May vs September

[Ric]

My wife and I are in our mid 60's and plan to our first pilgrimage in 2016. We hope to minimize encounters with full hostels and the afternoon heat by starting at St. Jean either on May 1st or September 1st. We think our trek might take about 40 days. We also hope that with these dates we can avoid colder temps and hopefully some rain (always an issue we know). Our question is which start date might be preferred; May 1st or Sept 1st? Any insight would be greatly appreciated!

 

[trecile]

You must mean May 1st 2017. If not, you'll need a time travel machine.

 

[Ric]

My wife and I are in our mid 60's and plan to our first pilgrimage in 2016. We hope to minimize encounters with full hostels and the afternoon heat by starting at St. Jean either on May 1st or September 1st. We think our trek might take about 40 days. We also hope that with these dates we can avoid colder temps and hopefully some rain (always an issue we know). Our question is which start date might be preferred; May 1st or Sept 1st? Any insight would be greatly appreciated!

Ok, I meant to say 2017 for our trip.

 

[jirit]

The month of May but plan to leave after the May 1 holiday. Things can be busy before and during this holiday, but things settle down later in the month and going into June.

The days are long, the fields green, the air fresh, and unlike this year, generally drier than September, sometimes warm but not so hot.

And going in May means less chance of getting bed bugs.

40 days or six weeks will have you in Santiago mid June with time for a celebratory dip in the ocean at Finisterre.

Here are some low resolution photos from my walk back in May 2011

http://photo.net/photodb/folder?folder_id=1010020

 

[JKH]

My wife and I are in our mid 60's and plan to our first pilgrimage in 2016. We hope to minimize encounters with full hostels and the afternoon heat by starting at St. Jean either on May 1st or September 1st. We think our trek might take about 40 days. We also hope that with these dates we can avoid colder temps and hopefully some rain (always an issue we know). Our question is which start date might be preferred; May 1st or Sept 1st? Any insight would be greatly appreciated!

Ric, I also am in my 60s (62). I left last year from St. Jean on September 11 and walked to Finistere. I enjoyed everything so much that I am leaving around the same time this year and hope to reach Muxia. I enjoyed mornings in the 50s and afternoons in the upper 60s and low 70s. As an added bonus, a lot of the fruit had ripened. Nice time of the year to do the Camino.

 

[MTtoCamino]

The biggest difference green fields or brown, spring flower or ripe fruit on trees. What time of year do you like the most?

 

[Mike Savage]

I enjoyed walking last Autumn. I left SJPdP September 7th. I had some light rain but nothing serious. Temperatures ranged from 2-3c (35-37f) to 34c (93f) I would absolutely walk this time of year again (and I will this year but on the Caminho Portuguese.) I have not walked in May so cannot offer a comparison.

 

[trecile]

The biggest difference green fields or brown, spring flower or ripe fruit on trees. What time of year do you like the most?

You are making me wish that I had chosen spring, because I love it when everything is fresh and green.
But, I only just decided to go in March, and I knew that I couldn't be ready for spring this year, and didn't want to wait until next year! So, September it is for me!

 

[Albertagirl]

You are making me wish that I had chosen spring, because I love it when everything is fresh and green.
But, I only just decided to go in March, and I knew that I couldn't be ready for spring this year, and didn't want to wait until next year! So, September it is for me!

@trecile:
I started in September last year. September is wonderful and from what I hear is generally drier than May. You would probably be underwater if you were walking in May this year. I am going again this year, starting in September, but by a slightly different route to enjoy some of southern France and more of northern Spain (the camino Aragones). You will have a wonderful time. Enjoy.

 

[trecile]

@trecile:
I started in September last year. September is wonderful and from what I hear is generally drier than May. You would probably be underwater if you were walking in May this year. I am going again this year, starting in September, but by a slightly different route to enjoy some of southern France and more of northern Spain (the camino Aragones). You will have a wonderful time. Enjoy.

Thanks. Another reason I'm going in September is because it's my birthday month. I'll actually be starting out August 21, and hope to reach Santiago on my birthday towards the end of September.

