Best time in the Fall?

[wrbookworm7]

Thank you to all who so generously offer their advice and knowledge. I have been reading this forum for awhile. I am 64 and my walking companions will be 62 and 65 next year. We are coming from Canada and are all reasonably fit. One of our group is still working and needs to have her travel dates in by the end of December. We were considering starting the first of September next year, which seems to be when a huge "bulge" of walkers begins. Would it be wiser in terms of finding accommodation to start a week or two earlier in the middle of August? From the posts, I am tending to think that staying in the smaller places results in an easier time with accommodation. We would probably start with booked accommodation in Orrisson and then walk past Roncessvalle the next day. From then we would try and just go with the flow. We would be early morning walkers. Thanks in advance for your advice!

 

[naplesdon]

August is hot and will be busy due to European holidays. I'd be inclined towards a start in mid-September. The weather is agreeable and by the end of your Camino like Canadian spring time. Why the reason to avoid Roncevalles?

 

[Tincatinker]

I agree with @biarritzdon a mid-september start sets you behind the surge. The weather can be superb - cold mornings perfect for walking, warm afternoons perfect for laundry and beer. And Roncevalles has history that StJdP can only dream of. (unless you are all Hemingway fans and heading for Burguettte)

 

[Julia Mumford]

I agree with @biarritzdon - mid Sept would be better than August. Try to avoid August at all costs if you can.

 

[wrbookworm7]

Thank you so much for all your replies. I appreciate your input. I have been told that Roncevalles fills up quickly and it is wiser to walk on to Burgette. I really don't want my walk to become one of fear of not finding a bed at the end of each day..

 

[Tincatinker]

Roncesvalles has maybe 150 - 200 beds between the Albergue and the hotels, all bookable; Burguete maybe 40, likewise all bookable.

I always head for Burguete so I can fantasize fishing the Irati and stringing three compelling sentences together - but Roncesvalles has that history. 1127 was a pretty good year for pilgrims.

 

[C clearly]

I vote for late September or early October!

 

[wrbookworm7]

It seems that October is a very wet month with lots of rain...

 

[trecile]

I started last year on 21 August, and never had a problem finding a bed.

 

[rappahannock_rev]

Time it so that you can celebrate the late-September San Mateo wine harvest festival in Logrono!

A memorable party!

 

[tomnorth]

I started walking on September 24. The weather was perfect for this cooler-weather-inclined Minnesotan. I will walk again at that time.

 

[nycwalking]

I like late Aug. Also, you can book Roncesvalles. Try not to miss Pilgrim's mass, quite nice.
Buen camino.

 

[C clearly]

It seems that October is a very wet month with lots of rain...

That hasn't been my experience, until Galicia. You can choose between the risk of too hot and the risk of too rainy.

 

[wrbookworm7]

Thank you so much for all your input.. I am thinking that starting the last week in August will get us ahead of the September bulge and the rain!

 

[Camino Chrissy]

It seems that October is a very wet month with lots of rain...

When researching information on the filming for the movie "The Way", found that they started in late September and through October with almost no rain. I'm being redundant here, but one never knows for sure what the weather will bring on any given month.

 

[Sunbun]

Thank you so much for all your replies. I appreciate your input. I have been told that Roncevalles fills up quickly and it is wiser to walk on to Burgette. I really don't want my walk to become one of fear of not finding a bed at the end of each day..

Reserve Roncevalles. Although the walk on to Burgette is only 2 k and flat.

 

[Sunbun]

Thank you to all who so generously offer their advice and knowledge. I have been reading this forum for awhile. I am 64 and my walking companions will be 62 and 65 next year. We are coming from Canada and are all reasonably fit. One of our group is still working and needs to have her travel dates in by the end of December. We were considering starting the first of September next year, which seems to be when a huge "bulge" of walkers begins. Would it be wiser in terms of finding accommodation to start a week or two earlier in the middle of August? From the posts, I am tending to think that staying in the smaller places results in an easier time with accommodation. We would probably start with booked accommodation in Orrisson and then walk past Roncessvalle the next day. From then we would try and just go with the flow. We would be early morning walkers. Thanks in advance for your advice!

I started 15 Sept this year and weather has been great. Very full Albergues, and I'd guess at least 50-60% of Pilgrims are reserving in advance.

 

[Bodi]

I started Sept. 14 this year from St. Jean and finished in Najera. I booked most of my accommodation 1 day ahead and never had any trouble. Also stayed in some municipal and parochial albergues that didn't take reservations but arrived by 2:00 pm so no problem getting a bed. I found the weekends were busy because lots of local people walk the Camino and I think there's a weekend surge from St. Jean. But it quickly thins out and generally on weekdays was fairly quiet. I had 4 days of rain at the start and 1 day a bit later on, but mostly sunny or slightly overcast with highs from 18C to 26C. Buen Camino!