Walking in late September 2014

[DebR]

Hi folks, I walked the Camino Frances in April / May last year and am gearing up again for a start from SJPdP somewhere around 22 Sept 2014, give or take a day. While knowing that no two years are the same. I'd be really interested on peoples' experiences round this time of year: will I be part of a last wave of summer peregrinos (translation: will it likely be crowded) or are the numbers more inclined to be lower? Will the bed race likely be in full swing? I should add that I'm asking AFTER buying plane tickets from Australia, so answers affect mental preparedness, not physical planning!

Buen Camino!

 

[Deleted member 3000]

Crowds now seem to continue through September. They are smaller, so the bed race that people feel in July and August is even more a myth. There are beds. Maybe not in the first place you stop at 7 p.m., but somewhere nearby (particularly if nearby includes a taxi ride). The weather is nicer, so the walking is great.

 

[santiago_67]

Hi Deb, I began my Camino in Roncesvalles on Sept. 24, 2013 and arrived in Santiago the last week of October. I did not encounter big crowds or the "race for the bed" thing. Weather started out pretty warm and gradually got cooler (glad that I packed a lightweight sleeping bag, lightweight merino wool sweater and windbreaker). Light rain a few days, but some heavy rain in Galicia in late October. I am planning my second Camino and hope to start in SJPdP in mid-September 2014. Buen Camino!

 

[simply B]

Hello, Deb -

I started 29 Sept 2012 from SJPP , arrived SdC on 31 Oct.

Weather was warmish until just before Burgos, from there on mainly cool, windy, rainy through the Meseta.

Crowds were variable. I tried to stay away from the "exact" Brierley stages but could not avoid it some days. I was usually packed and ready to go before bed, got up early with my red lamp to make it out the door by 6:30 on most days so as to catch sunrise as I walked. The places where I encountered crowding were Pamplona, Viana, Santo Domingo, Terradillos, Mansilla and Leon. I was surprised to have very little difficulty from there on - even the last 100 kms. Even so, there were options. If I had been more attuned to the ebb and flow of folks, I would have been better able to adjust my walking (and mental energy level) to either stop a bit sooner or walk a bit further on those days. I cannot say that the crowds were ever distressing and I am generally not comfortable in one.

I would not over-think it or drum up any anxiety - the Camino provides. (Or that's the word on the Way.)

Buen Camino,

B

 

[tploomis]

My wife, a friend and I started in SJPP on September 23, 2013 and arrived in Santiago on November 5. Accommodations were not a problem and there was no bed race for us. Weather ranged from hot the first week or two to below freezing on several mornings toward the end. We had a lot of rain in the last two weeks. Our experiences are blogged at tploomis.wordpress.com. All in all, I thought it was a great time of year to do it, and the experience was one that stays with me through today -- I am forever changed.

 

[k-fun]

September and October are wonderful times to walk the Camino. There are many festivals, such as the wine festival in Logroño, the chestnut festival, and more. These are fun to attend, but may make it difficult to find a room. If you plan to stay in a town that is celebrating a fiesta, I suggest phoning ahead to make reservations. For more ideas about the festivals in Septemer, watch this Youtube.

 

[Beata73]

September and October are wonderful times to walk the Camino. There are many festivals, such as the wine festival in Logroño, the chestnut festival, and more. These are fun to attend, but may make it difficult to find a room. If you plan to stay in a town that is celebrating a fiesta, I suggest phoning ahead to make reservations. For more ideas about the festivals in Septemer, watch this Youtube.

I will Try to go begining of September(8 or 10th)I cant wait!I hope so God will bless Me with good health!Its will be first Camino for Me! good luck for You! God bless!!

 

[Anniesantiago]

I don't feel it was quite as crowded in late September. And as someone said, the wine festivals were awesome! I used to LOVE walking in the Fall, but then I did Spring and the wildflower…. I'm hooked!

 

[Roger M.]

I will be leaving from SJPDP in mid September. Preparations are still ongoing. I am ticketed thru to Biarritz. I plan on spending a few nights under the stars so I will be bringing a small amount of camping gear. A hobo stove, cup, spork, poncho that can be converted to a shelter, etc.. But most nights I will spend in alberques along The Way. Maybe a nice hotel or two.

I am still shopping for a sleeping bag. Something less than 2 lbs synthetic I am thinking. Have thought about purchasing TWO 1 lb fleece bags and doubling them up if needed.

Very excited about this adventure. I am 60 years old, pretty good shape and getting better. My feelings are reminiscent of when I was 18 and getting mentally and physically ready for Marine Corps boot camp. This last 6 months are going to go very slowly.

