How to Avoid the Crowds on the El Camino de Compostella

Approximately 400,000 people do the El Camino each year.  The French Way is the most popular of the routes to Santiago in Spain, where the relics of Saint James are said to be buried.  About 180,000 ‘Pilgrims’, as the Camino walkers are referred to, choose the French Way.  The second most popular route is the Portuguese Way, with 30,000 pilgrims/year.

In order to receive the Certificate of Completion of the El Camino, the Compostela, you must walk the final 100 km/60 miles from any of the many routes.  Thus, the last section of the French Way in particular, is incredibly crowded, especially in the busy summer months.

By choosing one of the alternate El Camino routes below, or being strategic in choosing when to do your El Camino, or being selective about which section of which El Camino route you choose, you can manage to avoid the crowds.

How to Avoid Crowds on the Camino de Santiago

The Camino de Santiago is one of the most popular walking routes in the world—but with that popularity comes crowds.

In this episode of Active Travel Adventures, Kit Parks and guest David share a smarter way to experience the Camino—without the crowds—by rethinking where and how you walk.

👉 Instead of walking the final 100 km (the busiest section), consider starting at the beginning of the Camino Francés for a more peaceful and authentic experience.  Scroll down for the scoop on other less crowded Camino routes.

🚶‍♀️ Why the Camino is Getting Crowded

The Camino has exploded in popularity in recent years.

• Thousands of pilgrims walk it each year
• Most aim for the final 100 km into Santiago
• That section can feel like a “walking parade”

👉 This is where crowding is at its worst

💡 The Smart Alternative: Start at the Beginning

Instead of finishing the Camino…

👉 Start at Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port (France)

Benefits:

• Fewer crowds (even in peak season)
• More authentic experience
• Better scenery and variety
• Easier to connect with fellow pilgrims

📍 Route Overview: First Section of the Camino Francés

Typical route:

• Start: Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port (France)
• Cross the Pyrenees
• Pass through:
  • Roncesvalles
  • Pamplona
  • Logroño

👉 ~150 km (~90–100 miles) over about 6–7 days

🏔️ What the First Section is Like

🌄 Pyrenees Crossing (Highlight!)

• Elevation up to ~5,200 ft
• Stunning mountain views
• Forest trails and open ridges

🌻 Spanish Countryside

• Rolling farmland
• Sunflower fields
• Olive groves
• Hilltop villages

🏘️ Charming Villages

• Historic towns
• Cafés and tapas stops
• Welcoming pilgrim culture

👉 A perfect blend of nature + culture

👣 Trail Conditions & Difficulty

• Difficulty: Moderate (3–4 out of 5)
• Terrain: Well-marked trails + some roads
• Daily distance: ~10–15 miles

👉 Challenging but very doable for most people with training

🧭 Navigation is Easy

• Yellow arrows mark the route
• Camino shell symbols guide you
• Apps + maps provide backup

👉 Very beginner-friendly navigation

🧍‍♂️ Solo Hiking on the Camino

Walking solo is common and safe.

Benefits:

• Meet people from around the world
• Walk at your own pace
• Socialize when you want

👉 You’re alone—but never really alone

🌍 Who You’ll Meet

Highly international:

• Europe (Mostly UK, France, Spain, Hungary)
• Asia (Mostly Korea)
• Latin America (Mostly Mexico)

👉 The Camino creates instant community

🍷 Food & Drink on the Camino

One major advantage of the French Way:

• Frequent cafés and restaurants
• Tapas and local cuisine
• Coffee stops along the route
• Even pop-up food stands

👉 You’ll rarely go hungry

🎒 What to Pack (Key Tips)

Essentials:

• Comfortable walking shoes (slightly oversized)
• Trekking poles (HIGHLY recommended)
• Lightweight rain jacket
• Layered clothing

👣 Foot Care Tip (CRITICAL)

Prevent blisters BEFORE they start:

• Identify pressure points during training
• Use blister pads early

👉 Foot care = success or failure

💪 How to Train for the Camino

• Walk regularly before your trip
• Increase mileage gradually
• Test gear in advance
• Strengthen legs and endurance

👉 The biggest challenge is day after day hiking

🧠 Why the Camino is So Special

Unlike other hikes:

• Everyone shares the same goal
• Deep sense of community
• Historical and spiritual significance
• Personal reflection and growth

👉 It’s more than a hike—it’s a journey

🕊️ The History of the Camino

• Dates back over 1,000 years
• Pilgrimage to Santiago de Compostela
• Associated with St. James

👉 One of the world’s most meaningful long-distance walks

🌟 Key Takeaways

• Avoid the crowded final 100 km
• Start at the beginning instead
• Train properly
• Pack smart
• Stay flexible

👉 A better Camino experience is all about strategy

🔥 FAQ SECTION 

❓What is the busiest part of the Camino de Santiago?

The final 100 km into Santiago is the most crowded section, especially on the Camino Frances.

❓ How can I avoid crowds on the Camino?

Start earlier sections (like the Pyrenees) or choose less popular routes.

❓ Is the Camino Francés crowded?

Yes—especially near the end. But early sections are much quieter.

❓ When is the least crowded time to walk the Camino?

Spring and fall are less crowded than summer, though early sections are manageable even in peak season.

❓ Is the Camino safe for solo travelers?

Yes. It’s one of the safest long-distance trails with a strong community.

❓ How difficult is the Camino de Santiago?

Moderate. Expect long walking days, but trails are well maintained.

❓ Do you need a guide for the Camino?

No. The route is well-marked and easy to follow independently.

