Walking in late October/early November

[mango8]

Hello,

I’m planning on starting my journey in st Jean pied de port in mid- October of 2024. It is my first Camino, and I’m wondering what to expect going as the season is ending. Does anyone have experience walking this route (or any others) at this time of the year? I expect to end my trip around mid November, and I’m concerned about finding albergues, restaurants, and other places closed by this time.

I am also a solo female traveler, and I am wondering what to expect socially at this time of year- does it get quite deserted, or will I still be meeting other pilgrims along the way?

Thank you, any experience or suggestions are welcome!

 

[J Willhaus]

Once you enter Galicia, all the albergues run by the state "Xunta" albergues will be open. They have most everything you will need except kitchen ware so either buy a microwavable cup and spork enroute or bring it with you.

 

[Phil W]

@mango8, welcome to the forum. There is a winter albergue list beginning in November at https://www.aprinca.com/alberguesinvierno/ and of course gronze.com. Many albergues do close in October but if you are on the Frances, a place to sleep is available. There will be other pilgrims that you will meet. In November, the numbers may thin out. In Galicia, the Xunta albergues will be open. They are clean and pilgrim purposed.

Buen Camino!

Phil

 

[Vacajoe]

The route will be colder and quieter, but you won’t have to worry about places to sleep or eat. You’ll also have some company, just not the crowds of the walking season. Definitely consult Gronze.com or an app to see when the various albergues close. You will be walking a frequently traveled route through populated areas, so food and some sort of lodging will always be available.

 

[JabbaPapa]

If you can walk a typical 25 Km/day, you'll find places to sleep, though you'll not have much choice - - anyway it's easier in the Eastern sections in October than say December or January, and also the further along you get towards Santiago the easier it will become.

Yes there are pilgrims in October and November, so you will not be alone, unless you were unlucky enough to find yourself in an empty zone - - but if so, just speed up or slow down and you will find them. You may have an occasional night alone in an Albergue, but those can be pleasant.

Once you reach Castilia y León, quite a few private Albergues remain open all year.

 

[mspath]

mango8,

For many recent posts re walking in autumn ie October/November see this earlier thread. The days can be golden but you must be prepared for cold. In past years it was my favorite time to walk.

Whenever/wherever you do go Buen camino.

 

[jefferyonthecamino]

Hello,

I’m planning on starting my journey in st Jean pied de port in mid- October of 2024. It is my first Camino, and I’m wondering what to expect going as the season is ending. Does anyone have experience walking this route (or any others) at this time of the year? I expect to end my trip around mid November, and I’m concerned about finding albergues, restaurants, and other places closed by this time.

I am also a solo female traveler, and I am wondering what to expect socially at this time of year- does it get quite deserted, or will I still be meeting other pilgrims along the way?

Thank you, any experience or suggestions are welcome!

make sure you call/contact ahead, some places may close and you do not want to be stranded. likewise, some bars/cafes may also have closed for the season, especially the ones in smaller villages that cater mainly to pilgrims. you won't have a problem in larger towns, but smaller ones may be an issue, especially if you are counting on a place as 'end of stage'.

it will be much quieter and depending on the time of the day, you may not run into too many pilgrims.

 

[Walkalong]

We have walked the Frances from 15 October to 15 November. Never had any problems finding accommodations or open cafes, though we occasionally felt that we were just a day or so ahead of their closing.

As others have said, Gronze and the winter albergue list, which is updated in October, should show what's open. We generally don't book ahead, unless there is a particular place we'd like to stay, or a weekend in Pamplona.

You may have to plan slightly shorter or longer stages as some places close, but it is really not a problem. Where you're walking and staying is often a topic of discussion on route. Albergue operators usually know what's open in the next couple of stages and can be of great help.

I've walked from mid-October to Easter and have never felt the Camino was deserted. There is certainly no bed race, and only the occasional tour bus group - usually in the last 100 km.

Within the first few days, or week, we're usually walking with the same cohort and meet people with whom we share breaks and meals. This is certainly the case when staying at public albergues or those run by associations.

Buen Camino,

 

[lt56ny]

Hello,

I’m planning on starting my journey in st Jean pied de port in mid- October of 2024. It is my first Camino, and I’m wondering what to expect going as the season is ending. Does anyone have experience walking this route (or any others) at this time of the year? I expect to end my trip around mid November, and I’m concerned about finding albergues, restaurants, and other places closed by this time.

I am also a solo female traveler, and I am wondering what to expect socially at this time of year- does it get quite deserted, or will I still be meeting other pilgrims along the way?

Thank you, any experience or suggestions are welcome!

