Too Lonely? Spring or Autumn?

[LesBrass]

Hello folks... I'm almost set on walking the VdlP next year but I have a couple of niggling doubts/questions. I know it's a long way off but I have to block out maybe 8 weeks on the calendar and 2016 bookings are coming for the band so I have to decide.

Firstly will it be too quiet for me? I'm walking alone and I just wonder if I'll feel too isolated? I loved the CF but I don't need crowds... a handful of folks to have a coffee with is nice though. On the CF you rarely walk alone - sometimes perhaps too many folks and it feels too busy but equally it's nice to know that 500m ahead there is someone if you need them? And in the end I walked roughly with the same group of people and never felt alone that much.

Is the VdlP very quiet? Will it be too much of a culture shock?

Secondly... I'm thinking of going late September but I've seen lots of folks starting March/April... is this a better time to go?

I've been reading lots of blogs and trying to find out as much as I can and I have a yearning to walk from Cadiz to Fisterra... my husband may come and join me for a few weeks in the middle, following me in our campervan but apart from this I'll be walking solo. I feel really drawn to this walk but I'm just worried about feeling alone.

all advice (blogs/vidoes) welcome

many thanks

 

[Sagalouts]

hi
I walked VDLP in september 2010 and loved it,though to begin with it was very hot-40c but soon dropped the higher up spain i walked.
the problems with march/april while being cooler,you have to watch out for holy week/easter where beds are hard to find, while being less people that other Camino,s I still met great people and the cities are beutiful
my blog is sagalouts-theroadtonowhere@blogspot.com or google sagalouts theroadtonowhere
the link below does not seem to be working

 

[grayland]

I walked in mid August in 2013 and saw no one until Salamanca...after that there were good numbers of Pilgrims every day. Some albergues were actually full from Zamora on. I think that it is only lonely in July and August when the heat makes it almost impossible to walk the first half from Seville. I did it anyway..but that does not make me smart. All of the albergues were empty except for me until Salamanca.

There are flooding problems in early Spring. There are threads by several people concerning this.
I am not sure of the problem months..but a search on this forum should bring up the threads by Luka and AnnieSantiago.

 

[Stripey Socks]

Hello.
I walked the VdLP starting from Seville on 4 Sept last year. It was a wonderful experience - hard at times - but wonderful. Yes, it is MUCH quieter than CF but there are still plenty of friendly faces to talk to along the way. Sometimes you may not see anyone all day but we always seemed to meet up with people at night. I guess with everyone walking different speeds, that is logical.

I loved the VdLP and the sense of openness and isolation. The scenery is bigger and wider - maybe it is what I am more used to in Australia. Yes, it is quieter sometimes during the walk but we always received a warm and friendly welcome at the end of the day.
Enjoy!
Melanie

 

[peregrina2000]

Hi, Les,
I have started twice from Sevilla, never from Cádiz, but always in springtime. Once was mid April, once May 1 or 2. This was several years ago now (I have a blog linked below this post) and it was a perfect combination of just the right amount of pilgrims without being overcrowded and without being solitary. I was one of the few native English speakers, in fact I can´t off the top of my head think of any others, but there were lots of Germans, French, and a few Spaniards. Springtime in Andalucía and in Extremadura, I know I´ve said this a million times, is just lovely. Lots of bright green fields, tons of wildflowers, babbling brooks, good temperatures. It is just beautiful. the distances aren´t too bad and there are easy workarounds for the one 38 km stretch between Carcaboso and Aldeanueva. And the opportunity to visit Sevilla, Mérida, Cáceres, Salamanca, Zamora, and Ourense, along with all the little towns that are so enjoyable, is just icing on the cake. Those are some of my favorite Spanish cities, and I got to walk through them all!

Buen camino, Laurie

 

[LesBrass]

Many thanks for the replies and links. I'm still a little apprehensive about being so alone... I'm scared of anything and everything... cows, dogs, bees But I do feel that this is the walk for me. I love Andalucia - we went to Seville for our honeymoon and the idea of walking across these parts is very appealing.

I'm thinking I need to allow 8 weeks if I want to attempt coast to coast and I'm trying to convince my husband that he can join me in the middle for 3 weeks so this makes me feel a little less apprehensive... and I do notice a fair trickle of questions on here about VdlP so perhaps a few more folks will contemplate the walk in the next couple of years... so I'm feeling more confident.

Also, from everything I've read it would seem like spring is perhaps a beautiful time to walk but my problem is that I have to finish before the start of May... I sing in a wedding band and May is our busy month - I dont imagine the chaps being too happy if I took 8 weeks off in peak season so I have to start in March or late September onwards. I did wonder if starting 1 March maybe too early and I dont like the sound of flooding... I'll do a bit more digging but I may just have to settle for wonderful autumn colours instead... but perhaps go back another time for just 2 weeks in April one day?

It looks at the moment as though the VDLP is for me and that I late september 2016 could be best... I'm sure I'll change my mind several times before then but thanks very much for the information and the guidance... dont go too far as I'm prerry sure I'll have more questions

many thanks folks!