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Hola Asel, this is such a shame but I feel your fears are very valid and I would not want to walk alone as a woman either. I am walking the Camino del Norte right now with my husband and there was an incident just after Deba (22-Apr-16). We were walking with a young (19 years old) German girl, who stopped to eat her breakfast at a beautiful lookout point. We stopped further on at a private country albergue for coffee, when 10 minutes later she came running, crying and totally traumatized after having an encounter with a man on a bike who was verbally sexually abusive, after which exposed himself to her. Unfortunately her whistle or mace was not handy for her to use. The owners of the albergue took it VERY seriously calling the police and reporting the incident. After which we saw the police patrolling wherever there was road. Not sure if they ever caught him, but we were all sickened by this incident and can't help but wonder if the Camino is a perfect place for these kinds of predictors.i just did 2 weeks on the Camino but had to stop because of Achilles tendinitis. I went alone and wanted to talk a little about safety on the Camino for women traveling alone. There were three incidents that I heard about while I was there and my apologies if this had been mentioned already. The first happened around Longrono I was told that a man exposed himself to some women pilgrims, the next that a man on a bicycle approached a woman and asked if she wanted him to take a picture and then started talking about naked pictures and the third was a male friend that witnessed a car slowing down to talk to a solo woman but when he started calling the woman the car sped away. These were all things relayed to me during the 2 weeks I was there. I also wanted to mention that when I was around Najera there were long stretches where there were no other pilgrims around (3 hrs at times) and didn't feel safe.
These are things that helped me: bring a whistle and have it handy. Don't leave too early in the morning, you're more likely to have others in front and behind.
All this to say that when I come back to finish I will come with a friend.
i just did 2 weeks on the Camino but had to stop because of Achilles tendinitis. I went alone and wanted to talk a little about safety on the Camino for women traveling alone. There were three incidents that I heard about while I was there and my apologies if this had been mentioned already. The first happened around Longrono I was told that a man exposed himself to some women pilgrims, the next that a man on a bicycle approached a woman and asked if she wanted him to take a picture and then started talking about naked pictures and the third was a male friend that witnessed a car slowing down to talk to a solo woman but when he started calling the woman the car sped away. These were all things relayed to me during the 2 weeks I was there. I also wanted to mention that when I was around Najera there were long stretches where there were no other pilgrims around (3 hrs at times) and didn't feel safe.
These are things that helped me: bring a whistle and have it handy. Don't leave too early in the morning, you're more likely to have others in front and behind.
All this to say that when I come back to finish I will come with a friend.
My thoughts exactly.I have had my share of incidents, probably totalling 6 or 7, over the past 15 years. Perhaps not surprisingly, they have all occurred on the more highly traveled caminos I used to walk, in fact all occurred on the Frances, I believe. I have never had an incident walking (alone) on the caminos where you rarely see another pilgrim (Olvidado, Catalan, Madrid, St. Jaume, Invierno, Vadiniense, Lebaniego, etc). Sometime the arrows take me a km or two from a road or a town, sometimes through more remote areas, but I have never been anxious or fearful. That said, I do walk with the same kind of alertness I use when walking anywhere alone.
I think that we women all have different comfort levels with walking alone -- our personalities, our past experiences, etc., all shape our attitudes. There are good threads on this topic that came on the heels of last year's murder on the Camino, and I think that while it is important not to think you are going to Disneyland, it would be an equally big mistake to think that walking alone on the Camino as a woman is somehow riskier than the kind of behaviors most of us engage in on a daily basis. Crime statistics simply do not bear out any claim that the camino is a dangerous place, but if you are going to be anxious and nervous, then the statistics don't matter and you shouldn't walk alone. But for those who are comfortable with the knowledge that that though there are perverts everywhere, the Camino is a very safe place, you may very well find that you can experience the joys that come, IMO, from walking alone.
