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Woman alone on the camino frances: safe?

nele

New Member
Hello!
I, a 'young woman' of 23, would really like to walk the camino in one of the following months or year(s). But if there are any people with experience, could you tell me whether it is safe to walk it alone, being a woman?
I mean, probably most people who decide to do this must have a good personality, so to say, but you never know.
Thank you very much in advance!

nele
 
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just show up, i found it VERY SAFE. i just finished the camino norte, not seeing other pilgrims during the day for 13 days. followed the arrows, people wonderful, it was a fabulous journey. i hear camino frances is very overcrowded, so there will always be people around.
go without fear and you will be safe,
dawn
 
Hi Nele,
I'm also a 'young woman' of 24 and I just got back from walking the Camino Frances. I walked alone for the first 3 weeks (my boyfriend joined me for the last 2 weeks) and had a great time. Before I started my trip I was also a bit apprehensive about being out there by myself. I brought a small personal alarm with me but after the first few days I happily threw it away! I never really felt unsafe along the camino and in fact I met so many kind helpful and amazing people along the way, both locals and fellow pilgrims, that Ive come away from the experience with more trust than I had before. There were lots of women walking alone and I never encountered anyone who had had problems. It's really a great experience and I'd really recommend doing it alone. Good luck with your plans and enjoy! Buen Camino, Kim
 
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Great!
Thanks very much, it's a relief to hear you'd encourage walking it alone.. I think it's the best way in the end.
Good luck to you all!
 
Just completed the camino frances and I did go alone. There are so many people on the camino frances right now, that there is almost always another pilgrim in sight.

I always felt safe, however I did have one experience that I don't believe I would have had, was I not a female walking alone.

I was coming down a hill into the town just before Astorga. There was an elderly Spanish man with two canes, sitting on a bench reading his paper. As I approached, he put down his paper and stood to great me. He first took me hand, shook it and asked where I was from. He then proceeded to kiss me once on each side of my cheek, which was OK with me, given that this is normal in this culture. What he did next was not Ok, he then wanted a kiss on the lips and placed his hands where they had no business being.

I talked to others who were ahead and behind me, and he greeted them as well, although not in the same way. I believe he was just waiting for a lone female to come through.

I am not saying all this to put you off, the camino is safe, but it doesn't hurt to exercise caution and common sense.

Buen Camino,
Lora
 
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Yes, Lora, the Camino is safe, but sometimes can happen something like, this, in the Camino, in your country or everywhere. In Spain we call the police when someone do that. If this person repeat it three or four times, at last the police always catch him.

It's very, very unusual this things to happen. Any years ago was said to be a man doing the same arriving to Rabanal (¿could be the same man? it's quite close to Astorga) and a couple of years ago a foreign pilgrim female was forced in the portuguese Camino, I' not sure if near Pontevedra or near Tui). But please believe, it's very, very strange that happens something like that, when it happens in a big or small city we thing it's normal, in the Camino it NEVER really happens.

I belong to an spanish association, I'm used to speak with hospitaleros, with many, many pilgrims, I read the papers, I write in spanish phorums, so I can say: The Camino is completely safe.

Buen and safety Camino.

Javier Martin
Madrid, Spain.
 
walking the camino alone

I walked on the Camino in the month of May. I didn't encounted any problems but I am 50 years old. There were a number of young woman walking solo. People walking solo are the minority. And there was a fair number of people on the camino. Also, walking from 6:30 am to 2 - 3 pm doesn't encourage much trouble from the opposite sex.

Being a woman one of my concerns turned out to be looking for someone to have supper with that evening.
 
Lora says "I was coming down a hill into the town just before Astorga. There was an elderly Spanish man with two canes, sitting on a bench reading his paper. As I approached, he put down his paper and stood to great me."

Amazingly I walked down the same hill with my wife a few weeks ago. An elderly man with two canes stood up as we approached and shook my wife's hand and kissed her cheeks. Her comment was that she felt that if I had not been there he would have done a lot more.
 
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Hi, Lora, John. Hi, phorum.

I've just been speaking to the hospitalero in Astorga, about this man. Tomorrow he will call the police to try to find him. Of course nobody likes a person like that around the Camino.

Please, if you remember something else about him please tell about, it's important.

Buen Camino,

Javier Martin
Madrid, Spain.
 
The town was San Justo, just before Astorga. The camino winds down a hill into this town, which is where he was sitting on a bench, wore a hat, the same type a lot of elderly Spanish men wear. I estimate him to be in his late seventies. He had at least one, perhaps two canes, and he was reading the paper.

That is about all I remember, I was kind of in shock and moved away as fast as I could.

I still believe that the Camino is safe for all women, this guy is just a dirty old man. Fortunately, I carried a walking stick which I put to good use!

Hope this helps,
Lora
 
This theme recurs regularly. The general tone of the replies is one of safety, but caution. Recently, a lot of disturbing first hand reports of assault or indecency have been reported by women. The worst imaginable incident has now become at least a remote possibility.

I personally strongly favor a positive, fearless attitude on the Camino, but I also personally feel that it is time to move from the Pollyanna stage to one of realism. Even in safe environments, there are prudent actions: a buddy system, a cell phone, a whistle, trust-but-verify, sobriety, situation avoidance, etc.

Things we normally do away from the Camino seem more burdensome on the Camino, where we may be seeking solitude, quiet, privacy, and even some loneliness. Pilgrims will continue to seek those, but they should at least be aware that there is danger out there. It may be no greater than the danger from bears, but, still, it is out there.

I have probably posted "Go, it is safe" on several occasions. I think I would find a bit more cautious a statement now.
 
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Historical perspective. This thread started in 2007 before some of the moderators were members. Yet it is as timely today as then. The newer threads are incident specific, and seem to be heavily moderated. This older thread avoids those problems (perhaps).
 
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Very safe although there appears to be reason for some concern this year. Bound to happen with +200.000 walking every year. In any case, in most sections, specially towards the end, you will usually have groups pilgrims behind you or in front of you. Buen Camino
 
Down bag (90/10 duvet) of 700 fills with 180 g (6.34 ounces) of filling. Mummy-shaped structure, ideal when you are looking for lightness with great heating performance.

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Whereas I agree with what has been said above I don't see the point in digging up a 2007 thread when there are several current threads covering this issue.
Maybe removing posts after 5 years can be a solution?

Historical perspective. This thread started in 2007 before some of the moderators were members.
And most of the posters too ;)
 
Personally, I think bringing this post to the attention of the authorities is a good idea.
It shows the problem has been going on in this area for many years and people and activities once considered an annoyance could be escalating to violence.
 
Last edited:
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Hello!
I, a 'young woman' of 23, would really like to walk the camino in one of the following months or year(s). But if there are any people with experience, could you tell me whether it is safe to walk it alone, being a woman?
I mean, probably most people who decide to do this must have a good personality, so to say, but you never know.
Thank you very much in advance!

nele
I say this so often people will be annoyed to see it again, but it's the simplest way to make the point. If I had a 16 or 23 year old daughter, I'd rather her walk the camino alone than down the streets of most american cities with a friend.

It's INCREDIBLY safe.

be alert. One always should be in life, especially a young woman alone. But it is very safe.
 

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