Is this a bad summer to go on the Camino

[K83215]

Hi All,

I had done the Camino in the past and I am looking forward to going again.

I´d like to go Summer 2022, but maybe this is a bad time to go, because its possible that many people haven´t been able to go on the Camino because of Covid. Like me, they are anxious to go again. Is it better to wait for next year as it might be extremely crowded this summer?

If I can still go, what is the better summer month to make the trip?

Thanks so much, I really appreciate it.

 

[Corned Beef]

What would be the downside to you going; finding it too busy; and then having to return home again?

You are asking a question that only you can really answer.

 

[wayfarer]

This would be a good time to do it IMO because as things start getting back to normal it will get busier and busier as time goes on.

 

[Lexicos]

Depends. If you like being in the company of others, meeting new people and sharing everything etc. it’s the best time to go. If you want peace, solitude, not too much socialising, it might not be the best time. In my view, it’s almost impossible to know just how busy it will be. These are unusual times and it’s hard to say what will happen in the months ahead.
Your choice, your decision. I’d go. What’s the worst that can happen??

 

[good_old_shoes]

Many people seem to prefer walking in spring and autumn because they want to avoid the heat. April, may and september will probably be very busy.

In summer, on the Francés, crowds should mainly be in the last 100km (many spanish walkers in july and august walking from Cebreiro and Sarria) and maybe St.Jean-Pamplona but otherwise, at least in my experience pre-covid, less so.

I last walked july '19 and sometimes I walked alone for hours or only met few pilgrims on certain stretches. Did not make reservations, almost always found a bed at the first place I tried. I walked into my favourite albergue in Santiago at 21:45 and asked for a bed - no problem, got one.

If you're fine with the heat (it's a dry heat and I've learned to love it even though I usually prefer colder temperatures), summer is a good time to walk.

Only caveat: avoid Pamplona around San Fermines. Make reservations in the towns before if you want to be sure to get a bed or be prepared to walk extra kms or take a bus/taxi to your next accommodation.

Happy planning and buen Camino!

 

[chinacat]

I see you are from Spain, so you are probably used to the heat!

Perhaps early summer might be easier, given the forecast of extreme shortage of water in your country this year.
At least you’ll find it easier to deal with, when it gets worse as summer progresses, from your home situation, where you will already be aware of measures to take, location of good sources etc.

Buen Camino!

 

[Larry OHeron]

For a different experience, consider one of the less traveled caminos. Perhaps the northern portion of the via de la Plata, or the Norte. There are many others of course.

 

[teeranaic]

Obviously I can't give you any advice but for my own experience, I walked the camino in winter during the pandemic... and before I started, I always thought to myself it was a "bad time" to go. Turned out I was wrong in so many ways. You never know!

 

[JustinB]

For me, I have put off my trip for several year, work, deaths, knee replacements (both), and CORONA. I WILL walk from Le Puy to Santiago starting May 30 and meet my son somewhere in Spain for the last two weeks. I do not know what will be thrown in front of me this year, a variant, war, or relatives getting ill, I WILL start my journey May 30.. Time is the one think we have no control over so I am determined not to waist it again.

 

[PilgrimPillar]

Hi All,

I had done the Camino in the past and I am looking forward to going again.

I´d like to go Summer 2022, but maybe this is a bad time to go, because its possible that many people haven´t been able to go on the Camino because of Covid. Like me, they are anxious to go again. Is it better to wait for next year as it might be extremely crowded this summer?

If I can still go, what is the better summer month to make the trip?

Thanks so much, I really appreciate it.

Nooooo…quite the contrary….it will bee the best summer in years….

Check out possibility to combine San Fermin festival in Pamplona and the weekend of St. James day in Santiago de Compostela…it can bee done….booking one day in advance as a precaution…

Ultreia!

 

[martin1ws]

.... Is it better to wait for next year as it might be extremely crowded this summer?
...

