Aug/Sep on the CF

[RJE]

I’m planning for the last 2 weeks of August and the first 3 weeks of September in 2024. Starting in SJPdP.

Thoughts on the weather?

How crowded?

 

[Bradypus]

Likely to be pretty warm. In places like Burgos average daytime highs are usually about 25 or 26C. A bit less in higher places like O Cebreiro. Mostly dry but there is always the possibility of heavy rain especially in Galicia.

Early September is peak season for people setting out from SJPDP. Pretty busy in late August too. The peak for the section after Sarria is July and August so it should be easing off when you get there. But "crowded" is a slippery concept - we might see that very differently. In mid-September there may still be over 2,000 arrivals in Santiago every day and about half of those will have walked the Frances. So you may be sharing the final stages with about 1,000 people each day.

 

[DoughnutANZ]

I’m planning for the last 2 weeks of August and the first 3 weeks of September in 2024. Starting in SJPdP.

Thoughts on the weather?

How crowded?

That is a great time to start.

It won't be particularly busy in SJPdP and by the time that you get to Sarria the August summer holidays peak for Spanish pilgrims will be over.

The SJPdP end will be starting to ramp up and so you will have company during your walk but not over crowded.

Just watch any local festivals and tourist towns like Leon may well be busy, particularly in the weekends.

Buen Camino

 

[RJE]

That’s helpful. I don’t mind the heat, so getting in front of the peak departures is my plan.

 

[DoughnutANZ]

That’s helpful. I don’t mind the heat, so getting in front of the peak departures is my plan.

I think that this is a good plan.

I have just finished walking from Madrid and then the Frances and nowhere was ever full. Very occasionally the most popular private albergues with very good facilities and reputations were busier than other places but even then, none were ever full when I was there.

Many other hospitaleros along the Frances from Sahagún to O Cebrerio commented that they wished for more customers.

After O Cebrerio I switched to the Portuguese and initially from Tui it also was not busy. Once the Coastal Portuguese merged with the the Inland Portuguese there were more walkers and some quite large groups but again I never had problems with finding accommodation.

One warning for anyone planning a shorter Camino in August. When I was talking to one hospitalero on the Portuguese he showed me his forward reservations and for him every thing changed on the 1st of August.

For the first week of August he was already fully booked.

Please note that this pattern is only applicable to the shorter Caminos like the one from Tui, Sarria and probably the Ingles as well. These are the Caminos that are typically walked by locals during their August summer holidays.

 

[NomadBoomer]

About to walk My 4th Camino in 3 weeks. My plan is to avoid the huge wave coming out from sjpdp in early September. Everyone tends to avoid walked in July and August.

One thing maybe not mentioned as much as it should be, is the time the sun is actually reaching a peak on a particular day. Spain is already in the wrong time zone and then with daylight saving it means that the sun peak is actually 2pm or later. This means that the hottest part of the day is actually late in the afternoon, so most folks have stopped walking before then on most days. You should be ok with the weather a couple of weeks don't make that difference on average.

It will probably be crazy busy from saria.

 

[RJE]

Enjoy. That’s exactly my plan, to head out of SJPdP in mid-August to beat the Sept crowd.

 

[psi5trader]

Aiming to start from Ponferrada Sept 12. Any thoughts on how crowded it might be?

 

[trecile]

Aiming to start from Ponferrada Sept 12. Any thoughts on how crowded it might be?

Probably not very crowded. You will be ahead of the first week of September crowd that starts from SJPdP, and the summer pilgrims that start in Sarria will be gone. It still will be busier after Sarria, but nothing like July and August.

 

[SlowCamino2024]

I’m planning for the last 2 weeks of August and the first 3 weeks of September in 2024. Starting in SJPdP.

Thoughts on the weather?

How crowded?

ALSO PLANNING EARLY SEPT: If you want to connect.
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[SDJunkMan]

I hope to start in SJPP on the 22nd of August, hopefully that will be early enough to beat some of the September rush.

 

[shortalleve]

I hope to start in SJPP on the 22nd of August, hopefully that will be early enough to beat some of the September rush.

I booked my flight last night to start SJPP on the 23rd of August. This is my first camino...

 

[RJE]

Planning to start from SJPdP on 8/21. See you all on the Camino!