Pilgrimage to Santiago de Compostela

[jjfdevilliers]

Hi,

i am a teacher and only get summer holidays during the time when it is not recommended to travel the Camino but since i have always wanted to do it, i will just have to do it in spite of the weather. it will be my first time so i am starting on the shortest camino. being female i am a little weary of travelling on my own - is it safe?

i am from south africa and this is something which you just would not do on your own over there due to it not being that safe for women on their own.

if there is someone who reads this who is also planning to walk the camino ingles during august i would like to get in touch.

thanks!

judith

[JohnnieWalker]

Hi

I think the Camino Ingles is a great choice and if you have time perahps continuing out to Finisterre?

I have seen or heard of any reports of pilgrims being bothered on this route but then there aren't many reports at all of problems on the routes.

There are some good postings on here and I also recommend the CSJ guide.

Best wishes

John

[Deirdre]

Hello Judith,
I too am a teacher and understand your dilemma. I began my Camino in Roncesvalles last July and walked "alone"- for about 10 minutes. In the summer I don't expect that you will be alone unless you want to be. I had long stretches of the Camino where I had the opportunity for solitude, but I never felt "alone". I met so many people and we would meet up in the albergues in the evenings...if people lost track of you, when you saw them again, it was like meeting old friends. I never felt fear on the Camino - I don't usually go out walking alone for a day here in the States. While I didn't walk the Camino Inglés, I would venture to say that there will be plenty of other pilgrims on it in the summer.
Buen Camino,

[vinotinto]

it will be my first time so i am starting on the shortest camino. being female i am a little weary of travelling on my own - is it safe?

Probably safer than the UK, I'd wager... I saw lots of single women of all ages walking the Camino Frances in July-August of 2007. As Deirdre said, you're hardly ever alone, unless you want to be.

By the way, just out of curiosity - did you ever spend time as a nanny in Hong Kong in the late 1980s...? I knew an SA woman named Judith back then - just a shot in the dark...