FAQ: How many pilgrims are there?

This page shows statistics on how many pilgrims complete El Camino on a month-by-month basis. The site is in German, but it's easy to figure out what's what. The years 1993, 1999, and 2004 (and next year in 2010) are Holy Year's with the Feast of St. James (July 25) falling on a Sunday, explaining the large number of pilgrims in those years. Also note that these numbers represent all pilgrims coming from all directions and all starting points, not just the Camino Frances route from St.-Jean-Pied-de-Port that I'll be taking, though that is the most popular.

What does this mean for me? Clearly, the number of people completing El Camino is increasing rapidly, but with a finish at the very end of October, it shouldn't be very crowded at all. Although there are fewer pilgrims competing for beds in the albergues, some of them might be closed with the slowness of the season. It also means that part of the reason the numbers are lower is due to weather: more warm clothes = more weight to carry.