Camino Winter or Spring 2013

[jad77]

Hi,

I'm planning on walking the Camino in early 2013. I have a few questions:

1. I'm trying to decide between starting in the end of January or end or March. I know January will be colder, but by much ? Is it worth waiting until late March. I am torn between solitude and hardship, and milder weather and a little more company on the road.

If I do go in the dead of winter, any advice? I live in a place with a climate like Switzerland so I am used to cold weather. It is the cold nights in an auberge, and the driving rain for several days in a row - never being able to get dry, and then getting sick that worry me. I supposed a really good sleeping bag and rain gear could remedy that.

2. I had planned on doing the Camino Frances, if I go in winter would it make sense to do the Spanish or the Portugese Camino?

3. I'll be a woman traveling alone, I hear the camino is very safe, but should I wait until March when there are more people walking for safety reasons?

4. I used to travel on my own quite a bit, I lived in Japan for 8 years, backpacked around India, Africa, and Asia, for a couple of years on my own mostly, but that was in my early 30s. I am now an old married lady in my mid 40's living in the US suburbs, and am out of shape, and a bit more cautious now. Any suggestions for quelling the self doubt as to whether I can hack the hardship (and symphony of snores in the auberges)?

Thank you for any word of advice.

 

[tyrrek]

Hi Jad!

You'll be pretty safe if you take the usual precautions; be aware especially in major towns. Whatever time of year you walk you'll find company if you want it, and you'll be as safe as anywhere else even walking alone.

How much do you want hardship? As far as I know the Camino is passable all year (one way or the other) but in mid winter the higher points may have snow etc. Even in March that may be the case.

Things like drying clothes can make a big difference to your mood and experience. There's a thin line between feeling like a pilgrim and feeling like a tramp! Ha ha!

Have a great time (I'd suggest in March).

Buen Camino!

 

[sillydoll]

Margaret (our Forum member) always walks in winter and has done at least 7 Caminos in winter.
She is walking the Camino Frances now but I"m sure will pick up on this thread when she logs in.

Wilna Wilkinson walked in winter and wrote a book about her pilgrimage in "The Way of Stars and Stones".

I haven't walked in early spring or in winter but am inclined to think that early March would be worse than January mainly because early spring can be unpredictable, wet, sludgy, stormy etc.

You can check out the "Walking in winter" and 'Walking in Spring" posts on my blog.
They overlap a bit because winter in the north of Spain lasts much longer than further south and spring comes much later. So you will see that Winter lingers until almost end of April (there can be snow even in May).

http://amawalker.blogspot.com/2009/10/w ... inter.html

http://amawalker.blogspot.com/2009/04/w ... pring.html

 

[tyrrek]

March this year was great. Unpredictable (it could be either hot sun or cold wind), but no muddy horror. Buen Camino!

 

[jad77]

THANK YOU! Camino Winter or Spring 2013

Thank you for your thoughtful band helpful replies in planning my Camino!

 

[robertt]

Some great advice there.

As a winter/spring walker, I can recommend the experience - without guarantees, of course. Sillydoll mentions Margaret (Meredith), aka mspath, who is a cool weather walker with much experience. If you track through her posts or contact her when she is available, you'll find she is a fount of good sense and info.

I found quiet albergues and cheap private accommodation all along the Frances in winter. The company is much rarer, but friendships can be closer. I'm projecting something like Le Puy - Arles - Puente la Reina for my next Camino, and it'll be in the cool again, although the Regordane Way from Le Puy may be awkward to pass in winter. (The Aubrac Plateau, at the start of the Chemin du Puy, was no fun in the cold, but I look back on the experience now with special fondness.)

And what's a Camino without some nerves and self-doubt? Gotta have all that.

Excited for you, jad

Rob