 

[xymmot]

September is much better rain wise. Last year it rain three time compare to daily on and off rain in May. I'm on the Camino, and it's May 13th, 2016. There was mud everywhere, and many hostels full. This doesn't happen in September. So IMHO September is better than May, except the beautiful spring flowers everywhere, àbeit September is harvest time. Buen Camino

 

[anna klara klintegaard]

May: Busy, beautiful, green, flowers, rain.
September: Busy, beautiful, yellow, bedbugs, sun.
If you want a less busy Camino choose April or October

 

[Peter Fransiscus]

My wife and I are in our mid 60's and plan to our first pilgrimage in 2016. We hope to minimize encounters with full hostels and the afternoon heat by starting at St. Jean either on May 1st or September 1st. We think our trek might take about 40 days. We also hope that with these dates we can avoid colder temps and hopefully some rain (always an issue we know). Our question is which start date might be preferred; May 1st or Sept 1st? Any insight would be greatly appreciated!

Hi Ric, last year I started at the 18th of April in Sjpdp. There still was some snow in the Pyrenees. The overall weather during my 37 day's walk was great. Not that much rain .
My wife had almost the same weather in September 2013.
You never can tell what the weather will be like .
Wish you well and a Buen Camino, Peter.

 

[CdnDreamer]

I have walked both May (2015) and September (2012). One of the differences no one has mentioned is the length of the days. When walking in May the days are getting longer, the sun gets up earlier each day. When walking in September the days are getting shorter and by the end of the trip the sun is rising around 8 am due to Spain having only one time zone. You may want to think about when you are at your best - spring or fall?

May 1st is a big holiday in Europe and it falls on a Monday next year. You could be lucky and have the crowds ahead of you as the Europeans will probably start walking on the Saturday or Sunday. You might want to wait and start a few days after the 1st if you decide on a May Camino.

Have fun planning! There are no wrong choices. The "May Firsters" of 2015 who crossed the Pyrenees in torrential rain and arrived in Roncesvalles to discover the town was full and that they had to sleep in unheated cargo containers were very proud of what they accomplished. The hard days of the Camino are just as important as the good days, and give us great stories to tell.

Buen Camino.

 

[tpmchugh]

My wife and I are in our mid 60's and plan to our first pilgrimage in 2016. We hope to minimize encounters with full hostels and the afternoon heat by starting at St. Jean either on May 1st or September 1st. We think our trek might take about 40 days. We also hope that with these dates we can avoid colder temps and hopefully some rain (always an issue we know). Our question is which start date might be preferred; May 1st or Sept 1st? Any insight would be greatly appreciated!

Have done both. September temperatures are not too hot and the trail not so busy. May can still get very cold occasionally. It was very cold walking out of Carrion and I had to dig out my winter gloves that I put away after the Pyrenees. O Cebreiro was absolutely freezing but Pamplona was unseasonably hot. Two days ago Rabanal got as low as 2 degrees and Foncebaden was covered in snow. Basically, May is good but can hit pretty bad weather. September the weather will be more stable. On the downside for September, the mornings get progressively darker so a head torch necessary for early mornings up to about 8:30 at months end. You can miss a lot of scenery. My friends walking at the minute are reporting wet weather all along the way. I cant choose for you since I cant choose for myself

 

[Ric]

Thank you, everyone. You all gave wonderful insight. Time to consider everything before deciding.

 

[SYates]

I would opt for September as pilgrim numbers will, at least slightly, decline as time goes on. If you go in May they will increase, especially the closer you get to Santiago. Buen Camino, SY

 

[CaptBuddy]

Very easy question to answer.
There are simply only two different times when it is best to walk the Camino Frances.

When it is raining, or when it is not.

 

[Olivares]

I have walked the Camino Frances (whole or sections) on 4 different Mays (1997, 2011, 2012, 2013), one October (2013), and one in July (2014). I think September would be my choice, hands down. May is very iffy as far as rain, with April actually been a more sure bet for better weather than May. As a point in case, I sweat like a hog during my crossing SJPD-Roncesvalles on 27 May 2011. Gorgeous day, hot. A while back I saw a picture of four pilgrims crossing SJPD-Roncesvalles on the day of 27 May 2012 (exactly a year after me). They had two foot of SNOW on the ground. again, May is too unpredictable for my taste ( I was forced by work constraints to take May vacations). My next Camino is either April, Sept or Oct.

 

[Rajy62]

Last time i walked from Sept 26 - Oct 31st. Best time ever. Warm but not too hot. Cooler in the mornings...Faced only few days of rain in Galicia. Not too many people until i hit Saria! Next time I would choose a week earlier, Mid sept - end of October.