June or August suggestions

[audge]

Hi all, I love this forum and read it every night. As of late it sounds like June is just as crowded these days as August. I am planning on a 2014 trip from Pamplona to Santiago. My question is, what are the biggest differences between the two months? Weather and crowds. August is slightly better time wise for me, but I am wondering if it is harder to find beds and much hotter than June? I would either go the last week of May for 6 weeks, or August to first week in Sept. I am mid 50's, alone, and plan to take it some what slow because of old injuries so I don't plan to do the race for bed route.
Thanks for any feedback.
Audge

 

[Tincatinker]

Hi Audge, and welcome to the forum. My own experience is of a spring Camino Frances. I started in March and finished in May, I found the weather challenging on occasion but nothing that was any thing more than normal, a constant cold headwind across the meseta made me think hard about wether I really wanted to be there, but I did. I never encountered "crowds" or a problem in finding a bed, except in Logrono on Good Friday where I ended up on a mattress on the floor of the parochial Albergue de Santiago and had one of the loveliest nights of my Camino. Others here can advise on a high season Camino, though you will find much comment already if you take advantage of the search facility.

Buen Camino

 

[Rosemaryk1]

Audge,
If you should decide on the end of May and June 2014 our paths might cross!! I will be starting from SJDP on May 27th all the way to Finisterre.. What ever you decide will be just the right choice!
Buen Camino!
Rosemary

 

[Rosemaryk1]

Audge,
Also, I will NOT be doing the bed race. I am taking a lightweight sleeping bag and pad for a "just in case" scenario!

 

[SYates]

Yes, August is typically much hotter and much more crowded (Spanish holiday/vacation time!) then June. Have you considered any of the other routes (Camino del Norte or Camino Portugues?). Real life stats how it was this can be checked here: http://peregrinossantiago.es/esp/servicios-al-peregrino/informes-estadisticos/ The numbers show the people that arrived that month in Santiago, so you have to calculate backwards when they were on the Camino.
Buen Camino! SY

... As of late it sounds like June is just as crowded these days as August. I am planning on a 2014 trip from Pamplona to Santiago. My question is, what are the biggest differences between the two months? Weather and crowds. August is slightly better time wise for me, but I am wondering if it is harder to find beds and much hotter than June? I would either go the last week of May for 6 weeks, or August to first week in Sept.

 

[audge]

Thanks,
I am attached to doing the Frances since it will be my first and I am traveling alone and may be a bit slow. And yes, I heard that typically August is more crowded and hot. But several of the posts I have read this summer, say that June is now more crowded than August. Has anyone else found that to be the case? If so, August is a better time for me, but until now, I haven't considered it because of heat and crowds. And is it really that much hotter in August than June to first week of July?

Thanks for your input. It really helps.
Audge

 

[TheTinkerBell]

Audge,
I was on the Frances for the whole of June this year. The weather then is just perfect. August would be too hot for me. And don't worry about the crowds - you'll always find somewhere to sleep, eat and drink at the end of the day. Just watch out for the first stops after the main urban centres of Pamplona, Burgos, Leon & Logrono. Many pilgrims start out from these places, so the bed race thing seems to intensify the first 'stage stop' out of these towns/cities.

 

[SYates]

Yes, start in the middle of the week and not on a weekend and try to avoid the typical "stages" ;-) Buen Camino! SY

 

[Anniesantiago]

I've walked both months. August is much more hot, and there are more pilgrims in my opinion. June is prettier, cooler. But late August can be nice. It's a toss up... go when it's best for you!

 

[HalfDomeOrBust]

I also plan to leave SJPdP May 22 because i did not want to deal with the crowds. I plan to take my time and enjoy the Camino with no fears of not getting a bed....

 

[thetravellingpen]

I'm planning on going Mid-July to Mid-Aug 2014... only time I can go, but I don't mind heat as I live in Thailand so I'm used to it, and it HATE being cold!

 

[piogaw]

Hello audge,

If i have to make a choice, i would start in june.

As mentioned by sy, august is when holiday season starts in spain, france, italy. This is when the whole country of each of this nation shut down for their annual holiday. Apart frrom being crowded, it will also be very humid and hot.

Good luck on your planning. Buen camino and god bless.

 

[mralisn]

If it were me, I would start in May/June instead of August. Of over 100 days on the Caminos, I think maybe once or twice I had "trouble" finding a bed. Then again, I'm on the Camino so life isn't so bad.

I do leave near 6am and can cover 30-32k by half 1 with a break for cafe' con leche and a small lunch. I have a great time with my pace and avoid the heat as much as possible. Sometimes I leave a little earlier depending on the room and sometimes a little later depending on the wine. No matter, I get to wherever I "need" to be whenever I "need" to be there.

I vote the last week of May.

Trust in the arrows,
Simeon