I would not wait because of a crowded summer.
As mentioned before you can choose a less crowded camino or a less crowded month.

Statistics (official):

Estadísiticas: Oficina del Peregrino en Santiago de Compostela

Estadísticas mensuales y anuales de la Oficina de Acogida al Peregrino de la Catedral de Santiago de Compostela

oficinadelperegrino.com

Monthly statistics by camino until 2019 :

Camino Stats

crowley.pw

 

[philleethomas]

Hi All,

I had done the Camino in the past and I am looking forward to going again.

I´d like to go Summer 2022, but maybe this is a bad time to go, because its possible that many people haven´t been able to go on the Camino because of Covid. Like me, they are anxious to go again. Is it better to wait for next year as it might be extremely crowded this summer?

If I can still go, what is the better summer month to make the trip?

Thanks so much, I really appreciate it.

I'm starting from SJPDP 9th June, arriving (hopefully!) in Santiago 24th July. I'm expecting the last 100kms to be busy, and I might book ahead from Sarria onwards.
Buen Camino!

 

[lt56ny]

One person's bad is another person's heaven. Who knows what COVID will bring us in the summer or how many will walk. You live in Spain so no worries about spending lots of travel money to get there. Personally I don't like the really hot weather or the many many pilgrims. I like it a little mellower. But that is just me. Be patient and if things are looking up, take that first step in St. Jean or Irun or wherever you are going to start.

 

[KJFSophie]

COVID risk, Busy crowded risk, risk of few accommodations...the biggest risk of all is not going when you can on the bet that you can always go later.

 

[lt56ny]

COVID risk, Busy crowded risk, risk of few accommodations...the biggest risk of all is not going when you can on the bet that you can always go later.

I remember reading that the Italian government was talking about building up the infrastructure and promoting a camino through Italy. Is it the Via San Francesco? I think I remember that they were going to try to connect to one of the southern French caminos to Rome. What was that camino like?

 

[KJFSophie]

I remember reading that the Italian government was talking about building up the infrastructure and promoting a camino through Italy. Is it the Via San Francesco? I think I remember that they were going to try to connect to one of the southern French caminos to Rome. What was that camino like?

The Via San Francisco was beautiful, but we hit it in a very difficult year. We walked in May/June following a hard and late winter, so the mountains were 'traumatized' with felled trees, uprooted forest sections, mudslides and missing trail markers. It was rather treacherous and I was thankfully blessed to be walking with a retired jet pilot who was adept at navigation. I would never have been able to navigate it alone. There were only a dozen walkers over the course of weeks and weeks and many gave up and went home. Even hardcore trekkers were finding it difficult.
The better news is that it seems to have been all cleared and remarked with trail markers. The infrastructure was not at all like the CF, so accommodations were fewer with long stretches and it was more expensive. The people and country were wonderful, the sights amazing, and I've got a giant sense of accomplishment and pride at having finished that one ( in that year! )

 

[Former member 91017]

I don’t know about summer, but I can say that the indicator on my flights for spring are that things will not be that busy. My flights over and back have gone from being direct from a major Canadian city to Madrid, and now those flights will transit there and back via Munich. While there are a few weeks left for the planes to fill up, I can also see that at this point my cabins are only about 1/3 full. I am assuming that the other cabins will get to about 60% by virtue of being re-routed to pick up more travellers.
Relative to how many people one sees on camino from elsewhere, travellers departing from Canada are not the major indicator, BUT: with Madrid as my airport in/out… well, lots of CanadIan’s do travel in/out of there for business and vacation, so I think the generally low numbers on the flights give some indication that things are pretty slow. We are seeing the same pattern for flights from our largest international airport to Lisbon… even those are having to lay-over at the 2nd largest to pick people up before moving on.
Colleague just travelled from Bangladesh to Bilbao for work and said things were and are quiet.
Of course we haven’t hit the high season yet, but the *indicators* I see are that it won’t be an onslaught.
Hope you have the experiences you are seeking.

