Walking Camino in April 09 -The Best Month surely!!!

[fourtrack]

Who is walking the Camino in April of this year?

My mate Phil and I are flying over from New Zealand to walk the Camino and are looking to leave Saint Jean around the 14th of April.

It appears that April is a kind of slower period before the summer rush and, weather aside, could be the "dark horse" month of travelling.

So with 2 Kiwis from NZ going, who else will be on the Camino then? How many other nationalities will tread that well-worn path in April 09?

Happy responding/walking (in advance)

Chris

[Covey]

Listen very carefully to what the folks in the St Jean Pilgrims Office tell you about the weather going over the top to Roncesvalles, and follow exactly the advice they give you about the route and weather.

People have died on that stretch having ignored the advice they were given.

The weather will be very changable when you are going and can go from sunny to below freezing on the top in 30 minutes.

Don't worry too much about the sun cream and make sure you have good waterproofs. In April it will probably be cold and wet for the first week!!

Enjoy

[Leslie]

April and early May could be the best times to walk the Camino Frances during the next two years. The Camino Frances has become very busy and with the next Holy Year being 2010, well it will be madness.

[evike]

Hi kiwis!

I am planning to travel to Spain in April to walk a month on "The Way". how it seems now I will fly at 10. of april to barcelona.....

and you?

anyway i am Eva from Hungary......

I hope we gonna meet there.......

Evi

I almost forget about the smiles....

[Castellana]

Hello,
Flying in from New York - will meet up with my sister (who lives in Germany) in Burgos on April 5th, and plan to walk for about two weeks (hopefully reaching Ponferrada). We are both Spanish, and combined speak a handful of languages - so, anybody on the Camino needing linguistic assistance, we will be glad to assist (we will write into a blog during our walk).

[Leslie]

Hi Castellana welcome to the forum.

If you write a blog let me know and I will add it to my camino blog - unless you want to write something there? http://www.caminodesantiago.me.uk/hp_wordpress/

[lesliermt]

Seeing I only have 30 days, should I fly into Barcelona and out of Madrid.. Where would I start the walk and can I get there easy from barcelona or should I just fly into madrid..??? I need some answers really soon as I need to book my flight for us... thanks Leslie from canada..

[Covey]

Most who are flying from outside Spain head to Madrid, because in Spain "all roads lead to Madrid!". Barcelona is on the south coast and you are going in the wrong direction!!!

If you have 30 days I would suggest doing Burgos to Santiago. There are regular bus/express coaches from Madrid to Burgos each day and Burgos is a wonderful city to see and start from. Burgos to Leon is the Meseta or high plateau. Long rolling vistas, and plenty of time to let your mind wander!.

Leon to Santiago gets more frenetic the closer you get to Santiago, so you takes your pick.

There are frequent train and buses from Santiago to Madrid every day.

Burgos to Santiago will stretch the legs, but is achievable without too much difficulty.

You may find it easier to book return trips to Spain where you are arriving and departing from the same airport.

[nicola]

I may see you in Santiago - I walked from St Jean to Leon in Sept/ Oct & hoping to finish in April - that is me & my son who will be a year old then. You'll love it - there's all nationalities, but not many Brits. Surprisingly I met a large number of Koreans - apparently a famous Korean walked it & wrote a very popular book about it which has now encouraged many others to. I still have contact with an English guy, a Spanish chica, a Dutch folk singer & a French guy (who house sat for me over Christmas!). Its a great experience

[nicola]

Covey - sweety - the question of how to carry my son isn't in question - its how (or who) to carry the rest of the clobber. In Oct, I carried 22kilos & that was pushing it - nappies, babytoys - the works. This time its not possible as my son will be a few kilos heavier & now needs more stuff!