Alternative Route - Camino Frances

[5ilver]

Hello Fellow Pilgrims,

We will begin our first ever Camino walk in two weeks. We were wondering after crossing the Pyrenees, whether there are alternative routes that we can take to avoid huge crowds on the Camino Frances?
We would like to connect back to the Frances Route later on, but would prefer to avoid crowds if and where possible. Preferably routes that incorporates more landscapes and sceneries and allows us to engage with the locals to experience Spain on a more 'cultural' level.

Any advice and suggestion(s) is / are welcomed.
Gracias!

 

[rappahannock_rev]

Sorry, but that initial bit -- from the Pyrenees to say, Logrono or Najera -- is about as good as it gets. I cannot imagine an alternative route.... Marvelous towns and unforgettable landscapes...!

I wouldn't worry about "the crowds" for a minute. You will likely be so consumed by what you are doing, and so elevated, that you really won't notice "the crowds" much at all on your first walk.... Buen Camino!

 

[5ilver]

Sorry, but that initial bit -- from the Pyrenees to say, Logrono or Najera -- is about as good as it gets. I cannot imagine an alternative route.... Marvelous towns and unforgettable landscapes...!

I wouldn't worry about "the crowds" for a minute. You will likely be so consumed by what you are doing, and so elevated, that you really won't notice "the crowds" much at all on your first walk.... Buen Camino!

Thank you for your response. I think we are more concerned with crowds and accommodation. Not too keen on racing to get a bed as we are both newbies.

 

[rappahannock_rev]

Understood!

I've never had an accomodation problem on the CF - but that's probably because I discovered on my first Camino in 2012 that I snore terribly! That discovery, and the fact that I can, in my dotage , afford private accomodations, means that I've become increasingly disengaged from the whole public albergue scene.... I more-often-than-not choose to stay in a private albergue or hostal of some sort, and book ahead using booking.com .

FYI: The (fabulous!) Festival San Mateo in Logrono this year runs from September 15 thru September 22.... If you pass through Logrono during the festival, you might consider booking accomodations ahead of your arrival.... Buena suerte!

 

[tomnorth]

September and October aren’t nearly as crowded. I wouldn’t worry about it.

 

[Davey Boyd]

Well, there is an alternative when you get to Leon. If you want a quieter more mountainous route you could turn right at Leon, walk the Camino San Salvador to Oviedo (VERY quiet and mountainous), then take the Camino Primitivo (very beautiful) which rejoins the Camino Frances at Melide, about two days before Santiago. This route is about 6-7 days longer.

Or there is the Camino Invierno later on. Turn left at Ponferada for a pretty and rather secluded route to Santiago.

But really, I think you will be fine on the Camino Frances. I've walked a few other routes but always come back for the Frances again and again. It has something a bit magical about it. Probably the eclectic mix of pilgrims on it that I love. And it is beautiful!

Buen Camino, whatever you choose!
Davey

 

[Vacajoe]

Search the site for numerous threads on the Camino Aragones in the Aragon Valley - more remote but with pilgrim services. Traveled this route in April and it was stunning and virtually deserted. Easy bus access to the starting point in Somport then 6-8 days of walking until you rejoin the CF in Puente le Reina

PM me if you need additional help!

 

[5ilver]

Understood!

I've never had an accomodation problem on the CF - but that's probably because I discovered on my first Camino in 2012 that I snore terribly! That discovery, and the fact that I can, in my dotage , afford private accomodations, means that I've become increasingly disengaged from the whole public albergue scene.... I more-often-than-not choose to stay in a private albergue or hostal of some sort, and book ahead using booking.com .

FYI: The (fabulous!) Festival San Mateo in Logrono this year runs from September 15 thru September 22.... If you pass through Logrono during the festival, you might consider booking accomodations ahead of your arrival.... Buena suerte!

Ohhh...that would be awesome if we partake in the festivities in Logrono. Will definitely try to get there by 22 September. We head off on the 13 September. Doable, right?

 

[5ilver]

September and October aren’t nearly as crowded. I wouldn’t worry about it.

Thank you! Am more at ease knowing that it will be less crowded.

 

[5ilver]

Well, there is an alternative when you get to Leon. If you want a quieter more mountainous route you could turn right at Leon, walk the Camino San Salvador to Oviedo (VERY quiet and mountainous), then take the Camino Primitivo (very beautiful) which rejoins the Camino Frances at Melide, about two days before Santiago. This route is about 6-7 days longer.

Or there is the Camino Invierno later on. Turn left at Ponferada for a pretty and rather secluded route to Santiago.

But really, I think you will be fine on the Camino Frances. I've walked a few other routes but always come back for the Frances again and again. It has something a bit magical about it. Probably the eclectic mix of pilgrims on it that I love. And it is beautiful!

Buen Camino, whatever you choose!
Davey

Just noticed that you have completed seven compostelas in three years - congrats on the achievements! Clearly an addict!

Thank you for the suggestions, I have made a note of it in case we do want to wander off and incorporate another route. Although having read threads after threads all day, it sounds like Frances does have that je ne sais quoi element.
I'm getting a tad excited to say the least regardless of which route(s) we take.
Muchas gracias!

 

[Anamiri]

Thank you for your response. I think we are more concerned with crowds and accommodation. Not too keen on racing to get a bed as we are both newbies.

I found that avoiding the Brierly stages will give you a less crowded Camino. I never had issues getting a bed for the night either. And you get to discover new places. If you look in the photo you can very vaguely see what I think is a pilgrim in the distance. This was very common. I usually walked alone, and last time I walked in May-June, typically a busier month. Walkers were quite sparce on the Meseta.
Yes you will meet more people when you come into a village, usually clustered around the cafes, where it is nice to catch with people you know and make new friends. Typically there are groups of people when you leave in the morning too but they soon spread out.
It does get busier from Sarria, and I encountered a school trip leaving Rabanal.
But on the whole I did not find it crowded at all. It was very peaceful walking.
The most stressful times for me were walking in and out of cities. You become so accustomed to the quiet that the bustle of the city is a complete assault on the senses.

