Tips for Solo Walking the CP Route in April 2023

[CaminoNickolas]

Walking CP route solo in April 2023, looking for advice. Is it possible to just wing it? Kind of want to remain flexible. Cheers, Nick

 

[Grousedoctor]

Hey Nick. We’ve walked the CP twice in March/April. Neither time did we find it particularly busy that time of year. Beds in albergues should be quite available. So, I don’t think that you’ll have any trouble “just winging it.” Bom Caminho!

 

[CaminoNickolas]

Thanks for the feedback, very much appreciated. I'll have an app and a paperback guide, I'd like to map my stays as I go to allow flexibility. Congrats on multiple walks; will I see you on the path this year?

 

[Grousedoctor]

Thanks for the feedback, very much appreciated. I'll have an app and a paperback guide, I'd like to map my stays as I go to allow flexibility. Congrats on multiple walks; will I see you on the path this year?

For mapping purposes check out both gronze.com and mapy.cz. Gronze will help you identify accommodations along The Way while Mapy will show you the route and where you are anytime along it.

We are heading back to Spain this April. As we just walked the Portugués Coastal route last April, we’re heading back to the Spain to work on finishing a section of the CF (Burgos-Astorga) that got postponed due to Covid.

 

[sarahchicago]

Walking CP route solo in April 2023, looking for advice. Is it possible to just wing it? Kind of want to remain flexible. Cheers, Nick

Hi Nick! I’m walking the CP in April, too, after walking the CF last year. It sounds like April isn’t too crowded but lots of places are open, so I’m going to wing it, more or less.
I learned on my first Camino that having a planned destination helps me push through fatigue at the end of the day. But I also learned that I like to walk at a fairly slow pace and take a look around as I go through villages, poke around in churches, put my feet up on an out of the way park bench, etc. So, on a given day, I might send a WhatsApp ahead to a well-reviewed albergue or hostal to see if there is space and then I’ll make that my target for that day. I built in a few days to either take a rest day, walk short days, or come back and explore a town afterwards (I’m flying in and out of Porto).

 

[RuiCarneiro]

Hi Nick! I’m walking the CP in April, too, after walking the CF last year. It sounds like April isn’t too crowded but lots of places are open, so I’m going to wing it, more or less.
I learned on my first Camino that having a planned destination helps me push through fatigue at the end of the day. But I also learned that I like to walk at a fairly slow pace and take a look around as I go through villages, poke around in churches, put my feet up on an out of the way park bench, etc. So, on a given day, I might send a WhatsApp ahead to a well-reviewed albergue or hostal to see if there is space and then I’ll make that my target for that day. I built in a few days to either take a rest day, walk short days, or come back and explore a town afterwards (I’m flying in and out of Porto).

I would advise to be careful with April planning because of the portuguese school vacations around Easter holiday, from 1 to 16. And a lot of people, including student groups, choose that time period to do the Portuguese Camino's either Central or Coastal one.

 

[BennyB]

I would advise to be careful with April planning because of the portuguese school vacations around Easter holiday, from 1 to 16. And a lot of people, including student groups, choose that time period to do the Portuguese Camino's either Central or Coastal one.

The wife and I (mid seventies) will be walking the CP central in May 5-23, flying in and out of Porto. Are there any things we should be aware of such as local holidays/events, expected weather, plagues, or invasions we should know about? Thanks for any and all advice.

 

[CaminoNickolas]

Thanks for the input all. Seems a couple people are walking the route after me so I'll try to leave some notes and tips after I finish the end of April.