Sept/ Oct or Apr/May for CF

[MARSKA]

Hello dear Pilgrims- if you had to chose - would it be April/May or Sept/Oct for Camino Frances (starting in Pamplona).

 

[nycwalking]

Hello dear Pilgrims- if you had to chose - would it be April/May or Sept/Oct for Camino Frances (starting in Pamplona).

I love harvest season.

My vote: September thru October.

 

[Vacajoe]

September can be extremely busy in Spain as it is the last gasp of the holiday season for the country. I love walking in the springtime (April), though be aware of when Semana Santa is the year you plan to walk as the Cino gets very crowded with student groups and locals walking for a few days of that week.

 

[lovelyshell]

I did Oct/Nov and loved it. The weather was perfect. The Meseta was hot though.

 

[mspath]

October/November is a great time to walk with generally golden days and cool nights. Although albergues on the CF started to close mid October during earlier, easier years there was always some place open. I usually stayed in municipal albergues and never had a reservation until the final days in Santiago.

Check out this earlier forum thread for earlier posts with helpful info re
walking in October- November.

 

[Vacajoe]

I did Oct/Nov and loved it.

October/November is a great time to walk

OP is asking about SEP and Oct. That’s a very different time period than Oct/NOV in terms of weather, crowds, albergues being open, etc.

 

[Keith H]

With Sep/Oct then you can start mid September and avoid the worst of the crowds and heat

 

[Rick M]

I have done both April and September departures. After we did a fall Camino, my wife announced that all future Caminos would be in September........right after I announced that all future Caminos would be in April. I liked the spring growth, cooler temperatures, and longer days. She liked the dryer warmer weather, grape harvest, and watching the sun come up in the morning from the trail.

 

[BobY333]

I lean toward Sept/Oct, though you really can't go wrong!

Sept/Oct
Harvest season - we really enjoyed the figs, grapes and occasional apples
The browns and tans of the fields set against the deep blue sky made for great pictures
Sunrises - they were amazing each morning

Apr/May
Spring is springing!
There are lots of cute animal babies
There are (relatively) fewer people
The days are longer

Buen Camino!

 

[MARSKA]

Well- it seems to be a toss-up. Perhaps airfare costs will be the determining factor!

 

[isnardj]

September/ October would be my choice. I did CF back in 2019 same time.

 

[Chizuru]

We walked from 21st Sept to 31st Oct in 2018. The weather was very hot, around 35 degrees and we needed our umbrellas as sunshades for much of the time. Strangely, places with pools mostly had them empty or green and slimy! It is a little depressing to be walking then as the crops have all been harvested and the paddocks are bare with lots of thistles and other prickly weeds everywhere. The sunflower and maize crops are still in the ground but they are all dried out and brown. I had hoped that we would see lots of lovely autumnal colour, especially in the grape vines, but they were all still green. The plane trees had all been heavily pruned of their leaves back to stumpy bare branches so no shade to sit in. The only advantage is that there was little rain until Galacia when the weather got cold, and wet and we even had sleet on a few days. Next time I will go in spring. My friends went then and the fields were lush and green, with lots of lovely wildflowers at the sides of the paths instead of the prickly weeds!

 

[C clearly]

Well- it seems to be a toss-up. Perhaps airfare costs will be the determining factor!

Yes, both are good times, but I suggest late September for the autumn option. An early to mid September start from Pamplona could be too busy.

 

[Susan Peacock]

I have walked multiple Caminos in both seasons. They are different in that the fields of wheat are green in the spring but after harvest in the fall they are fields of dirt. I’m the spring the vineyards are sticks, in the fall they are full of leaves and grapes and change color as it gets cooler. They both can be beautiful. I prefer the spring color and a really like the longer days. In the fall it gets light late and you will walk in the dark when you must leave the Albergue by 8:00. Either will be magical for a first Camino.

 

[DoughnutANZ]

Started mid May and encountered delicious fresh strawberries at €2/kilo, heaven!

 

[dutchwalkagain]

Done both and prefer spring due to green fields and spring flowers....yes less mature vineyards but still pretty

 

[christy wharton]

Hello dear Pilgrims- if you had to chose - would it be April/May or Sept/Oct for Camino Frances (starting in Pamplona).

Having done both the welcome birdsong and frogs croking etc..all missing later In the year- just Erie silence. Much more early and late daylight with longer spring/ summer days makes it better for me.

 

[markie6]

September / October have been great for me but to be honest it won't matter once you start.

My second Camino I wandered into a restaurant for some grub and noticed a computer screen the other side of the counter showing the lady serving me walking the way in Snow and rain. I asked her why she would go in such weather and she just told me that it was the only time off work she was allowed.

Don't worry about crowds , weather , accommodation , blisters or whether you should carry your pack or transport it

Just get going