Camino Norte, or Camino Frances (again)?

[Andy T]

Hello! need help deciding on what to do this summer. I did the Camino Frances last summer in May and loved it! I want to do another Camino this July-August and was hoping some could help me answer questions.

- Will the weather be awful for the Norte? There was hardly any rain when I did the Frances, which I highly appreciated.

- Will I have a hard time finding places to stay on the Norte since so much of it is on touristic beaches and I'm going during high tour season? I.e. July-August. I'm okay with paying a little extra, but I'm not okay with sleeping in the streets, which I've read can happen. I'm also afraid that if there are a lot of peregrinos and the Norte is popular this year, there won't be enough albergues for all the peregrinos (and cities are a lot further apart on the Norte, from what I understand).

- Will there be people along the Norte? I'm a social walker, and I can't imagine walking a substantial portion with no one to talk to. Basically, how crowded/deserted will this camino be in late July/early August?

- I'm young. Is the Norte crowd especially old or young?

- If I do the Frances, will it be very crowded? This trip will be in July/August and last time I went in May.

- What will the Frances weather be like in July/August compared to my last trip in May? I liked the weather last May. I don't know if I would enjoy it if was 10-15F hotter...

Thanks so much!

 

[Rajy62]

Hello! need help deciding on what to do this summer. I did the Camino Frances last summer in May and loved it! I want to do another Camino this July-August and was hoping some could help me answer questions.

I had the same dilemma. Chose the Norte for more physical challenge and the ocean views. Norte has more uphill (rolling hill) walking specially the 1st week (Irun - Bilbao).

- Will the weather be awful for the Norte?

Although weather can be unpredictable, July/August should be warmer. I walked in June and had only few days of rain at the beginning before Bilbao.

- Will I have a hard time finding places to stay on the Norte

Norte is busier, specially the 1st 3 weeks, due to its popularity for local tourism. And the accommodations are shared by all kind of travellers. You definitely are better off booking 2-3 days ahead. Yes be prepared to pay Extra during July/Aug.

- cities are a lot further apart on the Norte,

Norte accommodation has improved a lot. In 2014, I was able to walk 20-25 km per stage and find a decent place to sleep. Occasionally, i would bus some km to reach a major town. You can take a look at my staging here (via primitivo).

- Will there be people along the Norte? I'm a social walker, and I can't imagine walking a substantial portion with no one to talk to.

In July/Aug, you will have no problems socializing.

- I'm young. Is the Norte crowd especially old or young?

You will get a mix crowd. Since there would be lesser peregrinos, you may find lot less younger people compared to the Frances.

- If I do the Frances, will it be very crowded? This trip will be in July/August.

Yes Frances will be very crowded. I walked the Frances in October, still had a lot of people. But not enough to bother me.

-- What will the Frances weather be like in July/August compared to my last trip in May? I liked the weather last May. I don't know if I would enjoy it if was 10-15F hotter...

It will be hotter, your instinct is right.

 

[Camino2010]

Hello! need help deciding on what to do this summer. I did the Camino Frances last summer in May and loved it! I want to do another Camino this July-August and was hoping some could help me answer questions.

- Will there be people along the Norte? I'm a social walker, and I can't imagine walking a substantial portion with no one to talk to. Basically, how crowded/deserted will this camino be in late July/early August?

- I'm young. Is the Norte crowd especially old or young?

- If I do the Frances, will it be very crowded? This trip will be in July/August and last time I went in May.

- What will the Frances weather be like in July/August compared to my last trip in May? I liked the weather last May. I don't know if I would enjoy it if was 10-15F hotter...

Thanks so much!

I could have written your exact same post, Andy, with a few details changed.

I walked the Francés for the first time in 2010 and as I've written elsewhere on the forum, I always knew (even before I went for the first time) that I would walk it at least twice. So I was back again in 2011 for my second. The next year, I thought about the Norte. One of my Camino friends from the first year had walked it and loved it. I started to plan for the Norte, but one day, all of a sudden, the thought danced into my head... "If I walk the Norte this year, I won't get to see Logroño again..." and that set off a swoosh of thoughts and memories like dominoes toppling one into the other... no Logroño, no Meseta (I love the Meseta!), no Boadilla, no Cruz de Ferro, and so on. I couldn't imagine not seeing my favourite places and landmarks and people again. (And even if I could, I didn't want to.)

Okay, the solution was that I'd have to walk both in the same trip! I played with that for a few days until I realised I already knew where my heart was. Even though another Camino friend of mine was urging me to walk the Norte to the Primitivo (which he'd loved), I wanted to be under the path of the Milky Way again. I went, though after two September-October walks this third was my first in June-July. I won't say I hated it, but it was a huge change in many ways from what I'd walked before in autumn. The heat wave was difficult for me, and so was the fiery energy of the demographic at that time. When I finished I promised myself I'd never walk another summer Camino, but guess what...

Last year I went back in June-July and loved it! There was another heat wave, but I was prepared for it and got into a beautiful rhythm of embracing it. I also walked with people who thoroughly enjoyed walking through the heat of the afternoon and I discovered I love it too! With enough water and sun protection and happy feet, why not?!

