Almost summer on the Plata

[devenney1]

I hope to begin the Plata on the 11th May from Seville. Is anyone else planning to begin around that time ?. I know it’s almost summer and it will be very warm. Am I mad or will others also be on the trail at this time .

 

[Deleted member 397]

Not mad..in fact a bit early for me, you'll be surprised how cold it gets further north....I'll be back on it mid july.
which guide book are you using, not that you really need one..I take one mainly for checking where the hotels are.

 

[Gwenda]

I am starting from Sevilla on the 4th of May. I am planning on taking it slow, so you might catch up with me. The temperatures are up, it’s definitly going to be hot!

 

[Pilger99]

Spanish weather went crazy. Only a few days ago Madrid had snow on the mountains and Seville was below 20°C. Last May the highest temperature in May was 29°C. Locals will not call that summer, maybe still keeping the jacket on. Mid of June brought some days with 35-38°C, while August had a peak of 44°C.

Even the forecast is as high as 30°C during night it becomes colder (about 12-15°C), so you can sleep well and enjoy the cool morning hours to walk. Andalucia and Extremadura can be hot while Castilla is usually much cooler (Bejar).

 

[devenney1]

Not mad..in fact a bit early for me, you'll be surprised how cold it gets further north....I'll be back on it mid july.
which guide book are you using, not that you really need one..I take one mainly for checking where the hotels are.

Don’t have a book Omar but I have lots of information and maps on my iPhone.

 

[Via2010]

I am starting on May 29th. Don´t worry but be prepared to carry enough water (3 L).

 

[Sandra Riordan]

I hope to begin the Plata on the 11th May from Seville. Is anyone else planning to begin around that time ?. I know it’s almost summer and it will be very warm. Am I mad or will others also be on the trail at this time .

Not mad at all. I leave on Wednesday May 1 from Seville and am enjoying the sunshine as we speak.

 

[lt56ny]

I hope to begin the Plata on the 11th May from Seville. Is anyone else planning to begin around that time ?. I know it’s almost summer and it will be very warm. Am I mad or will others also be on the trail at this time .

I too will walk VDLP in a year or so. But I plan on starting that one on about March 1. Don't like even the hint of big here. My friend walked it in Sept-October last year and he said he had plenty of days of 45C+. He had to be off by 1:00PM at the latest. Get one of those umbrellas that the sun reflects off. I forget what they are called but I think it would be valuable for you. Safety first.
There aren't that many facilities of course. I think between Gronze.com and if you would like either getting the Wise Pilgrim book or app. I like the apps for less weight. Have used wise pilgrim and Gronze and they work well for me. Wise Pilgrim also has a downloadable GPS on the app. Comes in really handy looking for albergues off the camino or navigating through bigger towns and cities and of course in case you are lost. There is also an updated Gerald Kelly guide for 2019. I have never used Kelly but based on comments people seem to be pretty happy with his books. Good luck, drink lots of water and keep your sunscreen on!
Also you really need to plan because there seems to be alot of long stages without any services so check everything out ahead of time. Buen Camino

 

[John Sikora]

I’m walking the VDLP right now (in Mérida). I know it is very early in the walk but so far the biggest thing I see is that there has been (as others ha e stated) very few towns along the stages and very very little shade. The though of walking this is the summer really gives me pause.

 

[Martin.P]

I am starting from Sevilla on the 4th of May. I am planning on taking it slow, so you might catch up with me. The temperatures are up, it’s definitly going to be hot!

Hi Gwenda,

Leaving on the 4th?

You’ll be hearing my bell early morning.

Buen Camino & safe as u go,
M.

 

[nycwalking]

Buen camino.

 

[Pilger99]

My friend walked it in Sept-October last year and he said he had plenty of days of 45C+.

When exactly and where? For sure it was hot sometimes, but that value is too far away from the truth.

