When is the pilgrim traffic the Highest?

[ilovelife]

What time of year is there the most pilgrim traffic?

From what I have read on this forum so far it seems as if the general consensus as to when the 'best' time of year to walk the camino is late April to May as the weather is kinder and the smells are fragrant.

However, when is there the most traffic? Is it at the same time as stated above? I was thinking since I will be doing this alone that having a busy trail filled with people would be safer than going at a time when seeing people on the trail may be hard to come by.

Any feedback?

Thanks so much.
Noto.

 

[lindseh]

Pilgrims on the Camino frances are never hard to come by. Only in the winter do the numbers significantly drop. You don't need to go at the busiest time to avoid being alone. But I believe the time you mentioned is the busiest for departures from SJPP, those stats are on here somewhere. Buen camino!

 

[tyrrek]

Hi!

I'm afraid there isn't really an answer. The stats collected relate to people arriving in Santiago, and the summer months are busiest by that definition. But where did they start? A large number will have started fairly close to Santiago due to time constraints of summer holidays etc. So for the rest of the Camino the published figures may not be so useful, as pilgrims walking the longer routes might try to avoid the summer heat and start in spring or autumn. It's a minefield, and once you add in those who both start and end outside Santiago it gets worse!

Gosh! Buen Camino!

 

[AndrzejG]

http://peregrinossantiago.es/eng/pilgri ... 2012&mes=8

August was the most highest traffic month in 2012.

Buen camino.

 

[William Marques]

The greatest number of people start from all points in August. From St Jean and Roncesvalles the second busiest month for starts is June to arrive in Santiago on St James Day from towns closer to Santiago where the journey is shorter July is the second most popular. September is next most popular and then the figures are distorted on a year on year basis by the Easter break and other public holidays.

 

[lindseh]

I've been curious since I responded to this and wanted to find the statistics again that I saw before. This shows pilgrims leaving SJPP in 2012 (it's in French, but you can look at the charts.) Of course, not everyone who starts walking from SJPP walk to Santiago. But as you can see, May is an extremely popular month.

http://www.aucoeurduchemin.org/spip/IMG/pdf/stats12.pdf

 

[Magnara]

We walked Jan/Feb from SJPP and only saw about 6 pilgrims the whole way. We loved being alone on the track but it's not the time to go alone.

 

[billmclaughlin]

The SJPP statistics record people who start there regardless of their planned destination, people who end there, and people who pass through. When I was there recently, I watched as they counted us equally: I was ending there after starting in Le Puy, others were starting and headed for Burgos in one case and Santiago in another, others had been on the route from Le Puy and planned to finish in either Roncevaux, Pamplona, or Santiago.

Their statics are a very unreliable data point that just represents what the Acceuil says: people who checked in at their office.

 

[Peadarmac]

Hi Noto,
I walked from St JPP to Belorado earlier this year (2013) from May 15th to May 26th and it was very busy.When I enquired many Hospitaleros confirmed that the month of May was as busy if not busier than the summer months !! If travelling alone you will have many fellow peregrinos for company along the road all heading in the same direction and always willing to share information on albergues and directions.

Just a word of warning about the weather though.I had to walk through snow showers on the Rue de Napoleon from Orisson to Roncesvalles(May 16th) and also from Zubiri to Pamplona (May 18th).I believe the Napoleon route was closed on May 17th for a few days.

Although travelling on my own I had many fellow peregrinos to walk with and I was very grateful for their company and friendliness.

Buen Camino !!

 

[paladycamino]

Thank you Peadarmac. I was thinking May would be a good month because children are still in school and it is not holiday months. I guess I had my USA hat on in that thinking. I was hoping to go in a month that was good weather (not to hot or cold) and not to busy. Plus that month worked for me. There is something to be said about having many others when you are going alone. So I guess I will stick with May.

 

[t2andreo]

I have three points to offer today on this subject:

1. If you were to strip out the über cold months of December through March; the hottest and busiest time of the year - say the third week of June when schools across Europe get out, to mid-September; you are logically left with two "donut holes."

One is the period AFTER the Easter holiday break (Easter is 20 April in 2014), and before the third week of June, más o menas... Before that and the weather works against you unless you love mud, rain and snow...

The other "donut hole" is from about mid-September to the end of November, before the weather turns wintry. I note in passing that there were many reports on the forum about the increased traffic on the Camino Frances (C/F) during the autumnal "donut hole."

More and more folks, especially those of us "of a certain age" who perhaps are retired or self-employed and have the flexibility to do the C/F during the spring "donut hole" season are doing so. The flowers are in bloom, fragrances abound, the weather is variable but not overly extreme, most facilities are open for "the season" and the traffic is manageable. This said, I might try the autumn time in future.

