michal.don
Member
- Time of past OR future Camino
- Camino del Norte 2022, Camino Francés - April 2024
Hello, after walking the Norte last autumn, I'm starting to think about doing the Francés. Certainly not this year, but, maybe, just maybe, I'll be able to go next spring. I know it's way too early to plan the thing, but I'd like to hear some insight from the local camino veterans about their experience and get some useful tips I might not otherwise have considered. Here are the things I consider the most important when picking a date:
Weather - This is, of course, the most unpredictable part of it. You can't really plan for weather. But ideally, I'd like to have nice walking conditions, rather cold than hot. I walked the Norte in October/November, and except for a few rainy days in Galicia, the weather was great for me. Im thinking April might be generally similar to October, temperature-wise?
Crowds - Again, a big one for me. I don't really like crowds. That's why I picked the Norte for the first camino, and the moment I walked into Arzúa where the two caminos join, I saw I made the right choice. I know that the last 100 kilometres are very different from the rest of the camino, but it was quite a shock anyway. That's why I'd rather start a few weeks before the main season starts. I'm more than willing to get rained on a bit more in exchange for a bit quieter camino
From what I gathered around here, it seems to me that an early April start should pretty much be my best bet - a bit colder at the beginning, but a potentially very pleasant May weather when reaching Santiago, and a more relaxed experience in the first part.
I know that it seems I'm trying to find the holy grail of a perfect date for a camino. It's more of a "Am I missing something really obvious" kind of question. But yeah, a perfect date for a sunny camino without too many people and temperatures it the low twenties would be nice, indeed
I'd be grateful for any insight and experiences,
thanks,
Michal
Weather - This is, of course, the most unpredictable part of it. You can't really plan for weather. But ideally, I'd like to have nice walking conditions, rather cold than hot. I walked the Norte in October/November, and except for a few rainy days in Galicia, the weather was great for me. Im thinking April might be generally similar to October, temperature-wise?
Crowds - Again, a big one for me. I don't really like crowds. That's why I picked the Norte for the first camino, and the moment I walked into Arzúa where the two caminos join, I saw I made the right choice. I know that the last 100 kilometres are very different from the rest of the camino, but it was quite a shock anyway. That's why I'd rather start a few weeks before the main season starts. I'm more than willing to get rained on a bit more in exchange for a bit quieter camino
From what I gathered around here, it seems to me that an early April start should pretty much be my best bet - a bit colder at the beginning, but a potentially very pleasant May weather when reaching Santiago, and a more relaxed experience in the first part.
I know that it seems I'm trying to find the holy grail of a perfect date for a camino. It's more of a "Am I missing something really obvious" kind of question. But yeah, a perfect date for a sunny camino without too many people and temperatures it the low twenties would be nice, indeed
I'd be grateful for any insight and experiences,
thanks,
Michal