🎧 Resources & Links

• Camino planning resources
• Tour operator (Follow the Camino)
• Packing and training guides

The Many Routes of the El Camino de Santiago

Almost a half million people walked one of the many routes of the El Camino to Santiago in Spain in 2024!  Let’s face it:  the Camino, or “The Way of St. James”, is getting crowded – especially on the last 100 km/60 miles into Santiago, which is required in order to receive your Compostela, or certificate of completion.

Most people do the French Way, or Camino Frances – more than 40%!  This route starts in the Pyrennes, and most people begin at St Jean Pied-de-Port if they want a full Camino.  Others begin in Sarria to get their compostela.  Learn more about the French Way here.

The second most popular El Camino is the Camino Portuguese.  Close to 75,000 people walked one of the Portuguese Way last year.  There is an inland route and a coastal route option, and even a Spiritual Way detour you can do on the Portuguese Way. Like the French Way, the last segment from Oia into Santiago is crowded with ‘pilgrims’ (Camino walkers) seeking a compostela. Learn more about the Portugues Way here.  

But the French Way and the Portuguese Way are not the only routes of the El Camino de Santiago!

The Way of Saint James is a historical Christian pilgimmage from many parts of Europe (the relics, or remains of the apostle St. James are thought to be buried in the main cathedral in Santiago.

Since the Middle Ages, the faithful have come to Santiago in hopes of forgiveness, a special indulgence a cure or other prayer request.  In recent decades, doing an El Camino has become more secular and people walk an El Camino for personal reasons such as to commemorate a big birthday or life change.  

Learn everything you need to know about the El Camino here

Ways to Avoid Crowds on the El Camino

There are a few strategies you can use to avoid the crowds on the El Camino:

• Choose a less popular route, like the Camino Primitivo or Camino del Norte.  The busiest El Camino is the Camino Frances, or French Way, and the Portuguese Way inland route.
• Go in the shoulder or off season (when possible)
• Choose an earlier section of the Camino, far away from the last 100 km/60 miles (but you’ll forgo the Certicate).  This is what David did.  Hear his story down below.

When to Do Your El Camino

The busiest time is the summer months, in particular July and August, when school is out.  To avoid Camino crowds, try to go in April, May or June, or September/October.  The off season is possible on some routes (although many restaurants and lodges and alburques may be closed).  Follow the Camino can advise you.

If you choose to go during the summer, I highly recommend that you choose sections far away from the last 100 km/60 miles to avoid crowds.  Regardless, you should always book your lodging in advance as the small villages may not have room for you when you arrive, requiring you to walk to the next village in hopes of finding a bed.  Alburques do not let you book in advance.  Many doing the Camino along side me in May on one of the least traveled routes would get up at 4 am so they could race to the next village to get a bed – not fun!

Email me for the current Follow The Camino discount Promo Code

Other Less Crowded El Camino Routes include:

El Camino Norte

Camino del Norte Coastal

The “Original” Way

El Camino Primitivo

Camino de Invierno

El Camino Ingles

Le Puy Camino

Via de la Plata

Finisterre 

Scroll down for the different stages, milage, difficulty, and best and busiest months for each of the less traveled El Caminos above

Follow The Camino

Because doing a Camino has become so popular, I HIGHLY recommend booking your accommodations ahead of time, especially on your last 100 km!  

Consider using my affiliate Follow the Camino, my ‘go to’ experts on all things Camino.  Not only can FTC book your lodging, they will arrange to have your luggage transported daily so all you need to carry is a day pack.  You’ll get maps and 24/7 support as needed to ensure a smooth Camino.

Email me for an exclusive Follow the Camino Promo Code.

Alternative El Camino Routes : Route Details and When to Go

El Norte Camino de Santiago

Just over 20,000 pilgrims walked the El Camino del Norte last year.

This route begins in San Sebastian and follows the Spanish northern coast, passing through Bilboa and other fun towns before headding south to the beautiful city of Oviedo en route to Santiago.  Below is a breakdown of the stages of the Camino Norte, also known as the Ruta de la Costa, the milage per stage, the difficulty and best and busiest months to walk the El Camino del Norte.

Other El Camino del Norte Options

There is a Coastal El Norte El Camino that often pilgrims use from the Basque country.  This route starts in Ribodasella.  The four stage Full Coastal del Norte takes 21 days.  It is 173 miles/278 km and is considered moderate.

If you’d prefer to walk your El Camino fully guided, consider joining Follow The Camino’s Santander to Ribodesella tour.

Book your El Camino del Norte

Don’t forget to Email Me to get the current Follow The Camino Promo Code

Planning Your El Camino del Norte:

El Camino Primitivo – the ‘Original’ Way

Considered the first pilgrim, King Alfonso II of Asturias walked from the old Asturian capital of Oviedo to Lugo and into Santiago in the year 814.  For many, it is considered the most challenging and also most beautiful.  The king built the original shriine to St. James in Santiago.

You can listen to the podcast and see my pics about my own El Camino Primitivo here.

Book your El Camino Primitivo or El Norte here

Email me for the current Follow The Camino Promo Code

Planning Your El Camino Primitivo

Camino Ingles – The English Way

This short camino favored by nordic and other northern countries begins on the north coast of Spain in Ferrol, and is a seven day walk to Santiago.  This 71 mile/114.5km route is rated moderate .

The best times to walk the Camino Ingles is April, July, August and October.  The busiest months are May, June and September.

Camino Via de La Plata from Seville Spain

Planning Your Via de La Plata El Camino

Below are the stages, milage, difficulty and best and busiest times to do your El Camino Via de la Plata:

Email me for the current Follow The Camino Promo Code

Le Puy en Velay or Via Podiensis in France

Best for nature lovers, this exciting Camino goes through volcanic landscapes and specctacular countryside of France and then connects in Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port of the French Way (Camino Frances).  Start your journey in Le Puy with a blessing in the famous Cathédrale Notre-Dame du Puy!