 

[Kanga]

@5ilver I don't understand why people are worried about the "crowds". I've walked lots of other camino paths but I still love the CF and I never find it crowded. If you don't want to see anyone on the path, then just leave town each day an hour after everyone else.

 

[5ilver]

Search the site for numerous threads on the Camino Aragones in the Aragon Valley - more remote but with pilgrim services. Traveled this route in April and it was stunning and virtually deserted. Easy bus access to the starting point in Somport then 6-8 days of walking until you rejoin the CF in Puente le Reina

PM me if you need additional help!

The Aragones Way is much much shorter than Camino Frances. If we worked it into the Frances route, how much increase / decrease is it to our trip?

 

[5ilver]

@5ilver I don't understand why people are worried about the "crowds". I've walked lots of other camino paths but I still love the CF and I never find it crowded. If you don't want to see anyone on the path, then just leave town each day an hour after everyone else.

From my research and speaking to various camino travellers, the general consensus is that accommodation can be very crowded. Although I'm aware that it will depend on the season. September is still warm from what I can see from the weather report, so i suspect it will still have a 'buzz' about the place. The walking with crowds is not an issue for me at all.

 

[5ilver]

I found that avoiding the Brierly stages will give you a less crowded Camino. I never had issues getting a bed for the night either. And you get to discover new places. If you look in the photo you can very vaguely see what I think is a pilgrim in the distance. This was very common. I usually walked alone, and last time I walked in May-June, typically a busier month. Walkers were quite sparce on the Meseta.
Yes you will meet more people when you come into a village, usually clustered around the cafes, where it is nice to catch with people you know and make new friends. Typically there are groups of people when you leave in the morning too but they soon spread out.
It does get busier from Sarria, and I encountered a school trip leaving Rabanal.
But on the whole I did not find it crowded at all. It was very peaceful walking.
The most stressful times for me were walking in and out of cities. You become so accustomed to the quiet that the bustle of the city is a complete assault on the senses.

Thank you for sharing your experience. Sounds like a lovely trip you had. How did you find the accommodation? Just walked in and asked about vacancies? Any bedbugs issues?

 

[NualaOC]

Hi @5ilver, if you want a quiet route that crosses the Pyrenees and intersects with the Camino Francés in Pamplona, I'd suggest that you consider the Camino Baztanés. There's a whole sub-forum here with information on that route - this overview post might help to get you started.

It's not for everyone, but if you're an experienced/independent walker and speak passable Spanish, it might be what you're looking for.

That said, I agree with many of the comments above. There's something very special about starting your first Camino in St Jean Pied de Port.

Happy planning and Buen Camino!

 

[Anamiri]

Thank you for sharing your experience. Sounds like a lovely trip you had. How did you find the accommodation? Just walked in and asked about vacancies? Any bedbugs issues?

I didn't ever get bitten on either Camino. I treated my pack and the outside of my sleeping bag with permethrin. Checked the beds for signs.
I got bitten after the last Camino at a nice apartment when we had a few days relaxation in Finisterre, and forgot to take precautions.
We stayed in a terrible place in Ages, and it amazes me to this day I didn't get bitten as others did. If it hadn't been raining I would have walked on once I saw the place, but the weather was foul and I decided to stay and risk it. Probably not a wise decision, I was just lucky.

Bed bugs are a world wide problem unfortunately. My sister was bitten in Kuala Lampur, and France.

No problems with getting a bed. Twice when the albergue we tried was full, they found us a bed in another albergue. I never had to walk to another village.
We were particularly lucky in Los Arcos to get the last bed going.
Often the first albergue in the village fills up first, if you walk down the street you''ll find another.
I walked in very hot months, started early and finished early - before 3. If I walked later I would have rung or booked on Booking.com.

 

[Robo]

Thank you for your response. I think we are more concerned with crowds and accommodation. Not too keen on racing to get a bed as we are both newbies.

So book ahead

 

[Teej41]

Hi

I too will be a first timer starting on Sept 22. I share to some extent your concern about 'crowds' and racing for accommodation. There's someone named John Lloyd already on the Camino who posts 'Live Forum' posts quite regularly. He was in Puente la Reina a few days back and someone asked him the question 'Is it crowded now on the Camino Frances?' He replied 'No, not at all'.

I know that things can change as the weeks pass by but this recent comment of John's does seem to support the general concensus that you (and I) ought not to have too many problems with respect to accommodation.

Buen Camino.

 

[Deleted member 3000]

Preferably routes that incorporates more landscapes and sceneries and allows us to engage with the locals to experience Spain on a more 'cultural' level.

Sorry, the Prado is in Madrid. Your daily walk will be supported by the locals. Your opportunities to engage will be without limit. The Camino Frances route has been imposed on the landscape long after Spain developed. Spain does not take land from farmers just to create a path for foreigners. The Roman roads are underneath the paved roads. The best route for the Romans was still be best route for cars, at least initially. The landscape is what it is. Unlike the French GRs, the route won't take you a few kilometers to the side to give you a grand vista. It is all there, but sometimes you have to stop, turn around, and see what you have passed.

You cannot get more of Spain than walking one meter at a time. Scenery roaring past a train, bus, or car is not substitute. There are bugs, birds, and plants to see if you look. You won't find them in the Prado (unless you look closely).

 

[tomnorth]

I found that avoiding the Brierly stages will give you a less crowded Camino. I never had issues getting a bed for the night either. And you get to discover new places. If you look in the photo you can very vaguely see what I think is a pilgrim in the distance. This was very common. I usually walked alone, and last time I walked in May-June, typically a busier month. Walkers were quite sparce on the Meseta.
Yes you will meet more people when you come into a village, usually clustered around the cafes, where it is nice to catch with people you know and make new friends. Typically there are groups of people when you leave in the morning too but they soon spread out.
It does get busier from Sarria, and I encountered a school trip leaving Rabanal.
But on the whole I did not find it crowded at all. It was very peaceful walking.
The most stressful times for me were walking in and out of cities. You become so accustomed to the quiet that the bustle of the city is a complete assault on the senses.

