Which Camino in August?

[Luka]

Hola amigos peregrinos!
I am considering leaving Asturias for a couple of weeks in August, to escape from the holiday makers crowds. Last year I fled to France, but this year I would like to expore a bit more of my new home country. And I can't think of any better way to explore than on foot. What Camino would you walk if you had about 3 weeks in August? Avoiding tourist crowds but also avoiding the extreme summer heat in the south? My best guess so far is the Sanabres, but I am totally open to other ideas.

And yes, it is a luxury problem, I know.

 

[Bradypus]

You could stay in Asturias and escape the crowds by walking the Primitivo - a beautiful route not so heavily travelled. The Sanabres would be another good choice for someone who enjoys hills and it is unlikely to be busy before Ourense. Many people walk the Sanabres as the final part of a longer Via de la Plata journey but very few would want to walk the earlier stages of that route in July! I'd still be prepared for some serious heat on the Sanabres or the Primitivo in August though.

 

[lettinggo]

Hola

August is the summer vacation time for the southern Europe so there will be tourists and more pilgrims than many other months of the year.
As Bradypus said the Primitivo could be a good choice as well as Norte from Irun.
It all depends if it is important for you to arrive in Santiago by foot?

I walked the Porto-Santiago once in August and it was super hot, but the wind was refreshing and I had a good walk.
Basically if you want to avoid the crowds then you have to go in other seasons but the main choice is to avoide Frances then.
I havn't walked Via de la Plata (yet..) but there for sure you would be much alone.
As well as Camino Madrid.
That is two weeks walk from Madrid to Sahagun and a few days more to Leon which is a major hub for home travelling.

Look here for a recent posting on Madrid:

https://www.caminodesantiago.me/community/threads/marking-of-the-camino-madrid.79122/#post-1113076

I hope this helps.

Buen Camino
Lettinggo

 

[Andarin]

Hola amiga peregrina!
Maybe you can consider to walk Primitivo but starting in Camino del Salvador.So you would start in beautiful city of Leon and follow this lonely and hard camino until Oviedo.
If you are living in Asturias right now you know how nice can be crossing el Principado until Lugo and then Santiago
Whatever you do...Buen camino

 

[Luka]

Thanks all for your suggestions!
- I have walked the Norte from Irún to Villaviciosa and would still like to walk the part from Avilés to Santiago. But. I know how the Norte is on 'my side' of Asturias in August: pilgrims are competing with an enormous influx of tourists. And I suppose that is not going to be very different on the other side. I could consider the last part that goes more inland though.
- I would really like to walk the Primitivo. But August seems to be the most crowdy month on that Camino. And there are not that many beds, so it sounds a bit stressful. And I am afraid I would find the Salvador just a bit too hard.
- Camino de Madrid in August doesn't seem like a good idea...

I know my options are limited because of the heat and August being high season, but I had the exact same ideas about the Sanabres: there won't be much influx from the Via de la Plata, because hardly anyone would walk from Sevilla in July. And summer 'heat' in Galicia is pretty similar to Asturias. That means it can be anything: rain, clouds,16 degrees celsius and of course also sunny and warm. But scorching hot is quite unlikely.

 

[NadineK]

You could also consider the Invierno; from Ponferrada, it's about 10 stages to Silleda, where it merges with the Sanabres (from there, about two stages to Santiago). It's a very quiet Camino though I've heard that in the last year- due to a new Brierley guide- there are more pilgrims so you probably won't be totally alone. New albergues have been popping up, great way-marking... a really nice option for a couple weeks of Camino walking!

 

[Luka]

Ah, that could be an option indeed! I walked part of the Invierno in 2015, but gave up because I got too scared of all the loose dogs I encountered. But with more pilgrims on that route that situation must have improved. And I also conquered quite a bit of my fears in the last couple of years. I am not looking for solitude or real quietness, I just don't want to compete for beds.

