Hiking El Camino de Santiago in September

[heycuppycakes]

Hi all!

I have tentative plans to do the camino this September 2013. I have an itinerary that includes a tour of Spain before. However, I am concerned about doing it along. Mostly because my family won't like that idea (I'm a 24 yr old female). I've read about it and watched the video of a friend who did it, and am inspired, and called to walk it. Any suggestions on finding a walking buddy? Or is it safe to travel solo ?

Thanks!
Meg

 

[peregrina2000]

Hi, Meg,
Welcome to the forum. If you search the forum with the words "walking alone" you will see that there are lots of opinions out there. I think I can summarize them by saying that many of us actually prefer walking alone. And anyone who starts out walking alone doesn't have to be alone, at least not on the Camino Frances in Sept., because of the huge numbers of people you will meet.

My first three or four caminos were with a friend, and then one day, my walking partner had to leave me alone in Laza on the Via de la Plata. At that point I realized that I really loved walking alone, because it gave me flexibility, gave me time to think whatever I wanted to think about, and gave me the option of walking with whomever I wanted. Some days I'd start out with others and then we'd walk for a while, then peel off for a rest, a coffee, etc and then I'd either walk with someone else or not. It's not threatening or scary.

I've walked "alone" pretty regularly since that one day on the Vdlp, and the funny thing is that I come home from each camino with more friends than I ever would have made if I had walked with a friend or two. I'm not saying it's bad to walk with someone else, lots of people do it and love it, but if you're drawn to the idea of walking alone, know that you will only be alone if you want to be!

Buen camino, Laurie

 

[Anniesantiago]

Hi Meg. I've walked in September several times and I promise, you will have no problem finding walking buddies your very first day. Lots of pilgrims on the Camino in September !

 

[david g]

Like the others have said, you'll have no trouble finding walking partners. As for the safety aspect of it, what I discovered last sept. when I walked was that was that bonds are made early on and pilgrims tend to watch out for one another, especially if you happen to be young and female. That was one of the beautiful aspects of the Camino, the sense of responsibility for others that seemed to be there from day one.

 

[analoha]

Hi Meg,

My 24-year old daughter is walking with me in September...hopefully we'll meet along the way!
8)
Ana and Jenna

 

[Kiwi-family]

Laurie
Your post makes me long for the day that I might be able to walk alone. I live in a house full of extroverts (eight extroverts against two introverts) and they don't - maybe even can't - understand the attraction of solitude. As much as I love my hubby (and I really really do even after being married to him for over half my life - married at 20, now over 40) I can imagine taking a long walk by myself some day. Thanks for the inspiration.
Rachael

 

[Anna B]

hi Meg
I'm also walking alone starting SJPP in September. You'll be just fine - as I will. Not normally one to travel alone, I had no takers for company on this one , and have come to be glad that is the case after all the reading I've done. I'll look out for you - buen camino!
Anna

 

[amberl87]

Hi Meg!
I'm a 26 year old and am planning on walking by myself in September too. A friend of mine just did it solo and met a great friend along the way. Buen Camino! See you on el camino
Amber

 

[Annie Little]

Hi Meg !

I am 56 ! and walking alone from St jean Sept 18th..... having said that I have already met on this forum several Canadians, Americans and Aussies all leaving in September... no-one will be alone

I have daughters your age... who have their own adventures..... yes I worry that is what Mums do.... but I am so proud they are off exploring the world in their own way

I will celebrate my Birthday in October on the Camino... I am excited and curious to see where the Camino leads me to for that day :lol:

Hope you meet you

Annie

 

[Flea1970]

Hi Meg

I too am walking alone starting SJPDP on 1 September. Not quite as young as you but like you I have family and friends who are worried by my safety. Continually quote them comments from the forum about the number of people who do it alone and who have dones so safely. As long as you are aware of your surroundings you will walk well.

Buen camino

Naomi

PS. Only 41 more working days until I finish up at work to fly to Europe (but I'm not counting).

 

[djkernes]

I have my ticket and will begin on the 13th of sept. Sounds like there will be a lot of us women on the trail this fall. We will have to say hello once in a while.

