Camino Madrid in October

[Pathfinder075]

I am currently juggling ideas for my second camino/walk. Basically I intend to finish my complicated first Camino by start of October, at the latest probably the 4th. After that i will still have a decent 14 day window to do something else. While I might go down to Ourense for a day to hit the springs, I still will have two weeks to do something with.

I originally wanted to do the Camino Madrid this year, but logistically it wasn't viable. But I am considering whether I could grab a train down around the start of October. I looked at the Renfe site and it says I could get a cheap ticket if I get out of bed early in the morning (probably 0400, train at 0538). That would put me in Madrid at around 10am. My plan would be to walk out to Tres Cantos on the same day via the Cathedral.

I am guessing it will be ghost town level in October with probably zero pilgrims on the route?

 

[henrythedog]

I am currently juggling ideas for my second camino/walk. Basically I intend to finish my complicated first Camino by start of October, at the latest probably the 4th. After that i will still have a decent 14 day window to do something else. While I might go down to Ourense for a day to hit the springs, I still will have two weeks to do something with.

I originally wanted to do the Camino Madrid this year, but logistically it wasn't viable. But I am considering whether I could grab a train down around the start of October. I looked at the Renfe site and it says I could get a cheap ticket if I get out of bed early in the morning (probably 0400, train at 0538). That would put me in Madrid at around 10am. My plan would be to walk out to Tres Cantos on the same day via the Cathedral.

I am guessing it will be ghost town level in October with probably zero pilgrims on the route?

You guess correctly. In peak season you’ll be lucky to see many fellow travellers..

 

[Pathfinder075]

So probably a no go then.

Thanks for answering, that confirms for me I should do something else.

 

[Kiwi-family]

Isn't that the nature of that route?

 

[peregrina2000]

Isn't that the nature of that route?

I think that’s right. I don’t know of anyone who has walked in higher seasons who has met more than a few others. I walked in early May and met only two between Madrid and Sahagún. I think this is one of those caminos that requires a love of solitude no matter when you walk it.

 

[David Tallan]

I think that’s right. I don’t know of anyone who has walked in higher seasons who has met more than a few others. I walked in early May and met only two between Madrid and Sahagún. I think this is one of those caminos that requires a love of solitude no matter when you walk it.

I would agree. I walked in June and there were a total of two pilgrims I saw more than once. Two thirds of the time I was the only pilgrim in the albegue.

Regarding the earlier bit in the original post about swinging by the Cathedral on the way out to Tres Cantos. Just a quick note to say that the Camino de Madrid isn't generally considered to begin at the cathedral (gasp!). Generally, the starting point is the church of Santiago and San Juan, a little bit closer to Tres Cantos. You can get a credencial at this church, too.

 

[Anthony Rocco]

I am currently juggling ideas for my second camino/walk. Basically I intend to finish my complicated first Camino by start of October, at the latest probably the 4th. After that i will still have a decent 14 day window to do something else. While I might go down to Ourense for a day to hit the springs, I still will have two weeks to do something with.

I originally wanted to do the Camino Madrid this year, but logistically it wasn't viable. But I am considering whether I could grab a train down around the start of October. I looked at the Renfe site and it says I could get a cheap ticket if I get out of bed early in the morning (probably 0400, train at 0538). That would put me in Madrid at around 10am. My plan would be to walk out to Tres Cantos on the same day via the Cathedral.

I am guessing it will be ghost town level in October with probably zero pilgrims on the route?

We walked starting in late September and encountered very few pilgrims. There aren't many at any time. If this is important to you, skip this camino. For us, it remains at the top of the list of all caminos we have walked for being embraced by the villagers. All caminos have their unique aspects; this one excels at immersing in the local culture and people.

 

[frbobs]

I went in August (I do not recommend August). I wanted the isolation and solitude.
As they say: be careful what you ask for. Regarding other Pilgrims: 7 on foot, 5 on bikes. It's absolutely beautiful, and I slept in a bed every night. However, food and water are scarce, and if you're not fluent in Spanish (which I'm not), it can be challenging.
With the time you have, how about Porto to Santiago, totally awesome. Buen Camino!

 

[Larry OHeron]

I am currently juggling ideas for my second camino/walk. Basically I intend to finish my complicated first Camino by start of October, at the latest probably the 4th. After that i will still have a decent 14 day window to do something else. While I might go down to Ourense for a day to hit the springs, I still will have two weeks to do something with.

I originally wanted to do the Camino Madrid this year, but logistically it wasn't viable. But I am considering whether I could grab a train down around the start of October. I looked at the Renfe site and it says I could get a cheap ticket if I get out of bed early in the morning (probably 0400, train at 0538). That would put me in Madrid at around 10am. My plan would be to walk out to Tres Cantos on the same day via the Cathedral.

I am guessing it will be ghost town level in October with probably zero pilgrims on the route?

My partner and I did it in June and it was darn close to zero Pilgrims right up until the end

 

[Robert B.]

