How busy is the Camino del Norte

[wbroeckx]

I have walked from Salamanca to Santiago on the Ruta de la Plata last may. It was very quiet, peaceful! How quiet is the Camino del Norte? How many pilgrims would one meet a day?

 

[PeterBarry]

Hi W,
I was on the Norte route last July and it was not quiet.
There were many pilgrims , although there were some days when you would see nobody at all!
That being said, the hostels/Alburgues were always quite busy.
Its a quiet route, journey wise, with few villages between Etapas, unlike the Camino Frances, but it is quite beautiful and cool as you are on the coast and higher.
I did find it tougher at times particularly between Irun and Bilbao.
I finished in Snatander and I intend to go back next month to start again and hopefully, injuries permitting, go all the way to Santiago.

Buen Camino.

Peter

 

[Nessie]

This year in july the Norte (and primitivo) was not quiet at all. During walking, yes, definitely and I loved the quietness. But as the Norte does not have so much albergues these were always full. Usually I arrived just in time to get a bed (often the last one) but every day there were people who had to sleep on the floor or find other accommodation.

As I don't like to have to worry about having a roof over my head at night I would definitely bring a tent if I would ever walk the Norte again.

 

[Bem48]

Hi there,
I walked the del Norte from Irun to SdC in May to mid-June this year. Obviously a much quieter
time than the summer months. I never had a problem finding a bed in the refugios. I would imagine that the period after the summer/holiday period is as quiet again, say from September onwards.
As well this is the perfect time for the del Norte. But be prepared for a "culture-shock" when the del Norte meets the Camino Frances in Arzua for the last 40kms to SdC.....all of a sudden the number of co-peregrinos swells from 2-handsful (max 25/day on the northern route in May/June) to several
hundreds !!!!!!
I arrived in SdC on June 7th and remember the article in the CORREO GALLEGO well: " in the last
2 days arrived more than 1000 peregrinos in Santiago....a new record number"...it goes without saying,
that the majority came along the Frances...at least from Sarria.
I treasure the tranquility, peace and solitude of the del Norte...great memories!!!
Buen Camino
Bem (Sydney/Australia)

 

[Thornley]

We commenced in Bilbao on 3rd july and finished in Santiago on the 4th August.
This route is getting very popular , especially with the younger pilgrims.
There were many from Poland and Hungary and the reason they gave was that the Frances was too busy according to friends already on that route.
From Ribadeo the albergues are full very early. It seems a very popular place to start.
A few albergues need improvement as cleanliness was lacking.
Be prepared to stay in Pensions in towns from Ribadeo onwards as in July and August accommodation is hard to find before the rat race in Arzua.