I had wanted my wife to go along but her arthritis and lack of desire to walk 500 miles will just not permit it.

Have just ordered a book on Spanish to reinforce my 2 high school years of Spanish. It would be really cool to actually become fluent. Spanish in the USA is being spoken more and more.

Primarily this is a religious/self introspection trip for me. Getting right with my Creator and setting the priorities of my life for the "home stretch".

Again, thanks to everyone that have provided advice.

Roger

 

[yappy]

Crowds now seem to continue through September. They are smaller, so the bed race that people feel in July and August is even more a myth. There are beds. Maybe not in the first place you stop at 7 p.m., but somewhere nearby (particularly if nearby includes a taxi ride). The weather is nicer, so the walking is great.

We will b out around that time too ...can't wait

 

[Acordner]

I walked last October 3-Nov. 5th and had an incredible time. The weather was perfect, I felt like it was just the right amount of people.....not too busy, not too lonely. I never had a hard time finding a bed, but I was opting for private rooms most nights. I, too, tried to stay off the Brierley stages and I think I was able to explore some really wonderful little towns because I did.

 

[yappy]

Ur dates sound like what we hope to do. It will b our first time in Europe. .super excited !did u walk to the coast ?

 

[Adhemar78]

Hi folks, I walked the Camino Frances in April / May last year and am gearing up again for a start from SJPdP somewhere around 22 Sept 2014, give or take a day. While knowing that no two years are the same. I'd be really interested on peoples' experiences round this time of year: will I be part of a last wave of summer peregrinos (translation: will it likely be crowded) or are the numbers more inclined to be lower? Will the bed race likely be in full swing? I should add that I'm asking AFTER buying plane tickets from Australia, so answers affect mental preparedness, not physical planning!

Buen Camino!

You might run into a fellow Australian at the start - I'm starting from SJPdP on 21 September and staying at Orisson the first night rather than making the full climb to Roncesvalles in one day. Buen Camino!

 

[lynnwend70]

Hi folks, I walked the Camino Frances in April / May last year and am gearing up again for a start from SJPdP somewhere around 22 Sept 2014, give or take a day. While knowing that no two years are the same. I'd be really interested on peoples' experiences round this time of year: will I be part of a last wave of summer peregrinos (translation: will it likely be crowded) or are the numbers more inclined to be lower? Will the bed race likely be in full swing? I should add that I'm asking AFTER buying plane tickets from Australia, so answers affect mental preparedness, not physical planning!

Buen Camino!

Hi Deb, I did my first camino last year mid September to Mid October. You should not have a problem finding a place to stay, only a few times we had a problem, but someone always came to our aid. I started out with a 2 pound sleeping bag and after a few weeks got rid of it (I had a sleeping bag liner and a sheet to put on mattresses (sheet was treated with bed bug spray) Only one of the albergues we stayed did not have blankets. The closer we got to Santiago the cooler it was and more rain. You will need waterproof pants a poncho is not enough and a hat to keep water off face or glasses. Buen Camino

 

[Lockslay]

I am starting to walk on Sep 29, 2014 - I have everything ready, actually, I have been ready for a couple of months now - it's going to be my first Camino, walking with my 19 y/o son ... I am not worried with what I will experience, as I firmly believe in being 100% open to new things, but what is killing me now is the anxiety of waiting 122 days more. If I just could move the time ahead ... ;-) Even this is already a lesson to be learned, to try to avoid this feeling of impatience ........

 

[trevorcc]

Hi folks, I walked the Camino Frances in April / May last year and am gearing up again for a start from SJPdP somewhere around 22 Sept 2014, give or take a day. While knowing that no two years are the same. I'd be really interested on peoples' experiences round this time of year: will I be part of a last wave of summer peregrinos (translation: will it likely be crowded) or are the numbers more inclined to be lower? Will the bed race likely be in full swing? I should add that I'm asking AFTER buying plane tickets from Australia, so answers affect mental preparedness, not physical planning!

Buen Camino!

Hi,
I walked last year around that time and had no problems with beds, if crowds are to much just change your stage stops.
I will be walking again this year but starting at the start of September.

Trevor from Oz

 

[trevorcc]

I am starting to walk on Sep 29, 2014 - I have everything ready, actually, I have been ready for a couple of months now - it's going to be my first Camino, walking with my 19 y/o son ... I am not worried with what I will experience, as I firmly believe in being 100% open to new things, but what is killing me now is the anxiety of waiting 122 days more. If I just could move the time ahead ... ;-) Even this is already a lesson to be learned, to try to avoid this feeling of impatience ........

