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Do I need rain gear in April and May on the Via de la Plata. What kind of sleeping gear I need?

J

Julio Rivera

New Member
Time of past OR future Camino
Camino Francés, Camino Inglés, Camino Portugués, Camino Primitivo, Camino del Norte, Camino Aragonés
Hello:
I got two questions:
1. Do I need rain gear for the Via de la Plata on the months of April and May?
2. How cold it is to sleep at the albergues. I am bringing a lightweight cotton Coolmax sleeping blanket but I am not sure if it is warm enough. Any ideas? I am in the United States so it must be something that I can buy locally or from Amazon.com
Thank you.
 
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I haven't done the Via de la Plata, but I would bring rain gear for any Camino in any season. My friend just recently received this poncho from Amazon, and it looks like it will be great for the Camino. At 9.5 ounces it's pretty lightweight, and has a full zip front, which make it easier to put on, and provides ventilation when needed.

It also comes in a lot of different colors and patterns. I did notice that there are a couple that are slightly different, with snap front that may have a different weight.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B075J7NJV2/?tag=casaivar02-20
 
Altus ANDES 400 H30 sleeping bag
Down bag (90/10 duvet) of 700 fills with 180 g (6.34 ounces) of filling. Mummy-shaped structure, ideal when you are looking for lightness with great heating performance.

€149,-
My Via de la Plata started end of April and a silk liner was enough for me most nights. I did not bring a sleepingbag for the first time at this camino but brought a rescue blanket 1,60x210, which I always carry with me skiing in winter, it is some kind of metal folie, weighs nothing and help a victim to retain body temperature.
It helped me the couple of nights the linen was not enough. Nearly cost nothing as well.
Raingear, YES, there were days, with very heavy rain, lots of mud (gaters). But weather is not easy to tell.
 

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I walk Via de la Plata last april and may. Left Sevilla on april 7. I used a puncho for water protection and next time i would bring gaters too.

I had a light sleeping back and at time it was a little fresh. You have to realise that when we leave Sevilla the temperture is nice. But the more you go to the north the colder it get. We got freezing rain and saw snow on the ground. We have met people that walk in 2 inchs of snow along the way. ...

With climate change you can face many surprise along the way.
 
I had a cold walk in April last year, but it was fairly unusual for the regiobn, a mere 10 degrees centigrade off...
Never discount raingear on any Camino, is my advice....
 
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You will need rain gear for any Camino you do and I would rec if you have a poncho to also bring light weight rain pants. The rain pants could give you another layer if it gets real cold and doesn't weigh much. i have only used a light weight sleep sack for 2 spring Caminos and 3 fall ones.
 

I forgot to say that my girl friend was sleeping with all her cloths because of the cold in certain areas of Vdlp.

I let you decide what to bring in april on Vdlp...
 
Bring rain gear!

I walked the VDLP April/May too. One Korean lady dumped her sleeping bag early on as it was hot, and she regretted this. I had to give her all my spare clothes at night so she could sleep warm! I would take a lightweight sleeping bag (I did and I needed it too).

Davey
 
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I have walked the VDLP twice from mid April and have taken my down sleeping bag and Goretex rain jacket on both.
In fact I take them on all my caminos.
 
It is not an overkill to be prepared for daytime temperatures ranging from 10s to upper 20s.
Remarkably, I only remember one very cold, and one very wet days.


 
Haven’t done via de la plata. But have entered Galicia 4 times from two different directions in spring and in autumn. It rained every time.
 
Altus Poncho (ATMOSPHERIC H30)
Very light, comfortable and compressible poncho. Specially designed for protection against water for any activity.

Our Atmospheric H30 poncho offers lightness and waterproofness. Easily compressible and made with our Waterproof fabric, its heat-sealed interior seams guarantee its waterproofness. Includes carrying bag.

€60,-
Yes, it will rain and did rain quite a bit on my walk from Seville to Salamanca in May this year. And it was a cold, cold rain. I always take a poncho. Also, the VDLP is large measure (when it's not running along highways) runs through fields that seem to be composed of soft powder like clay which becomes the most amazing glue to your shoes when it rains. Unlike the Frances which has more gravel roads, the first half of the VDLP seems to run more through fields with the associated mud tracks in any kind of rain.
 
I completed the VdlP last April/May: Rain will happen, it always does. As for sleeping I use a double cotton fitted sheet and airline blankets, sleep in my clothes when I have to. There are some really crappy Albergues, like Grimaldi with windowless dorms and there are some great ones, just like every other Camino.
 
Definitely take rain gear. I took a waterproof jacket and trousers. One day (late April this year) it even snowed.
As for sleeping, I took a lightweight sleeping bag (1-2season, 500g) and a silk liner. I was still really cold several nights. Many hostels on the VdlP have blankets, but not always enough to go around. A number of hostels also have sheets and even duvets - relative luxury compared with the Frances!
Have fun. It was a great time of year to walk.
 
Camino Preparation Guide
The focus is on reducing the risk of failure through being well prepared. 2nd ed.
I walked last April and May and got bitterly cold. It snowed 2 days as well. So, yes rains gear is essential plus a warm sleeping bag. My sleeping bag covers temperatures from 6 degrees and I was warm enough. Not all albergues provide de blankets
 
Rain protection essential as rain unpredictable at that time of year. Personal view would be to walk in shorts on wet days rather than carrying waterproof trousers. Tend to get hot and condensation damp in them and my legs don’t feel the cold at that time of year. Good luck.
 
 
Altus 24 Liters daypack (DENON 24 H30)
Technical backpack for day trips with backpack cover and internal compartment for the hydration bladder. Ideal daypack for excursions where we need a medium capacity backpack. The back with Air Flow System creates large air channels that will keep our back as cool as possible.

€83,-

I walked VdLP April/May 2018. The sun gods were smiling down on me, as I experienced very little rain, and managed to get by without a proper rain coat easily. However, I bought one at the Decathlon outside Zamora, and was glad I did. I only needed it for rain a couple of times, but it was cold in Galicia, and I was glad for the extra warmth.

I was also glad to have a light sleeping bag, for comfort and warmth, the whole walk.

Buen camino!
 
Only walked VdLP in September. Temperature was okay but I sleep warm. Several days of horizontal rain. Glad for my Altus poncho, old Golite rainpants, and all my gear in waterproof baggies.
I have gotten less wet in river raft upsets.
Raingear--yes.
Sleepingbag--YMMV
 
Hi there. Good luck with your Camino. We live 100 km north of Seville, quite close to the route of the Camino so are very familiar with the weather. You should definitely expect to get rained on, especially earlier in April. The other side of the coin is that night-time temperatures should have risen by then making a lightweight cotton blanket sufficient to keep you warm. Buen Camino.
 
Altus ANDES 400 H30 sleeping bag
Down bag (90/10 duvet) of 700 fills with 180 g (6.34 ounces) of filling. Mummy-shaped structure, ideal when you are looking for lightness with great heating performance.

€149,-
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