Mark Petersen
New Member
- Time of past OR future Camino
- Francés 2014
Norte/Primitivo 2015
VLDP 2016
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Thanks everyone for your comments and for sharing your experiences. I get up early so will likely leave at 5 and try to do most of my walking before noon if I do this route.
I did the Via de la Plata last August. I had the same idea to beat the heat by starting early in the morning, but you have to remember that it does not get light out until about 7-8am. The Via de la Plata is much more desolate and not marked as clearly as the Frances, so it will not be so easy to navigate in the dark. Don't worry, however, your body will adjust to the heat-just carry plenty of water. You can spend an extra day in Seville to help get acclimated, too. It is a beautiful hike and you will love it, Buen Camino!
Roderick
I see you are from Canada and although you have experienced the summer in Sevilla I doubt you really understand what the 45 degree days will entail. You will need to adjust your pack weight to around 8-9 kg before water and you will need at least 2 and on many days 3 litres. I would also have a look at the suggested root stages - there are a number of days when 25-30 km is suggested. So you are going to need to start as early as possible - carry a head torch and start around 5.30 am. We had a post about this some months ago and the poster said that when necessary they stopped for 2 or 3 hours in middle of the day (took a siesta) and finished later in the day. Also have a look at the accommodation available (I will try to find the link and post separately) - you will find that many of the albergue are closed during this period so you may need alternative accommodation.
As reported above do not expect to see any person on the Camino. Also how is your Spanish? If poor may I suggest you do a crash course during the coming months as away from the major towns/cities there is not a lot of English spoken. I would also recommend that you schedule at two rest days - say in Merida and Salamance and maybe Ourense (if time permits). So buen Camino.
PS/BTW take an unlocked mobile and get a Spanish SIM so that you can ring ahead to book accommodation as necessary.
I'll be on the VDLP starting 9/16. I'm living in Texas where we see a lot of 38° days in summer. I hope training in similar conditions to Andalucia will get me ready. One problem for me will be that I will be train on mostly flat terrain. I found a training program online that includes a lot of core and lower body strengthening exercises and suggestions for treadmill incline. Will see if 3.5 L of water will be enough to walk several hours. As I understand , there are often no water sources between towns on vdlp.
Howdy from another Texan who is planning to walk the VDLP starting in mid-September.I'll be on the VDLP starting 9/16. I'm living in Texas where we see a lot of 38° days in summer. I hope training in similar conditions to Andalucia will get me ready. One problem for me will be that I will be train on mostly flat terrain. I found a training program online that includes a lot of core and lower body strengthening exercises and suggestions for treadmill incline. Will see if 3.5 L of water will be enough to walk several hours. As I understand , there are often no water sources between towns on vdlp.
We walked from Sevilla to Santiago starting on July 21 2011. I have written a book on our walk called Tortoises on the Via de la Plata. I weighed 17stones, I did no training and I was only used to walking 3-5 miles a couple of times a week. It is hot and it is lonely. But you will only need one change of clothes and, after Salamanca, a jumper because it is freezing in Galicia, and carrying 3 litres of water, which is soon drunk, makes your pack very light. Our packs were 5kg plus water. The other thing is to take dried fruit. Do not take salt as has been suggested. We ate some salted peanuts as a snack on the way to Fuente de cantos and nearly died from dehydration. If you like salt you can eat it in the evening. It is sugar that gives you the boost you need.Yes, I know it will be super hot. But the summer window is the only one I've got. I walked the Francés last summer, then went to Sevilla for a week so I am familiar with how hot the south can be.
Is there anywhere that will tell me how many peregrinos are on the way at that time of year?
Thanks amigos.
Here is the extract from my book regarding eating salt. It is the route from Monasterio to Fuente de Cantos:Yes, I know it will be super hot. But the summer window is the only one I've got. I walked the Francés last summer, then went to Sevilla for a week so I am familiar with how hot the south can be.
Is there anywhere that will tell me how many peregrinos are on the way at that time of year?
Thanks amigos.
A suggestion that you may find helpful is to get a euroschirm hands free umbrella. It's expensive but on the meseta where the temperature is so high and there are few trees, I think it's worth it. I read that this year has been especially hot in southern Spain. I had trouble copying the link but if you google it you can find photos of the set up.
You're quite right. On May 13th & 14th this year two temps record was set on Camino de Levante: 42,9C & 44,4C
Sorry I can't remember the towns where those temperatures were measured
It would be interesting if anyone knows how many started in Seville by month
I am far from fully knowledgeable about this, but from Salamanca north and west is not quite like Seville.
Xátiva and Carcaixent respectively but both of them were measured on May 14th.
