Walking the Camino in September

[Marcel]

Hi i am a total beginner to the camino i saw the movie and since wanted to walk the Camino.
I am 49 and coming from Australia and would like to start in mid September is this a good time and walk the full 800km.
What can i expect weather wise, and what to bring, starting in St Jean what is the best way to get there from Australia.
I am looking forward to the trek will there be lots of people walking this time of year.
I have never walked with a backpack but i am sure many haven't and succeeded, i do have the time as it is something to be enjoyed.
Any advise is appreciated,this is a great forum picking up lots of tips which should make the trip more enjoyable.

[Covey]

At 49 you are a mere youngster!!

September is a good time to walk the Camino Frances, but I would suggest that you try and make it as early in September as you can. The weather in Galecia was unusually dry at the end of September this year and was ideal walking weather ie: a little cloudy and not too hot.

There are lots of Pilgrims who start in September. The universities and schools all go back at the end of August and in September the older generation come out to play!! The pace of life on the Camino slows down a few notches as many starting in September have few time constraints and can walk the Camino at their own pace.

Walking with a backpack is not difficult, but you need to get hold of a comfortable framed rucksack with a maximum capacity of 50 liters. If you need to buy one, go to a specialist walking shop if you can and get them to measure your back length. The better packs are sold in three back sizes and buying the wrong size will make walking very uncomfortable.

The basic rule is that you carry the weight of your pack and contents on your hips so you need a padded comfortable waist belt. The shoulder straps are there to stop the pack falling backwards and should have little downward pressure.

It is suggested that your pack and clothes etc should weigh no more than 8kgs, to which you will add water and a few food items, and you should aim for 10kgs MAX all up. Any more than that and you will suffer!!

To get to St Jean, many from AUS/NZ fly to London and have a couple of days recovering from jet-lag and then either Easyjet from Gatwick to Bairritz or Ryanair from Stansted to Bairritz.

You can go to Paris and then either fly Paris to Bairritz or catch the overnight TGV train from Paris to Bayonne and then the local train from Bayonne to St Jean.

Another alternative is to fly to Madrid and then get the train to Pamplona and then the ExpressBurricot service to St Jean.

[Marcel]

Thanks Covey,
my next question is were do you get the camino passport, also bed bugs yes those little nasties i have been reading about were are the best places to stay to avoid nasties and what precautions to take.
is 30/40 euro a day enough
how much water to take 1litre enough and are there refills to be made on the way while on the road.
at what time does one start the walk i guess after breakfast and what time would that be?
do you suggest rest days every 3@4 days you see i dont know so hence the questions i hate to come all the way from OZ and find out i have made a mistake or so.
i appreciate the advise questions are to you i guess repetitive so my apologies for that.

marcel

[Covey]

Marcel, almost everybody who sets off from St Jean is asking themselves if they have left anything behind or have they brought enough kit. By the time you get to Roncesvalles that evening you are asking yourself what can you abandon before setting off the next morning!!

Best protection against bedbugs is a Permethrin treated fitted sheet or sleeping bag liner.

€30/40 a day will be fine.

I always carry around 1.5 liters of water split in to two bottles to even up the weight either side of my pack.

It is best to start walking at first light and aim to finish around 2pm - 3pm. Breakfast is usually the first bar/cafe you come to!!

I would suggest a rest day at Burgos and another one at Leon.

[Marcel]

Thank you Covey for your advise.

[carolann]

Hi all,

Sorry to jump in on this thread but I am also a novice and I'm thinking about walking a part of the Camino Frances in early September. I'm just curious...should I bring shorts or pants? Is a silk/cotton sleeping bag liner enough to keep me warm at night? Will it be crowded (translated means ...do I have to worry about finding space at the refuges?

Thanks for any advice.

[redrat]

I have walked the Camino in September and traveled in Northern Spain in september on couple of occasions, the weather is warm during the day that you will require shorts and lots of sunscreen. Once you hit the Messeta it turns to heat so shorts is a must, I used thin convertibles and wool long sleeve.
I used a very light sleeping bag that is just a liner on one side so you can flip it if you need warmth.
What I like about September is the fact that is a bit cooler and people are back to their lives so traffic is lighter and you don't have to worry about finding a place to sleep at night.

I hope this helps and I will see any of you that plan to walk in September.

marcel

[basildonbond]

Hi im planning to walk the camino to in september by that time i will be 47 after 7years of procrastination its time i too will be coming from australia who knows we might bump into each other

[carolann]

What fun! How much planning have you done so far? Do you hike? What time in September will you be going?

[Pete in Adelaide]

Hi, I'm also from Oz and walking the Camino in mid Sept. I'm booked into L'Esprit du Chemin (SJPP) 17th and 18th and Refuge d'Orisson on the 19th. No plans after that apart from allowing myself 38 days to get to Santiago. I'm flying from Adelaide on Malaysian/KLM via KL, Amsterdam, Paris. Air France shuttle to Montparnasse station, TGV to Bayonne, train to SJPP. Happy to provide details on the Paris end if you need it. Also happy to meet up somewhere if our dates overlap. I speak Basic French and have been to Paris a few times, so am pretty confident on the French side of the travel details. Anyway, love to talk to others doing their first Camino this year as well. I'm getting very excited. By the way, I'm married, 41 ys old and the father of 2 boys, but going on my own for some emotional and spiritual time out.

[carolann]

Holy cow! You've done a lot of planning Pete! I haven't even booked airfare yet. I don't have enough time off to walk the whole camino so I may start in Spain....maybe Roncevalles. I will keep you posted. It would be fun to meet up with fellow pilgrims from this forum.
BTW: I'm from the US. Not married but i have a better half. He has no desire to long distance walk unless it is on a golf course. I'm 50 but I only look 49.