Camino starting mid January 2015?

[Simon Shum]

Help -- I like to do any camino in mid January 2015 for six weeks or two months to Santiago (or half way). After reading a lot from this forum, it seems caminos around Malaga, Granada, Seville, Almeria are snow-free (hope not too much rain or flood?) are do-able, any suggestions or experience? I love to spend two three days in Granada and Seville to enjoy the cities, cathedrals, architecture, etc. This will be my fourth camino (C.F., Porto, and San Salvador+Primitivo). Any suggestions? I don't mind doing these southern camino for a few weeks, then come back in May/June 2015 with my wife to do the VdLP or C. Madrid.

Also is the Camino Norte can be enjoyed in mid January too? I am 61 and not too crazy walking long hours in cold weather (even though I could walk in -20C in Canadian winter!)
Thanks.
Simon

 

[nalod]

I have walked in early part of year from both Granada and Seville to Santiago and on to Finisterre.

You will have company on the Seville route, some people maybe not a lot. It is most likely that you will have no one on Granada route. The weather on both routes will be similar. One year I walked in February in 20 deg C with little rain, another year I had rain for five weeks. You have to cross streams - rivers on both routes but more so on the Granada route. If there is a lot of rain they will be impassable. On the Granada there are virtually no Albergues so you will have to use Hostels (good value for 25e room to yourself) but cost does mount up. After about two weeks the Granada route meets the main Via de la Plata in Merida, then you will have company and more albergues.

Both routes are beautiful, you can check my blog for some pictures of the Seville route.

If you need any specific information you can pm me.

Regards Dermot

 

[mikevasey]

I have seen a video of someone starting from Irun on the Norte on the 1st Jan. It looked very wet and very muddy, you would end up walking on even more asphalt to avoid the crazy off road sections the Norte throws up every now and then.
I am doing a Camino in January and have a flight into Madrid on the 1st, I have 20 days but I am angling for another 7. For me personally I would rather walk in cold wet/snow( not the Norte) than temperate very wet(which I guess is the opposite of what you want) so that takes out starting quite far south and probably the Portugues as well. My options seem to be the Frances from Leon to Muxia, Salamanca to Finisterre or if I get the extra days start walking from Madrid and see how far I get.

If you do start in the very far South in Malaga or Cadiz you will not have to worry about the Cold, but if you start in Almeria then Snow will be a problem until you get past Granada, the route runs along the base of the northern side of the Sierra Nevada mountains and is at more than 1000 metres altitude for stretches. There is some excellent accounts of people starting from Seville last January on this forum, if you find them it seems like they had a great time even with the problems they encountered in walking at that time of year.

Good Luck and Buen Camino

Mike

 

[Simon Shum]

I have walked in early part of year from both Granada and Seville to Santiago and on to Finisterre.

You will have company on the Seville route, some people maybe not a lot. It is most likely that you will have no one on Granada route. The weather on both routes will be similar. One year I walked in February in 20 deg C with little rain, another year I had rain for five weeks. You have to cross streams - rivers on both routes but more so on the Granada route. If there is a lot of rain they will be impassable. On the Granada there are virtually no Albergues so you will have to use Hostels (good value for 25e room to yourself) but cost does mount up. After about two weeks the Granada route meets the main Via de la Plata in Merida, then you will have company and more albergues.

Both routes are beautiful, you can check my blog for some pictures of the Seville route.

If you need any specific information you can pm me.

Regards Dermot

Hi Dermot, thanks for your information, and the pictures you took for the camino are simply amazing! I am going through a lot of postings on this forum, very useful. I enjoy solitude and meditative walks, but eating every meals by myself for 10 or 15 days, and no pilgrims to talk to in the evening is something else! I might just start from Seville or start in March or April.
Buen Camino!
Simon

 

[Simon Shum]

I have seen a video of someone starting from Irun on the Norte on the 1st Jan. It looked very wet and very muddy, you would end up walking on even more asphalt to avoid the crazy off road sections the Norte throws up every now and then.
I am doing a Camino in January and have a flight into Madrid on the 1st, I have 20 days but I am angling for another 7. For me personally I would rather walk in cold wet/snow( not the Norte) than temperate very wet(which I guess is the opposite of what you want) so that takes out starting quite far south and probably the Portugues as well. My options seem to be the Frances from Leon to Muxia, Salamanca to Finisterre or if I get the extra days start walking from Madrid and see how far I get.