Planning Your Le Puy Camino

Below you’ll find the six stages, milage, difficulty and best and busiest months to plan your Le Puy Camino de Santiago.

The Le Puy Camino connect with the Camino Frances in Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port.  

Get more information on the French Camino HERE.

Book your Camino de Invierno now

Email Me for the current Follow The Camino Promo Code

Camino de Invierno – Winter Way French Way Alternative Camino

To avoid harsh winter weather, many pilgrims in the past used this lesser known route.  In addition to smaller crowds, you’ll also have the opportunity to relax in the thermal baths of the town of Ourense!  

The Invierno Camino can be done in two stages from Ponferrada to Monforte de Lemos, followed by the second stage into Santiago.  Below youy’ll find the stage distances, difficulty and best and busiest months so you can plan your Camino de Invierno.

You can learn about more ways to avoid crowds on the El Camino in the interview here.  You’ll also see a list of ALL my El Camino Interviews.

Camino Finisterre to “The Ends of the Earth”

After your’ve finished your Camino, consider extending your Camino all the way to the sea!  Many pilgrims in the past would walk to the sea, considered at the time to be at the end of the world, and would collect a scallop shell as proof of their pilgrimmage.  

The Camino Finisterre is 53 miles/86 km and can be walked in 6 days.  It is moderately difficult.  The best months for Finnisterre are April, June-August and October.  The busiest months are May and September.

This section of the Camino is not long enough to earn a compostela, so if you don’t feel like walking, but would like to see it, just take the public bus and make a day or overnight trip out of it!

Learn Everything You Need to Know About the El Camino HERE

Other Posts and Podcasts about the El Camino

• The French Way
• The Camino Primitivo
• Bike the Portuguese Way from Porto
• ALL the Camino Interviews
• Follow The Camino Tours
• Packing for your Camino
• Longer Term Travel Preparation
• Training for Adventure Travel

Email me for the current Follow The Camino Promo Code

Full Podcast Transcript: How to Avoid Crowds on the Camino de Santiago

This transcript explores how to avoid crowds on the Camino de Santiago, including route strategies, timing tips, and firsthand experiences on the French Way.

DOWNLOAD & LISTEN TO THE PODCAST EPISODE HERE

[00:00:00] On the ATA podcast, I covered my own El Camino, the Primitivo, and one thing I also talked about was how crowded the El Camino is getting these days. And so I want you to consider, since this is the most popular hiking trailer walking trail in the world, and so many of us have it on our list to do some different ways that we can do the El Camino, where it’s a much more fulfilling trip where it’s not so crowded and today.

I’ve asked my friend David, who we met on the coast to Coast Trail to come back and talk to us about his French Way, which is the most popular route, but he did things a little bit different and stay tuned. Also, we might be doing a Camino together. I can’t wait to share all this with you, so let’s get started.

Welcome to the Active Travel Adventures Podcast. I’m your host Kit Parks. Today we’re gonna be doing the Camino Fise, the most popular route of the El Camino, but we’re gonna do things a little bit different than most people are doing that [00:01:00] last hundred kilometers to get the certificate of the last 60 miles that are required in order to get the certificate that you’ve done.

The Camino, my friend David, instead did the very first section, which even though he did it in the height. Of the busy season. In the middle of summer, it was not crowded. There’s people on there of course, but it wasn’t crowded like you’re gonna see if you were doing that last little bit to get that piece of paper.

I’ve been doing a lot of thinking about the El Camino, both because I’ve been revisiting my own as I prepared that episode for you. And also in preparing this one with my friend David, who did the French Way. I got to thinking, wouldn’t it be cool if we did an act of travel adventures, community Camino?

So it’d still be self-guided so you can kind of do your own thing. But if we did it all at the same time on the same route, so you could either hike with fellow listeners on that day or do solo and meet up in town later that night, so you can do your own Camino, but we’d still be doing it together.

You’d have that support system, the, the instant friendships, the comradery of doing an El Camino instantly with people, you know. [00:02:00] Anyway, I thought that would be kind of a cool thing to look into. So if you’re interested in this at all, please hit me up at kit@activetraveladventures.com and let me know, and I’ll put together a email that we can kind of hash things out and, and see if this is a good idea or not.

And we’d be looking at fall of 2024 for doing the Camino. Right now I’m leaning towards doing the Coastal way of Portugal, but right now let’s, I’m open to ideas, let’s see what you got to say. So again, just reach out. To me at kit@activetraveladventures.com if you’re interested in possibly doing the El Camino with me and other Active Travel Adventures listeners.

So with that, let’s get on with my interview with David. You first met David in episode 1 32. He was the bagpiper and you also met him again on the coast to coast on the recent episode 1 48 where he and I walked the first half of England’s coast to coast path. So recently did an episode of my own Camino.

I did the Camino TiVo, but I also focus as much about how [00:03:00] crowded the Caminos have become. And you did something a little bit different than most people, ’cause most people wanna get that certificate at the last a hundred kilometers. But instead you did the start of the French Way, which is the most popular way.

So that’s what we’re gonna be talking about that today. So I guess to start with, why did you go against the crowds and do the first part instead of the last part? Well, my motivation for doing the Camino was my family were all meeting up in Northern Spain that summer and there were various ways they were going to get there by train and by boat and things.

And I decided to walk, so I thought, I wonder if there’s a trail. And then I hit on the fact that the Trail of the Camino from San Jang dupe, the port over to Santiago de Compost actually went just a few miles south of where my family were meeting up. So that’s why I did my Camino. Well that ended up being a smart thing.

’cause what, uh, you went June or July as I recall. When did you go? I went to the middle of July [00:04:00] and uh, although that is high summer and although there was a heat wave going on in Europe at that time, there wasn’t a heat wave going on in northern Spain. It was absolutely glorious. The weather was fantastic.

