Via de la Plata Oct/Nov ?

[SushiNinja]

Hi all,
I'm considering going for the via de la plata, starting from Seville in late October and walking for about 2 weeks.
I'm wondering.... Is the weather likely to be good enough? Will there be enough hostels etc. still open? (or do most close for the winter?)
Many thanks all !
Cole

 

[Tincatinker]

If you like your walking weather on the chilly side and don't mind a bit of rain or snow it's a good time to walk. More comfortable than the summer heat.

You'll find www.gronze.com a great resource for all accommodation along the Plata including info on opening and closing dates.

 

[Nick MJ]

I walked from Seville in November in 2015 - it was perfect walking weather for an Englishman - not too hot but with a fair bit of sunshine. It was also completely dry which was exceptionally lucky. The advice I would give is to plan your accommodation ahead if possible and not leave it to chance - I spent a hour outside one hostel waiting for it to open because I was the only guest and it needed a fair number of phone calls to find someone with a key! I doubt that they would have opened if I had turned up without a reservation.

 

[Vince1958]

I was planning to start the VDLP last week but, due to health issues I have to postpone. Options for me right now are Camino Madrid in November [joining up with the CDF into Santiago] or to go ahead with the VDLP as previously planned. The clock is against me though; I need to be back in London for the 9th December at the latest. So [at last] my questions are:- is the Silver Way 'do-able' in 6 weeks? And if so - will the weather be a challenge? Or should I stick with the Camino Madrid/CDF option?

 

[trecile]

I was planning to start the VDLP last week but, due to health issues I have to postpone. Options for me right now are Camino Madrid in November [joining up with the CDF into Santiago] or to go ahead with the VDLP as previously planned. The clock is against me though; I need to be back in London for the 9th December at the latest. So [at last] my questions are:- is the Silver Way 'do-able' in 6 weeks? And if so - will the weather be a challenge? Or should I stick with the Camino Madrid/CDF option?

I haven't done the VdlP yet, but if you follow the Gronze stages it looks like it can be done in 36 days. https://www.gronze.com/via-plata

 

[C clearly]

I was planning to start the VDLP last week but, due to health issues I have to postpone. Options for me right now are Camino Madrid in November [joining up with the CDF into Santiago] or to go ahead with the VDLP as previously planned. The clock is against me though; I need to be back in London for the 9th December at the latest. So [at last] my questions are:- is the Silver Way 'do-able' in 6 weeks? And if so - will the weather be a challenge? Or should I stick with the Camino Madrid/CDF option?

I walked from Seville to Astorga, but am planning do the Sanabres part soon. As someone who prefers to keep my stages under 30 km/day, I would expect to walk 25 days to Zamora and then 19 days to Santiago - at least 44 days in total. That doesn't include any rest days. So, yes it can be done in 6 weeks, but I would personally plan for 7 weeks. It depends on how strong a walker you are and whether you are willing to use transport occasionally. Alternatively you could start in Merida, which would save about 10 days at my pace.

 

[Bunclody1]

I was planning to start the VDLP last week but, due to health issues I have to postpone. Options for me right now are Camino Madrid in November [joining up with the CDF into Santiago] or to go ahead with the VDLP as previously planned. The clock is against me though; I need to be back in London for the 9th December at the latest. So [at last] my questions are:- is the Silver Way 'do-able' in 6 weeks? And if so - will the weather be a challenge? Or should I stick with the Camino Madrid/CDF option?

Hi Vince, VDLP is doable in that time. I started on August 29th and finished in Finisterre yesterday, September 5th. I was out of action for 2 days also with a tummy bug. Be prepared for a good few 30/40k days. It was a great experience and well worth the effort, go for it !
John

 

[Azelia]

I was planning to start the VDLP last week but, due to health issues I have to postpone. Options for me right now are Camino Madrid in November [joining up with the CDF into Santiago] or to go ahead with the VDLP as previously planned. The clock is against me though; I need to be back in London for the 9th December at the latest. So [at last] my questions are:- is the Silver Way 'do-able' in 6 weeks? And if so - will the weather be a challenge? Or should I stick with the Camino Madrid/CDF option?

Hi Vince, YES 6 weeks is doable. We are in Albeguria -140km to SdC on VdLP. Take a look at Youren2010 and Perigrina2000 - they did nice work in detailing their journey/stages. Also you may want to download Wise Pilgrim apps. It gives summary of whether a town/village / hamlet has accommodation, bar etc so you can decide how far you want to walk for the day. Do note that there are stretches with NO services - bring lunch, water etc. Ultreria