The Invierno is gaining in popularity

[DoughnutANZ]

This graph shows numbers and trends by month of Compostelas issued for Pilgrims on the Camino Invierno (as defined by the Pilgrim Office).

Keep in mind that the data is by month of arrival in Santiago de Compostela.

It is interesting to note that there has been a significant jump in numbers of Pilgrims during June and July this year. Perhaps those promoting this pretty Camino are seeing results from their activity. July's numbers have more than doubled and it will be interesting to see what August and September bring.

 

[FRM]

I think this speaks to the overcrowding on the Frances from O’Cebreiro onwards. Nice to have another option.

 

[jungleboy]

So the explosion of pilgrims on the Invierno that @peregrina2000 has predicted for years is finally starting to happen!

 

[C clearly]

So the explosion of pilgrims on the Invierno that @peregrina2000 has predicted for years is finally starting to happen!

I arrived from the Invierno on June 1 and it didn't feel like there had been any explosion in May. Maybe it happened later in the month. It was also interesting that most pilgrims on the Invierno were Spanish.
[Edited to correct misreading of the graph]

 

[StephenHLanark]

I arrived from the Invierno on June 1 and there had certainly been no explosion in May - you can see from the graph that June 2022 arrivals were down from 2019. It was also interesting that most pilgrims on the Invierno were Spanish.

I walked the invierno in May this year and only met one other pilgrim during the first 5 days. Some more thereafter but never more than 10 a day until SdC.

 

[DoughnutANZ]

I arrived from the Invierno on June 1 and there had certainly been no explosion in May - you can see from the graph that June 2022 arrivals were down from 2019. It was also interesting that most pilgrims on the Invierno were Spanish.

Perhaps you meant to say May rather than June. In June 2022 there were three times more Pilgrims than in 2019. A 200% increase is certainly an explosion in my language.

 

[VNwalking]

The numbers affirm the feeling I get reading posts here - it's not only the camino addicts among us who consider walking this route, but first-time pilgrims too.
Brierley has written a guidebook - that has probably helped.

 

[C clearly]

Perhaps you meant to say May rather than June.

You are right - I misread the graph!

Perhaps those later June arrivals are the masses that started from SJPP in May.

 

[DoughnutANZ]

You are right - I misread the graph!

Perhaps those later June arrivals are the masses that started from SJPP in May.

Possibly, unfortunately no one except the Pilgrim Office can tell but it is massively different from prior years and the month after is even bigger again whereas Frances walkers from SJPdP taper off in July and so I don't think that they (Frances walkers) account for the increased popularity.

Perhaps as @VNwalking mentioned, it is the effect of the Brierly Guide and perhaps it is a combination of things including promotion of this particular Camino on this forum.

 

[SuedeCrush]

I know my group made up four people finishing on July 27.
While we didn't walk the whole route due to the wildfires that started the day before we were going to begin, forcing a start in Monforte, we only had one other pilgrim we saw on a daily basis, and he said he hadn't seen anybody the first few days out of Ponferrada. Although he himself had been put on a bus by the evacuation teams at O Barco and shipped to Monforte because of the fires.
.
After Silleda we bumped into two groups, a dozen or so 18-20 year old women just outside Dornelas on the way to Ponte Ulla. And a large group (at least 30 people) of retirees who had a bus meet them at night with all their gear, who we started seeing around Bandeira. So who knows which route they were walking. They could have been coming from the Via de la Plata.

 

[André Walker]

We only had one other pilgrim we saw on a daily basis, and he said he hadn't seen anybody the first few days out of Ponferrada.

It was the same for me when I was on the Invierno the last half of June. Apart from a group of 4 Portugese pilgrims and 1 German I didn’t see anyone else. Until I got to the Sanabres (VdlP) that is.

 

[D74]

I'm starting the Invierno early next week, here's hoping I meet a few other pilgrims along the way. Did you all enjoy the route? Any places to look out for?

 

[VNwalking]

Did you all enjoy the route? Any places to look out for?

Yes and yes.
If you go over here and start with the pinned threads at the top of the menu you'll find no shortage of answers to that question.

 

[D74]

Yes and yes.
If you go over here and start with the pinned threads at the top of the menu you'll find no shortage of answers to that question.

Glad to hear it. Thanks, I shall take a look at your handy link.

 

[C clearly]

I shall take a look at your handy link.

If you go over here and start with the pinned threads at the top of the menu you'll find no shortage of answers to that question.

Thanks for pointing this out. There are a lot of oldish threads pinned there, so people should also be aware that they need to scroll down to see the newest threads.

