Just How Busy Is It? June/July/Aug

[travelingdina]

Hi All,

I am planning on walking the Camino for approximately 4 weeks this summer. I am an avid day-hiker & camper, and in decent shape, (well, at least I'm thin! ) but have never done anything more than a 2-day backpacking trip.

I'm still deciding on where to start. While I love that the Camino Frances has so much infrastructure and information written about it, I'm afraid that the lack of solitude might make me batty. I tend to feel very lonely in crowds of people I don't know (I'm much less lonely on my own!), and have a lot of trouble sleeping.

So: On the Camino Frances, is it possible to walk and not come upon crowds of people? Is it possible to take my tent and camp outside the refuges so I have more privacy to sleep?

Or, is it so busy that it'd be more recommended for me to do the Camino de Madrid (finishing up on Frances) or Via de Plata?

Also, I can go anytime from June 20th or so through the end of August. Is late June/July better to go than July/Early August? OR are they about the same?

THANKS SO MUCH!!!!

-Dina-

[Covey]

July to September are the busiest time on the trails, but if you start in late June it will help!

The part of the Camino Frances I enjoy the most is Burgos to Leon. It is the stage across the Meseta which is the plateau lands which are long rolling vistas, and the part a lot of pilgrims miss out. I enjoy the quiet and you can walk for days on your own, and generally there are not the numbers you will find on the Sarria to Santiago leg which becomes a bit of a "conga dance" in places.

Taking a tent and sleeping in albergue gardens is possible in places where they have gardens, but many of the albergues are in the middle of villages and towns and have little or no garden space.

The one thing you will find along the Camino, is that most are travelling on their own, and that in its way provides the bond. We are all on the same adventure, we are all hurting in some way (mostly our feet!) and nobody is really alone. The Camino Spirit is that everybody helps when someone is in trouble and everyone respects your space if you just want to walk alone. I often walk alone for days and yet it is nice to meet and greet in the evening and have a meal together and a glass of wine (or two.......!)

Enjoy!