Tell us about, uh, and we’re gonna get a little bit more into what you saw, but tell us about how much traffic you saw on the trail there. So, uh, I would say that there was, there was enough people to, um, be interesting. There were, there were people to meet, but it was not hundreds of people. It was more like small groups you could see ahead, or one or two people and you’d catch up with ’em, walk for a bit.

Then maybe not walk for a bit, have a coffee. There was a cold group of us kept meeting up, maybe six or seven that would meet up and have a beer and or something to eat at the, at the different towns. ’cause most people tend to stop at the same places on these, on, on, on, on these trips. So it definitely wasn’t crowded.

They did not feel crowded at all. And the, and the, the towns were very nice. The cafes were very welcoming. Um, so yeah, my experience from that point of [00:05:00] view was good. And I’d heard. At the other end of the Camino, when you get towards Santiago, when all the pass converged, it can be a standing room only, but it definitely wasn’t like that in that first stretch.

So I did my Camino in May, so I was a little early in the season, and when my Primitivo caught up at the French way in the last couple of days, I wouldn’t call it a parade, but it was pretty darn close to being a parade and. You were going at the peak season and did not hit that at all. So that’s amazing.

So that’s another reinforcement to maybe pick your section or your timing a little bit better so you could have a really good Camino experience like you did. So let’s dig a little bit deeper into what exactly you saw. So you started, I’m gonna, same gen, same John. How do you say that again? Okay. All right.

So for my English spelling, I would say St. Jean p deport. So that’s how it looks on the map, right? Yeah, I [00:06:00] can never pronounce anything. I would call that American spelling. Did you made it through Pamplona And where did you end up? I ended up in a town called Gro. Okay. All right. So that’s the next major town after that.

And how long was your walk altogether? I made it over, uh, seven nights though. Um, six days of walking, seven nights. Approximately what distance was that? Uh, that was about 150 kilometers, 155 kilometers. Okay. So that’s, um, just under a hundred miles. 90, 95 miles.

So that’s, that’s a nice size trip. And you went with my affiliate Follow the Camino, which I appreciate very much. And, uh, you, because you are a listener to Active Travel Adventures, you get to save 5% with my exclusive promo code at to five ATA eight five. So how was Follow the Camino? How did they do?

They were very good. They, um, the, the pre Camino bit wa was, was, was fantastic. The materials were all they sent to me [00:07:00] on time. Very good communication. The actual, um, maps and um, uh, my Camino diary, which I wasn’t so interested in, but the Camino. Everything was waiting for me at the hotel in San when I arrived.

Uh, so I had, uh, the app I downloaded, the app itinerary was on the app. There was an app which I could follow on the app and right through the whole journey, I had no problems with signal or transmission. So I was, although there was a map, I was using the, my phone most of the time without any difficulties.

Uh, so they were very good. They picked up the bags. Um, every day at about eight, you’d left your bag downstairs, um, in the hotel about eight, and then you, whenever you arrived at the other place, the bags were always there. So, and the, that very good experience would follow the communal. And, uh, and they made all, of course, all of your arrangements and I believe it’s mostly two and three star accommodations, and that makes it for an affordable holiday.

It was, it was 2, 2, 3 star accommodation. I, I did not, um, [00:08:00] sample the al burgers with the bunk beds and that kind of thing. I went into 2, 2, 3 star hotels. All very comfortable. Yeah. So when you look back on your experience, like what are some of your favorite impressions? Be it at the landscape or the people kind of tell us, um, give us a feel for what it was like to do the trail.

So first of all, central P to court, glorious little old French town. And, uh, just fantastic weather. I mean, it was just a gorgeous start and a tremendous feeling to, to that’s an old walled city. And, uh, already at breakfast, in the hotel there was somebody who was there and doing the hike. So immediately I met the people side of things.

So that, that was great. So we breakfasted, he was gone off early and other times off he went. So I did a reiki the night before to make sure I understood the route outta town, walked around the city walls a bit. Really, really enjoyed that. And when I started walking out of town, within [00:09:00] probably about half a mile, I saw a group of um, uh, I think were Korean, uh, ladies in front.

So we chatted with them for a bit. I took some pictures of them. They took some pictures of me. I was going a lot faster. So I worked on a bit. And then I met Cesar, um, who is a really interesting. Chat from, from from Mexico, and, uh, and so it went. Um, so the people side of things was, was great. I never had really any long periods of time on my own.

I, we’d bump into people, we would peel together and uh, we’d walk together and not, not walk together and, but we’d meet up, have drinks, and, uh. And so the, the people say was definitely a highlight. It wasn’t overwhelming. The everyone had the same goal. They were walking in the same direction, and we all got to appreciate the fantastic scenery because that was a given.

When you leave San Zong, you’re climbing up into the Pyrenees up to 5,200 feet and back down into police [00:10:00] call rooms, says Valleys. On the other side, and that’s just glorious. A hike up into the top, into the high peaks there. Beautiful, fertile landscape and not, we’re not talking jagged mountains here.

We’re talking very lived in and farmed and woods at the top there. Nice trails through the woods. Little bit of track. Couple of bits of metal, but no place where there’s any traffic to speak of. So just a delightful walk across the hills, uh, nee in the first day down to Es, valley Valleys. And then you just walk your way through the towns of and, um, um, Poona onto la um, um.

Enjoying those, uh, classic Spanish vistas. You see the, uh, the town in a hilltop in the distant with a church from the top of the highest point, uh, inviting you, uh, to come and stop buying ’em a coffee. And sure enough, when you get into the envi rolls of the church with a little cafe there and there’ll be a couple of pilgrims.