I have walked many times during this time frame and even later. I have incorporated a little of the CF in my caminos. I walk less traveled caminos now. But two years ago after I arrived in Burgos on the Vasco I walked the Meseta.
Someone mentioned APrinca.com, its a good site. I would also say have Buen Camino and Wise Pilgrim and Gronze at your disposal. It just gives you more choices as no app or website is 100% accurate to open/closed albergues. Even when an albergue owner tells apps or APrinca they will be open on certain dates, they still may close for a variety of reasons. I call ahead in small towns and villages to make sure an albergue is open. I have never on any camino not been able to find a place to lay my head. On quieter caminos I do a little planning by sometimes calling a couple of days out to make sure where I would like to stop has an open albergue. On the CF this has never been a problem.
When it comes to other pilgrims. Of course it is quieter the later in the year you get but on the CF you will never be want for other pilgrims. In fact many albergues can be pretty crowded as there are fewer that are open. It is a great time to walk. If you are walking a camino like the Vasco, Aragones or VDLP, yes you will be alone alot. The CF not a problem. Last year after I walked finished the Meseta I took a bus to Porto and walked the Coastal CP. It was quiet up until Spain. Then I came across some pilgrims during the day and there were always some in albergues at night and this was at the very end of November.

 

[Kathy F.]

I'm planning on doing the Via de la Plata starting in mid-September. Although I won't see you on the CF, I will be with you in spirit! Maybe I'll run into you in the Pilgrim Office!!

 

[LTfit]

The second time I walked from SJPDP to Santiago I did it in October/November and had absolutely no problem finding albergues open. There were just enough pilgrims but not too many.

Weather was great going over the Pyrenees, in fact better than my first time in July but you never know in advance. I didn't even have snow in Foncebadón or O Cebreiro although I woke up to snow leaving Atapuerca which was surprising. It snowed all the way until about 5 km from Burgos never to return.

Hope the weather gods are with you.

 

[WalkingLester]

It’s a good time to walk. Not too many pilgrims. Many places are still open. In my experience no guide will be 100% accurate so you have to contact the albergues directly to find out if they are still open. Don’t assume any place is open based on what you read. As you progress in your walk more and more places will be closing. Last year many places that were listed as open until the end of October wound up closing in mid or early October because there had been a high number of pilgrims in September and early October and people were tired. I have also found that when the weather is particularly poor in the shoulder seasons, such as March and October, lodgings tend to close as pilgrim numbers decrease with bad weather (this is just an observation, based on some assumptions, so YMMV). Also I found that often I would expect a communal dinner because gronze or another guide said there would be one. But then the hospitaleros told me there weren’t enough pilgrims to justify making one.
In summary, you will meet other pilgrims and you will find places to sleep.

 

[MARSKA]

Be prepared for rain! Oct/Nov are rainy months.

 

[AlainC]

I concur with many of the comments already made. Finding a place to lay your head at night should not be a problem. Last year, I was a hospitalero in Ponferrada from mid to end of October, at the parrochial albergue San Nicolas de Fluie. We were getting 60 to 80 pilgrims each day, and that's only one of many albergues in Ponferrada. It started to thin out at the end of October but the numbers were still in the 40-50. As mentioned already, be prepared for colder temperature and lots of rain. After I left Spain in November, the hospitalero that replaced me e-mailed me that there was snow at the higher elevation in the Bierzo. Make sure that you have adequate clothing and a good sleeping bag with you as some albergues may not have the heat turned on yet in October.

 

[Gobsmacked by the World]

I've been forced to cancel (reschedule?) my Camino, I was to be on the plane as I write this, and cannot be free until late October. Obviously I am disappointed, but then it got me thinking about a late October/November CF. I came across this thread and hope to seek the advice of the obviously more travelled members.
How 'quiet' is it during this timeframe? While I don't like crowds, a few people does make the day go faster.
What conditions (obviously rain) should be prepared for? I've two packs, a 30l and 45l. I was going to take my 30l for my trip, but wonder if a November trip the 45l might be better, thoughts? Clothing would obviously more than shorts and t-shirts...
And a more vague question, what is the 'vibe' of a November Camino like?
Thank you for entering this query.

 

[J Willhaus]

I love the winter. Much more like an intimate community than a hoard walking. I use my Altus ponch and a synthetic puffer jacket...

 

[edumad]

Thanks for all the great info. I'm thinking of walking the Frances starting in SJPdP in the last week of September.
From what I read, it should not be a huge problem not to book everything ahead of time. I should expect fewer albergue options, but still quite alright.
I've done the Frances from Burgos in March and loved it, despite the cold. Few pilgrims, but never a problem with accomodation.

About weather, should I assume more rain? Temperatures? I see on the internet 15-20C, seems vague.
Any advise on stages, versus the classic ones which I assume are for mainstream season?