sensible & safe for single female pensioner?

[Bel]

This October is my planned time to walk this northern route. Is it stupid to think of doing it alone? Will I meet others at that time of year?

 

[Deleted member 3000]

It isn't stupid, but it will be very quiet!

 

[Camembert]

This October is my planned time to walk this northern route. Is it stupid to think of doing it alone? Will I meet others at that time of year?

We did not see strange things on our camino Ingles the other day.
It is pretty quiet. The last day from Sigueiro to Santiago there is a pretty lonesome walk through an eucalyptus wood.
Why not considering a part of the caminho Portuges for example from Valença do Minho or Tui. About the same distance. More chance to meet other people .
Buen camino

 

[cornishtim]

I walked the Norte in October two years ago. I met at least three single women ( two had walked from Switzerland, one was on her seventh Camino in her sixties ). They were all confident that it was perfectly safe. They walked in company when they wanted or alone as they chose. There were others on the Way. I met up with a lovely bunch and we became a little 'family'. I was walking on my own for the final two weeks as well - and felt very safe. Enjoy.

 

[Texaloha]

I just finished the Sanabres You never are alone because you meet so many wonderful people. We never walked together but watched for each other every evening

 

[Bel]

We did not see strange things on our camino Ingles the other day.
It is pretty quiet. The last day from Sigueiro to Santiago there is a pretty lonesome walk through an eucalyptus wood.
Why not considering a part of the caminho Portuges for example from Valença do Minho or Tui. About the same distance. More chance to meet other people .
Buen camino

Thank you!

 

[Bel]

I walked the Norte in October two years ago. I met at least three single women ( two had walked from Switzerland, one was on her seventh Camino in her sixties ). They were all confident that it was perfectly safe. They walked in company when they wanted or alone as they chose. There were others on the Way. I met up with a lovely bunch and we became a little 'family'. I was walking on my own for the final two weeks as well - and felt very safe. Enjoy.

Thank you for your encouragement!

 

[Bbb]

I just returned from Camino Ingles and would advise you walk with someone. There should be pilgrims there in October, but the real trick is finding someone who has the same walking pace as you. I wouldn't advise to walk it completely alone.

 

[Deleted member 3000]

I wouldn't advise to walk it completely alone.

Do you have a particular reason? It might narrow the decision for some female walkers.

 

[Bbb]

I realise it might narrow the decision but I'm just being honest. Some parts are more challenging than others, and I didn't feel all that comfortable in some of the areas I walked through. Also if you were injured or needed urgent assistance you could wait anywhere from 5 minutes to a matter days to see another pilgrim. The person asking the question isn't in her 20's. If it was my Mum, I would say go, but not completely alone.

 

[peregrina2000]

I realise it might narrow the decision but I'm just being honest. Some parts are more challenging than others, and I didn't feel all that comfortable in some of the areas I walked through. Also if you were injured or needed urgent assistance you could wait anywhere from 5 minutes to a matter days to see another pilgrim. The person asking the question isn't in her 20's. If it was my Mum, I would say go, but not completely alone.

Well, that's one opinion, but I have a different one. I've walked many different caminos alone and have never felt uncomfortable. I'm 64 now and started doing this crazy thing 15 years ago. I carry a phone, and I would recmmend that anyone walking alone carry one, male or female. I don't think there is anywhere on the Camino Ingles that is out of range of cell phone service, so a call to 112 would be all that was needed. This is not a remote camino, it is always very close to civilization. And though it may be a matter of days between pilgrims in October, there are villagers in the very many little villages that the Camino Ingles passes through, and there's no reason to think they wouldn't help in case of a need of urgent assistance.

I finished the first half of my camino totally alone again this summer, on the Camino Olvidado, and in Ponferrada made the decision to continue on the Frances rather than go onto the Invierno, because I knew I was looking at 12 more days walking alone on the Invierno. It wasn't that that was going to be dangerous, I just decided that it was going to be too lonely, so I changed plans. More than anything, I think the answer to the question -- should I walk alone? -- has to do more with the personal taste of the person as far as being alone for many kms, rather than with any external problem or threat that the Camino itself presents. Buen camino, Laurie