Stop, have a chat, have a coffee. People are always very glad to [00:11:00] see you Gwen Camino. So very nice experience landscape. Language was fine. I had a little bit of Spanish and the common most calling language of course was, was English. Worked for Bri with a French lady, um, who I speak French, so that was okay.

So yeah, great, great experience. People landscape, uh, bit of language. Um, lovely. Did you find that it was like people from all over the world or, or, or what nationalities? You mentioned Mexico. You mentioned Korea, you mentioned France. Uh, of course you’re from the uk so was it pretty international? It’s pretty international.

Okay. What happens is you tend to, um, meet the same people, uh, different groups and different combinations as you go each day. ’cause you’re generally walking to the same town. It starts at a certain time. And then, uh, these towns are a, a distance where people [00:12:00] tend to stay. So that, that group included Brits.

Um, the, the, the group that I, I was most close to where it was, was the, the Mexican guy, the um, French. Um, lady, there was a lady from Hungary who had done the Camino about seven times. Um, uh, there was, uh, um, uh, a couple for a, a man, uh, and his daughter, um, uh, from Manchester in England, who, uh, was completely uncompromising with this, um, Manchester accent.

So I was acting as a translator. This is the Scott speaking to a man Ian translating into Spanish to get the conversation going. So yes, a, a truly international group.

Were there many Americans on the trail? Not on that. Not not the trail. I did. Uh, there were no Americans that I met and, uh, that doesn’t mean to say they weren’t there, but they just weren’t. Um, that’s not who I met. Follow the [00:13:00] Camino ranks it at three, outta four for difficulty level. Now going over the Pyrenees and, and the section you did, how hard, if you had to rank it?

I usually do it at a rating of five, five being the hardest and like climbing like something super hard. Um, where would you put it? I, I’d put it at three to four because it’s all properly manicured trails. I mean, if you are talking other long distance paths like in the UK coast of coast where you’re hiking up over rocks and, uh.

Bear Mountain site to go over passes and things. That would be a four or five because, you know, you might twist your ankle and that kind of thing. No danger of that in the communal, the trail’s all well, um, well tracked, well signposted people have been doing that for a thousand years. Um, so I, I would put it three, three to four.

Not saying you don’t have to be fit. I mean, it is a long hike. You’re doing 20, 25 kilometers a day. Um, in one day I did 30. So, and you’re doing that every day. So it is challenging from the fitness point of view, but from the [00:14:00] footwear point of view, um, I was just wearing a nice pair of mind walking shoes.

I wasn’t wearing boots. Whereas on the um, uh, coast to coast, for example, in England, it was definitely you were wearing hiking boots ’cause you had to support your ankles. So I’d say three to four, but you have to be a bit fit ’cause the distances are quite low.

On anything long distance like that, it’s uh, you can do anything hard. One day. It’s getting up day after day and telling your body, oh, you gotta do it again. Then you wake up again, oh, I gotta do it again. It’s really hard to get your body conditioned. You just don’t wanna start doing this. You really should train ahead of time.

I have a tip for that actually. What’s that? Which are shared with the trailers. Hikers. Um, of course the training and, and I’ve seen on your website, um, advice about walking and training and things. But something I found, and it was, it worked for me by training and doing a couple of walks. Even if you just go into a [00:15:00] grocery store and decide to walk the long way back, you know, five or six miles, seven miles, whatever, and with your boots on that you’re gonna wear on the trail, just look at your feet.

You will find that there will be at least some point or other in your food, which is slightly red or just slightly chave. Normally you wouldn’t think anything of it, but I guarantee you, I guarantee you that on a Camino, that’s the spot you’re gonna have. Um, blisters on it. Eventually, I have not met a communal person who didn’t have blisters at some point, or rather.

But what I did was I sort of equalized before the other team scored, as it were. I put, um, blister plasterers on those spots and I knew where my feet was sensitive, so I didn’t have any issues at all. And so I had put the corn pads on and the blister pads on before I had the blisters. ’cause I knew where they were going to occur ’cause I’d done the training.

I looked at my feet and seen where the red spots were and the slightly irritant spots in the back of the heel or whatever. And I just put a plaster there or corn padd or [00:16:00] something. And that’s a tip of she with others, which hopefully will help people not to have this problem of blisters, which is one of the most common things that people complain about on communal.

Unfortunately, I don’t suffer from blisters, but I, I think one reason is, is I always get my shoes like a half a size too large because you forget that your feet gonna Yeah. Are going to expand and get larger and that’s, it’s gonna cause some of those pressure points that may not happen in the store when you’re trying ’em on.

So I would recommend. For people to consider doing that. And again, doing what you said is excellent advice because if your feet hurt, everything hurts. And, um, when he says, um, what’d you call them, plaster? That would be something like the compe is what we would call it here in the US it’s a little bit stronger than a bandaid.

And they don’t come off. They’re, they stick on. So yeah, they’ll, they’ll still be on after your shower. The next, maybe, maybe in a couple of days you change ’em out again. But look after your feet. For sure, for sure. [00:17:00] Excellent advice. Alright, let’s talk about one of my favorite subjects. Food. How is the food along the trail?

Oh, fantastic. Yeah, absolutely. Really enjoyed it. Uh, you’re in the very, um, uh, Basque kind of country and the northern parts of Spain there. Lots of tapas. Pinch us, um, to eat. Um, I don’t think I had a bad meal. The, the, the, the whole time. Um, there was always an opportu and potato, potato patta, what was it called again?

The, uh, todo, todo potato, great breakfast thing. They’d have a breakfast of, you know, the usual continental breakfast in the hotel. You’d walk for bit, and then you’d find the cafe in one of these towns. And stopping of something. You want a coffee or potass. Some places the trail thing said that the, there weren’t, you might have to walk for 15 kilometers or 15 miles or so before you go to a another cafe, but, um, even in the longest stretches.