Great, just what I wanted to hear. In just over a weeks time, I am off to walk the Cami St Jaume, so 2 weeks walking on my own along a route where I do not expect to meet many (any?) people on any day.
So, deep breath, and resist the impulse to panic, because I know it is illogical as the risks are little higher than in 'normal' life, as mentioned above.
There's no way I would carry mace or pepper spray. I think they might even be illegal in Spain. And knowing me, when I really needed it, the can would be in my pocket and I would find it impossible to extract! So, for my self protection, I intend to stay alert, though not paranoid. I use walking poles which I could swing at someone maybe, though they are a bit on the light side, and I've got a personal alarm, which hangs from my chest strap - all I need to do is pull the cord. I thought about a whistle, but I suspect that I would never be able to find a whistle, let alone blow it, if I needed to. In fact, I'd probably end up swallowing it instead. I'm not sure if the alarm would do any good on a deserted stretch, but its better than nothing and it gives me a bit of reassurance.
Life is full of risks. By walking the Cami St Jaume on my own, I am increasing my risks, but I am doing it with my eyes wide open and if I have miscalculated those risks, well, I'd rather not dwell on that.
i just did 2 weeks on the Camino but had to stop because of Achilles tendinitis. I went alone and wanted to talk a little about safety on the Camino for women traveling alone. There were three incidents that I heard about while I was there and my apologies if this had been mentioned already. The first happened around Longrono I was told that a man exposed himself to some women pilgrims, the next that a man on a bicycle approached a woman and asked if she wanted him to take a picture and then started talking about naked pictures and the third was a male friend that witnessed a car slowing down to talk to a solo woman but when he started calling the woman the car sped away. These were all things relayed to me during the 2 weeks I was there. I also wanted to mention that when I was around Najera there were long stretches where there were no other pilgrims around (3 hrs at times) and didn't feel safe.
These are things that helped me: bring a whistle and have it handy. Don't leave too early in the morning, you're more likely to have others in front and behind.
All this to say that when I come back to finish I will come with a friend.
My Gregory doesn't. I'll have to purchase one.Almost all backpacks have a whistle incorporated into the sternum clip.
little higher than in 'normal' life
I doubt that is true, unless you stay locked in your house in normal life.By walking the Cami St Jaume on my own, I am increasing my risks
When I looked I couldn't one on my osprey. It is very discrete. Someone showed me a photo of it before I realised it was indeed there.My Gregory doesn't. I'll have to purchase one.
I would agree here....Caminos are not unique in this. Sadly, this type of behaviour happens in many places. I am sad to read that the young referred to in one of the posts above, was so traumatised by what she experienced but, I don't think that we, as women, should take the decision NOT to walk alone and let our fears overcome our desire to walk alone.There are times when I am deeply ashamed of my entire sex. Sadly the Caminos are not unique in this regard. Last month my daughter encountered a man openly masturbating on the London Underground. Last year on the Via Francigena I met two young German women who met a similar pervert on the trail. Fortunately in neither case was there any physical threat. Hard to think what anyone can do about it in advance. I'm glad to hear that it has been taken seriously.
Yes, Annie. It is CAMIGAS - A Buddy System.There is a Facebook group for women seeking female walking partners I think it is called Camigas.
Myself and my husband did a stretch of the Camino del Norte last July/August 2015 and we also came across an incident near Deba. Two young Irish girls had a very near escape with a man on a motor bike..I think! They luckily got away from him and ran to a nearby house. The owner rang the Police who were very kind to them but advised them that there were similar incidents in that area in the past where the girls were not quite so lucky. I wonder if this is the same guy?!! The two girls were badly shaken and I have to say although I was walking with my husband it took me a while get over it!! I would definitely not walk the Camino on my own as a woman!Hola Asel, this is such a shame but I feel your fears are very valid and I would not want to walk alone as a woman either. I am walking the Camino del Norte right now with my husband and there was an incident just after Deba (22-Apr-16). We were walking with a young (19 years old) German girl, who stopped to eat her breakfast at a beautiful lookout point. We stopped further on at a private country albergue for coffee, when 10 minutes later she came running, crying and totally traumatized after having an encounter with a man on a bike who was verbally sexually abusive, after which exposed himself to her. Unfortunately her whistle or mace was not handy for her to use. The owners of the albergue took it VERY seriously calling the police and reporting the incident. After which we saw the police patrolling wherever there was road. Not sure if they ever caught him, but we were all sickened by this incident and can't help but wonder if the Camino is a perfect place for these kinds of predictors.
