For 2024 Pilgrims: €50,- donation = 1 year with no ads on the forum + 90% off any 2024 Guide. More here. (Discount code sent to you by Private Message after your donation)
I walked in January last year. Rain was far less of a problem than it was for my later walk in September. Highly unpredictable. There is an excellent website listing accommodation known to be open over the winter. Updated frequently. It should be up and running in November...
For some years I had the same thoughts about the Frances. But I returned to walk it in January last year and thoroughly enjoyed the experience. Totally different from a peak season journey and I found the far smaller numbers of pilgrims I did meet were on the whole much easier to get along with...
An albergue which has been closed since the pandemic reopens today. In La Virgen del.Camino.
https://digitaldeleon.com/provincia-leon/reabre-albergue-camino-virgen-del-camino/?amp
Just saw a post from David on facebook announcing that he has reached Fisterra on the journey mentioned in the article linked above.
https://www.facebook.com/groups/544764125895308/permalink/2115123182192720/
I just looked at the Roncesvalles statistics from 1987 that you found and posted several years ago. A remarkable change - not just in total numbers but also in the way people identified themselves and their motivations. I'd love to see how people identify themselves by religion/denomination...
I think that in most respects the influence of that Martin Sheen movie on the growth of numbers on the Caminos is often exaggerated. But in the specific case of the numbers of Americans walking Caminos I think it is very true. The earliest breakdown of nationalities receiving Compostelas I have...
An article has just appeared on a Navarra news website about pilgrim numbers in the area this year and making particular mention of the Roncesvalles albergue. Quite a few numbers quoted there too with some interesting difference from the SJPDP statistics...
There is a preview of a few pages available on his publisher's website. Including a contents page. Pombo does start his coverage of the Navarra route from SJPDP. Interestingly he follows the example of the 1980s Valiña guidebook and describes the Aragones route first...
Just been looking at the statistics posted this morning. The number of Koreans who choose to walk the Frances in winter continues to surprise me - must have been at least 1/3 of the pilgrims I met in January 2023. I was also surprised at the number of Spanish pilgrims recorded. Perhaps they are...
@Monasp has just posted two tables of statistics from the SJPDP pilgrim office on their Facebook account. Numbers of different nationalities recorded so far this year: the USA being the largest group, closely followed by Koreans, with France some way behind in third place. Also a table giving...
My impression from his posts on Facebook was that he had searched only for direct trains to SJPDP and unsurprisingly found none. I am always surprised that people do not think to check for likely connecting trains from intermediate points. RENFE are very poor at providing information on journeys...
SNCF have cancelled a couple of trains from Bayonne to SJPDP on Sunday afternoon/evening and will be running a replacement bus service.
I discovered this on Facebook today where someone made an anxious post about receiving an email from SNCF cancelling their journey from Paris. They were then...
I have found that when a small bottle of gaseosa is already set out on every table or brought by default with the wine then you should probably brace yourself for something a little rough! 🍷
This site is run by Ivar at in Santiago de Compostela.
This site participates in the Amazon Affiliate program, designed to provide a means for Ivar to earn fees by linking to Amazon