It's relatively easy to check the real temperatures on various websites. So I did.
2018 September 1, 2 and 23, 24 had been as warm as 38,8°C in Seville. Badajoz had 39,6°C on September 1st, while most other days it was a little bit cooler than Seville.
September 3 was 29°C though and October 18 was only 18°C maximum for Seville which is suspected to be one of the hottest places of Spain. They messured 45,2°C once in 2016. Don't get it wrong "índice de calor" más alto (47,4°C) is called heat index in english, so it never happend in real life. see yourself: http://www.tiempoensevilla.es/wxcurecords.php
As you can also see the hottest hours have been late afternoon (4-6pm), I guess that is one reason to have the Siesta at least from 2:30-5pm.

Caceres never reached the 38°C mark in September 2018.
I also checked the waether more north. Salamanca had only one day with 39,1°C and a second with 37,7°C in 2018. September never went above 33°C and October already brought 8°C as maximm of the day.

 

[Deleted member 397]

I too will walk VDLP in a year or so. But I plan on starting that one on about March 1. Don't like even the hint of big here. My friend walked it in Sept-October last year and he said he had plenty of days of 45C+. He had to be off by 1:00PM at the latest. Get one of those umbrellas that the sun reflects off. I forget what they are called but I think it would be valuable for you. Safety first.
There aren't that many facilities of course. I think between Gronze.com and if you would like either getting the Wise Pilgrim book or app. I like the apps for less weight. Have used wise pilgrim and Gronze and they work well for me. Wise Pilgrim also has a downloadable GPS on the app. Comes in really handy looking for albergues off the camino or navigating through bigger towns and cities and of course in case you are lost. There is also an updated Gerald Kelly guide for 2019. I have never used Kelly but based on comments people seem to be pretty happy with his books. Good luck, drink lots of water and keep your sunscreen on!
Also you really need to plan because there seems to be alot of long stages without any services so check everything out ahead of time. Buen Camino

I've walked august to late september several times and never had it over 40...in fact further north it was freezing and i wore everything i had. I carried no morethan 1litre of w a ter

 

[lt56ny]

I've walked august to late september several times and never had it over 40...in fact further north it was freezing and i wore everything i had. I carried no morethan 1litre of w a ter

That's why as John Lennon said: You know, you know, you never know! You know?

 

[Gwenda]

Hi Gwenda,

Leaving on the 4th?

You’ll be hearing my bell early morning.

Buen Camino & safe as u go,
M.

I’ll keep my ears open! Buen Camino!

 

[jony jony]

I have just stopped for the day in Canaveral ( just north of Caséres ) and the temperature at the moment is 28 deg ...preview for 29 degs at 1600hrs . I started from Seville in a thermal vest and waterproof coat . The past 3 days have been in the high 20s so a nice improvement . Many more pilgrims than last year so far ( Valdesalor albergue full last night ).....( Aljucén albergue full the night before ) .
Ohhhhh i do hope this is not the start of a bed race


..

 

[smileey]

I like walking in the heat. I will start on 16/5 from Seville. In 2017 I walked from Lisbon in extreme heat but body got used to it. I found myself in a little trouble on CP because of deadly bushfire I was in isolated areas at the time and had to walk faster and longer to keep head of fires and smoke. I never thought about fires on any other Camino so I hope not to worry on this one.

 

[devenney1]

Not mad at all. I leave on Wednesday May 1 from Seville and am enjoying the sunshine as we speak.

Change of plan Sandra. I now fly into Seville on 18th May, Saturday and will begin next day Sunday. Hope your walk is going well. I am a bit nervous now that the commitment is made. Buen Camino.

 

[Sandra Riordan]

Change of plan Sandra. I now fly into Seville on 18th May, Saturday and will begin next day Sunday. Hope your walk is going well. I am a bit nervous now that the commitment is made. Buen Camino.

Walk is going well we are now in Alcuescar absolutely loved Mérida make sure you have a rest day there. Buen Camino