It is legal. I have never looked for it, so I don't know what kind of store would carry it. I take a small air horn for dogs!Is pepper spray or mace legal in Spain?
If you do, practice with it first making sure to be upwind from it. Good luck and hope you have a good Walk.My daughter got me pepper spray for Christmas ha ha (she is a bit nervous about me going alone this year) . I have been going back or forth if I should bring it.
Not as carry-on. It is permitted only in checked baggage, and must conform to compressed gas rules.if I should bring it.
My Gregory doesn't. I'll have to purchase one.
I would also add- in Montana , particularly hiking in the National parks we deal with bears. We do carry pepper spray - but the spray comes in large bottles so it can shoot a long distance. You don't want to have to get very close! You mainly spray toward the ground as wind and it blowing back on you can be a problem. I am not sure even if it were available there it would be recommended. Perhaps others that have more experience could commentGreat, just what I wanted to hear. In just over a weeks time, I am off to walk the Cami St Jaume, so 2 weeks walking on my own along a route where I do not expect to meet many (any?) people on any day.
So, deep breath, and resist the impulse to panic, because I know it is illogical as the risks are little higher than in 'normal' life, as mentioned above.
There's no way I would carry mace or pepper spray. I think they might even be illegal in Spain. And knowing me, when I really needed it, the can would be in my pocket and I would find it impossible to extract! So, for my self protection, I intend to stay alert, though not paranoid. I use walking poles which I could swing at someone maybe, though they are a bit on the light side, and I've got a personal alarm, which hangs from my chest strap - all I need to do is pull the cord. I thought about a whistle, but I suspect that I would never be able to find a whistle, let alone blow it, if I needed to. In fact, I'd probably end up swallowing it instead. I'm not sure if the alarm would do any good on a deserted stretch, but its better than nothing and it gives me a bit of reassurance.
Life is full of risks. By walking the Cami St Jaume on my own, I am increasing my risks, but I am doing it with my eyes wide open and if I have miscalculated those risks, well, I'd rather not dwell on that.
I found this article on the web:I would also add- in Montana , particularly hiking in the National parks we deal with bears. We do carry pepper spray - but the spray comes in large bottles so it can shoot a long distance. You don't want to have to get very close! You mainly spray toward the ground as wind and it blowing back on you can be a problem. I am not sure even if it were available there it would be recommended. Perhaps others that have more experience could comment
Well I guess that leaves throwing fake rubber snakes, javelin treking poles, faking a heart attack, pretending to be demon possessed, self induced vomiting, passing gas, hysterical laughter or using the Clint Eastwood saying " make my day" or in this case " Camino " - I can hardly wait! It merely requires ingenuity.I found this article on the web:
http://www.robbedinbarcelona.com/20...defence-weapons-in-spain-the-definitive-post/
So, no go, but!
On to sprays. Read the following sentence fully. Sprays are illegal, as are all devices that fire gases or aerosols, together with any devices that include a mechanism capable of projecting narcotics, toxins or corrosives; however personal defense sprays are allowed if they are of a type permitted by the Spanish ministry of health and carried by someone over the age of 18 (who must be able to prove their age using an identity card, passport or residence permit). The law goes on to state that these self-defense sprays are of the type most typically found in “armerias” (specialist shops).
Keyword is self-defense
Also read this: http://hitchwiki.org/en/Pepper_spray
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