Where there wasn’t necessarily a town, there were pop-up [00:18:00] vans would appear just when you really wanted them. There’d be a pop-up van there selling potatoes and, and snacks and coffee and things. So, um, the towns were great from the point of view of having nice restaurants to eat in. But when you’re on the trail, it was always an opportunity to grab a coffee or to get something to eat, and you never went very long, um, before the BM.

Um, an opportunity to eat something or have coffee. We’re not talking about a corner, um, Starbucks every time you, you turn a corner in the wood. But, um, certainly there were places to eat en route, which, um, which I found great. And again, you’d be the pilgrims there and you’d be sitting chatting and you’d catch up with folk and people would be talking about the day and what they’d seen and and whatnot.

So yeah, food. Very, very good. Both main, main food. At the towns that you stop at, but also the opportunity to snack and find coffees, um, along the way.

Great. And that’s a very big difference [00:19:00] from my Primitivo, which is not as developed. The French Way is the most popular way. I, I believe, like two thirds of all pilgrims, which is what you call the, the people walk in El Camino, do the French Way. And so you have a better, um, infrastructure set up. And I didn’t even know about little food structure vans setting up as well.

I would li sometimes not see a cafe until I got to my night stop, so I could be all day without seeing a little village. Or if I went to a village, everything was closed. So that is a big difference between your Camino and my Camino. And that sounds good. And so you’re, you’re in France to start with. How long have you in France before you hit the bus country?

I am, well, I’d landed in the bass country. I flew to Beit and I spent a couple of nights exploring the coast around Beit, which is a nice. French, it would’ve been a, a, a resort back in the, um, the, the early part of the 20th century kind of upmarket resort place. Very nice, um, coastline. Um, so I started in beer.

I spent a couple of nights there, and then a [00:20:00] simple train connection from close to beer. It’s over to Sanon, and that was the start of your Francis. So one night in France at two nights in beer, it’s one night in San John, and then you walk across the border. Well, actually you go along the border for a bit, but eventually you cross into Spain and the rest of the trail is in, in is in Spain where the first town you come to a place called or runs valleys.

Nice. So we talked a little bit about footwear and what, are there any other special things that you should, you should bring? Do you need hiking sticks? Um, any special attire or suggestions or, uh, advice there? Well, I would recommend, um, hiking sticks, um, uh, because, uh, walking is a dynamic motion. Your foot’s going down heavily onto the ground or your body weight.

And if you could pause. Every time you put a pole and engage with a path, you’re taking weight off your knees. And so [00:21:00] it just lessens the wear and tear in your body, your knees as you do these 2020, so kilometers per day. And I noticed that everyone was walking with, uh, everyone. That’s not strictly true.

It was one Korean girl I saw walking without pos and flip flops. Every time I saw her, she was sitting in a pile crying and worried about her feet being really sore and things. So I would not recommend that. Um, for sure most people had, uh, poles. I very cleverly had forgotten the poles that I had and bought myself a pole.

There’s a couple of good, very good pole shots and pole shops in the San Port, so I, I got myself kitty out with some poles, I think 35 euros or something like that. Highly recommended for walking anyway, any of these long distance trails, I’d recommend having poles and using them almost aggressively using the arms as part of the motion for a start.

Keeps your upper body in good shape as well, but also it’s just [00:22:00] reducing the wear and tear in your knees and a long, long day, and after several days of walking, I think it makes a big difference. I’ve been using them for, oh, 20 years now. Uh, any other special item that you packed that you’re like, oh, that was a good idea to bring that people might not think about?

Well, I was doing this in July, so, um, I wasn’t expecting there to be any snow drifts up on the top of the, the nee, but it did, uh, there was, uh, a mist, there was a short spell when it was wet, so make sure you’ve got a nice lightweight, um, uh, rain jacket. Um, for sure. And a couple of, um, uh. Uh, jumper, just in case you feel a bit cool.

Only in that first day. ’cause after that we were dropping down and then the, the average temp should be about. 20 to from, in the evenings, 20 to 2025. So I don’t think, um, unlike again to compare with coast to coast, say in the, in, in the UK or some of the [00:23:00] other mountainous trails that you have in, in Europe, you’re not going up and spending, um, long distance at high altitude.

I’ve done trekking in the outs, for example, when I would take, um, heavy duty fleeces and um, uh, um, layered cogo and um, hats. Neither Sun had, of course, sunglasses. But, uh, it’s a gentle, it’s a, it’s not a gentle straw. It’s a good exercise as we scored it at three or four out of five, simply ’cause you’re walking that distance every day.

But not really special ’cause I was wearing shorts the whole time. Very comfortable.

Would you say most of the path was on trails per se, or are they rural roads or describe the, the trail conditions or, or, or what they were like. So I would say about, um, okay. The, the, the only part that where we were mainly on roads was roundabout center, Pam. Have to, it’s a big [00:24:00] town and the trail goes right through Poona and there’s no getting round.

The fact you end up shed a bit of the road to get into Pona and through the town and out the industrial estates and, and the other side. So that’s a bit of that. So there was probably about four or five kilometers of that roundabout poona in general. Um, it’d be what in the UK it’ll call. Minor roads if there was a road.

And very often it wasn’t a road at all, it was just a path going through the woods and, or go through the fields or, or, or, or, or whatever. So, um, uh, the, um, uh, couple of stretches to say when you did walk along the road, uh, the road weren’t terribly busy. You’re not walking along auto stratus or anything like that.

In the main, it’s country lanes and minor loads, a lot of, um, foot paths that have just evolved over the, over the years. And very occasionally when you go into a big town, you’re just stuck [00:25:00] with going past the industrially state, inevitably happens outside of town. Was the trail well marked? Oh yeah. No problems at all.

