursday, you miss the crowds ... and potentially see few people.

 

[VNwalking]

On the other hand, for those having walked the Invierno, if you are so kind to give your opinion,

The Invierno is much more sparsely populated by pilgrims than the Ingles - but I saw people every day on the Invierno, as many as eight and as few as one. I enjoyed the Ingles last year (from A Coruna) but there were definitely more people than the Invierno...and it sounds like this year is more crowded than last. But @NorthernLight is right: starting on the weekend puts you right in the middle of 'bubble days;' they're best avoided.

So it depends just how in shape you are. 11 days is quite feasible, but for some people it would feel like a rush. I walked in 14, purposefully taking my time - and could have easily done it in 12. And I wasn't wanting the killer day or two that it would have taken to do it in less than that. But everyone's different. If you can walk 35 hilly kms without crashing the next day, go for it.

 

[Becky 59]

Many caminos have a bubble of people who start walking on a weekend. If you delay, and start on Monday through Thursday, you miss the crowds ... and potentially see few people.

I agree. And because we are doing a slow Camino (15 km per day or less), I’m hoping everyone outpaces us. I’ll post more as we go!

 

[Betterisgood]

Hello,
My thoughts, I walked the invierno in 9 days during semana santa this year, I think if we had the time to cut the two 35km days making it 11 it would have been a much easier time, I do think you could get it done in 11 and if you have 12 days free you are covered for any surprises. We saw one group of jubilados just before As Médulas and no one else until the last 2 days after Lalin. However the places we stayed said they had pilgrims the nights before us so they were out there, we stayed in hostals not albergues. My gut tells me if there are more walking the inglés there will be more walking the invierno as well now so I imagine you will have solitude and enjoy seeing other pilgrims. It is a gorgeous walk.
I live in A Coruña so I have walked the inglés as training many times. We always see people but they spread out so you can find solitude, but we have never stayed overnight so I can't comment on the bed situation. The inglés is also beautiful.
I don't think you can go wrong either way. Actually we are leaving now to walk Pontedeume to Miño.
Buen Camino
MaryEllen

 

[frontiers]

Thank you very much to you all for your kind replies. I shall take your comments very much into account.

Many caminos have a bubble of people who start walking on a weekend. If you delay, and start on Monday through Thursday, you miss the crowds ... and potentially see few people.

Indeed, I had not thought about the weekend bubble. Thank you for bringing it up. Unfortunately, delaying the start date from Ferrol is not a possibility since all train tickets in my route were already sold out around those dates when I bought mine. Besides, since next week is quite a special one (possibly one of the busiest in Spain as there is a national holiday on the 15th and right in the middle of August), I’m unsure in this occasion whether I would avoid a bubble or else get caught in another great bubble.

So it depends just how in shape you are. 11 days is quite feasible, but for some people it would feel like a rush. I walked in 14, purposefully taking my time - and could have easily done it in 12. And I wasn't wanting the killer day or two that it would have taken to do it in less than that. But everyone's different. If you can walk 35 hilly kms without crashing the next day, go for it.

My thoughts, I walked the invierno in 9 days during semana santa this year, I think if we had the time to cut the two 35km days making it 11 it would have been a much easier time, I do think you could get it done in 11 and if you have 12 days free you are covered for any surprises. We saw one group of jubilados just before As Médulas and no one else until the last 2 days after Lalin. However the places we stayed said they had pilgrims the nights before us so they were out there, we stayed in hostals not albergues. My gut tells me if there are more walking the inglés there will be more walking the invierno as well now so I imagine you will have solitude and enjoy seeing other pilgrims. It is a gorgeous walk.

I do appreciate all your comments . These last days I have also been checking quite thoroughly the description of the different stages. All in all, I believe I would need all those 12 days if I don't want to push myself over an edge that I'm not willing to visit. Regarding the solitude, I'll digest your comments and see how I feel about it.

I don't think you can go wrong either way. Actually we are leaving now to walk Pontedeume to Miño.

Have a very nice walk! Certainly, this is the bottom line, which I will try not to forget.

I’ll post more as we go!

Thanks for sharing your experience. ¡Buen camino!

Whichever camino I end up doing, although it might need, at times, a bit of conversation with reality, I'm sure it will certainly be a great experience.

 

[VNwalking]

@frontiers , have you seen this thread?
There are lots of good descriptions there!

https://www.caminodesantiago.me/community/threads/if-youre-planning-to-walk-the-invierno.63049/

Buen camino, wherever you end up walking!

 

[frontiers]

@frontiers , have you seen this thread?
There are lots of good descriptions there!

https://www.caminodesantiago.me/community/threads/if-youre-planning-to-walk-the-invierno.63049/

Wow! I hadn't seen it. I have read some of the threads included therein but that is a gold mine!
It will keep me entertained for a little while .
Thanks, @VNwalking!

Buen camino, wherever you end up walking!

 

[MarkyD]

We are in Pontedueme tonight, after starting from Ferrol yesterday on Sunday am August Aug 4. We stayed in Neda last night at the municipal albergue (28 bunks, all full, with 2 overflow in a tent outside and 2 more on couches). After our albergue mates left us in the dust (did I mention we are tortugas?!), we must have seen another 40+ people today, many in groups of 8 or so. There was also a group of 25 that left Ferrol early before us. I wonder if I am seeing a “start of the week beginning a week vacation on the Ingles” bump. Wouldn’t it be great if these numbers brought about new infrastructure?
Many postings in the past have reported few native English speakers, which is definitely the case this week; indeed most seem to be Spanish, followed by Italians. The average age so far seems heavily weighted to the 20-35 crowd. We lucked out and got inside the Monastery San Martin, 9 miles outside Ferrol; it is only open on Sat and Sun.