I completely agree about skipping the Brierley stages. Some of the best albergues were in non-Brierley towns and villages.

 

[Deleted member 3000]

The definitive 1984 guide to the Camino has many differences from the modern Brierley. Infrastructure was virtually nonexistent. Routes were shown directly from St. Jean Le Vieux and the two out of St. Jean Pied de Port. With no refuges in Pamplona, the primary route bypassed it.

 

[Anniesantiago]

I love just getting off the plane in Madrid and walking north from there. See Segovia, enjoy the peace and quiet and hook up with the Camino Frances in Sahagun at the end of the Madrid route.

 

[Anniesantiago]

There is no law, by the way, that says you must cross the Pyrenees. In some ways, it's best not to do it on your first Camino. Many pilgrims injure themselves on that stretch and it's totally unnecessary. Any place you start is fine. I also love starting in Jaca and walking down the quiet Aragones route, and hooking up in Pamplona or Puente la Reina. You could also begin in Lourdes for a BEAUTIFUL walk and then down the Aragones to Puente la Reina and continue on to Santiago.

 

[t2andreo]

The only section on the Camino Frances that gets oversubscribed is from Sarria to Santiago, and then only during the summer months, from mid-June to the end of August. Given your plans, I would not worry about it. That final segment is easy to walk, and has perhaps the most convenience services a pilgrim could want: cafes, albergues, hostals, etc. along the entire 800 km route.

The reason is simple, most Spanish pilgrims and many travel-agency or Camino group sponsored Camino tours use this route. They do so because it is relatively easy to walk, and has all the good stuff mentioned above. But, after the beginning of September, tourist volumes drop off dramatically, as schools reopen and people return to work from their summer holidays.

Tom North has it correct above, don't worry about it.

There is one alternative route that allows you to walk the Camino Frances as far as Ponferrada, yet bypass the remainder into Santiago. The Camino de Invierno (the Winter Route) starts in Ponferrada and swings to the south through beautiful river valleys and 2,000 year old vineyards on terraced hillsides. Unfortunately, you must walk up and down those hillsides... a lot.

The Invierno route adds about 40 km to the Camino Frances, direct route via Sarria. However, what the maps do not show are the many ups and downs. The rise or drop in elevation is typically about 300 meters, but you may have to go up and down three or four times each day. This can be daunting for some.

Also, while this is perhaps the most beautiful route out of the four I have walked so far, there is not much there. Beyond the natural beauty, finding sellos each day is a bit of a scavenger hunt. There are nil cafes or bars between the few small towns. There are no fuentes to refill water bottles that i can recall

But, if you can walk 30 km daily, and can handle the frequent up and down changes each day, this route may be for you. it certainly is beautiful.

On balance, if it were me, I would just continue on the Camino Frances as planned, especially if this is your first Camino.

Hope this helps.

 

[vlebe]

The Aragones Way is much much shorter than Camino Frances. If we worked it into the Frances route, how much increase / decrease is it to our trip?

As a matter of fact, the Camino Aragones is much longer than the "equivalent correlation" stretch on the Camino Frances:

SJJPP - Puente la Reina = 93km*
Somport - Puente la Reina = 160km*

*given or taken...

It's a LOVELY camino! Some looooong streches between villages here and there but a good alternative.

 

[Jeff Mayor]

Hello Fellow Pilgrims,

We will begin our first ever Camino walk in two weeks. We were wondering after crossing the Pyrenees, whether there are alternative routes that we can take to avoid huge crowds on the Camino Frances?
We would like to connect back to the Frances Route later on, but would prefer to avoid crowds if and where possible. Preferably routes that incorporates more landscapes and sceneries and allows us to engage with the locals to experience Spain on a more 'cultural' level.

Any advice and suggestion(s) is / are welcomed.
Gracias!

Sounds like you may want to consider coming over the Somport Pass through Canfrac to Jaca.: known as the Aragonese Route (check it out). It connects with the CF at Eunate (near Puerto de Reina). If you plan on passing through Pamploma, you can take a local bus to Sanquesa (one hour) and catch a couple of days of it before you hit the mainstream. My wife and I begin walking from Jaca in a week so perhaps we'll meet up if you try it.
Press on with courage.

 

[Walkingforheinz]

I love just getting off the plane in Madrid and walking north from there. See Segovia, enjoy the peace and quiet and hook up with the Camino Frances in Sahagun at the end of the Madrid route.

I will be landing in Madrid. How long is the walk from Madrid to Leon? I have 4 days before meeting friends in Leon.

 

[Walkingforheinz]

I will be landing in Madrid. How long is the walk from Madrid to Leon? I have 4 days before meeting friends in Leon.

i should mention that I am not so young anymore and walk rather slowly!

 

[Anniesantiago]

i should mention that I am not so young anymore and walk rather slowly!

Well, it's much longer than 4 days!

 

[Walkingforheinz]

Well, it's much longer than 4 days!

That answers my question!

 

[David Tallan]

Sorry, the Prado is in Madrid. Your daily walk will be supported by the locals. Your opportunities to engage will be without limit. The Camino Frances route has been imposed on the landscape long after Spain developed. Spain does not take land from farmers just to create a path for foreigners.

You seem to be arguing against a straw post that doesn't exist.

I'm not sure where all of this concern about the Prado comes from. Silver never mentioned the place. Similarly, nothing she said would indicate a belief that Spain takes land from farmers to create a path for foreigners. All she did was ask about alternate routes (and we know there are many) to possibly avoid the crowds after Sarria on the Frances, and indicated that her interests were primarily in experiencing Spanish culture and enjoying some nice landscape and scenery. Sounds pretty innocuous to me.

And, frankly, the statement that "The Camino Frances route has been imposed on the landscape long after Spain developed" is pretty arguable. Unless you are talking about the geology of the penisula (in which case, everything man-made was imposed after it developed. When the Camino Frances started being "imposed on the landscape" there was no country of Spain. There was a Kingdom of Navarre and a Kingdom of Castille and a Kingdom of Leon and several others as well, but Spain hadn't been formed yet.