I can't provide that data but I can provide data about how many arrived to Santiago de Compostela from Sevilla by month (data from 2014 provided by http://peregrinossantiago.es):
January: 6 (http://peregrinossantiago.es/esp/oficina-del-peregrino/estadisticas/?anio=2014&mes=1)
February: 41 (http://peregrinossantiago.es/esp/oficina-del-peregrino/estadisticas/?anio=2014&mes=2)
March: 28 (http://peregrinossantiago.es/esp/oficina-del-peregrino/estadisticas/?anio=2014&mes=3)
April: 182 (http://peregrinossantiago.es/esp/oficina-del-peregrino/estadisticas/?anio=2014&mes=4)
May: 515 (http://peregrinossantiago.es/esp/oficina-del-peregrino/estadisticas/?anio=2014&mes=5)
June: 489 (http://peregrinossantiago.es/esp/oficina-del-peregrino/estadisticas/?anio=2014&mes=6)
July: 168 (http://peregrinossantiago.es/esp/oficina-del-peregrino/estadisticas/?anio=2014&mes=7)
August: 179 (http://peregrinossantiago.es/esp/oficina-del-peregrino/estadisticas/?anio=2014&mes=8)
September: 214 (http://peregrinossantiago.es/esp/oficina-del-peregrino/estadisticas/?anio=2014&mes=9)
October: 227 (http://peregrinossantiago.es/esp/oficina-del-peregrino/estadisticas/?anio=2014&mes=10)
November: 68 (http://peregrinossantiago.es/esp/oficina-del-peregrino/estadisticas/?anio=2014&mes=11)
December: 15 (http://peregrinossantiago.es/esp/oficina-del-peregrino/estadisticas/?anio=2014&mes=12)
Average high temperatures are lower (e.g.: in Salamanca something like 3ºC lower than in Cáceres) but record temperatures over 40ºC can be found not just in places like Sevilla and Cáceres but also in Ourense (both in July and August), in Zamora (just in July although the record for August is over 39ºC...). In Salamanca the record temperatures are in the highs 39ºC...
Hola - ricit - I have this book (bought back in 2007) he was the first author that got me interested in the Camino. You see from his book that he walked in the May/June/July period and had problems running out of water on a few days.Saint Mike II, I was just reading a book by Tony Kevin titled Walking theCamino, a Modern Pilgrimage to Santiago about his pilgrimage on the Mozarabe. He didn't see many others on his hike but since he knew Spanish he was able to spend time talking to Spaniards. He describes some memorable experiences.
In Cea (Galicia) now. 39 deg to 40 predicted for tomorrow. Don't know what it was today leaving Orense but it was very hot! And very early!The weather is being a bit bonkers anyway.
In Cea (Galicia) now. 39 deg to 40 predicted for tomorrow. Don't know what it was today leaving Orense but it was very hot! And very early!
Weather COMPLETELY bonkers I'd say!
So this is a 'just in case it is useful to someone post'.
Hi MarkThanks Jackie! I bought your book on Amazon and enjoyed reading it very much. You have inspired me!!
Hi Mark
H0w did your VDLP go last year in July/August 2015? I am heading there in late August 2016.
Hola - if its an average/normal Spanish Spring then it will be warm/very warm to hot from Sevilla to (say) Carceres or Galisteo. From there on it won't be much different to walking the Frances in June. Of course rain is less likely until your reach Galicia. So carry at least 1.5 litres of water (two if possible) and top up regularly. I would also suggest planning rest days in (say) Merida (an old Roman town) and of course Salamanca and maybe Ourence (if time permits). There was a post here some time ago from a pilgrim walking in June/July - they started early even before 6.00 (had head torches) and when it was too hot took a two hour rest if they needed to reach a particular town that day. One other thing - brush up on your Spanish and do not expect to see the crowds of the Frances. CheersHI , I am walking the VDLP , starting Mid May . has anyone else started around this time and if so , how did they find the weather conditions ? I have walked 4 other Caminos .
Yes, I know it will be super hot. But the summer window is the only one I've got. I walked the Francés last summer, then went to Sevilla for a week so I am familiar with how hot the south can be.
Is there anywhere that will tell me how many peregrinos are on the way at that time of year?
Thanks amigos.
The distance itself is not hard - it's the hot weather. And there are NO shops along the Embalse until the end. I was fantasizing about ice cream and cans of Aquarius...
I am a little amazed at reading this whole post over several years about people being concerned about the heat and not enough water. Not one mention of replenishing your electrolytes on a regular basis. I live in Texas where the summer temperatures are regularly in the +35 C all of the summer and did my marathon training during these times. It is extremely important to keep your balance of electrolytes ( sodium, potassium, Calcium etc) especially when your sweating and drinking lots of water. These substances dissolved in water are what facilitates electrical conduction charge that runs your body. You really should supplement your water by drinking gatorade (powder mix) or some other electrolyte addition to your water. I usually drink one bottle of gatorade for every 2 bottles of water. Most complaints about extended time in the heat is not always about lack of water but the electric system of the body shutting down.
I forgot to mention electrolytes it also prevents cramping. Bananas, pickles, pickle juice are other excellent additions of potassium.
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