I am currently juggling ideas for my second camino/walk. Basically I intend to finish my complicated first Camino by start of October, at the latest probably the 4th. After that i will still have a decent 14 day window to do something else. While I might go down to Ourense for a day to hit the springs, I still will have two weeks to do something with.

I originally wanted to do the Camino Madrid this year, but logistically it wasn't viable. But I am considering whether I could grab a train down around the start of October. I looked at the Renfe site and it says I could get a cheap ticket if I get out of bed early in the morning (probably 0400, train at 0538). That would put me in Madrid at around 10am. My plan would be to walk out to Tres Cantos on the same day via the Cathedral.

I am guessing it will be ghost town level in October with probably zero pilgrims on the route?

Very likely a ghost town, yes. Buen Camino!

 

[DoughnutANZ]

I think that’s right. I don’t know of anyone who has walked in higher seasons who has met more than a few others. I walked in early May and met only two between Madrid and Sahagún. I think this is one of those caminos that requires a love of solitude no matter when you walk it.

I met five pilgrims walking and about seven cycling.

 

[Pathfinder075]

I went in August (I do not recommend August). I wanted the isolation and solitude.
As they say: be careful what you ask for. Regarding other Pilgrims: 7 on foot, 5 on bikes. It's absolutely beautiful, and I slept in a bed every night. However, food and water are scarce, and if you're not fluent in Spanish (which I'm not), it can be challenging.
With the time you have, how about Porto to Santiago, totally awesome. Buen Camino!

I'm saving the Portuguese route and will do it fully when I do it, from Lisbon, maybe next year or the year after.

For now my shortlist is either VdlP or backtrack along the Frances to Ponferrada and maybe do the Invierno or walk the Frances. Nothing is set in stone for this second one and I'm not even really bothered if I make it back to Santiago.

If I walk VdlP it will be from A Gudina, which should give me a 10 day walk. This is the most likely route I will take. It will allow me to complete something I didn't finish in 2017.

I would agree. I walked in June and there were a total of two pilgrims I saw more than once. Two thirds of the time I was the only pilgrim in the albegue.

Regarding the earlier bit in the original post about swinging by the Cathedral on the way out to Tres Cantos. Just a quick note to say that the Camino de Madrid isn't generally considered to begin at the cathedral (gasp!). Generally, the starting point is the church of Santiago and San Juan, a little bit closer to Tres Cantos. You can get a credencial at this church, too.

Thanks for that, David. It looks more and more likely I will do it next year and probably follow a similar route to the one you did this year.

 

[Rodney Kent]

Well, I’ll be out there. I’m starting on 4 October.

 

[Rodney Kent]

And I’m walking the Ruta Teresiana from Ávila to Salamanca in mid-September, so the Madrid way will seem like a convention in comparison to that, I’d reckon.

 

[gittiharre]

I think that’s right. I don’t know of anyone who has walked in higher seasons who has met more than a few others. I walked in early May and met only two between Madrid and Sahagún. I think this is one of those caminos that requires a love of solitude no matter when you walk it.

So true. Very solitary. Met a handful of pilgrims only. Loved it though.

 

[peregrino_tom]

I walked CM last year starting mid-October. Saw a total of 4 other pilgrims. Because I'm a nosey type I always look through the visitor books in albergues (where I can find them) or ask the hospis about numbers. It looked like the beginning of October was a bit busier but generally ones or couples were coming through about one a day, occasionally in twos.
Albergues started closing from about the 20th. A few villages towards the end, with apparently one bar, had it shuttered up and didn't look like they'd been open for a while. I thought the CM was interesting, and there were some wonderful moments, but it was also quite a bleak place, especially in October after the fields have been ploughed back to dark brown. About a third of it after Segovia has miserably poor sandy soil which locals manage to subsist on by intensive-farming chicken and pigs (you see the sheds) and using the slurry to encourage some vegetables to grow. Old-town Segovia is the kind of tourist trap that 'New World' visitors readily jump into head-first, but I think us Europeans more readily puncture that facade. I wouldn't likely go back to the CM in a hurry.
I'm mystified why the CM gets so much love while the camino that charmed me head-over-heels - the Vasco - gets so little.

 

[Pathfinder075]

I want to walk it for the fact i walked the end of it on my first camino. I started it from a place called Villada. It lies roughly 8km east of Santervas de Campo. Always wanted to do the whole thing since then. Once I've done it, it's unlikely i will ever do it again. I also want to see Segovia, just the once.

 

[Miki Goldie]

I walked it last year in early may and met 4/5 pilgrims on & off for the two weeks. I have lovely memories but prayed for rain. The water situation was tough and I asked locals to fill up my water bottles. It was also personally hard being a vegan on that route.
Afterwards I turned left on the Francis (4 days), right through the San Salvador (6 days) at Leon, then left on the Primitivo (2 weeks) to Santiago.
Thank God I met Gary Martin , a forum member on the Madrid. I would recommend it.
Love