 

[ChristianSdeM]

I will be landing in Madrid. How long is the walk from Madrid to Leon? I have 4 days before meeting friends in Leon.

You would have to walk very quickly - it is 320km! I would take a train or bus and enjoy Leon.

 

[Deleted member 3000]

I'm not sure where all of this concern about the Prado comes from. Silver never mentioned the place.

"Culture" in quotes? I generally assume that ALL CAPS, quotes, and Smilies are relevant.

 

[David Tallan]

"Culture" in quotes? I generally assume that ALL CAPS, quotes, and Smilies are relevant.

It may be relevant but who knows exactly what the relevance is. It's a big leap from "culture" to exclusively the Prado in Madrid. She could just have easily meant the quotes to indicate that she wanted an extra broad meaning and wasn't limiting it to formal museums of the arts.

 

[Marbe2]

Sorry to disagree but it will be crowded. Expect lots of folks at bars and waits at bathrooms. Do NOT go into Longrono for the above mentioned festival. It is a zoo. Drunken students with 2liter coke bottles filled with wine...lots of drunken kids...lots of vomiting and pee smell everywhere in the center of town. If you are still adventuresome and you are traveling with others...you should get a reservation days in advance...difficult at best to stroll into Longrono then and find a decent Albergue to stay in!

 

[owms2323]

Hello Fellow Pilgrims,

We will begin our first ever Camino walk in two weeks. We were wondering after crossing the Pyrenees, whether there are alternative routes that we can take to avoid huge crowds on the Camino Frances?
We would like to connect back to the Frances Route later on, but would prefer to avoid crowds if and where possible. Preferably routes that incorporates more landscapes and sceneries and allows us to engage with the locals to experience Spain on a more 'cultural' level.

Any advice and suggestion(s) is / are welcomed.
Gracias!

Book a day ahead if you are concerned

 

[navarro]

Hello Fellow Pilgrims,

We will begin our first ever Camino walk in two weeks. We were wondering after crossing the Pyrenees, whether there are alternative routes that we can take to avoid huge crowds on the Camino Frances?
We would like to connect back to the Frances Route later on, but would prefer to avoid crowds if and where possible. Preferably routes that incorporates more landscapes and sceneries and allows us to engage with the locals to experience Spain on a more 'cultural' level.

Any advice and suggestion(s) is / are welcomed.
Gracias!

There is an alternative route by an old rote but the problem is that are few sites to rest and it is not marked in the beginning and along 80 Km. Is the route from Pamplona to Burgos or Sto Domingo de la Calzada. To avoid this problem yo can take a bus or train in Pamplona to arrive to Salvatierra 25 km from Vitoria. Here yo connect with te vasque route from Bayonne to Burgos. This route is marked and has albergues to rest. Before arriving Mirande de Ebro yo can choose where to connect with Frances route in Sto Domingo or in Burgos.

 

[MaryLynn]

The only part of the trail that I find sporadically crowded is from Sarria to Santiago. Depending on the time of year, you could encounter large, noisy school groups and tourists disembarking from their bus--just wait for them to pass and it is quiet again. And that is the only section of all my Caminos that once we couldn't find a place to stay, but a kind hospitalera ordered a taxi for us and made a reservation in a wonderful albergue and we were good to go!
The photo that anamiri posted is similar to hundreds of photos I have taken along the Camino Frances - you can hardly call that 'crowded.' Let go of your expectations and fears and just enjoy what every day brings to you...and your walk will be filled with wonderful landscapes and sceneries. Not long into your Camino, you will wonder why you were so worried.
Go! Enjoy!!!

 

[trecile]

From my research and speaking to various camino travellers, the general consensus is that accommodation can be very crowded. Although I'm aware that it will depend on the season. September is still warm from what I can see from the weather report, so i suspect it will still have a 'buzz' about the place. The walking with crowds is not an issue for me at all.

What do they mean by accommodations being crowded? That every bed in the albergue is taken?

@5ilver I don't understand why people are worried about the "crowds". I've walked lots of other camino paths but I still love the CF and I never find it crowded.

The Camino Frances is almost 800 km long. You don't see huge hordes of people walking 4 abreast.

The only part of the trail that I find sporadically crowded is from Sarria to Santiago. Depending on the time of year, you could encounter large, noisy school groups and tourists disembarking from their bus

That happens mostly in July and August, during school holidays. Not a problem in September.

 

[rappahannock_rev]

I love just getting off the plane in Madrid and walking north from there. See Segovia, enjoy the peace and quiet and hook up with the Camino Frances in Sahagun at the end of the Madrid route.

Sounds good! When do we leave?

 

[VNwalking]

Nuala took the words out of my mouth - this is super advice:

Hi @5ilver, if you want a quiet route that crosses the Pyrenees and intersects with the Camino Francés in Pamplona, I'd suggest that you consider the Camino Baztanés. There's a whole sub-forum here with information on that route - this overview post might help to get you started.

It's not for everyone, but if you're an experienced/independent walker and speak passable Spanish, it might be what you're looking for.

That said, I agree with many of the comments above. There's something very special about starting your first Camino in St Jean Pied de Port.

 

[5ilver]

The only section on the Camino Frances that gets oversubscribed is from Sarria to Santiago, and then only during the summer months, from mid-June to the end of August. Given your plans, I would not worry about it. That final segment is easy to walk, and has perhaps the most convenience services a pilgrim could want: cafes, albergues, hostals, etc. along the entire 800 km route.

The reason is simple, most Spanish pilgrims and many travel-agency or Camino group sponsored Camino tours use this route. They do so because it is relatively easy to walk, and has all the good stuff mentioned above. But, after the beginning of September, tourist volumes drop off dramatically, as schools reopen and people return to work from their summer holidays.

Tom North has it correct above, don't worry about it.