Many Spanish have all or most of August off. This would be peak time for many of them to do the shorter Caminos or 1-2 week sections on the longer more northerly Caminos. A YouTube channel "De rutas y sendas" has popularised many routes with commentary by the intrepid Spanish couple, both for walking and cycling.

 

[Former member 49149]

We are in Pontedueme tonight, after starting from Ferrol yesterday on Sunday am August Aug 4. We stayed in Neda last night at the municipal albergue (28 bunks, all full, with 2 overflow in a tent outside and 2 more on couches). After our albergue mates left us in the dust (did I mention we are tortugas?!), we must have seen another 40+ people today, many in groups of 8 or so. There was also a group of 25 that left Ferrol early before us. I wonder if I am seeing a “start of the week beginning a week vacation on the Ingles” bump. Wouldn’t it be great if these numbers brought about new infrastructure?
Many postings in the past have reported few native English speakers, which is definitely the case this week; indeed most seem to be Spanish, followed by Italians. The average age so far seems heavily weighted to the 20-35 crowd. We lucked out and got inside the Monastery San Martin, 9 miles outside Ferrol; it is only open on Sat and Sun.

Hope you had a good day today. We are following you, in Pontedeume now. I saw your Neda situation repeated yesterday as went to see about getting a stamp. We spoke to a young Spanish couple who had arrived just around n.oon and got the last beds. I had taken note of various signs of bed difficulties so chose to reserve ahead. This takes away pressure, but it has its shadow side in that pensions, hostal etc are not albergues, specially for peregrinos...

 

[Harlan Sager]

How did you get from Canterbury to Spain for the Camino Ingles?

 

[Becky 59]

@kirkie, Neda was the first albergue our 20 y/o daughter stayed in, and she’s a convert! A group of Italians shared their midday meal with her when they heard she was hungry. Now she wants to stay just in albergues! We are taking a slow Camino, and with short days will be getting into towns early enough to find beds without trouble. We’re shooting for Betanzos on Wed night, only a bit over 10 km. PM me if we can meet there!

 

[Becky 59]

Another update for anyone who is still following: we are in Mesón do Vento tonight at one of the hotels. It seems the bulk of the big Italian crowd came through last night, the barmaid at our hotel was still recovering today from their onslaught. Even though the weekend bubble has passed on ahead, there is still a bit of a bed crunch. I talked to a number of perigrinos who are taxiing forward for beds because places are full.

 

[frontiers]

Another update for anyone who is still following: we are in Mesón do Vento tonight at one of the hotels. It seems the bulk of the big Italian crowd came through last night, the barmaid at our hotel was still recovering today from their onslaught. Even though the weekend bubble has passed on ahead, there is still a bit of a bed crunch. I talked to a number of perigrinos who are taxiing forward for beds because places are full.

Thanks for the update!

Well, finally walking the Inglés and early arrival to Neda. I finally booked ahead the first nights. Invierno seems very special and I rather have it properly planned (and myself in better shape) to enjoy it at its fullest.

Just for future reference, I had a chat with the lady running the pension and the bubble (here in Neda) seems to go as follows: most people stopping here start walking either on Sunday or Monday. Exceptionally, the bubble may spread (as was the case this week) until Tuesday-Wednesday. The rationale for that Sunday start (she was pretty confident on that) was the willingness to arrive in Santiago just before the weekend and then stay there during the weekend.

Today, at noon not only the albergue was not full, it was not even opened! Just saw a couple of pilgrims there having some snacks before heading towards Pontedeume.
I have not seen many on the way here, but I am sure that throughout the day, the numbers will increase.
Also, and contrary to the weather forecast during the previous days, so far there has been a little bit of sun and not even a drop of gentle orballo.

 

[KinkyOne]

...
Just for future reference, I had a chat with the lady running the pension and the bubble (here in Neda) seems to go as follows: most people stopping here start walking either on Sunday or Monday. Exceptionally, the bubble may spread (as was the case this week) until Tuesday-Wednesday. The rationale for that Sunday start (she was pretty confident on that) was the willingness to arrive in Santiago just before the weekend and then stay there during the weekend.
...

Yes that might be so in case of Ingles because of its lenght.

But otherwise there are bubbles in other main starting cities/villages that form on weekends because Spanish pilgrims often start walking already on Friday, rest of Europeans on Saturday and people from across the globe on Sunday. It depends on the time needed to come from your home to the starting point.

As self-employed I don't have those time constraints and also airfares are lower during the week so I always tried to start on a working day. That also allows me to get into rhythm with everything opened until I hit Sunday

 

[gerip]

Many caminos have a bubble of people who start walking on a weekend. If you delay, and start on Monday through Thursday, you miss the crowds ... and potentially see few people.

Good. I'm starting on Thursday, 26 September. What will the weather be like, though?

 

[KinkyOne]

Good. I'm starting on Thursday, 26 September. What will the weather be like, though?

I guess it depends on the weather