• Get your Camino Frances Guidebook here.
  • 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)
  • ⚠️ Emergency contact in Spain - Dial 112 and AlertCops app. More on this here.

Search 69,459 Camino Questions

Advice needed!

Donegalboy

New Member
Hi,
Can you tell me when is the best time to go and walk the entire Camino de Santiago?
I have three weeks holidays beginning at the end of October.
Is this a good or bad time to go?
And do I need to do much research??
Any advice you can give me would be much appreciated.
 
New Original Camino Gear Designed Especially with The Modern Peregrino In Mind!
Hi Donegalboy,
If your intention is to finish at Santiago then I would recommend that you start in Burgos. If you do walk the whole French Way in 3 weeks you will be doing huge kms each day but I suppose it depends on what you want from your Camino experience. The friendships, landscape and spirituality are worth taking the time to appreciate. If you want to walk over the pyrennes then maybe finish before Santiago and return another time to finsh. Enjoy your experience. Buen Camino. :D
Suzie
 
Hi Donegalboy,
There is no 'best' time to walk the camino. People walk it every month of the year so it's really a matter of your personal preference and what kind of physical conditions you are looking for. As pointed out in the previous email, you're not likely to walk the entire 790 km from SJPP to Santiago in 3 weeks - especially if that includes your travel time to and from home. You didn't say where you are from, how old you are or what your physical condition is so it's hard for anyone to give any concrete help. People between the ages of 8 and 80 walk the camino -or parts of it.
I suggest that you figure out how many days you have for actual walking, how many kilometers you can walk each day and then decide whether you want your destination to be Santiago or whether you prefer to start at the beginning of the blue line on the map above and walk as far as you can make it. On average, people walk between 20 and kilometers daily although many people walk fewer and many walk 40 or more. It is said that most people average about 3.5 km per hour including coffee, lunch and pit stops but as with all statistics, it's not really meaningful for a specific individual.
You'll have to do enough research to figure out how to get from where you are to where you want to start of course but poke around the forum. There is so much useful information about how to get to specific places, what to take, what conditions are like etc. If you can't find an answer to a specific question you can always come back and ask it here.
Good luck on your camino.
Cecelia
 
St James' Way - Self-guided 4-7 day Walking Packages, Reading to Southampton, 110 kms
The first edition came out in 2003 and has become the go-to-guide for many pilgrims over the years. It is shipping with a Pilgrim Passport (Credential) from the cathedral in Santiago de Compostela.
Hi Donegalboy,

As mentioned above, daily walking distance is very individual. I felt called to respond to your post as I, too, had only 3 weeks to walk this past summer.

I chose to start in St. Jean as I love the mountains and enjoy climbs. Prior to leaving I drew up a few scenarios in order to get a feel of distances and where I might end up after 3 weeks. Otherwise made no plans, just used this wonderful forum and read bits and pieces of the Pila Pala Press book Walking the Camino Francés.

Given my walking tempo and fitness level I felt confident that I would make it to Leon but after a couple of training walks of 7hours, I moved up the destination point to Ponferrada. But this was only a rough estimate. My attitude was: go with the flow (I was walking alone) and see what happens. And that is just what I did.

Early on (actually day 1) I realized that my walking tempo, stride, etc. was not that of your "average" walker. I was told that it would take about 8 hours to get to Roncevalles. But I left at 7.15 and arrived in Roncevalles at 1 p.m. including a rest stop in Orisson (I had read in the forum that it was good to stop and take your shoes off). I walked a comfortable tempo for me but in doing so I passed every one along the way.

The following mornings were about the same. It wasn't until the 5th day that someone passed me - my right knee started acting up during downhills and I needed to slow down my pace. By this time I had gotten into the rythm of walking 40+ km per day. I never set out to walk that distance!

It all started on day 2. I reached Larrosoaña at 12 and decided that it was too early to stop so walked on to Arre. At that point I only had about 5 km to Pamplona and was feeling good. I really wanted to spend the evening there as the following day the Maria y Jesús albergue would be closed for San Fermín. Although tired upon arrival, I ended up having a great evening of tapas and wine with a group of Irish. And that was the start of my long distance Camino.

In the end I arrived in Santiago on day 21. A few days prior I had e-mailed my boss asking if I could take 2 extra days off (I had originally planned on flying back to Amsterdam on day 21). This allowed me not only to make it to Santiago but also walk to Finisterre, arriving there on July 25th.