 

[BookGirl305]

I am currently 102 days out flying non-stop from Delta's home base of Atlanta to Madrid on the Friday of Memorial Day weekend. There are currently 188 empty seats on the plane. the return flight is just as empty.

 

[Silencio Por Favor]

Yes, as you say there could be more people walking because they have not been able to the last couple of years. Then again I am sure that there are a fair number waiting until 2023 because we are not exactly carefree yet.

If you could find how many people walk in April and May this year and then compare to 2019 statistics that would be a good indicator for summer numbers if you can put your decision on hold?

 

[Anna Cameron]

For me, I have put off my trip for several year, work, deaths, knee replacements (both), and CORONA. I WILL walk from Le Puy to Santiago starting May 30 and meet my son somewhere in Spain for the last two weeks. I do not know what will be thrown in front of me this year, a variant, war, or relatives getting ill, I WILL start my journey May 30.. Time is the one think we have no control over so I am determined not to waist it again.

My sentiments exactly this year! I WILL walk again in 2022.

 

[lt56ny]

The Via San Francisco was beautiful, but we hit it in a very difficult year. We walked in May/June following a hard and late winter, so the mountains were 'traumatized' with felled trees, uprooted forest sections, mudslides and missing trail markers. It was rather treacherous and I was thankfully blessed to be walking with a retired jet pilot who was adept at navigation. I would never have been able to navigate it alone. There were only a dozen walkers over the course of weeks and weeks and many gave up and went home. Even hardcore trekkers were finding it difficult.
The better news is that it seems to have been all cleared and remarked with trail markers. The infrastructure was not at all like the CF, so accommodations were fewer with long stretches and it was more expensive. The people and country were wonderful, the sights amazing, and I've got a giant sense of accomplishment and pride at having finished that one ( in that year! )

It sounds like it was a great adventure. I have walked the VDLP and Camino from Le Puy. Both very quiet to be sure but a few more pilgrims. Encountered more than a dozen pilgrims on both those caminos but not alot and most days none during the day. I can see navigation must have been huge. But it sounds like it was really beautiful and i figured it was going to be alot more expensive. Thanks for sharing and I will check out more information about this walk.

 

[lt56ny]

I am currently 102 days out flying non-stop from Delta's home base of Atlanta to Madrid on the Friday of Memorial Day weekend. There are currently 188 empty seats on the plane. the return flight is just as empty.

They might not be that empty. Many people may have booked but have chosen not to pay extra for seats and are going to allow the airline to assign them seats at no cost. I think that this is done 24 hours before the flight is scheduled to leave.

 

[Former member 91017]

They might not be that empty. Many people may have booked but have chosen not to pay extra for seats and are going to allow the airline to assign them seats at no cost. I think that this is done 24 hours before the flight is scheduled to leave.

That is true… I am combining what I am seeing with regard to flights being re-routed to pick up more people along the way — not usually necessary, and tickets I was able to get on a neway discovered hoard of points collected over a decade without my knowing. In other words: in cabins in which the seat is ours to pick without having to pay more.
The map is fascinating for each flight, actually. People are still choosing seats away from the toilets and toward the front exit.
Anyway, I’m extrapolating from the available data to guess that if the rest of the planes *from Canada* can be more filled up by having lay-overs to places like Munich, Frankfurt and Paris when they’d originally been direct flights for Madrid or Lisbon… it suggests that there is not going to be a massive surge.
After a debacle on a transfer at a major hub a few years ago, I avoid transferring out of the US, but I do have a friend going via YVR-JFK-MAD…. And that flight was originally YVR-YOW-MAD.
New fly in the ointment is the current refusal of entry for passengers from Argentina, Australia and Canada to Portugal.
Will those passengers re-route to Spain? Or wait for the end of February to see?
As I muse aloud on these variables, I think that if I were aiming for a summer walk (which I don’t do anymore because of the heat), I’d probably wait for April to make my arrangements. Not much to lose in waiting and if time allowed it, I’d take end of summer over the height — because of heat and potential crowds.