There is one alternative route that allows you to walk the Camino Frances as far as Ponferrada, yet bypass the remainder into Santiago. The Camino de Invierno (the Winter Route) starts in Ponferrada and swings to the south through beautiful river valleys and 2,000 year old vineyards on terraced hillsides. Unfortunately, you must walk up and down those hillsides... a lot.

The Invierno route adds about 40 km to the Camino Frances, direct route via Sarria. However, what the maps do not show are the many ups and downs. The rise or drop in elevation is typically about 300 meters, but you may have to go up and down three or four times each day. This can be daunting for some.

Also, while this is perhaps the most beautiful route out of the four I have walked so far, there is not much there. Beyond the natural beauty, finding sellos each day is a bit of a scavenger hunt. There are nil cafes or bars between the few small towns. There are no fuentes to refill water bottles that i can recall

But, if you can walk 30 km daily, and can handle the frequent up and down changes each day, this route may be for you. it certainly is beautiful.

On balance, if it were me, I would just continue on the Camino Frances as planned, especially if this is your first Camino.

Hope this helps.

Your post has helped tremendously! Thank you for the thorough post sharing your experience. It provides me with some damn good options.
Thank you!

 

[5ilver]

Sorry to disagree but it will be crowded. Expect lots of folks at bars and waits at bathrooms. Do NOT go into Longrono for the above mentioned festival. It is a zoo. Drunken students with 2liter coke bottles filled with wine...lots of drunken kids...lots of vomiting and pee smell everywhere in the center of town. If you are still adventuresome and you are traveling with others...you should get a reservation days in advance...difficult at best to stroll into Longrono then and find a decent Albergue to stay in!

THIS is what i'm afraid of. There will be a festival when we arrive in Logrono if my calculations are correct. We will want to avoid this as we are not here to 'partay' as the kids says these days....haha

 

[5ilver]

The only part of the trail that I find sporadically crowded is from Sarria to Santiago. Depending on the time of year, you could encounter large, noisy school groups and tourists disembarking from their bus--just wait for them to pass and it is quiet again. And that is the only section of all my Caminos that once we couldn't find a place to stay, but a kind hospitalera ordered a taxi for us and made a reservation in a wonderful albergue and we were good to go!
The photo that anamiri posted is similar to hundreds of photos I have taken along the Camino Frances - you can hardly call that 'crowded.' Let go of your expectations and fears and just enjoy what every day brings to you...and your walk will be filled with wonderful landscapes and sceneries. Not long into your Camino, you will wonder why you were so worried.
Go! Enjoy!!!

Thanks Marylynn for your post. Am very much excited, not so worried now.

 

[Fluffy]

I completely agree about skipping the Brierley stages. Some of the best albergues were in non-Brierley towns and villages.

Hi im a newbie starting sept 15 do yo have sugestio s for the non Briierley we are starting in sjdp

 

[tomnorth]

There is a resource available on this forum that lists all the albergues on the Camino Frances. If you go through that list and mark the Brierley stops, you’ll see that there are many albergues in non-Brierley stops. Some of my favorite non-Brierley stops are listed below:

-Cirauqui
-Grañon
-Villafranca
-Atapuerca
-Hontanas
-Foncebedon
-Fonfria
-San Xulian

 

[David Tallan]

THIS is what i'm afraid of. There will be a festival when we arrive in Logrono if my calculations are correct. We will want to avoid this as we are not here to 'partay' as the kids says these days....haha

We stayed in Viana and then Navarrete and walked through Logrono.

 

[Marbe2]

If you are starting in St. Jean in the middle of Sept. make reservations, for sure, in St Jean Pied de Port and Roncevalles if you decide to go that route...and especially if there is more than one person in your group. We made a reservation at an albergue in Longrono several weeks before the festival in there in 2015...it was the only reservation we could get at that point and the place was less than desirable. I would have gladly paid for a room...any room somewhere else but there weren’t any. We were two persons. Students come into town from all over so do make reservations in Logrono if you decide to stay there during the festival. Let me describe how bad it was. There were next to no seats available at any of the bars center town. Almost all the benches were filled, There were so many people on Line at various small eating places that it took 20 minutes just to get in the door for take out food! When we finally got up front to order almost everything was sold out! What we got...we could not eat...was disgusting....and we are not fussy eaters. We finally walked quite a distance to a fine dining place for a decent meal at almost the end of the lunchtime....About 3:30pm. We payed about 100 euros for two decent meals...nothing extra, no dessert. I like Longrono a lot, but not at this festival time!
If you walk past the center of town it may not be as crowded but make sure there is a place to stay if you are planning to overnight there.

 

[5ilver]

If you are starting in St. Jean in the middle of Sept. make reservations, for sure, in St Jean Pied de Port and Roncevalles if you decide to go that route...and especially if there is more than one person in your group. We made a reservation at an albergue in Longrono several weeks before the festival in there in 2015...it was the only reservation we could get at that point and the place was less than desirable. I would have gladly paid for a room...any room somewhere else but there weren’t any. We were two persons. Students come into town from all over so do make reservations in Logrono if you decide to stay there during the festival. Let me describe how bad it was. There were next to no seats available at any of the bars center town. Almost all the benches were filled, There were so many people on Line at various small eating places that it took 20 minutes just to get in the door for take out food! When we finally got up front to order almost everything was sold out! What we got...we could not eat...was disgusting....and we are not fussy eaters. We finally walked quite a distance to a fine dining place for a decent meal at almost the end of the lunchtime....About 3:30pm. We payed about 100 euros for two decent meals...nothing extra, no dessert. I like Longrono a lot, but not at this festival time!
If you walk past the center of town it may not be as crowded but make sure there is a place to stay if you are planning to overnight there.

Oh wow! That does sound stressful, especially after a long trek to get there.
Sorry for the noob question, but can one reserve an bed at an albergue via the internet or do we have to call? Or is this an air bnb scenario for Logrono?

 

[5ilver]

Hi @5ilver, if you want a quiet route that crosses the Pyrenees and intersects with the Camino Francés in Pamplona, I'd suggest that you consider the Camino Baztanés. There's a whole sub-forum here with information on that route - this overview post might help to get you started.

