Camino Ingles in Feb/March

[sundaynightsky]

Hi,

I'm thinking about doing the Camino Ingles. I've downloaded the Johnnie Walker guide, which looks excellent!

I just have a few questions about time of year... I am thinking about walking in Feb/March - how many people will be on the route then? Will albergues be open at this time of the year? As a female walking by herself, will I need to be concerned about personal safety?

Sorry if these are stupid questions!

Thanks in advance for your help.

 

[Waka]

Sorry I can't help with your questions, but please remember that no questions are stupid, you'll find that in a lot of cases you're asking the questions others are embarassed to ask.

 

[Tincatinker]

@sundaynightsky some 507 pilgrims claimed a compostella after walking the Camino Ingles in March 2016, so between 10 & 20 on the way every day - further stats here: https://oficinadelperegrino.com/estadisticas/

The Xunta Albergues will be open though its likely you will need to telephone someone to open up. Contact details are usually pinned to the door and can be found in Johnnie's guide. Also plenty of information on Albergues and alternative accommodation here: http://www.gronze.com/camino-ingles.

Personal safety? There is lots of good advice to be found here: https://www.caminodesantiago.me/community/forums/personal-safety.162/ The Caminos are generally pretty safe places to be but the advice is of course to take sensible precautions and be alert to your surroundings at all times - no earbuds / music cutting you off from your environment.

Buen camino

 

[Alicia Dellinger]

Arriving in Pamplona on 3/2/17 at 1:15. What is my cheapest/fastest transportation to SJDPP?
How often do buses run in March?

 

[Tia Valeria]

Arriving in Pamplona on 3/2/17 at 1:15. What is my cheapest/fastest transportation to SJDPP?
How often do buses run in March?

Welcome to the forum.
I think that you will receive better informed answers in a thread for travel from Pamplona to SJPP. There is one running about Sunday travel that might be more helpful for you if folk answering are aware of other bus times etc. (This thread is in the section for Ferrol to Santiago and many of us will not be able to answer you.)

 

[sundaynightsky]

Thanks @Tincatinker, very useful indeed!

 

[madrid12]

I usually walk this route alone in March and have always found it very quiet, (which I like) only seeing a few pilgrims if any. The albergues are open, but it may be a case of calling the hospitalero . I stay in hostels then do not need to take a sleeping bag.
I have always felt safe but any local people will tell you when to be careful.
Waymarking is very good. One thing to be aware of at this time of year is short daylight hours, it may not be light until 8.30 in the morning.
I really like this route.

 

[Barbara]

I've just informed my husband that I'll be off to Spain next week. I'm hoping to walk the Ingles from Ferrol, then back to A Coruña. Can anyone let me know what weather is most likely? In order to avoid truly awful weather I can adjust dates a little, but I need to be home in France by the end of the month, and the return by train is two days. Flying is not an option for me, we are too far from anywhere with affordable flights.

 

[KinkyOne]

I've just informed my husband that I'll be off to Spain next week. I'm hoping to walk the Ingles from Ferrol, then back to A Coruña. Can anyone let me know what weather is most likely? In order to avoid truly awful weather I can adjust dates a little, but I need to be home in France by the end of the month, and the return by train is two days. Flying is not an option for me, we are too far from anywhere with affordable flights.

Very useful: http://www.caminodesantiagotiempo.com/caminoingles/ferrol.htm

Ultreia!

 

[Bradypus]

I've just informed my husband that I'll be off to Spain next week. I'm hoping to walk the Ingles from Ferrol, then back to A Coruña. Can anyone let me know what weather is most likely?

For a long-term (10 days) weather forecast I'd use yr.no and enter Ferrol as location. Excellent simple forecasting. I arrived in Galicia last night and in 4 hours the weather switched from cold (5C) and damp to storm winds up to 180kph and over 20mm of rain overnight. Even the locals were impressed Galician weather is notoriously unpredictable: a winter Camino will always be a gamble.

 

[mylifeonvacation]

They had a really big storm along the coast in that part of Galicia yesterday (today's football match between Deportivo La Coruna and Betis was cancelled as Riazor stadium was damaged). Trees were downed, causing train schedule interruptions, some electricity lost for a bit, but the cleanup has begun. Hopefully the clouds will clear up by next week for you! Buen Camino!

 

[Barbara]

Thanks, that's all helpful stuff. I won't book travel until the day before I go so at least the first few days I can stay relatively dry. I have vivid memories of the primitivo in April, walking through snow. At least the Ingles is lower.

 

[Tia Valeria]

You can see the 7 day forecast here on aemet.
(For a different area click on the 'municipios' near the top of the page and then click the map.)
Buen Camino

 

[ciccioformaccio]

I usually walk this route alone in March and have always found it very quiet, (which I like) only seeing a few pilgrims if any. The albergues are open, but it may be a case of calling the hospitalero . I stay in hostels then do not need to take a sleeping bag.
I have always felt safe but any local people will tell you when to be careful.
Waymarking is very good. One thing to be aware of at this time of year is short daylight hours, it may not be light until 8.30 in the morning.
I really like this route.

which is generally the condition of the unpaved sectors.? Do I have to be prepared for a lot of mud?

 

[Bradypus]

which is generally the condition of the unpaved sectors.? Do I have to be prepared for a lot of mud?

Not much mud on the Ingles. Most of the paths which are not tarmac are surfaced with gravel.

 

[ciccioformaccio]

Not much mud on the Ingles. Most of the paths which are not tarmac are surfaced with gravel.

thank you very much for the precious info, accordingly I will opt for trail running shoes.