 

[D74]

Can any of you comment on how solitary the Invierno is? I like the idea of walking alone, but then enjoy talking with pilgrims at the end of the day in a cafe, bar or albergue. I get the impression this may not be possible on this route.

I arrive in santiago on the afternoon of the 11th, and fly out on the morning of the 24th. I've heard great things about the Primitivo, but had to change to the invierno as I didn't think I had the time to complete it.

 

[C clearly]

One person's experience can be very different from another, and it is very hard to predict. There will likely be few enough pilgrims that you could be alone, depending on the luck of the draw. My first few days were solitary, but then I had a couple of days with 2 fellows and then my last several days were with my new 3 amigos. (Not walking together always, but usually seeing each other.) Having that company made a big difference to me, even though I am generally happy on my own. So, it is good to be aware of that possibility. However, given the large numbers on the Frances in late September, my guess is that there will be more than a few who choose the Invierno for the last part.

 

[VNwalking]

@Cclearly has the more up-to-date experience, but in 2019 I was able to connect to other pilgrims (one or two at the most) at the end of the day only on the first two days and the last two days.

 

[D74]

One person's experience can be very different from another, and it is very hard to predict. There will likely be few enough pilgrims that you could be alone, depending on the luck of the draw. My first few days were solitary, but then I had a couple of days with 2 fellows and then my last several days were with my new 3 amigos. (Not walking together always, but usually seeing each other.) Having that company made a big difference to me, even though I am generally happy on my own. So, it is good to be aware of that possibility. However, given the large numbers on the Frances in late September, my guess is that there will be more than a few who choose the Invierno for the last part.

This is super helpful, thanks for taking the time to reply and let me know what your experience was like on the Invierno. I know what you mean about company, you can be perfectly happy walking on your own and then after meeting someone and chatting you realise how much you've missed having a walk and talk with a fellow pilgrim.

 

[D74]

@Cclearly has the more up-to-date experience, but in 2019 I was able to connect to other pilgrims (one or two at the most) at the end of the day only on the first two days and the last two days.

That's helpful to know, thanks @VNwalking

 

[Flog]

This time last year I walked it mostly alone and met only a half dozen others, but it was enough to have a nice connection and reassuring to know there were others about.

I agree with @VNwalking, Brierley's guide is probably the main catalyst for the uptake this year. Folk who have already walked the Frances and familiar with his layout and format would be comfortable enough adapting themselves to this route IMO..

 

[D74]

This time last year I walked it mostly alone and met only a half dozen others, but it was enough to have a nice connection and reassuring to know there were others about.

I agree with @VNwalking, Brierley's guide is probably the main catalyst for the uptake this year. Folk who have already walked the Frances and familiar with his layout and format would be comfortable enough adapting themselves to this route IMO..

thank you

 

[JabbaPapa]

I think this speaks to the overcrowding on the Frances from O’Cebreiro onwards. Nice to have another option.

My hitch-hike back to France on my 1993 more or less followed the Invierno for the first 100K, and it's more than just the crowd avoidance - - it's a lovely area.

 

[Sydney jen]

I'm starting the Invierno early next week, here's hoping I meet a few other pilgrims along the way. Did you all enjoy the route? Any places to look out for?

A friend and I start from ponferrada on Monday

 

[peregrina2000]

Following up on the summer report of an Invierno surge, it does indeed look like the snowball is finally rolling.

A friend who is planning a Camino was asking me about the Invierno and the pilgrim numbers. A quick search of pilgrim office statistics yields more than a doubling for the last two years.

2020 - 406
2021- 932
2022- 2352

I think I started predicting this snowball back in 2008 or 09, so you can see how great my crystal ball is. But this looks like the real thing.

Brierley + millions of € spent by Xunta = lots of pilgrims.

 

[VNwalking]

Brierley + millions of € spent by Xunta = lots of pilgrims.

Selfishly I'm very glad to have walked it before that happened. And...wonderful that others will get to enjoy it.

I'm betting Brierley had a huge impact. It made information about this route more accessible to the average Frances pilgrim as opposed to us fanatics.

 

[Flog]

I'm betting Brierley had a huge impact.

He has no doubt helped put it on the map..

 

[DoughnutANZ]

I think I started predicting this snowball back in 2008 or 09, so you can see how great my crystal ball is. But this looks like the real thing.

Brierley + millions of € spent by Xunta = lots of pilgrims.

I suspect that your modesty under appreciates your own personal advocacy.