Month by month pilgrim count?

[Richard Ferguson]

On the issue of crowds, does anyone have month-by-month statistics?  I
know that July and August are the most crowded, but how does June
compare to April?  I understand that the pilgrim season is getting
longer, with many people making a decision to go during the off season.

I am planning to walk from Leon to Finisterre this spring, and am having
the usual difficulties figuring out when to go.  I prefer a less crowded season.

I originally was planning to start mid-March, but Easter falls of March
31st in 2002.  I understand that accomodations can be a problem at
Easter time.  So then I was looking at a start in early April.

I have been reviewing the climatological data for Leon, Santiago, and
Ponferrada, from the meterological website, shown below.  In Leon, April
and May average 11 days of rain per month vs 9 in June.  In Ponferrada,
15 days vs 11 in June.  In Santiago, 16 days vs 10 in June. July and
August are of course drier still, the driest months of the year.  April
and May, like in many parts of the US, are some of the wetest months of
the year.  June would have comfortably warm temperatures, average high
temperature at Ponferrada of 25C or 77F.

Anyone have any comments on the Spring start? Is February way too early
to start?  Am I smart to avoid Easter?  I would prefer to be back home
by early June, but maybe I could rearrange my schedule.  I would prefer
not to postpone the trip to the fall.

I already have my oversized poncho to go over my knapsack.  I live in a
dry climate, and have never spent time anywhere that gets 75 inches
(1900 mm) of rain a year, as does Santiago.  Maybe I am overly concerned
about the rain.

Richard Ferguson

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http://www.inm.es  Instituto Nacional de Meteorologia

To access the historical averages, put your cursor on "El Tiempo" and
then "Inf. Climatalogico".  At that point, just select a city.