 

[robinflight]

Hi Meg,

I will be walking the Camino alone, starting September 4th from SJPDP. I also was concerned about walking alone (and my family is still concerned) but after reading many posts on this forum, I am now excited to be going alone. I think there will be many kind and wonderful people along the way. Perhaps our paths will cross.

Robin

 

[AML]

I have my ticket and will begin on the 13th of sept. Sounds like there will be a lot of us women on the trail this fall. We will have to say hello once in a while.

I'm an Irish guy and will be on the trail too in Sept/Oct...really looking forward to my first Camino journey. Please don't be afraid to say Hello if ye see me around!

 

[fallow]

Hi all - I am going to be starting my Camino from Roncesvalles on 8th September. I hope to be meeting some of you along the way - Mary

 

[WildPlace]

Hi djkernes, i will be starting on the 13th September as well

 

[Annie Little]

AML :lol: we certainly will say hi when we "see" you ! The best thing about travel is meeting great characters from all over the world

Annie

 

[Anna B]

Hi all - I am going to be starting my Camino from Roncesvalles on 8th September. I hope to be meeting some of you along the way - Mary

Hi Mary, I start at SJPP on 7th and stopping at Roncesvalles that night - so will be with you leaving there on 8th. I think we will all be in very good company!
Anna

Meg - are you feeling happier now?!

 

[fallow]

Hi Mary, I start at SJPP on 7th and stopping at Roncesvalles that night - so will be with you leaving there on 8th. I think we will all be in very good company!
Anna


Hello there Anna - how nice to think I will be meeting you along the Way! I will be spending the night at Casa de los Beneficiados in Roncesvalles, together with my brother and sister-in-law who live in Madrid. They are both Spanish speakers - I am not - so they will be a great help. We will only walk together for one week as work commitments call them home. I will then walk alone for approx. a week before being joined by my husband. Sadly I will not have enough time to do the full Camino having only a total of three weeks - but am booked for two nights in Santiago at the end of the month. I will have to skip some section as I would like to qualify for my Compostela by doing at least the last 100km into Santiago. I am not yet sure which section to omit.

I am curious to know how your (and others) preparations are going. I 'packed' my backpack for the first time this morning - still a lot of decisions to be made there too! Happy planning - Mary

 

[Chiginger]

I too am planning on walking the casino frances in September. Still in the planning stage. Getting a little overwhelmed and somewhat apprehensive traveling alone. Looking for pilgrims from Midwest, Chicago.

Ginger

 

[Pilgrim47]

I too am planning on walking the casino frances in September. Still in the planning stage. Getting a little overwhelmed and somewhat apprehensive traveling alone. Looking for pilgrims from Midwest, Chicago.

Ginger

Ginger, I will commence my pilgrimage from SJPP on 17 August, walking the Camino in September. I am from Neenah, Wisconsin. Hope to see you on the Camino (a glass of wine is on me!)

 

[bigrazz]

Hi I will also be going on my own leaving SJDP 14th Sep. Lots of friends have expressed concerns, but after reading the many great posts here i am looking forwards to my camino more and more every day(9weeks and 5 days to go)

 

[Yarma]

Hello all my Camino in Sept friends. I will be in SJPDP 15 aug 2013. I would love to catch up with some of you. And compare notes.
How exciting ..... Not long now !!!!!!!!
Debbie

 

[Anna B]

Hi Mary, I start at SJPP on 7th and stopping at Roncesvalles that night - so will be with you leaving there on 8th. I think we will all be in very good company!
Anna


Hello there Anna - how nice to think I will be meeting you along the Way! I will be spending the night at Casa de los Beneficiados in Roncesvalles, together with my brother and sister-in-law who live in Madrid. They are both Spanish speakers - I am not - so they will be a great help. We will only walk together for one week as work commitments call them home. I will then walk alone for approx. a week before being joined by my husband. Sadly I will not have enough time to do the full Camino having only a total of three weeks - but am booked for two nights in Santiago at the end of the month. I will have to skip some section as I would like to qualify for my Compostela by doing at least the last 100km into Santiago. I am not yet sure which section to omit.

