I'm contemplating as to whether to walk the Camino this year at the beginning of July as I have three months between then and when I will begin studying at a university in the UK. One of my biggest worries is how appropriate it is to walk the Camino for somebody of my age.
I'm currently 18 and based on the statistics released by the Pilgrim Office, roughly only a quarter of those who walked the Camino de Santiago in 2012 were under the age of 30. The remaining 70% or so were atleast 30 upon receiving their Compostelas. I can't help but feel like I'd be totally out of place within the albergues and on the walk itself.
I just feel like this would end up being a very solitary and isolated trip for myself which isn't what I wanted it to be. I'm fully aware that large stretches of the Camino will be done almost entirely alone but another attraction of the Camino for me is the opportunity to meet many other pilgrims along the way but i'm struggling to encourage myself that there would be a fair number of pilgrims among my own age group.
Just to note, I have no disrespect for or hatred towards those older walkers on the Camino - more of an admiration for their abilities to walk over 500 miles across Northern Spain. I just feel it would be a lot easier for myself to communicate with those among my own particular age group.
Can anyone persuade me otherwise? I'd be interested to hear of your own experiences of what the overwhelming average age of walkers is on the Camino.
I'm currently 18 and based on the statistics released by the Pilgrim Office, roughly only a quarter of those who walked the Camino de Santiago in 2012 were under the age of 30. The remaining 70% or so were atleast 30 upon receiving their Compostelas. I can't help but feel like I'd be totally out of place within the albergues and on the walk itself.
I just feel like this would end up being a very solitary and isolated trip for myself which isn't what I wanted it to be. I'm fully aware that large stretches of the Camino will be done almost entirely alone but another attraction of the Camino for me is the opportunity to meet many other pilgrims along the way but i'm struggling to encourage myself that there would be a fair number of pilgrims among my own age group.
Just to note, I have no disrespect for or hatred towards those older walkers on the Camino - more of an admiration for their abilities to walk over 500 miles across Northern Spain. I just feel it would be a lot easier for myself to communicate with those among my own particular age group.
Can anyone persuade me otherwise? I'd be interested to hear of your own experiences of what the overwhelming average age of walkers is on the Camino.