Camino Invierno in winter

[Sophie Luise]

I'm thinking about walking the Camino Invierno in February and I have a few questions:
Are there enough albergues or other affordable places to sleep this time of the year?
What do you think the weather will be like? Should I expect snow?
How many days would you recommend (starting in Ponferrada)?
Any recommendations what kind of clothes and other gear to bring (compared to a summer Camino)?

I'm thankful for any kind of advice!!

 

[peregrina2000]

Hi, Sophie, Welcome to the Forum! We have a happy little band of Invierno veterans who are always quick to jump in and answer questions. I would start with two things. Scroll through the Invierno subforum and take a look at the threads with lots of advice and recommendations. I assume that's easy to find and you have access to it, but just in case you are as tech-challenged as I am, here is the link to get you to the top of that subforum. https://www.caminodesantiago.me/community/forums/camino-de-invierno.79/
Look particularly for posts by ChinaSky, who is the one recent pilgrim I remember who walked in winter last year.

The other thing is to look at the forum guide put together by us Invierno fans. I am right now working on updating it for 2018 and may be done with a new edition by the time you leave, but the changes I am finding so far are more involving things like changed opening hours, bar and restaurant availability, a few new lodging recommendations, etc. That guide is here and can be downloaded. It will give lots of suggestions for stages, accommodation, etc. https://www.caminodesantiago.me/community/resources/camino-de-invierno-2017-edition.535/

As far as gear, you should go prepared for cold and snow, I would think, though I am not sure how much you will actually get. Just bring what you would bring if you were walking any of the Northern caminos in winter, I know there are threads with gear suggestions for walking the Francés in winter, and I think those recommendations would apply to you as well.

Happy to help if we can, so just let us know. Buen camino, Laurie

 

[Rebekah Scott]

Expect lots of MUD. You´re following along a river a good bit of the way, lots of wooded tracks... lots of MUD. Gaiters recommended!

 

[Momonne]

For weather you might expect: weatherspark.com

Pictures from today show lots of grass in O Barco while another post shows quite a bit of snow, but doesn’t specify where along the Invierno.


Beautiful pictures as well of the castle of Cornatel on January 11th with a dusting of snow.

 

[Ribeirasacra]

Weather is totally unpredictable. We have had very warm weather in Galicia during February and we have had cats and dogs.

 

[Sophie Luise]

Thank you everyone, especially Laurie, for your detailed reply! It helped me a lot!

 

[ranthr]

Sophie Luise, On the facebook page Camino de Invierno, Pilgrim Robin who is walking the camino just now reports from her camino with text and pictures every day!

 

[peregrina2000]

John and Robin's blog. https://agoodwalkunspoiled.blog. Beautiful pictures, and they even came across some other peregrinos.