The Way in May...

[lmorris]

Hi,
        I cannot comment on the best time to walk the Camino for I have not
done the walk, I like you would like to know the pilgrim count for the
different months.
        I have decided to start my walk of the Camino in mid or late May and
think that that the crowd issue may added to the the experience even
though it may be a negiative one. If there are crowds I still think I
can still find the solitude on the "Way." I know June can be a month of
unsettled weather but I think the chill of the nights will be  more
tolerable.  Just some thoughts....
        I am reading the book called "El Camino, Walking to Santiiago de
Compostela" by Lee Hoinacki, He find that the journey (the walk) to
Santiago is were the real mystery lies and not really in the final
destination of Santiago.

Any thoughs.........

kind regards
leonard



Richard Ferguson wrote:
>
> 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
>
>