 

[David Tallan]

You could also consider the Invierno; from Ponferrada, it's about 10 stages to Silleda, where it merges with the Sanabres (from there, about two stages to Santiago). It's a very quiet Camino though I've heard that in the last year- due to a new Brierley guide- there are more pilgrims so you probably won't be totally alone. New albergues have been popping up, great way-marking... a really nice option for a couple weeks of Camino walking!

I was thinking of that as well. There is always the delicious dichotomy of walking the "Winter" Camino in August.

 

[Rick of Rick and Peg]

There is Barcelona to Pamplona on Camino Catalan (via Huesca and San Juan de la Peña) and the Camino Aragonese to Puente de Reina. I've walked this in October/November not August so you will want to check the climate but it is in northern Spain.

 

[Luka]

Thanks, Rick! Those are 2 totally unknown Caminos to me. I actually also considered El Camino del Cid, but I fear that it will be too hot in August.

 

[Rick of Rick and Peg]

Thanks, Rick! Those are 2 totally unknown Caminos to me. I actually also considered El Camino del Cid, but I fear that it will be too hot in August.

Well then, I'll mention a little more about them but if you want to know more about them or if you want to ask questions you can use the sub-forums linked to below.

For the Aragonese I've seen comments about bringing enough water and snacks. I didn't experience any problems but I walked in cool, cloudy and rainy weather in early November.

The highlights were Monserrat, San Juan de la Peña and Santa María de Eunate.

Camino Catalan:

• Gronze: https://www.gronze.com/camino-santiago-catalan
• Sub-forum: https://www.caminodesantiago.me/community/forums/camino-catalan-from-barcelona-monts-llanca.105/

Camino Aragonese:

• Gronze: https://www.gronze.com/camino-aragones
• Sub-forum: https://www.caminodesantiago.me/community/forums/camino-aragones-somport-pte-la-reina.33/

 

[Luka]

A belated thank you, @Rick of Rick and Peg! I looked at the Aragonés before, but will save it for when I want to do a shorter walk. The Catalán will have to be put on my wish list as well. I am afraid that inland Catalunya will be too hot in August...

So I think it comes down to choosing between:
- Camino Sanabrés (starting on the Via de la Plata in either Salamanca or Zamora)
- Camino de Invierno (starting on the Francés in Carrión de los Condes, as I never ever walked the stages between Carrión and León)

And then maybe (hopefully) on to Finisterre/Muxia (as I have never done that before either).

 

[Luka]

I thought I had made up my mind. I decided to walk the Sanabrés from Puebla de Sanabria to Santiago and then on to Finisterre. But I have gotten a little bit worried about (relative) crowds and bed races from Ourense on. It looks like Ourense -Santiago has recently become much more popular in August and I hear similar things about the Camino to Finisterre.

Maybe walk the Camino de Madrid instead? Maybe only walk to Ourense and then skip to somewhere else? Or maybe I shouldn't be too worried about the crowds in August.

Anyhow, the Camino de Madrid is now on my Camino wishlist...

 

[David Tallan]

I thought I had made up my mind. I decided to walk the Sanabrés from Puebla de Sanabria to Santiago and then on to Finisterre. But I have gotten a little bit worried about (relative) crowds and bed races from Ourense on. It looks like Ourense -Santiago has recently become much more popular in August and I hear similar things about the Camino to Finisterre.

Maybe walk the Camino de Madrid instead? Maybe only walk to Ourense and then skip to somewhere else? Or maybe I shouldn't be too worried about the crowds in August.

Anyhow, the Camino de Madrid is now on my Camino wishlist...

I wouldn't worry too much about crowds on the Sanabres in August. Save that worry for the Frances from Sarria.

I've been warned about the heat on the Camino de Madrid in June. I expect it will be hotter in August.

 

[Luka]

Yes, I took a closer look at the expected temperatures and decided that I should save the Camino de Madrid for spring or autumn...

I got worried because of the high numbers the pilgrim office in Santiago reported for August 2022 on the Via de la Plata. But I'll wing it.