Weekday vs weekend

[Holly5L]

Hello!
I was wondering if these change between weekdays and weekends:
- Number of people on the route
- Opening hours & availability of services on the route

Any info appreciated. Thanks!

 

[Deleted member 3000]

If you are asking about the high season, places are open pretty much the same hours with the exception of small markets, which may close on Sunday. Most stores close midday.

Pilgrims start at the major departure points on Friday and Saturday mostly, so there is always a hump moving down the Camino. To avoid it, start on a Monday.

 

[Holly5L]

Great, thanks falcon269!
I'm thinking the first or the second week of September. If anything is different then (would it be considered low season by then?) let me know!

 

[ebrandt]

You didn't ask, but the bus schedule may be different on the weekend (there are fewer times) so think about that if you are planning to bus back to Santiago. L

 

[MTtoCamino]

So few people walk the route it seems I never saw more than 8 people in a day. An Aussie family & I walked it in 3 days, With no problem finding a bed. The biggest problem is finding markers, the arrows were green but could be yellow at times or you had to look close & find the stone monuments in the brush. Also the alburgue's are much fewer & farther apart. When you arrive above Corcubion & see the ocean for the first time it simply is an incredible moment after walking from France. You will be glad you take the time for it. If I walk it again in the future I will walk to Muxia & then over to Finnesterre. But it will add an additional day or two. I arrived in Finnesterre on May 11 2014

 

[Holly5L]

You didn't ask, but the bus schedule may be different on the weekend (there are fewer times) so think about that if you are planning to bus back to Santiago. L

Good point, Liz! Thanks!

 

[Holly5L]

So few people walk the route it seems I never saw more than 8 people in a day. An Aussie family & I walked it in 3 days, With no problem finding a bed. The biggest problem is finding markers, the arrows were green but could be yellow at times or you had to look close & find the stone monuments in the brush. Also the alburgue's are much fewer & farther apart. When you arrive above Corcubion & see the ocean for the first time it simply is an incredible moment after walking from France. You will be glad you take the time for it. If I walk it again in the future I will walk to Muxia & then over to Finnesterre. But it will add an additional day or two. I arrived in Finnesterre on May 11 2014

Route marking (lack there of...) would be a new element. Would you say it's easy to take a wrong turn?

 

[MTtoCamino]

I would say get a good guide book with maps. The map we had was to large an area with no good definition on roads or villages. We would simply stop and check each direction until we found a marker. It helps to have a group in those instances. My worse mistake on my walk was a 10k after my usual 2pm beer. Simply assumed a direction after 2 cold ones had nothing to do with common sense or maps. It was on the very well marked Francis.
Brierley has a good one from Santiago to either Muxia or Finnesterre or both.

 

[Scott Sweeney]

Days seem to blend together , you attend more often so Sundays seem everyday, you don't shop for anything but food (&wine), your face is warmed by the sun and cooled as it touches you.....weekday or weekend, Monday or Friday. Its all one.

 

[Holly5L]

Thank you MTtoCamino! I will definitely have to do some homework.

Scott, that sounds amazing. Thank you for putting it in perspective

 

[Thornley]

Thank you MTtoCamino! I will definitely have to do some homework.

Scott, that sounds amazing. Thank you for putting it in perspective

Start on a monday
Take 4 days to Muxia
Take a extra and walk to Finisterre

 

[Holly5L]

@Thornley, is there any reason why you'd do SdC-Muxia-Finisterre, rather than SdC-Finisterre-Muxia? Opinions seem to be divided and I'm not sure what we'll do yet.

 

[Thornley]

@Thornley, is there any reason why you'd do SdC-Muxia-Finisterre, rather than SdC-Finisterre-Muxia? Opinions seem to be divided and I'm not sure what we'll do yet.

More transport options from Finisterre when leaving.
However I'm a Muxia man and would not miss if time is a problem.

The 4 days being;
Santuiago -Negieri [ Hotel Tamara] -Sta Marina [ Alber ] - Cee [ Hotel on beach front] - Finisterre
This was continuing onwards after starting in StJpDP

'Santiago- Negieri - Dumbria [alb. build by owner of Zara , great] - Muxia [ Bella Muxia Alb or a classy option being Hotel Rustico /Vinoteca Lorena].....once we got here we stayed 3 nights because of the festival , we had walked the Norte and regarded it as the end after listening to the spanish people we had encountered over the previous years.

 

[Holly5L]

@Thornley, thank you for the recommendations!