Safety for young women

[wilebl2]

Hello!
My sister and I (19 and 23) are looking to go on the pilgrimage. I've got the trip planned, but I am trying to convince my father that we will be safe. He has been wanting for my mother to come with us. I am not opposed to that, but she'd rather not come. I've shown him many threads about safety and threads about what an incredible opportunity and experience this is going to be, but he stills wants me to ask. Is it more or less safe for women 19 and 23 to walk?
Thanks!

 

[Anniesantiago]

Perfectly safe. You will be walking with many other pilgrims from age 3 to 85.
The Civil Guard keep a good watch on the Way and on the pilgrims and in my opinion, Spain is safer than any United States town.

 

[biancadaze]

Hi.. I am a 23 year old woman and I recently went on the Camino from Leon to Santiago and I went on my own. After much researching and looking into others' experiences I decided that it would be perfectly safe for me and it ended up being just that! I ended up meeting plenty of wonderful individuals and never feeling completely alone or unsafe. Sure at times you'll be walking on your own, but there's nothing threatening or challenging so I completely recommend for you and your sister to do it. I just got back April 7th and it was truly an awesome experience for me.

Buen Camino!

 

[pat.holland]

The Civil Guard do keep an eye out, we went on a slight detour at Portomarin and a Civil Guard driving past stopped and had a word with us to tell us we were on the wrong road.

I think there is a good chance that at times there are as many if not more women than men on the camino and many of them started off alone but soon make friends and walking companions.

 

[mikra]

Hallo, my sister and I (also a woman) walked in 2008 the camino frances from SJPP to Finisterre and the hole way was safe for us. My sister was 19 years and my age was 30. We walked in summer and it was really safe and on the camino you'll never walk alone!!!
Greetings from Austria and buen camino, mikra

 

[oursonpolaire]

The Civil Guard does keep an eye out. I have twice been stopped by members of the Guard when walking conditions had become risky on account of heat and a Spanish lawyer friend tells me that they have clear instructions to keep an eye on pilgrims—she added that they are quite happy to do so and look upon it as an agreeable duty.

 

[viajero]

I don't know where you live but...I lived in Spain when I was in my 20s and walked two caminos alone when I was in my 40s. I find Spain to be much safer than the U.S. where I live. THere is much less violent crime in Spain. I don't always feel safe walking in isolated areas in the U.S. on my own but feel perfectly comfortable doing so in Spain. Especially as the two of you would be together, I think that it would be extremely safe.

 

[etoilepolaire]

This is a really great concern for me as well. I will be walking the Camino with a friend this summer and my parents are quite terrified that I will never return (They've seen the movie Taken. It's done wonders for their confidence :? ). We are ages 25 and 26. Like wilebl2 asked, are there specific things that I might be able to tell them to alleviate their fears, and I must admit, mine?

 

[petersitch]

I agree with all the posts made here about safety, there are fartoo many other peregrinos around for anything to happpen.
Perhaps your Mum and Dad might think about the fact that you are both in your 20s and should by now be able to go off for adventures without them getting panicky. Mine waved me off at 16 to hitch hike to Istanbul from the UK on my own.

 

[fiddletree]

I walked the Camino Frances solo when I was 23 in 2007 and I didn't feel concerned for my safety for even a minute. You are probably more safe on the Camino than you are in your hometown, wherever that is.

The thing to remember is that even if you are going alone/with one other person is that you are never really alone on the walk. There is a really strong community of people, and everyone looks out for one another.

My parents were also concerned before I went, but as they considered me an adult they luckily kept it to themselves. As long as you use common sense, it is very safe.

 

[Artemisofephesus]

I walked the camino in November-December last year with a friend my age. I was only 17 at the time and nothing ever happened to make me feel uncomfortable in the least! (Ok, there was one time with this guy in a bar who was obviously drunk. But we just left and that was that.) Seriously, we slept alone in a dorm with 15 male pilgrims and there's absolutely nothing to fear. Everyone you meet is super nice and friendly.