It's not for everyone, but if you're an experienced/independent walker and speak passable Spanish, it might be what you're looking for.

That said, I agree with many of the comments above. There's something very special about starting your first Camino in St Jean Pied de Port.

Happy planning and Buen Camino!

Thank you Nuala for your suggestion. Will keep it in mind for sure.
Buen Camino to you!

 

[Anamiri]

Oh wow! That does sound stressful, especially after a long trek to get there.
Sorry for the noob question, but can one reserve an bed at an albergue via the internet or do we have to call? Or is this an air bnb scenario for Logrono?

If you speak Spanish, phone ahead. Otherwise Booking.com, or often the albergue will phone ahead for you.

 

[Robo]

The only section on the Camino Frances that gets oversubscribed is from Sarria to Santiago, and then only during the summer months, from mid-June to the end of August..

Very true. Though the St Jean to Pamplona section can get a bit busy too.
By Pamplona people seem to have spread out a bit.
Zubiri this year late April/early May was booked solid.
But maybe it was just a Pligrim 'wave'....

 

[David Tallan]

Oh wow! That does sound stressful, especially after a long trek to get there.
Sorry for the noob question, but can one reserve an bed at an albergue via the internet or do we have to call? Or is this an air bnb scenario for Logrono?

When made reservations by email in Roncesvalles and Zubiri on our last Camino.

 

[Marbe2]

Oh wow! That does sound stressful, especially after a long trek to get there.
Sorry for the noob question, but can one reserve an bed at an albergue via the internet or do we have to call? Or is this an air bnb scenario for Logrono?

you can make reservations at some private albergues directly. Check out Gronze.com for listings. We also use booking.com to make private albergue reservations sometimes...if they are listed. Often you can cancel free of charge up to 3 days before...but it varies with the reservation and some reservations are non refundable so look carefully when making reservations. Some of those rooms are bunk beds and some are private rooms. The nice part Is that there are numerous reviews of most places making it a bit easier to know what to expect.

 

[Sandcastle]

Sorry to disagree but it will be crowded. Expect lots of folks at bars and waits at bathrooms. Do NOT go into Longrono for the above mentioned festival. It is a zoo. Drunken students with 2liter coke bottles filled with wine...lots of drunken kids...lots of vomiting and pee smell everywhere in the center of town. If you are still adventuresome and you are traveling with others...you should get a reservation days in advance...difficult at best to stroll into Longrono then and find a decent Albergue to stay in!

This was not my experience walking in September/October. The Logroño festival was great fun - lots of families and street theatre, a real sense of celebration. Book a room in advance.
It wasn't really crowded until Sarria, and I never had trouble finding a place to stay.
There are lots of short alternate routes that are well worth taking and less-traveled - I used the Dintaman guidebook and took as many of the alternate paths as I could. I loved the short side trip to Eunate, the Luquin route between Villatuerta and Los Arcos, the river route into Burgos, the Via Trajana after Sahagun via Calzadilla de los Hermanillos, and the route through Villar de Mazarife between Leon and Astorga.

 

[Gcmacrae]

Hello Fellow Pilgrims,

We will begin our first ever Camino walk in two weeks. We were wondering after crossing the Pyrenees, whether there are alternative routes that we can take to avoid huge crowds on the Camino Frances?
We would like to connect back to the Frances Route later on, but would prefer to avoid crowds if and where possible. Preferably routes that incorporates more landscapes and sceneries and allows us to engage with the locals to experience Spain on a more 'cultural' level.

Any advice and suggestion(s) is / are welcomed.
Gracias!

The crowd only become noticeable after Sarria and people tend to string out along the trail and laps into their own particular mind space when they walk so, you really laps into your own world and don’t see people as being part of the crowd. Where it is available, take the alternate routes shown on your map. You know, the road less traveled and all that.

 

[4 Eyes]

ALL THESE DIFFERENT OPINIONS AND EXPERIENCES! How crowded depends on whether it's a holy year, what month of the year, how early in the morning you start, how fast you walk, how much distance you cover, and what village/town you stop at. In my experience beautiful places are more crowded. In a holy year it will be super crowded. According to the Pilgrim Association charts on the number of compostelas issued in Santiago by month, the period of May through September is more crowded, with the summer months at the peak. If you do the race, i.e.: start early in the morning, say 5:00 a.m., walk at a good pace, and get to you destination for the day by noonish, you generally won't have a problem getting a bed, except in a few places. If you start late and walk slow but don't cover too much distance so you still get to your destination for the day by noonish, you also won't have a problem getting a bed. If you book ahead by phone and get to your destination by 3:00 p.m., mostly you won't have a problem getting a bed. If you book ahead on line via Booking.com or other websites, mostly you won't have a problem getting a bed. I said "mostly" because with prebooking, even with Booking.com, mistakes are sometimes made and you may arrive finding your reservation non-existent or mysteriously changed/canceled. That has happened to me more than once and to a few others I know. Your e mail confirmation saying you do have a reservation won't help you if they just don't have a bed. So, I always reconfirm. My suggestion for your walk in September: book ahead, reconfirm, and enjoy your walk. I did not prebook on my first camino, starting in SJPP in early September 2014. So I, along with 50 other pilgrims who did not prebook could not find beds even with the help of the pilgrim office. We all slept on the floor in the SJPP pilgrim office. I slept on the floor in the boiler room. It was nice and warm but the thought of carbon dioxide poisoning crossed my mind that night. In Roncesvalle I got one of the last beds in the monastery overflow building. I started at 4:00 a.m. that morning from SJPP and arrived by 3:00 p.m.. Some of my pilgrim friends who slept in Orisson started later and arrived in Roncesvalle after me. They had to walk on to the next town to get beds. In Pamplona with the help of the pilgrim office there I got one of the last beds in a dump with bed bugs. Soon thereafter I started prebooking a day ahead by phone. That helped for a while. Then I realized I had to book two days ahead by phone, as more pilgrims start their walks in places along the way, swelling the Camino. The two days ahead booking worked pretty well. In Santiago though, if you want a decent well located place, you probably want to book right now. This year after re-checking the American Pilgrim Association charts on the popularity of the various months, I am starting September 27, so it will be much less crowded for me, hopefully. Still I enjoyed my first camino immensely, crowds and boiler room and all. My experience of course does not invalidate the experiences of others. I am certain there are those more fortunate than me who lucked into starting dates with fewer people even in popular months. You are starting mid September, hopefully there will be fewer people starting then than early September. So good luck and Buen Camino to you.

