Some Camino Statistics:

Yesterday I referenced the increasing interest in the Camino. We have wondered more than once about what sort of numbers will walk in 2013. There are many routes that arrive at Santiago originating from different areas of Spain and also from France and Portugal...following many of the old Roman roads. In 2000 only 55,000 pilgrims arrived in Santiago from all routes after having completed at minimum the last 100kms thus allowing them to collect their Latin Compostela document which confirms completion. You have to appreciate that this is considered a very important accomplishment in Spain with almost 50% of all pilgrims being Spanish. Its so important that many Spaniards include this in their CV! I understand that many Spanish pilgrims only walk the last 100kms making this part of the route fairly commercial and a bit of a zoo…a less enjoyable portion of the walk for those who choose to start from further afield. 

By 2006 the number of finishing pilgrims almost doubled to 100.377 over the 6 years, and this ballooned to 272,412 in 2010, the last Holy Year. A Holy Year occurs only when St. James’s Day falls on a Sunday, which happens to be on July 25^th also my birthdayJ. Fortunately for us, the next Holy Year doesn’t occur until 2021.

Last year in 2012 192,488 pilgrims collected their Compostela in Santiago of which 134,979 walked the Camino Frances (the route we will walk).  22.214 started from St Jean Pied de Port (SJPDP) where we will begin our own Camino, 8,468 started from Roncesvalles, the first village in Spain after crossing the Pyrenees and 4,172 started in Pamplona where we hope to arrive about 4 days into our Camino. Approximately 60,000 started at various points west of O’Cebreiro (three quarters of the way to Santiago) presumably so that they didn’t have to make the tortuous climb up to O’Cebreiro!! This is the highest point on the Camino.

Last night I happened to check the numbers that had arrived in Santiago so far in 2013 and was astounded to see that 7,229 completed in March alone! To put this into perspective, during the extremely busy 2010 Holy Year 5,882 completed in the same month and only about 3,000 finished in each of 2011 and 2012. I puzzled about this for a couple of hours before the light bulb finally flashed and I realized that this was because Easter occurred in March this year. I reviewed Easter dates over the past 10 years (I need to get a life!) and confirmed that with the exception of 2004, 2005 and 2008 Easter had been celebrated in April in every other year. Whew! The numbers have likely not exploded this year, but I will follow to see how things shake out.

May through September are the busiest months with 77% of all pilgrims (148k of 192k) finishing during this period in 2012. We have selected mid-September through October in part for this reason, not to mention it will be harvest time in the vineyards…also for the historically good fall weather (we hope). Last October 18k pilgrims or 9% completed the various Caminos in Santiago, presumably more finishing in the first half of the month. By September most students have returned to school, and summer vacations have come to a happy conclusion. That’s why you get more middle-agers and silver hairs walking during the shoulder seasons...also its too darn hot to walk in the summer! 

This spring those starting from SJPDP and Roncesvalles are having a hard go of it due to record snow falls this winter and spring. Reports have the main route over the Pyrenees closed after a fellow Canadian tragically became lost and fell 70 meters to his death, sadly very close to the end of the first stage. Spanish authorities have also had to rescue 10 Koreans this winter who apparently ignored official warnings and got into major trouble. I have read other accounts of recent rescues in the Spanish press making it a poor start to the season. Mary and Les have indicated that they may change their plans and start in Pamplona if the pass doesn't clear in time. Stay safe you two.

Ok…enough already with the statistics!

"When the Camino calls, you'll find that extraordinary things begin to happen. Lucky? Nope.  Be ready because more of this will happen.  Be resolute because stuff that gets in the way happens as well. You just have to work to overcome it, and it adds to the life changing experience that is the Camino."