2. Also, the global economy being what it is, and especially in Europe, there are more folks with time on their hands who decide for whatever reason to do a Camino. The result is an uptick in overall numbers during even this "donut hole" time period. This past April and May on the C/F, I heard many anecdotal stories about "completo" albuergues at 13:00 in the afternoon and the "race for a bed." I am just sayin... I do not make the news. I just report it…

3. Lastly, there are three; religious, cultural, and historic reasons why, during ALL of 2014, there may be an overall uptick in the pilgrim numbers across all months in 2014. These reasons, in my opinion, include:

A. (Religious) The new Catholic Pope Francis I is extraordinarily popular. He took the name of the Catholic saint who he most wanted to pattern his Pontificate after, Saint Francis of Assisi (Italy).​

B. (Cultural) Recently, Time Magazine named Pope Francis as its “Person of the Year.” Although this is a secular and cultural distinction, it does highlight the popularity and acclaim for this figure from around the world. People like and admire him, even among secularists and some atheists.​

C. (Historic) The year 2014 marks the 800th anniversary of the personal pilgrimage of Saint Francis of Assisi from Assisi, Italy to Santiago de Compostela in the year 1214. St. Francis departed Assisi during 1213.​

He and his traveling party walked north then west out of Italy, into southern France, across Provence, and south across the Pyrenees into Iberia at the Somport Pass in the north portion of the then Kingdom of Aragon. His route proceeded south to the town of Jaca and turned to the west.​

His route then joined the main Camino Frances route at Puente la Reina in the then Kingdom of Navarra. From there, he traveled on the same route that the Camino Frances tracks today, albeit it with appropriate and necessary detours over the millenia.​

By official records and historical accounts it took him until 1214 to complete his Camino to Santiago de Compostela, and until 1215 to walk back to Assisi.​

Hence, and in my considered opinion, I believe there will be many persons feeling a devotion towards, or an affinity towards Francis of Assisi who might seek to celebrate this anniversary by walking the route.

So, be prepared…just-in-case...

 

[Al the optimist]

O Cebreiro? Sorry, it is the silly season isn't it?

 

[Pelegrin]

"C. (Historic) The year 2014 marks the 800th anniversary of the personal pilgrimage of Saint Francis of Assisi from Assisi, Italy to Santiago de Compostela in the year 1214. St. Francis departed Assisi during 1213."


In 1213, the muslims still ocuppied almost all Andalucia and Extremadura, so, if you wanted to do, for example, Via de la Plata in a safe way, necessarily you had to start it in Salamanca.

​

 

[KiwiNomad06]

Many people start from SJPP around May 1st, and every year people report how crowded it is at the SJPP end early in May. This year in particular, that 'crowd' seemed to last for most of May. Early September also seems to bring another huge wave of 'starts' from this end.
Margaret

 

[Rebekah Scott]

I echo what Margaret says above, based on real experience. Out here on the perimeter, we are POUNDED in May and September. They are probably heaviest of all these days. September 10 this year we packed TEN pilgrims into our house, which is outfitted for five max. The hostal and albergue were also packed out, as was the entire camino from Calzadilla de la Cueza to Bercianos. I never saw the like, even in Holy Years.

 

[t2andreo]

Is everyone aware that the film "The Way" has been, or is shortly to be re-released dubbed into French in France? I read about this several months back. However, if the result is anything like the one among English-speaking persons worldwide, everyone should be prepared for an uptick in the number of French pilgrims spread over the entire calendar.

I know the film was available in an English-Dutch version because I bought several copies at the local Media Markt in Antwerp for friends in Belgium. But, when I read it was being dubbed into French, and given the number of Camino paths that pass through St. Jean Pied de Port, I suggest that 2014 will be another peak year.

Of course, this is not a good sole reason to do the Camino Francis, but for many people I met this past spring, it was the push that got them interested, and eventually on The Way.

 

[irishgurrrl]

"C. (Historic) The year 2014 marks the 800th anniversary of the personal pilgrimage of Saint Francis of Assisi from Assisi, Italy to Santiago de Compostela in the year 1214. St. Francis departed Assisi during 1213."


In 1213, the muslims still ocuppied almost all Andalucia and Extremadura, so, if you wanted to do, for example, Via de la Plata in a safe way, necessarily you had to start it in Salamanca.

​

That's really interesting! Myself and a camino buddy have been looking into where will walk mid-April to May 2014, she mentioned the Cammino di Assisi... it looks stunning and mainly off road which is a major draw! Have you walked this route?

 

[t2andreo]

That's really interesting! Myself and a camino buddy have been looking into where will walk mid-April to May 2014, she mentioned the Cammino di Assisi... it looks stunning and mainly off road which is a major draw! Have you walked this route?

No, I have not walked it. But it is on my Camino Bucket List. You can find out good information about it, in English (sort of) here: http://www.camminodiassisi.it/EN/index.html It looks to be a challenging two-week walk, plus travel time to and from.

While the Camino di Assisi is, strictly speaking, not part of the Camino de Santiago, all pilgrimages are worthwhile activities. Of course, the route that IS part of the Camino de Santiago proper is the one I described in my earlier post and which extends up the Italian "boot" starting at Assisi, west across southern France, then southwest in Spain and the more commonly walked Caminos, all ending at Santiago de Compostela. That is also on my "stuff I must do" list.

Hope this helps.

 

[irishgurrrl]

No, I have not walked it. But it is on my Camino Bucket List. You can find out good information about it, in English (sort of) here: http://www.camminodiassisi.it/EN/index.html It looks to be a challenging two-week walk, plus travel time to and from.

While the Camino di Assisi is, strictly speaking, not part of the Camino de Santiago, all pilgrimages are worthwhile activities. Of course, the route that IS part of the Camino de Santiago proper is the one I described in my earlier post and which extends up the Italian "boot" starting at Assisi, west across southern France, then southwest in Spain and the more commonly walked Caminos, all ending at Santiago de Compostela. That is also on my "stuff I must do" list.

Hope this helps.

Its funny but since I've already walked the full Camino Frances and Finisterre I don't mind not heading for SdeC in future caminos or walks. Any walk in nature is worthwhile and in my case all a spiritual experience (loving nature and the outdoors as I do) - particularly extended journeys when I have the chance to get completely immersed for several days in a row without too many distractions