My family and I will be walking the Camino (all adults) in May 2017. I have already done Camino and Finsterra. I would like to try something new. Our criteria are these:
1) few people
2) lots of trees
3) mountains or hills are preferable to flat land
Would the Camino del Norte meet this criteria?
Thanks!
Hi Susan,
I'm going to assume the Camino you've done was Frances followed by Finisterre. Big assumption, but odds are on my side so
1) Norte will have less pilgrims than the Frances; but be aware the feel is entirely different (am I channeling Anemone?
), it is not just a less crowded Frances. The Norte is a route that goes through beautiful beach towns and resort areas, and major cities--all of which have a lot of their economy based on something other than pilgrims. So you can't expect the "welcome pilgrim" mat to be out at every turn. That said, when I arrived in Zarautz in blinding rain, the 'albergue'--a youth hostal--had a completo sign. I walked in (after removing my boots and wet gear) and asked if they could help me find other lodging. The manager insisted they had room, and gave me a room to myself that was warm and cozy, all linens included...stamping my book and wishing me a Buen Camino. There is less infrastructure for pilgrims, if you go in low season the albergues may not be open, in high season it's less crowded than the Frances, but with less albergues you may still have an albergue crisis
. If you want less pilgrims and are willing to stay in pensions, etc then this won't be a problem. If you mean less people over all...this is a tourist area, and passing through the tourist towns and cities you will see a lot of people, many of whom have no interest in the Camino. I cursed my guidebook and the arrows in Portugalate, I was positive they were purposely making me walk though unbelievable crowds. I say this as someone who loved my norte experience (more on that later)
2) you walk through some forests but you also do a fair amount of road walking and walking through suburbs and industrial areas around the large cities on the route. see many arguments, er, discussions of the percent on many norte threads. I didn't walk the norte looking for trees, just more solitude and some water and found both...I also noticed there were trees. and mud. a lot of mud.
3) I think there was a fair amount of hills in spots, but it won't be like wandering in an alpine forest. Some trees, some hills, some beaches, a fair amount of pavement, more beaches, some cities etc. If you read through a guide (I used the CSJ) it will give you an idea of how much trees, hills, and pavement to expect.
I don't know how you felt about the 'pilgrim experience' if any on your last Camino...this is definitely not the Frances. I walked in Apr/May, and often didn't see anyone, or the occasional other pilgrim except at night (disclaimer, I like to walk in the morning, starting around 0700...@dougfitz please don't hate me I never woke anyone up). Since there weren't a lot of us, we noticed each other when walking though towns (I had people call out to me in plazas more on the Norte than any other I walked)...but there weren't many solo females on the norte so that may have increased the odds of being noticed). If I stayed in a hotel/pension (which I did often), I might not see pilgrims. Many pilgrims did not speak any or much English. I was OK with all of this (in fact preferred it), but it is something to consider. There were many times I could not get directions to the Camino because no one knew (or probably cared) where it was--it didn't seem to be a priority for local people on the Norte, which is fair. In Apr/May it rained...a lot...like all the time. I don't love the rain, but took rain gear and it was fine. I loved the food (I feel safe in saying if we ranked Caminos by food, the Norte would be first). I loved trying to speak Spanish. I loved the beaches and the deer and the bunnies. I loved the art and the history and the churches and monasteries. I loved the solitary interspersed with meeting locals, and other pilgrims. While many locals may not have much interest (and especially a financial interest) in the Camino, the local friends of the Camino, or those who have walked and live in the area, are very enthusiastic when they meet a pilgrim (in my experience)... the ones I met went out of their way to help me. Some of the biggest mistakes I made was early on the Norte not listening when a local tried to tell me to forget the way the guide was sending me. People welcomed me to their local churches for Mass, even if it wasn't a 'Pilgrims' Mass." I still remember with deep gratitude one woman, when I asked her if I could pay for my cafe y tortilla in her bar with lots of coins because coins were heavy (and by then I had a bag full--sometimes I gave up trying to understand my bill and would just push Euros over and scoop up the change)...she insisted on changing all of the coins into bills for me, carefully and slowly counting it out for me...and my night at the monastery in Ziortza was my favorite of all of my Camino nights.
I hope at least some of this helps
edit: if you will be walking as a group of adults, this may help any 'loneliness' issues, and make staying in pensions/hotels very cost effective.
Buen Camino