 

[lt56ny]

That is true… I am combining what I am seeing with regard to flights being re-routed to pick up more people along the way — not usually necessary, and tickets I was able to get on a neway discovered hoard of points collected over a decade without my knowing. In other words: in cabins in which the seat is ours to pick without having to pay more.
The map is fascinating for each flight, actually. People are still choosing seats away from the toilets and toward the front exit.
Anyway, I’m extrapolating from the available data to guess that if the rest of the planes *from Canada* can be more filled up by having lay-overs to places like Munich, Frankfurt and Paris when they’d originally been direct flights for Madrid or Lisbon… it suggests that there is not going to be a massive surge.
After a debacle on a transfer at a major hub a few years ago, I avoid transferring out of the US, but I do have a friend going via YVR-JFK-MAD…. And that flight was originally YVR-YOW-MAD.
New fly in the ointment is the current refusal of entry for passengers from Argentina, Australia and Canada to Portugal.
Will those passengers re-route to Spain? Or wait for the end of February to see?
As I muse aloud on these variables, I think that if I were aiming for a summer walk (which I don’t do anymore because of the heat), I’d probably wain’t for April to make my arrangements. Not much to lose in waiting and if time allowed it, I’d take end of summer over the height — because of heat and potential crowds.

Your response again shows how much we love to be on a camino and how important it is. Proof that a Camino is not a vacation. It is an important and essential part of our lives. Hope you can sort it all out and get to where you need to be. On Camino. I agree about the heat and crowds. I have been walking time frames lately of mid October- December. Different experience, still wonderful. This year my wife wants me to start in December. She will be on the beach with her yoga friends. Different priorities and paths to the same peace of mind, body, spirit.

 

[Former member 91017]

Your response again shows how much we love to be on a camino and how important it is. Proof that a Camino is not a vacation. It is an important and essential part of our lives. Hope you can sort it all out and get to where you need to be. On Camino. I agree about the heat and crowds. I have been walking time frames lately of mid October- December. Different experience, still wonderful. This year my wife wants me to start in December. She will be on the beach with her yoga friends. Different priorities and paths to the same peace of mind, body, spirit.

The only thing is… when I miss the blackberry and fig season, I really do miss it. White figs are rare where I live. I have precisely one family near me who can manage to grow them and last year was a bust. We have blackberries here, but half the size of the ones across Navarre, Rioja. Palencia… Alas. We really cannot have it all.

 

[RJM]

You are from Spain. You tell us?

 

[K83215]

Thank you for all of the well thought out, excellent replies.

I forgot that the Camino will always be a incredible journey because of all the other pilgrims that care to make it so.

I will try to go this summer if I can make it due to some other factors, you have all inspired me. I want to go this summer.

 

[Bob from L.A. !]

If you decide to go, book early .

 

[gianine]

I am currently 102 days out flying non-stop from Delta's home base of Atlanta to Madrid on the Friday of Memorial Day weekend. There are currently 188 empty seats on the plane. the return flight is just as empty.

Many of the economy seats cannot be chosen until check in 24 hours ahead. That is how our seats are on delta in may.

 

[BookGirl305]

I counted the empties and compared to the number of available seats for sale- they match.

 

[Marbe2]

Hi All,

I had done the Camino in the past and I am looking forward to going again.

I´d like to go Summer 2022, but maybe this is a bad time to go, because its possible that many people haven´t been able to go on the Camino because of Covid. Like me, they are anxious to go again. Is it better to wait for next year as it might be extremely crowded this summer?

If I can still go, what is the better summer month to make the trip?

Thanks so much, I really appreciate it.

carpe diem! You are presuming that the pandemic will be over soon…
If you feel safe enough to go in 2022 go! Who knows if another variant will appear and when?