I am curious to know how your (and others) preparations are going. I 'packed' my backpack for the first time this morning - still a lot of decisions to be made there too! Happy planning - Mary

Hi Mary
Good luck with your preparations. As I am away at sea between now and when I hop on a plane to Europe, I have already sorted my packing list - it will have to do unless last minute changes in France! I am happy with my 7kg pack (without food and water) - ideally would be lighter but I've been pretty minimal I think. The actual pack is 1.5ks but wasn't going to buy a new one as it's great otherwise. I have been able to take 6 weeks to walk so planning to walk to Santiago then on to Finisterre. I may also, now, have a friend joining me. I have changed to Orisson for the first night on 7th, but will no doubt cross paths with you soon enough. I shall look out for you! Buen Camino!
Anna

 

[ktchnofdngr]

I hope to meet some of you on the Way! I am starting from Burgos on Aug 30th.

Blessings,

Ruth

 

[Helen Burns]

Hi Mary,
The opportunity to walk alone is such a gift. With few exceptions I was never lonely and always felt safe - there are pilgrims ahead of you and behind you all the Way. It was my intention from the beginning to walk alone and I did for the most part. What I had not anticipated was the pilgrim community. The kindness, respect and acceptance of others I encountered is one of my richest memories. Buen Camino,

Helen

 

[tony1951]

I too am planning on walking the casino frances in September. Still in the planning stage. Getting a little overwhelmed and somewhat apprehensive traveling alone. Looking for pilgrims from Midwest, Chicago.

Ginger

Hi Mary,
The opportunity to walk alone is such a gift. With few exceptions I was never lonely and always felt safe - there are pilgrims ahead of you and behind you all the Way. It was my intention from the beginning to walk alone and I did for the most part. What I had not anticipated was the pilgrim community. The kindness, respect and acceptance of others I encountered is one of my richest memories. Buen Camino,

Helen

You are absolutely right Helen. I think that people hoping to walk the Camino with people exactly like them, are missing something important about the whole experience - the essential humanity of the whole procession of individuals who will be streaming along the path. My most memorable experiences on the way were communicating with people with whom I shared barely a word of the same language. I remember a very rough looking resident of Puenta la Reinna spending a considerable amount of time trying to answer my question about where I could buy food. Quite a lot of the Navarrese villages have shops that look like private houses and that guy spent an age miming out my route to a supermarket. He was a total joy as were many other people who helped me without a common language.

 

[ajp]

Hi! you will be fine, and will have as much companionship, or as little, as you wish. Some days you will find great peace and enjoyment in walking by yourself, other times you find yourself enjoying the company of new acquaintances, all heading in the same direction and sharing the common experience of a wonderful journey. You will find many, many women of all ages walking on their own.
You will enjoy your Camino, and you will meet many new friends along the way. Don't be a bit concerned about going it alone.
Get a good guide book, have a rough schedule, and do as much reading as you can about the walk and the various stops along the way. This website and others offer lots of information, (and opinions), but ultimately you will find it all out for yourself as you do the walk, and that is the fun of it. At the risk of ruffling some feathers, it was my experience on my first Camino that it was the journey, not the destination, that made the trip special. Santiago was interesting, but after a day or two, I hit the road again for the coast, and was so glad to be walking again.

I digressed, bottom line, you will have a memorable time!

 

[steph13]

Meg,

I as well be walking the Camino alone departing SJPP ob Sept 4.I actually had 2 offers, (one from my 25 yr old daughter) to accompany me but I felt that I wanted to do this on my own.I am looking forward to walking for hours in solitude...to disconnect from the everyday world.I am looking upon this as an adventure of a lifetime...something i could not have conceived last year at this time that I would actually be doing!!Hope you decide to walk the Camino!

 

[Sue Angles]

Hello .... we (Sue & Tony Angles) will be walking the camino departing SJPP early September. It is very exciting to be walking the route walked by so many before for so long. Looking forward to the wonderful experience and meeting some of you wonderful people along the way. St.angles