 

[Scott Fraser]

Here are several “alternate” routes along the CF to consider if you want to avoid crowds (which aren’t really a problem until you get beyond Sarria):

1. After Estella, and just a few hundred meters beyond the Irache monastery (the one with the wine fountain) there is an alternate to the main route — most people turn right and take the path that runs along the A-12 highway to Azqueta and Villamajor de Monjardin. The alternate route goes straight ahead at this point and within a short distance leads to a dirt path up through a forest and fields before passing throug Luquin, and then it rejoins the main route to Los Arcos. If you choose this quieter, less-traveled path you avoid the crowd and stretches where the Camino parallels the highway. If you go this way, watch carefully for the spot where the route leaves the road at an and enters the forest. This occurs just as you cross under the A-12. Here you arrive at a round-about (of sorts) and the trailhead is straight ahead across the road. (I turned right at this point and walked up the hill on the road until a kind soul alerted me to my error). I’ve done both routes and prefer the alternate through the forest. It’s much more scenic.

2. Take the alternate route into Burgos — on leaving Orbaneja Riopico and after crossing over the A-1 highway turn left at the next set of buildings a hundred meters or so down the road. The path leads around the airport and through Castanares and then along the river. It’s a few km longer, but worth it.

3. Finally, on leaving Triacastela, I’d recommend considering the alternate that passes through Samos. Visiting the monastery is worthwhile. If you stop for the night in Samos, the next day you can walk beyond Sarria (avoiding the crowds that gather there) to Barbadelo or Casa Morgade, a nice casa rural. If you stop between the published stages and leave early each morning you can avoid much of the crowd between Sarria and Santiago.

Burn Camino

 

[Anamiri]

Here are several “alternate” routes along the CF to consider if you want to avoid crowds (which aren’t really a problem until you get beyond Sarria):

1. After Estella, and just a few hundred meters beyond the Irache monastery (the one with the wine fountain) there is an alternate to the main route — most people turn right and take the path that runs along the A-12 highway to Azqueta and Villamajor de Monjardin. The alternate route goes straight ahead at this point and within a short distance leads to a dirt path up through a forest and fields before passing throug Luquin, and then it rejoins the main route to Los Arcos. If you choose this quieter, less-traveled path you avoid the crowd and stretches where the Camino parallels the highway. If you go this way, watch carefully for the spot where the route leaves the road at an and enters the forest. This occurs just as you cross under the A-12. Here you arrive at a round-about (of sorts) and the trailhead is straight ahead across the road. (I turned right at this point and walked up the hill on the road until a kind soul alerted me to my error). I’ve done both routes and prefer the alternate through the forest. It’s much more scenic.

2. Take the alternate route into Burgos — on leaving Orbaneja Riopico and after crossing over the A-1 highway turn left at the next set of buildings a hundred meters or so down the road. The path leads around the airport and through Castanares and then along the river. It’s a few km longer, but worth it.

3. Finally, on leaving Triacastela, I’d recommend considering the alternate that passes through Samos. Visiting the monastery is worthwhile. If you stop for the night in Samos, the next day you can walk beyond Sarria (avoiding the crowds that gather there) to Barbadelo or Casa Morgade, a nice casa rural. If you stop between the published stages and leave early each morning you can avoid much of the crowd between Sarria and Santiago.

Burn Camino

Here are several “alternate” routes along the CF to consider if you want to avoid crowds (which aren’t really a problem until you get beyond Sarria):

1. After Estella, and just a few hundred meters beyond the Irache monastery (the one with the wine fountain) there is an alternate to the main route — most people turn right and take the path that runs along the A-12 highway to Azqueta and Villamajor de Monjardin. The alternate route goes straight ahead at this point and within a short distance leads to a dirt path up through a forest and fields before passing throug Luquin, and then it rejoins the main route to Los Arcos. If you choose this quieter, less-traveled path you avoid the crowd and stretches where the Camino parallels the highway. If you go this way, watch carefully for the spot where the route leaves the road at an and enters the forest. This occurs just as you cross under the A-12. Here you arrive at a round-about (of sorts) and the trailhead is straight ahead across the road. (I turned right at this point and walked up the hill on the road until a kind soul alerted me to my error). I’ve done both routes and prefer the alternate through the forest. It’s much more scenic.

2. Take the alternate route into Burgos — on leaving Orbaneja Riopico and after crossing over the A-1 highway turn left at the next set of buildings a hundred meters or so down the road. The path leads around the airport and through Castanares and then along the river. It’s a few km longer, but worth it.

3. Finally, on leaving Triacastela, I’d recommend considering the alternate that passes through Samos. Visiting the monastery is worthwhile. If you stop for the night in Samos, the next day you can walk beyond Sarria (avoiding the crowds that gather there) to Barbadelo or Casa Morgade, a nice casa rural. If you stop between the published stages and leave early each morning you can avoid much of the crowd between Sarria and Santiago.

Burn Camino

I concur on that. The walk to Samos is beautiful. And the monastery at Samos impressive. One of my better decisions, even though we walked through a lightning storm to get there..

 

[Irma Terblanche]

Thank you! Am more at ease knowing that it will be less crowded.

We have just finished our Camino walk. No problems with accommodation. Crowds have lessened. Be careful to add extra mountainess stretches. It is trying as is. Buen Camino

 

[5ilver]

We have just finished our Camino walk. No problems with accommodation. Crowds have lessened. Be careful to add extra mountainess stretches. It is trying as is. Buen Camino

THANKS Irma! Will do stretches for sure.

