[Gocamino] Crowds on the Camino

[Rebekah Scott]

We spent yesterday (Weds. 23 June) visiting albergues and casas rurales in Pedredo, Rabanal, El Acebo, and Ponferrada, well west along the camino. All agree, the numbers are the same as "normal" years, and in some cases even lower than normal. 
 
Everyone hopes things improve as the schools close for the summer. But everyone was hoping May would be better, too. Perhaps all the Áño Santo hype has had the opposite effect everyone hoped for? 

Rebekah Scott 

Rebekah Scott 
www.moratinoslife.blogspot.com

"When I give food to the poor, they call me a saint. When I ask why the poor have no food, they call me a communist." 
Dom Helder Camara, archbishop of Recife

--- On Thu, 6/24/10, Susan Alcorn <backpack45 at yahoo.com> wrote:


From: Susan Alcorn <backpack45 at yahoo.com>
Subject: [Gocamino] Crowds on the Camino
To: gocamino at oakapple.net
Date: Thursday, June 24, 2010, 5:14 AM


Whether it is crowded on the Camino or not depends on where you are. Ralph and I just finished a portion (180 miles) of the Arles Route/Camino Aragones (GR653) from Oloron St. Marie, FR to Logrono, SP and there were some days that we were the only ones staying in the hostals/private facilities and saw no other pilgrims on the trails. We were hiking from June 3-19.
Once we linked up with the Camino Frances (at Obanos), we definitely met more, but we still had no difficulty finding a bed in the albergues. 

Clearly it gets more crowded the closer one gets to Santiago, so if pilgrims wish to avoid crowds, they might do a portion of a route more distant from Santiago. 
Buen Camino,
Susan and Ralph Alcorn
www.backpack45.com 
Publishers of two award-winning books: Camino Chronicle: Walking to Santiago and We're in the Mountains Not over the Hill: Tales and Tips from Seasoned Women Backpackers.




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