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Camino Frances mid March 2018?

S

SMTuppy

New Member
Time of past OR future Camino
March 2018
Hello,
I am planning to walk my first Camino next year and am wondering if it is realistic for me to do so in March? I am travelling from Brisbane, Australia. My specific questions are (1) will the weather be too difficult at that time of year for a "first timer"; and (2) are the hostels along the route all open by then? I am hoping to be able to do this before my daughter's birthday on 25 April hence the need to start earlier in the year. I would prefer to miss the summer season. Many thanks for any help you can give me in making the decision whether to go ahead at this time. Simone
 
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SMTuppy said:
(1) will the weather be too difficult at that time of year for a "first timer"; and (2) are the hostels along the route all open by then?
Click to expand...
I'm assuming that you want to walk the Camino Frances - the popular route from the Pyrenees to Santiago. It is totally do-able. You won't be able to walk over the Napoleon route, which will be closed at least until April 1. The walk from SJPP to Roncesvalles through Valcarlos could also be snowy. You might consider starting in Roncesvalles. Otherwise, just go prepared with layers for all weather possibilities (see many other threads about this) and you will be fine.

Some albergues will still be closed, so don't show up in a tiny village with one albergue and assume it will be open. Just check in advance. There will be albergues open in all the popular stopping places.

Welcome to the forum, and happy planning! The search box in the upper right of the screen will lead you to a huge amount of information and opinions.
 
Hi @SMTuppy and welcome to the forum. I think it is very doable mid-March into April. As the C Clearly says, the Route Napoleon will still be closed. There is nothing sacred about starting in St Jean Pied de Port. Probably Pamplona would fit best with your time scale - you want to be back in Australia by 25 April, and you are talking about starting in mid-March - let's say 5 weeks altogether. It takes a week to get to and from the Camino (from Oz), so that leaves you with about 4 weeks of actual walking.

Even though it is spring in April, it is still early, so I'd prepare as if for a winter camino. Then you can always be pleasantly surprised if the weather is good!

This seems to be the most accurate website to check which albergues are open during the winter months: http://www.aprinca.com/alberguesinvierno/

There are lots of threads with advice about winter caminos - here are a few: https://www.caminodesantiago.me/com...uld-you-do-a-winter-camino.44247/#post-565754
https://www.caminodesantiago.me/community/threads/winter-camino.51020/
https://www.caminodesantiago.me/com...n-closed-1-nov-to-31-march.51469/#post-565314
 
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SMTuppy said:
are the hostels along the route all open by then?
Click to expand...
The ones that close will still be closed. I had about 10 other pilgrims sort of walking with me in March. It was a comfortable number, and a mother/daughter duo from Australia were having a great time. The daughter, about twelve years old, had planned it all, so the mother was "just along for the ride." It got cold, but there was not a lot of rain. In general, the only stops available were the major stops, so it required planning for food, water, and coffee (and a bed). You may want to call ahead to verify that an albergue is open. You may have to call to have a xunta albergue opened. Ask for a key at the local bar first; they may have it. Hospitaleros do not hang around waiting for the possibility of one or two customers, but are willing to be open if they know someone is coming. You can have your host call for you. I did not find that they knew what was open ahead automatically. They are only loosely associated, often more rivals than cooperators. If they tell you that a place is open 5 km ahead, you may decide to keep moving rather than spend the night! Have fun; I did.
 

Hello there. I am planning to walk my first camino (Camino Francés) starting in mid-March as well. Although I haven't done it myself, a friend of mine walked it in 2015. He left SJPdP March 15th, and it took him 34 days. He says the mornings can be quite cool, but it warmed up through the day. Wearing layers is key, and a pair of gloves definitely! I know I haven't walked yet, so maybe I'm not the best one to answer your question, but hopefully this helps! Buen Camino!
 
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Definitely achievable! If you choose to start in SJPDP the Pilgrim’s Office will also hand you a list of Albergues that are open for the winter months. While not always 100% correct, it was pretty darn close. This list combined with any of the standard guidebooks will find you a bed for the night. Bars are everywhere so Pilgrim meals are everywhere too. It will likely be cold and wet so prepare accordingly but once you have the right gear you should be able to be pretty comfortable regardless of conditions. With so few others around it is a magical time to walk the Camino... I hope you will go for it and have a Buen Camino!
 
We have walked in March and April, there are fewer pilgrims and plenty of beds available. We walked in snow for a total of 12 days, and rain most of the other time. We had a total of 6 days of sunshine. Would I do it again having experience this? Absolutely !
 
In March be prepared for all sorts of weather... this year I walked from Astorga to Sarria (16th to 24th), and conditions went literally overnight from slapping on sunscreen and using my buff to mop up sweat to trudging through six inches of snow over O Cebreiro, wearing two buffs, gaiters, and spare socks as emergency mittens! (And I think that was one of my most memorable days on the Camino, it was so quiet and still and beautiful, there were roaring fires in what few bars were open and we were received as intrepid heroes! It was actually fun until conditions worsened after midday and we were caught in a blizzard in Fonfria where absolutely everything was closed up. I knocked on a random door, held out my phone and asked the woman to call us a taxi, which she did. But that was all part of the adventure!)

I think at the very least you need to be prepared for rain and mud, and do research which albergues are open because more than a few will not open until after Easter. And you will need a sleeping bag as it will still be cold at night.

Saying that, it was a really nice time of year to walk. I'd previously (and since) walked in April/May and September/October. I'd walk in March again. And I would remember to take gloves!!!
 
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Lots of mud.
 
Since Easter is April 1 in 2018, I would imagine that additional albergues might be open on the CF holy week??

Buen Camino, Priscilla
 
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Thank you so much for your help!
 
Camino Preparation Guide
The focus is on reducing the risk of failure through being well prepared. 2nd ed.
Brisbane Camino Pilgrims
https://www.meetup.com/en-AU/Brisbane-Camino-Pilgrims/

As noted on the above website, we meet once a month, 6pm on a Wednesday evening, at Ole Restaurant, Southbank. Very informal friendly bunch of past and future pilgrims sharing advice and stories.
We also have a group that goes walking.

We'd love to see you!
Regards
Gerard
 
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SMTuppy - just wanted to shout out - hello! We are departing from Melbourne, spending a couple of days in Paris and planning Day 1 at SJPDP around 19 March next year. First time for us so no advice. We are taking our two sons 11 and 9. The 11 yer old will celebrate his 12th birthday on the Camino. How old is your daughter? We will not be taking sleeping bags so staying in hotels or albergues with private rooms/sheets etc. Perhaps we will bump into each other along the way.

To the opther posters - thank you! I have learned from your replies too.
 
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