January/February Camino?

[DGW]

Hello, I was wondering if anyone else is planning or considering walking in January and February 2024? I'm considering a starting out date from St Jean Pied de Port of 21st January or somewhere around that date.
I'm not the only one, am I?

 

[mspath]

DGW,

Welcome to the forum.

To further your research re Walking in Winter on any camino see these earlier threads filled with useful links and tips.

https://www.caminodesantiago.me/community/threads/logrono-to-burgos-in-january.50991/

https://www.caminodesantiago.me/community/threads/november-december-cf.50932/

https://www.caminodesantiago.me/community/threads/walking-the-camino-in-december-january.37261/

https://www.caminodesantiago.me/community/threads/why-would-you-do-a-winter-camino.44247/

Sillydoll who is a Forum member has in her blog compiled encyclopedic information on Winter Walking.
http://amawalker.blogspot.fr/2009/10/walking-in-winter.html?m=1

As for carrying simple food see
https://www.caminodesantiago.me/com...alk-the-camino-top-ten-tips.69300/post-896953

Happy planning and Buen camino.

 

[DGW]

Wow, thank you mspath - you have given me a lot to read!! Much appreciated, Buen Camino!

 

[Bradypus]

Hello, I was wondering if anyone else is planning or considering walking in January and February 2024? I'm considering a starting out date from St Jean Pied de Port of 21st January or somewhere around that date.
I'm not the only one, am I?

I set off from SJPDP on 2 January this year. For most of my walk to Santiago there were about 15 or so other pilgrims on each stage. Because very few places are open at that time of year you tend to see the same people for several days at a time. Unlikely you will be completely alone for long but it is certainly different from May or September!

 

[DGW]

I set off from SJPDP on 2 January this year. For most of my walk to Santiago there were about 15 or so other pilgrims on each stage. Because very few places are open at that time of year you tend to see the same people for several days at a time. Unlikely you will be completely alone for long but it is certainly different from May or September!

That sounds perfect! Thanks for sharing. How wet was it?

 

[Bradypus]

That sounds perfect! Thanks for sharing. How wet was it?

Very little rain. Two days I think. A couple of days with very strong cold winds and an hour or so of light snow in total. Apart from that mostly dry and sunny. But that could just be good luck - don't count on finding the same! Bring warm clothes and at least a waterproof jacket.

 

[truenorthpilgrm]

I would also check this excellent account of one of our forum members who walked a January winter camino this year. His writing style reflects the quietness and loneliness (in a good way) of the off-season. I thoroughly enjoyed reading it.

https://jeremycamino.blog/

If you click on the "Starting" hyperlink, you'll get a nice primer of how to prepare, what to pack, how to get there, and also some resources.

Buen camino!

 

[Willdtrout]

I started in St Jean on Jan 24th of 2023. There were eight pilgrims that started that day and two more who came in from La Puy. So ten of us total. We stayed together for most of the way. Picked up some stragglers. Some would take off to be leap frogged after a few days. It was easy to walk alone but comforting knowing friends would be in the Albergue end of day.

I hear of the crowds that come in the busy season and think it would be a very different Camiño than winter and probably not for me. The closer you get to Santiago the more peregrinos you’ll find of course and the morning you leave Sarria you’ll likely realize how different the next several days will be after the quiet you left behind.

I feel I was very very fortunate with the weather. 35 days and I only got rained on 2-3 times. One day it was rainy in the morning then turned to heavy snow on the climb then dropping down into rain. And that was in Galicia. I heard a couple days after I left León the city got snowed in and two days after O Ceiribo they got half a meter of snow so I think people just a few days behind me had a different experience.

Mostly the weather was beautiful blue sky. But for the first four weeks it was below freezing every morning. Usually it warmed up into the fifties but the cold wind may not allow you to realize that. What mostly surprised me is how cold the Albergues were. Not many turned on the heat though there was most always a warm shower. Torres del Rio was exceptionally cold

I started walking expecting a lot of rain and snow and was geared up for it. I brought stuff I ended up not needing but don’t regret it because it’s better to be prepared. And again, I don’t know what the normal weather usually is, but I suspect I was very lucky. The days were beautiful and the Meseta is especially powerful under blue skies with bright sun and a strong wind blowing. And climbing hills in the rain then turns to snow is a special time to walk

 

[OdysseusSympath]

Hello, I was wondering if anyone else is planning or considering walking in January and February 2024? I'm considering a starting out date from St Jean Pied de Port of 21st January or somewhere around that date.
I'm not the only one, am I?

Hi DGW, no, you are not the only one, I walked the CF starting February 1st of 2020. They gave me a list of open albergues at the Camino office in SJPDP and I was never alone in an albergue. The weather was on my side most days. I've posted a bit of my experience on that camino in a different thread titled "Starting the Camino del Norte January 30th". I will be starting on the Norte at the end of January 2024, we'll be on the Way at the same time albeit different paths, maybe arriving in Santiago at the same time. If you have any specific questions, please message me, I know how hard it is to find accounts of February Caminos and it surprises me given how many people do it. Buen Camino my friend, it's all good.