 

[5ilver]

Here are several “alternate” routes along the CF to consider if you want to avoid crowds (which aren’t really a problem until you get beyond Sarria):

1. After Estella, and just a few hundred meters beyond the Irache monastery (the one with the wine fountain) there is an alternate to the main route — most people turn right and take the path that runs along the A-12 highway to Azqueta and Villamajor de Monjardin. The alternate route goes straight ahead at this point and within a short distance leads to a dirt path up through a forest and fields before passing throug Luquin, and then it rejoins the main route to Los Arcos. If you choose this quieter, less-traveled path you avoid the crowd and stretches where the Camino parallels the highway. If you go this way, watch carefully for the spot where the route leaves the road at an and enters the forest. This occurs just as you cross under the A-12. Here you arrive at a round-about (of sorts) and the trailhead is straight ahead across the road. (I turned right at this point and walked up the hill on the road until a kind soul alerted me to my error). I’ve done both routes and prefer the alternate through the forest. It’s much more scenic.

2. Take the alternate route into Burgos — on leaving Orbaneja Riopico and after crossing over the A-1 highway turn left at the next set of buildings a hundred meters or so down the road. The path leads around the airport and through Castanares and then along the river. It’s a few km longer, but worth it.

3. Finally, on leaving Triacastela, I’d recommend considering the alternate that passes through Samos. Visiting the monastery is worthwhile. If you stop for the night in Samos, the next day you can walk beyond Sarria (avoiding the crowds that gather there) to Barbadelo or Casa Morgade, a nice casa rural. If you stop between the published stages and leave early each morning you can avoid much of the crowd between Sarria and Santiago.

Burn Camino

THANK YOU SCOTT!
Have printed this info out to bookmark it in my Camino guide.
We are into scenic rewarding routes, so this is very helpful.
Buen camino to you!

 

[5ilver]

ALL THESE DIFFERENT OPINIONS AND EXPERIENCES! How crowded depends on whether it's a holy year, what month of the year, how early in the morning you start, how fast you walk, how much distance you cover, and what village/town you stop at. In my experience beautiful places are more crowded. In a holy year it will be super crowded. According to the Pilgrim Association charts on the number of compostelas issued in Santiago by month, the period of May through September is more crowded, with the summer months at the peak. If you do the race, i.e.: start early in the morning, say 5:00 a.m., walk at a good pace, and get to you destination for the day by noonish, you generally won't have a problem getting a bed, except in a few places. If you start late and walk slow but don't cover too much distance so you still get to your destination for the day by noonish, you also won't have a problem getting a bed. If you book ahead by phone and get to your destination by 3:00 p.m., mostly you won't have a problem getting a bed. If you book ahead on line via Booking.com or other websites, mostly you won't have a problem getting a bed. I said "mostly" because with prebooking, even with Booking.com, mistakes are sometimes made and you may arrive finding your reservation non-existent or mysteriously changed/canceled. That has happened to me more than once and to a few others I know. Your e mail confirmation saying you do have a reservation won't help you if they just don't have a bed. So, I always reconfirm. My suggestion for your walk in September: book ahead, reconfirm, and enjoy your walk. I did not prebook on my first camino, starting in SJPP in early September 2014. So I, along with 50 other pilgrims who did not prebook could not find beds even with the help of the pilgrim office. We all slept on the floor in the SJPP pilgrim office. I slept on the floor in the boiler room. It was nice and warm but the thought of carbon dioxide poisoning crossed my mind that night. In Roncesvalle I got one of the last beds in the monastery overflow building. I started at 4:00 a.m. that morning from SJPP and arrived by 3:00 p.m.. Some of my pilgrim friends who slept in Orisson started later and arrived in Roncesvalle after me. They had to walk on to the next town to get beds. In Pamplona with the help of the pilgrim office there I got one of the last beds in a dump with bed bugs. Soon thereafter I started prebooking a day ahead by phone. That helped for a while. Then I realized I had to book two days ahead by phone, as more pilgrims start their walks in places along the way, swelling the Camino. The two days ahead booking worked pretty well. In Santiago though, if you want a decent well located place, you probably want to book right now. This year after re-checking the American Pilgrim Association charts on the popularity of the various months, I am starting September 27, so it will be much less crowded for me, hopefully. Still I enjoyed my first camino immensely, crowds and boiler room and all. My experience of course does not invalidate the experiences of others. I am certain there are those more fortunate than me who lucked into starting dates with fewer people even in popular months. You are starting mid September, hopefully there will be fewer people starting then than early September. So good luck and Buen Camino to you.

This is very informative. Thank you for sharing your experience.
We haven't even booked accommodation in Biarritz thinking we could just wing that one.
So, we will have to prebook two days in advance to secure accommodation for this time of the year. Thanks for the heads-up! Much appreciated.
Buen camino to you!

 

[5ilver]

Well, there is an alternative when you get to Leon. If you want a quieter more mountainous route you could turn right at Leon, walk the Camino San Salvador to Oviedo (VERY quiet and mountainous), then take the Camino Primitivo (very beautiful) which rejoins the Camino Frances at Melide, about two days before Santiago. This route is about 6-7 days longer.

Or there is the Camino Invierno later on. Turn left at Ponferada for a pretty and rather secluded route to Santiago.

But really, I think you will be fine on the Camino Frances. I've walked a few other routes but always come back for the Frances again and again. It has something a bit magical about it. Probably the eclectic mix of pilgrims on it that I love. And it is beautiful!

Buen Camino, whatever you choose!
Davey

Thanks Davey! We are definitely going to stick with the Camino Frances, but might take alternative routes if we are feeling adventurous! Very much looking forward to it. Only a week to go...

Buen camino to you!

 

[KinkyOne]

...
Burn Camino

No, please, don't!!!


PS (I know it's an AS )

 

[jeffnd]

It is a zoo. Drunken students with 2liter coke bottles filled with wine...lots of drunken kids...lots of vomiting and pee smell everywhere in the center of town.

Sounds kinda fun actually!