over crowding

[catherine101]

I am about to set off next week but have not decided whether to do the camino Frances or try the route from Lisbon. One factor is the overcrowding on the camino Frances. Would it be as busy from mid october?

Warm regards
catherine

 

[Rebekah Scott]

"as busy as..." When?
It is very reasonable just now, not overly crowded. If you want to walk the Frances, I say go for it. The hostals and albergues will start closing soon, the weather is superb, the sky at night is full of spectacular falling stars, at least out on the meseta. Now is the time!

 

[sillydoll]

Start from Lisbon and you'll have miles and miles of road walking, hardly any albergues until you reach Porto and fewer pilgrim-friends to meet along the way.

 

[catherine101]

Thanks. Do most of the albergues close end October? Are there alternative places to stay?
Cat

 

[Rebekah Scott]

Lots of albergues close for All Saints Day and just stay closed til Holy Week.
There is always someplace to go, however. You pay 20 Euro instead of 6 or 8, but you get your own shower and towels and sheets on the bed... even heat sometimes!

Reb

 

[Andrewere]

When are All Saints Day and Holy Week? I'm arriving SJPP around 8th November for a 3 week (ish) walk. I'm hoping to get to somewhere like Castrojeriz or maybe further. Any other holidays to be aware of?

Andrew.

 

[tyrrek]

All Saints Day is 1st November each year. Holy week varies but in 2012 it starts 1st April (Palm Sunday).

Be aware that you may stumble across a local festival along the way (as I did on my recent Camino Ingles), which may not be a public holiday but can affect the availability of hostal accommodation.

 

[grayland]

I hadn't noticed that Holy Week started on 1 April in 2012.
I arrive in Le Puy at the end of March and had better start to plan out the first week of accommodations in France. I would imagine that it will be pretty busy.
I had hoped to wait until I got to Le Puy and then work it out. I really don't have a lot of information and was just going to play it day by day.

 

[jl]

Yes, Le Puy itself might be busy for Holy Week, but I can't imagine that the other places along that first week or so of the path will be very busy at that time. They are pretty small villages in those first few days, though you might need to check out, at the tourist offices, what accomodation is open as you go - Easter next year is very early compared to recent years. You could well expect snow at this time of the year too - especially up on the Aubrac Plateau - check out Kiwinomads blog. Cheers, Janet

 

[renegadepilgrim]

Not sure if the OP has already left for their Camino, but I am hospitaleroing in Santo Domingo de la Calzada and the numbers have been fluctuating from 77 peregrinos last night to 24 so far at 4p. There are plenty of beds here!