Weather in May

[gillandpete]

Hi

We are walking the camino in the middle of May 2012 from Astorga to Santiago. Has anyone walked this time of year before along the part of the route?? If so, what was the weather like? I know it can be tempremental but is is cold do we need coats or just a light fleece? We are planning on taking ponchos as expecting rain at some point.
Any advice welcome
Thanks

 

[Deleted member 3000]

There were three days in May 2011 with a low temperature below 40 degrees F (Leon), so it may be chilly. You probably will have enough layers to handle it -- t-shirt, shirt, fleece, windbreaker, and poncho. Use as many as you need!

 

[Javier]

Hello from city Pamplona.-
The month of May is a month usually great, nice to make El Camino.-
Suerte.-

 

[jennysa]

Hi

We are walking the camino in the middle of May 2012 from Astorga to Santiago. Has anyone walked this time of year before along the part of the route?? If so, what was the weather like? I know it can be tempremental but is is cold do we need coats or just a light fleece? We are planning on taking ponchos as expecting rain at some point.
Any advice welcome
Thanks

I walked it in May this year and had superb weather. I had a very light fleece, a long-sleeved light top and a light-weight wind-proof, rain-proof jacket and that was more than sufficient. I only used the jacket for starting off in the mornings. I carried a poncho as well and wore it for 30 minutes on 1 day only. If I did it again in May I would carry exactly the same. What I regretted most was not taking a pair of cropped pants to change into in the afternoons as it gets much warmer the closer you get to Santiago.

 

[tyrrek]

Yes, it was really nice this year. I had a light rain jacket, which I only wore once or twice. I also had a light fleece, which was good for the evenings. Most of the time I was walking in a t-shirt and shorts.

Even if it rains it can be a very fine drizzle, which is quite refreshing!

 

[Deleted member 3000]

For me it is rare that I am cold when walking. In the evening, though, albergues can be cold, so keep that in mind when packing. I swapped out wool blend gloves for neoprene gloves, and they were much better in the rain. However, neoprene is a bit too warm in the summer. Wet gloves in warm weather are not bad, but wet gloves when it is cold are worse than nothing. So neoprene gloves are not useful in the summer. Socks can serve as gloves if you want to avoid carrying a "contingent" item in warm weather.

 

[tyrrek]

Falcon

Are you joking? Gloves in May?! They never crossed my mind before, during or after.

Keith

 

[peregrina2000]

Well, I'll agree with Falcon. I walked the Vdlp in May 2010, and up until Merida at least, it was very chilly in the morning, even cold. I was very happy to have had my very small short lambswool gloves for those first few weeks.

I would use socks in a pinch, but the thing to remember about most of the socks we wear, they are not 100% wool. And wool gloves in a cold wet Galician rain can make all the difference. It was outside Melide, years ago, where I learned that wool doesn't lose its warming properties in the rain, unlike all the synthetics.

 

[tyrrek]

Hi Peregrina

This genuinely surprises me, but I guess it demonstrates how variable the weather can be! I started the Astorga-SdC stretch in mid-May this year and never even considered having to wear long trousers never mind gloves. I do agree there can be a bit of a chill early morning and evening, though.

I'm from Northern Britain, though, where we don't wear gloves after February.

 

[fraluchi]

We are walking the camino in the middle of May 2012 from Astorga to Santiago. Has anyone walked this time of year before along the part of the route??

Yes we did, and not only once!
There is no prediction possible during this time of the year as far as weather is concerned. Early in your walk you will be passing the highest altitudes of the Camino Francés (Cruz de Ferro 1.495 m. - Alto de Cerezales 1.508 m. - O'Cebreiro 1.286 m and Alto do Poio 1.334 m.) where windshear can make you shiver during your walk and temperatures can be really cold during mornings and evenings. On the other hand, spring weather is also unpredictable as far as rain is concerned, although you may find that for several days the world couldn't be lovelier! In any case you must plan for some rainy days with strong winds, muddy tracks and chilly evenings. Galicia is supposed to be the rainiest province of Spain, so better be ready rather than eventually sorry.
Buen Camino!