No problems at all either with them. Full posts with a shell on them, the communal shell. And it seemed to me that every time there was a debate or, or you were thinking, should I go left or right, someone would’ve painted the famous yellow arrow pointing the direction you had to go, had to go on. So I didn’t get, uh, I didn’t feel anxious and that any time that I may have lost the trail.

Uh, so it’s very well signposted. It’s very, well, I would always stick a map anyway. And you had the app too, as a backup that would have a map on it. Oh, yes. No, but the app that was on your phone that also had the map, so that told you where you were. Exactly. Anyway, so you have, you had all these different backups.

Exactly. Between a paper map, the looking for the symbols on the trail as well as an app. [00:26:00] Perfect. Perfect. So you went solo. Do you see any issues with people going solo on a Camino? None whatsoever. No. No. Even when I had a, um, a, a, a minor accident in my, um, Camino, when I managed to trip up and fall, there was people around to help and the local health people were very good.

I had a doctor appointment very quickly, managed to get, um, reassured. I hadn’t broken anything. And carried on and, and finished a hike. And so as a solo travel, I wouldn’t have any anxiety about that. Um, at all. You know, in an an isolated part of the country, there’ll always be someone coming by. And now this is seasonal, of course.

I mean, you, at that high part of the Pyrenees, that first part of the Pyrenees does go up quite high. And imagine if you are doing it in October of November, you always have to be cognizant of the season you’re doing it in. But I, I didn’t see any issues [00:27:00] and a lot of people were doing it on their own, and couples were doing it.

Of course, friends were doing it. So, uh, but it’s certainly something you could tackle on your own. You’re going between towns with infrastructure. You’re not staying in the bush. Um, at least I wasn’t. Um, so I think it’d be a, a nice one that, that part of the route would be nice to do, and you could easily do that on your own and feel quite secure.

And I think too, if you’re going solo on that popular betrayal, you can either choose to stay solo or there’s so many people that you could walk with others as you so chose each day. Absolutely. Absolutely. Uh, I, I will say that the, the, the trail I did, it wasn’t that busy mean there were people and that there was never any point when I wasn’t aware.

In the far distance of someone or behind me, someone. But I wasn’t like four steps behind people going step steps down, which I think you were describing was a bit like [00:28:00] that. Getting into Santiago when you finished your, your Camino, it was just everyone and, and their uncle what were walking the trail.

And tell us a little bit more about the landscapes that you saw. So it starts, um, you’re at, uh, probably about two and a half thousand feet at San. So it’s already quite, um, it’s hilly. You’re in the foothills of the, you’re going up through farmland, lots of cattle and, um, uh, in the initial part, animals around, uh, and the highest part, you’ve up through trees, you above the, the above the cultivated A, you’re walking, um, uh, through the trees.

You’re seeing distant vistas, you’re looking down valleys to the left or to the right. Um, very, very, very, very impressive. Um, very, uh, felt very comfortable landscape. It didn’t feel remote, uh, or, or, um, uh, that I’ve seen [00:29:00] hiking in other places with the Himalayas or, or in the Alps. So that first, um, day so was, was, was just wonderful walking through the, the nee and once you are off the Pune and the trek, I did go to.

You just going gentle ups and downs through, through valleys, mainly farmland, sometimes, um, corn fields, sometimes sunflowers, and sometimes olive groves and different, different types of things as, as you walk along these. In the distance, you suddenly see a town and that’s where you’re heading for with a nice, um, church on the top and the street’s all cascading down in houses.

So that’s always a great photographic thing. You find yourself photographing that every four steps a bit closer, a bit closer, a bit closer until you to, to walk into the, the town so that that landscape up there is just, just, um. It’s all cared for. The tones are all [00:30:00] immaculately turned out. I dunno what I was expecting, but um.

Paths through the towns were all beautifully maintained. People had flowers out in their window. Ledges, there was no potholes. If you come from England, uh, you’re worried about potholes just going around the corner from the street that you live in. But didn’t see a difference of that at all. Well, cared for footpath.

That was well maintained. The roads, the minor roads you walked on, you very well maintained. The towns were I. And, and, um, very presentable. So it just a very, very nice countryside. Lived in, well, loved countryside. That’s what it felt like to me, walking and throughout that entire trio. And the way you describe this, a, I mean, it sounds like a great adventure for anyone, but it also sounds like a perfect first adventure for somebody that wants to dip their toes into adventure travel because you have the, um, [00:31:00] uh, I’ll, I’ll say the safety net.

Of having people around you. You have the, the self-guided tour. You have, uh, father Camino holding your hand to kind of make sure you know what you’re doing, yet you’re actually out having a nice adventure, but in a somewhat controlled but very beautiful environment. Plus you’re doing a Camino, which, which is How cool is that?

That’s, that’s that, that’s pretty cool. And you could have done the next section, another eight days. The whole Camino, I think is about nearly four weeks. And, and, and so. I think that’s, I think you’ve summed, summed it up very well. But if you want to be an adventure traveler probably on your own, then I, I would say that would be a very nice, that particular trek and I did would be a good, um, um, first experience of, of doing that kind of thing.

You get the benefits of the people side, um, meeting people, the landscape side, the physical challenge. It’s not 10 kilomet, which is five miles a day. It’s more like 10 miles a day or 15 miles a day. [00:32:00] So it’s physically challenging, but very doable and very doable. So yeah, I think you’ve put that very well.

It’s a good first, um, adventure, traveling your own type of thing to do.

Now you’ve been all over the world. You’ve hiked in some magnificent places. How did this particular hike compare to some of the other places that you went?