Understand as I am going back in September and I am starting to get anxious.

Trevor

 

[markterhune]

Walked from SJPDP in 2011 and only one time did I not stay just where I had planned and that was at Orisson. That whole walk to Roncesvalles was a lot the first day. Started 9/16 and got to SDC 10/18. Wonderful weather and there was a festival in Leon the first week of Oct that was the bomb! This year I plan to start out of Barcelona on 9/3 and join the Camino Francés at Logroño. No big crowds, wonderful food, great fellowship and I am looking foward to that this year too. Good luck! Mark T.

 

[Roger M.]

Walked from SJPDP in 2011 and only one time did I not stay just where I had planned and that was at Orisson. That whole walk to Roncesvalles was a lot the first day. Started 9/16 and got to SDC 10/18. Wonderful weather and there was a festival in Leon the first week of Oct that was the bomb! This year I plan to start out of Barcelona on 9/3 and join the Camino Francés at Logroño. No big crowds, wonderful food, great fellowship and I am looking foward to that this year too. Good luck! Mark T.

I will look into this festival in Leon that you mentioned. I will be leaving SJPDP on 9/14 so I should be able to make that. I hope I get lucky and experience the kind of weather you remember. --- Roger

 

[Silvester]

I will look into this festival in Leon that you mentioned. I will be leaving SJPDP on 9/14 so I should be able to make that. I hope I get lucky and experience the kind of weather you remember. --- Roger

Isn't Spanish National Day 12 October? No idea how it's celebrated. There's also an eclipse on 8 October but I don't think it is likely to be spectacular.

 

[Adhemar78]

Yes, October 12 is the National Day of Spain:
http://www.donquijote.org/culture/spain/society/holidays/hispanidad.asp

It does not appear (at least according to the website cited below) to be celebrated universally across Spain - it depends on the region. October 12 also falls on a Sunday in 2014, so those regions that do celebrate it have their public holiday on October 13:
http://www.thelocal.es/20131120/spains-public-holidays-in-official-list

 

[rez]

First Camino so planning to start from Leon on Sept 27, 2014 and take 18 days for the walk to Santiago de Compostela. Any thoughts/experiences about flights and connections from Alberta, Canada to Leon would be appreciated.

 

[MaryLynn]

I am leaving Toronto on September 19 and will fly into Paris, take the train to Dax, stay overnight, then take a bus in the morning to St. Palais, two short days before St. Jean at the end of the LePuy Camino, which will be a good warm-up for the Pyrenees, as suggested on the old L'Esprit du Chemin website. I did this in October 2011 when I returned to the Camino to fill in two sections I didn't have time to walk when I was there the previous May, and this plan worked well.

In St. Jean, I have booked a bed at Beilari, the former L'Esprit, and will leave St. Jean on the morning of September 23. I am tempted to go up and over in one day and spend night #2 in Roncesvalles, but I'm not sure that's wise, even with the two-day warm-up. This will be my fourth Camino since spring 2011 (2CF and 1Arles/Aragones) in three years--plus a 215km 'Camino' in the Saguenay region of Quebec this summer. I hope to meet some of the forum members walking in September/October. I think I am hooked.

 

[flobaco]

Look forward to meeting you somewhere along the Camino. My wife and I also plan to start on the 23rd. Coming from California. Finished LePuy-SJPDP 3 years ago. Giving ourselves 5 weeks to Santiago. This forum is great fun to read with lots of insights and info.
Francisco

 

[DeadFred]

Here's a list of forum members leaving in mid to late Sept . I started this ( all of Sept ) awhile back under the topic "September 2014 Peregrinos".. Might be of help ?.
Joe .. leaving Sept 26th for Orission


September 14th -Walking Man 06, RogerM, Cate A
September 15th -Janet Ellen, Marilyn Russell
September 16th -Jabaldo, Great Dane (Zubiri), twojay54, Janicelee
September 17th- -Zarniwoop, jessica.vthhiker, Kathleen de Montreal
September 18th
September 19th -Holly, ksam, Dennis & Lisa
September 20th -Jamie Archer, AnnieY
September 21st -Adhemar78
September 22nd –jdpigue, Seamus O'Muireadhaigh ,debR
September 23rd -Silvester, CaptBuddy(Roncsvalles), gmonkey(Burgos?/Leon?), JoeNYC ,onelight, flobacko , marylynn
September 24th -Annie Little
September 25th-s4sfamily(Leon), sooh(Pomplona)
September 26th - DeadFred, Bernatchez M , organflute, Rachel_1981
September 27th - Jgun87
September 28th
September 29th- michryan
September 30th-Lockslay
Oct 1st -awakengaime

 

[natefaith]

The weather should be beautiful, and it shouldn't be *too* crowded in Sept/ Oct - there should be enough pilgrims for liveliness, but not too many that you can't find a bed. Fun times!
Buen Camino to all!!