If you do start in the very far South in Malaga or Cadiz you will not have to worry about the Cold, but if you start in Almeria then Snow will be a problem until you get past Granada, the route runs along the base of the northern side of the Sierra Nevada mountains and is at more than 1000 metres altitude for stretches. There is some excellent accounts of people starting from Seville last January on this forum, if you find them it seems like they had a great time even with the problems they encountered in walking at that time of year.

Good Luck and Buen Camino

Mike

Hi Mike, thanks for your advice! I was actually planning to start in Almeria -- now I am kind of having second thought because of possibility of snow in the mountain! The benefit of starting in Almeria is that I could visit Granada (and Alhambra). Or I could start in Malaga, like you mentioned, to get away from the cold, all the way to Cordoba, then bus to Seville, and start from there to see more pilgrims and albergues. I am also assuming there would be regular bus services between Cordoba and Seville?
By the way, in some of the pictures posted in this forum, I saw some people wearing down-fill vest or jacket (in March and April), do it get that cold in the evening? Thanks.
Buen Camino!
Simon

 

[mikevasey]

If you are really thinking about Almeria then contact these guys first www.almeriajacobea.blogspot.com. they may be able to give you local knowledge which could be more promising than what I have written.
There is a direct train from Cordoba to Seville, the train station in Cordoba is about 15 minutes walk from messquita, regional and Interregional trains both use the route, regional can be half the price but take twice as long.
Unless its summer( or a heatwave) then most nights can get cold on most routes. Take a down vest if you have one, or a warm midlayer. One of the forum members Johnnie Walker posted on here his kit for last January in starting from Seville, I remember he had two lots of leggings, so posts like that can help you, he had experience in walking at that time of the year, so he was going with what he knew he needed.

 

[LTfit]

I have a series of posts with pictures of my Camino from Sevilla-Salamanca which I did last February (check under the 'Live' thread). It will give you an idea of what you may encounter - LOTS of steam crossings!
As you have read in my other posts, I did Granada-Mérida in September. I personally would not suggest the Mozárabe in the winter. I can't imagine going through all those olive groves in the rain!
We were 5 starting out from Sevilla in February and the last 10 days were spent with one other pilgrim. March and April are very busy months on the Plata from what fellow Hospitaleros have told me.

 

[Camino Addict]

Hi Simon, if you're still doing the VdlP at the beginning of this year, we may come across you, as my lady friend and I will be starting in Seville in the beginning of February.

Buen Camino!

 

[LarsE]

Help -- I like to do any camino in mid January 2015 for six weeks or two months to Santiago (or half way). After reading a lot from this forum, it seems caminos around Malaga, Granada, Seville, Almeria are snow-free (hope not too much rain or flood?) are do-able, any suggestions or experience? I love to spend two three days in Granada and Seville to enjoy the cities, cathedrals, architecture, etc. This will be my fourth camino (C.F., Porto, and San Salvador+Primitivo). Any suggestions? I don't mind doing these southern camino for a few weeks, then come back in May/June 2015 with my wife to do the VdLP or C. Madrid.

Also is the Camino Norte can be enjoyed in mid January too? I am 61 and not too crazy walking long hours in cold weather (even though I could walk in -20C in Canadian winter!)
Thanks.
Simon

Hello Simon, I just did the first part of the via de la Plata from Sevilla to Caceres, about 280 km by bike, starting on new years eve. It was a beautiful but lonely experience, meeting only 4 pilgrims on the way. I was cold in the morning but I was lucky with sun and clear skies every day. Pensions and albergues were open. The trail is well marked by now. I would do it again. Check my pictures on the photos pages. Buen Camino!