Oh boy, that’s, uh, that’s a good question. Um, it’s just so contrasting, I mean, uh, in the last year I’ve, I’ve hiked in the high Alps, for example, staying in Refugios and you’re walking over very rough terrain and, um, uh, with fantastic, um. Glaciers above you, below you, around you, huge jagged mountains. Um, uh, and that’s, that’s an experience that, that’s one type of hiking experience.

But what I’m describing this gentle. [00:33:00] Well, challenging first day going over the nees, but this, um, well off countryside, well, that’s also very therapeutic, very relaxing. And, and, and people have got a purpose for doing it, so it compares very well. I, I wouldn’t, I wouldn’t say, oh, we just a do ’cause it wasn’t, I mean, I was working for 20, 25 kilometers in 12 to.

18 miles a day. Uh, so it has that element of challenge, but it, um, uh, and, and because the countryside was so nice, the village is there, the occasional popup van selling coffees or whatever it is. Just had a really nice feel to it. So it was not better. Just different to some of the higher altitude things I’ve done or the more remote tracks like in England and the highest part of the lake district and the on the coast to coast.

So going up parts of the highlands of Highlands of Scotland, where, and bits of it can be bit, bit more remote. [00:34:00] They’ve got their own excitement and, and, and interest. But this trail, um, I, I think, uh, it’s. Uh, this idea that there’s probably only, um, 10 or 15 brilliant days you have in your entire life, and probably one of the days when the, that Camino would fit into, which is lovely that day, walking over the, the Pyrenees and, and so yeah, it ranks, it ranks well, but it’s not equivalent to, but it just, in its own way.

It’s just a nice thing to do.

And there’s a certain comradery too that I think is special to the Camino that’s a little bit different than some of the other walk-in holidays I’ve been on. You all seem to bond on the walk-in holidays, but there’s this a, uh, it’s almost like you, you have this common goal thing on a Camino, which is just a, it, it’s just a little bit different, I thought in a good way.

You’re right because the, uh, uniquely there’s a purpose. People have been doing this since, uh, [00:35:00] the eighth or ninth century. In fact, I think. Probably a million people a year doing it, um, um, back in the 13th century. It’s just this, it’s incredible. And the stories are told of, um, uh, it’s got, it’s this long history because St.

James had, uh, one of Jesus’ disciples had done some of these ministry over in that part of Spain near Santiago. He came back to, um, Rome. And he was a fell fur of a gripper. The, um, the emperor at the time was, was, um, um, executed but other people who had shared the ministry with them. So the story goes, took his bones back across to Santiago and, um, they were found apparently in a beach covered with shells.

This is why you’ve got the communal shell as the, um, as the hallmark of, um, of the, of the communa. Trek and people built, first of all a small shrine and a bigger shrine. And that [00:36:00] became, um, a well known, um, in medieval times, a place to communicate with God and through, uh, to one of the exact apostles, one of the 12 apostles of of, of Jesus.

Bones reputedly. And in this casket at Santiago de Conello, so hundreds of thousands of people, kings and queens, and over the, over the years, people would walk that trail to find spiritual, um, fulfillment. So it is a very special thing. It’s not just a route which was like a cattle drover’s route from the past or something like that.

This was a major deal and roots focusing down to see this St. James Relic in in in Santiago, which makes it special. And a lot of people do it for religious reasons, but not everybody. There were people there. One, the one chap just bonding with his daughter thought this would be a great thing to do before his daughter left to go to university.

Um, lots of people with significant birthdays, [00:37:00] 40 or 50 or 60. Um, wanting to do something different, have a bit of a challenge. Couples having a celebration, but the purpose. Everyone’s doing the same direction. There’s not people coming at you. People are always going from A to B, and there’s not many times in life that everyone’s walking the same direction and heading to do the same thing, so that creates a bond.

So you have something to talk about when Camino, that’s what you see when you meet everyone. There’s only one reason why people are on that trail. They’ll walk to Santiago. So it is rather special from that point of view.

Definitely. David, I appreciate you coming on with me today and sharing your experiences. Do you have any final thoughts that you’d like to share with us before I let you go? I would say just, um, uh, if you sample it, uh, the thought would be you, you, you probably won’t, you probably get hooked on it. I did meet people who have done that particular communal well, lots and lots of times, and you probably want to [00:38:00] explore other things and, and once you’ve shown yourself that you can do it, you’ll probably want to do it again.

No. If you have a thought and want to have an experience of hiking in your experience, culture, history, um, good companionship, good food, wonderful landscape, lots of laughs, then yeah, follow the Camino. Why not? Sounds great. Thank you, David. My pleasure.

I hope you’ve enjoyed learning about the French Way Camino as an alternative to doing your El Camino in a less rush crowded way, so that you get the full experience of the El Camino that you’re expecting to get. I’ve covered the Camino many, many times on the Act of Travel Adventures podcast. I’ll put links in the show notes to the page that lists them all so that you can poke around and see which one’s the right one for you.

And of course, with all the travel planners, if you get my monthly newsletter, you’ll know the right ones to go to do each one, you can always reach me at [00:39:00] kit@actortraveladventures.com and has to be put on the monthly email list. And remember, I don’t spam or sell your name or anything. With that, you’ll get access to all the travel planners that I put together in this last six plus years.

So there’s quite a bit of, of helpful free information for you to help you plan your next adventure. Also, if you’re listening to this in 2023 or 2024, remember this is evergreen. So you might be listening to this, you know, years from now, I am considering doing an El Camino as a group outing with you guys.

So if you are interested in this at all. Don’t forget to email me at kit@activetraveladventures.com or click the link in the show notes and let me know and I’ll put you on the list and as we develop this plan to see if we’re gonna do that, I’ll keep you updated on plans to see if it’s something you’d like to do.

Love to have you join us. With that, let’s sign off. I really appreciate you listening. Until next time, this is Kit Parks at Venture [00:40:00] on.

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