People may call me crazy (the woman at the Pilgirm's Office asked me 3x if I had walked the whole way) but I had a wonderful experience. Met many along the way, walked hours in solitude and took in the wonderful countryside. I stopped to rest 2x a day and arrived at the auberges between 2-4 pm which left me lots of time to chat with fellow pilgrim's and explore the surroundings. What I didn't do is rest...I never took a day off nor took a nap when I arrived at the auberge as many do. But that worked for me.

So, it is true most pilgrim's walk between 20-30 km a day but during my Camino this summer I ran into a handful of people that walked 40+ and we enthusiastically cheered each other on.

No one can tell you how to walk your Camino - you will find out what is best for you while you are on your way.

Buen Camino :arrow:
LT
 
Hey everyone,
Thanks for the great advice.
Forgot to mention that I am a 35 year old male in excellent physical condition and I'm from Ireland.
I have ordered a couple of guide books on the Camino which I should have in a few days.
Some people were telling me that I would be 'crazy' to do the walk in October/November because of the rain.
Are they right?
Again, thanks for the advice and keep sending me more :D
DB
 
Very light, comfortable and compressible poncho. Specially designed for protection against water for any activity.

Our Atmospheric H30 poncho offers lightness and waterproofness. Easily compressible and made with our Waterproof fabric, its heat-sealed interior seams guarantee its waterproofness. Includes carrying bag.

€60,-
People will tell you you're crazy no matter when you go, so just prepare well for the weather others have posted for that time period and go!

Buen camino!

lynne
 
Hi Donegalboy,

I walked the Camino from St-Jean-Pied-de-Port to Santiago between October 8 and November 15, 2008 (yes, I'm slow!).

A number of the refugios were closed, especially in November. It was also impossible to get totally accurate information on which ones these were--both the Confraternity of Saint James guidebook (which is excellent) and the refugio list that I got at the pilgrim office in Saint-Jean were inaccurate. (I don't think this was their fault--the refugios just seemed to be inconsistent in whether or not they stayed open). But I always found a place to stay. I guess my advice would be not to arrive at your planned destination as the sun is going down (around six o'clock, as I recall), in case you have to go farther.

Also, bring a warm sleeping bag. Some of the refugios that were open until the end of October didn't have heating.

In my experience, the Meseta at the end of October was really cold. I'd bring a hat and light gloves. The weather in Galicia in November was surprisingly nice (often sunny and not raining) during the day, though I don't know if this is usual.

On the positive side, if you find an open refugio, there's no competition for beds--except occasionally in Galicia. Even in November, a lot of people seemed to be starting in Galicia to get their Compostelas, and I was in one full refugio (it was a small one: Casanova Mato), and once had to go on to the next refugio (luckily there were two open refugios in Triacastela).

Of course, it might be more crowded this year because of the Holy Year. Especially in Galicia, I would think--though I could be wrong.

Buen Camino!
 

Most read last week in this forum

My name is Henrik and I will be coming down to SJPdP from Sweden on March 26 and start walking on March 27. I don't really have any experience and I'm not the best at planning and I'm a little...
When I hiked the Frances Route this happened. I was hiking in the afternoon just east of Arzua. I was reserved a bed at an albergue in Arzua, so I had already hiked all the way from San Xulien...
I'd like some recommendations about where to find the most current and up to date information about albergues that are actually open. I'm currently walking the camino Frances, and I can't even...
I am finalizing my packing list for Frances, and do not want to over pack. (I am 71) I will be starting at SJPdP on April 25th to Roncesvalles and forward. I was hoping on some advise as to...
Today is March 21, 1024 If you’re starting El Francés around this time, be warned that quite a few stretches between Rabanal del Camino and Molinaseca are in pretty bad shape. Lots of mud, and...
First marker starting from Albergue Monasterio de la Magdalena in Sarria (113.460 km) Start: 2023.9.29 07:22 Arrival: 2023.9.30 13:18 walking time : 26 hours 47 minutes rest time : 3 hours 8...

❓How to ask a question

How to post a new question on the Camino Forum.

Forum Rules

Forum Rules

Camino Updates on YouTube

Camino Conversations

Most downloaded Resources

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
Official Camino Passport (Credential) | 2024 Camino Guides
Back
Top