 

[Sacred Heart]

I will Try to go begining of September(8 or 10th)I cant wait!I hope so God will bless Me with good health!Its will be first Camino for Me! good luck for You! God bless!!

Hi it is my first Camino too. I can't wait either. I am starting in Leon on 2nd September. We will all be blessed. Angie

 

[DeadFred]

The weather should be beautiful, and it shouldn't be *too* crowded in Sept/ Oct - there should be enough pilgrims for liveliness, but not too many that you can't find a bed. Fun times!
Buen Camino to all!!

According to the Sept list there are 17 forum members starting on the 5th from St Jean

 

[Helen walking]

Adding my name to the list starting in September. I fly from Vancouver to Paris on the 8th and plan to spend two or three days enjoying Paris before taking the train south to SJPP. It will be my first Camino and I will be heading out alone. I will be going slowly as I want to explore along the way and enjoy taking lots of pictures. I look forward to meeting other Pilgrims along The Way.

 

[Dennis and Lisa]

Here's a list of forum members leaving in mid to late Sept . I started this ( all of Sept ) awhile back under the topic "September 2014 Peregrinos".. Might be of help ?.
Joe .. leaving Sept 26th for Orission


September 14th -Walking Man 06, RogerM, Cate A
September 15th -Janet Ellen, Marilyn Russell
September 16th -Jabaldo, Great Dane (Zubiri), twojay54, Janicelee
September 17th- -Zarniwoop, jessica.vthhiker, Kathleen de Montreal
September 18th
September 19th -Holly, ksam
September 20th -Jamie Archer, AnnieY
September 21st -Adhemar78
September 22nd –jdpigue, Seamus O'Muireadhaigh ,debR
September 23rd -Silvester, CaptBuddy(Roncsvalles), gmonkey(Burgos?/Leon?), JoeNYC ,onelight, flobacko , marylynn
September 24th -Annie Little
September 25th-s4sfamily(Leon), sooh(Pomplona)
September 26th - DeadFred, Bernatchez M , organflute, Rachel_1981
September 27th - Jgun87
September 28th
September 29th- michryan
September 30th-Lockslay
Oct 1st -awakengaime

September 19th Dennis and Lisa...please add us to the list

 

[DeadFred]

Updated 8/12
September 14th -Walking Man 06, RogerM, Cate A
September 15th -Janet Ellen, Marilyn Russell
September 16th -Jabaldo, Great Dane (Zubiri), twojay54, Janicelee
September 17th- -Zarniwoop, jessica.vthhiker, Kathleen de Montreal
September 18th
September 19th -Holly, ksam, Dennis & Lisa
September 20th -Jamie Archer, AnnieY
September 21st -Adhemar78
September 22nd –jdpigue, Seamus O'Muireadhaigh ,debR
September 23rd -Silvester, CaptBuddy(Roncsvalles), gmonkey(Burgos?/Leon?), JoeNYC ,onelight, flobacko , marylynn
September 24th -Annie Little
September 25th-s4sfamily(Leon), sooh(Pomplona)
September 26th - DeadFred, Bernatchez M , organflute, Rachel_1981
September 27th - Jgun87, MileHighPair(2)
September 28th
September 29th- michryan
September 30th-Lockslay
Oct 1st -awakengaime

Here's some interesting Camino stats shared by Johnny Walker for the first 6 months of 2014 http://www.johnniewalker-santiago.blogspot.com/

 

[MileHighPair]

We plan to start in SJPP on Sept 27 (two of us). Hope to meet a few of you along the way.

 

[MaryLynn]

Look forward to meeting you somewhere along the Camino. My wife and I also plan to start on the 23rd. Coming from California. Finished LePuy-SJPDP 3 years ago. Giving ourselves 5 weeks to Santiago. This forum is great fun to read with lots of insights and info.
Francisco

Flobaco, I will watch for you and your wife. I will be staying at Beilari in St. Jean on the 22nd and at Orrison on the 23rd. Although I am now a Canadian, I have California connections. Looking forward to meeting you!