The question of whether to walk the Norte or not was still strong within me though. So I asked other pilgrims last year, lots of them. As I walked from Santiago to Fisterra I met a couple of young guys who had come off the Norte and joined in to the Francés at the end. I wanted to know what their experience was, regarding the social aspect, because I so much appreciate the sense of community and connection on the Francés. They told me about being at albergues with a core group of people they walked with, and lovely hospitaleros who created special experiences for them. And the photos were gorgeous.

This year I'm planning my fourth Camino, and like my friend Ian (Sagalouts as he was known here on the forum) decided while he was still alive, I'm claiming the fact that I love the Francés and I've given myself full permission to keep walking it even though I've done it before (and occasionally had people ask me things like "You've walked the Camino four times and you've always gone the same way? Aren't you bored?!"). But the Norte almost got me this year... I am sure (maybe) I'll walk it at some point, and it will be gorgeous when I do, but in the meantime for me this year it will be a July-August Francés again. I am excited and thankful for that!

Whatever you decide, it will be beautiful. Buen Camino!

Rachel

P.S. I know of people from 17 to 70 who have walked the Norte, so you'll meet all ages I suspect.

 

[domigee]

like "You've walked the Camino four times and you've always gone the same way? Aren't you bored?!"). But the Norte almost got me this year... I am sure (maybe) I'll walk it at some point, and it will be gorgeous when I do, but in the meantime for me this year it will be a July-August Francés again. I am excited and thankful..

Woohoo, same here! You took the words out of my mouth - and said it much better!

 

[long trails]

Interesting comments re: young people on the frances, I am finding the vast majority are retired age.

 

[Rick of Rick and Peg]

Interesting comments re: young people on the frances, I am finding the vast majority are retired age.

The pilgrims office found that 30% of the pilgrims who registered this May were older than 60 (well, actually 28.96%)

 

[Andy T]

Norte is busier, specially the 1st 3 weeks, due to its popularity for local tourism. And the accommodations are shared by all kind of travellers. You definitely are better off booking 2-3 days ahead. Yes be prepared to pay Extra during July/Aug.

Thanks so much for your amazingly thorough advice!! The part I quote above is the part that worries me. How much extra should I expect to pay? And how many cities do I need to book ahead for? Just the big ones, like Santander and Bilbao and San Sebastian? Or pretty much any city?

 

[Rajy62]

Thanks so much for your amazingly thorough advice!! The part I quote above is the part that worries me. How much extra should I expect to pay? And how many cities do I need to book ahead for? Just the big ones, like Santander and Bilbao and San Sebastian? Or pretty much any city?

Most of the 20 stages or so from the start are highly touristic, but definitely the most popular spots. My suggestion would be to try and book a hostel/alberque that exclusively target pilgrims as your 1st choice. Here is where you will pay the least. Once you move to general hostels or pensions, price will double to 25-40 euros. Hotels are even more. The cicerone guidebook on Norte offers recommendations on accommodation options. By the end of June I was booking 2 stages ahead. You will figure it out once you start calling how full they become.

 

[Andy T]

Most of the 20 stages or so from the start are highly touristic, but definitely the most popular spots. My suggestion would be to try and book a hostel/alberque that exclusively target pilgrims as your 1st choice. Here is where you will pay the least. Once you move to general hostels or pensions, price will double to 25-40 euros. Hotels are even more. The cicerone guidebook on Norte offers recommendations on accommodation options. By the end of June I was booking 2 stages ahead. You will figure it out once you start calling how full they become.

Thanks for your quick reply! But, oh man. I don't know if I want to do an entire 3 weeks of booking rooms several days in advance. That would mean finding wifi each day, possible staying in different hostels from my friends, etc.

Sorry to ask more questions but how much would albergues/hostels exclusively targeted at pilgrims cost, assuming I booked them in advance? And is it usually possible to get one of them? I don't want to pay 25-40 euros a night after a Camino Frances where I paid 5-7/night :/

 

[Rajy62]

Thanks for your quick reply! But, oh man. I don't know if I want to do an entire 3 weeks of booking rooms several days in advance. That would mean finding wifi each day, possible staying in different hostels from my friends, etc.

Sorry to ask more questions but how much would albergues/hostels exclusively targeted at pilgrims cost, assuming I booked them in advance? And is it usually possible to get one of them? I don't want to pay 25-40 euros a night after a Camino Frances where I paid 5-7/night :/

Wifi is everywhere is Spain. Normally, when i arrive at a hostel, take a shower and book my next stages. If you want to secure cheaper accommodation, i think you have to book at this peak time. You can take a chance, start walking very very early to arrive early so that you have a bed at cheaper places. For me that defeats the purpose of walking.
I paid on average about 15 euros at the beginning. There are municipal alberques that are a bit cheaper. So, budget about 12-15 euros. You won't find that many a 5 euro places on the norte.

How is your Spanish? Why not call some places and find out for sure. I walked in 2014.

 

[Rajy62]

Andy,
This site lists alberques/pensions/hostels with prices .... per stage. you can get a good idea on the current costs....

http://www.gronze.com/camino-norte