I would love some advice about walking in July. I have completed the CF twice and wanted to start the VDlP but only have three weeks from the beginning of July and maybe this time of the year is not a good idea. There are two of us in our mid 60's - both fit and like the heat. Perhaps we should start something else and open to ideas. We plan to walk every year from now on until we drop.
Hi Lite Traveller!
I started the VdlP on 2nd June 2015 to avoid the July high temperatures and as luck would have it, there was a heatwave! The heat was such in Sevilla (from memory, 36 deg.to start with) that we decided to take a bus and start from Mérida instead.
It can be done, obviously but you’ll need to carry a lot of water (
at least 3 litres). We also had those silver trekking umbrellas and bought re-hydrating powder (I forget the proper name) to add to some of the water. Both life-savers!
I love the heat (my husband doesn’t) but even I didn’t really enjoy it, it was hard work. It is also very difficult to sleep when the temperature at night doesn’t fall below 33 deg.
Before we reached Salamanca, the weather changed and it was raining, 12 deg. and we were cold!
With hindsight, I would personally advise against walking it in July.... Tempting I know when it is your only time-slot but....
I also walked the Via Francigena to Rome in July and it was really bad... but not as bad as the Via de la Plata!
(Sorry! )
PS: I should add that I live in the UK so I don’t have time to get used to high temperatures