Hiking the Camino in April. Advice needed!

[Hh19]

Hi everyone! My brother and I are hiking the Camino in April this year and we are super excited!! Could anyone else who has hiked that month tell me what the weather like? What clothes should we bring? Tent or just sleeping bag? Ad what did you all do as far as food goes? Carrying money? Anything and everything is appreciated. I want to start getting my gear list together, but I'm not really sure how cold it will be. Thanks!

 

[Deleted member 3000]

The weather will be cool and rainy. Bring layers so that you can adjust the warmth of your clothing. Hiking will warm you, so you will want to be able to shed a layer or two as the day warms. Buy food along the way for the next day. Have room in your pack for it if you don't want your bread squished! No tent. You probably will not use it. A sleeping bag likely will be necessary for the colder albergues at higher elevations.

Buen camino.

 

[jpflavin1]

Hi everyone! My brother and I are hiking the Camino in April this year and we are super excited!! Could anyone else who has hiked that month tell me what the weather like? What clothes should we bring? Tent or just sleeping bag? Ad what did you all do as far as food goes? Carrying money? Anything and everything is appreciated. I want to start getting my gear list together, but I'm not really sure how cold it will be. Thanks!

HH19:

I will assume you are talking about the Camino Frances. I can give you my opinion on all the questions you have asked. You could also read through several threads on this site and get a variety of different views.

I have hiked all my Camino's in the March April time frame. I do not believe anyone can accurately predict what the weather will be. That said, It will be cold in the mornings (low 20's F/ -4 C) rising to (mid 40's F / 5 C), in the mountains, ( low 40's F/ 5 C) in other areas rising to ( 80's F / 30 C). There is some chance of snow in mountains but you will definitely have some rain.

Clothing, I usually wear an under Armor long sleeve shirt with a fleece and my rain gear to block wind on cold morning. I have never needed more. Warm days on the Meseta, I wear a synthetic short sleeve shirt and shorts. Buy a good pair of walking shoes/boots. Suggest you go to an REI type store and get help finding a pair that works for you. I would never walk that time of year w/o a sleeping bag. I have a lightweight down Marmot bag (1lb 8oz's.) There are plenty of sleeping accommodations along the way, no tent necessary. Pilgrim meals or menu del dia available everywhere. Plan on 30 to 35 Euros a day. You can get by on less if you buy food and cook.

There are lots of threads in the forum regarding all the questions you have asked. I again suggest you read through them and make decision from there.

Start slowly and ease your body into the walk. Do not try to keep up with others. Listen to your body. If you get a hot spot, stop and address it. As your feet go so goes your Camino. Pack as light as possible. Finally, do not plan too much, just trust the Camino to be your guide.

Ultreya,
Joe

 

[Susan Peacock]

I walked my second Camino starting from SJPdP on April 14. While weather is unpredictable, my experience was:
1) Depending on when you start in April the weather can vary significantly. Pilgrims who started late April had very different weather than we did.
2) In April you may or may not be able to cross the Napoleon route over the Pyrenees. The earliest date possible is April 1 if the route is open. Last year the day we crossed (April 14) was the first day the route was open, but it was subsequently closed. You should be able to walk the Valcarlos route, but 2016 there was snow in early April on both routes I heard.
3) The spring is absolutely beautiful, but it can be cold and rainy. We were very cold on April 30 in Burgos and walked in a snow storm to Cruz de Fero on May the 12th. I actually prefer walking in cold over hot weather, but definitely take layers so you can adjust to the unpredictable weather.
4) Rain gear a necessity this time of year. For me, my boots were a must as I walked in deep mud.

Do not be discouraged my the possibility of some cold/wet weather. It is a beautiful time of year and with the appropriate gear, you will have a wonderful Camino.

Buen Camino,
Susan

 

[HellsKitchen]

I walked my second Camino starting from SJPdP on April 14. While weather is unpredictable, my experience was:
1) Depending on when you start in April the weather can vary significantly. Pilgrims who started late April had very different weather than we did.
2) In April you may or may not be able to cross the Napoleon route over the Pyrenees. The earliest date possible is April 1 if the route is open. Last year the day we crossed (April 14) was the first day the route was open, but it was subsequently closed. You should be able to walk the Valcarlos route, but 2016 there was snow in early April on both routes I heard.
3) The spring is absolutely beautiful, but it can be cold and rainy. We were very cold on April 30 in Burgos and walked in a snow storm to Cruz de Fero on May the 12th. I actually prefer walking in cold over hot weather, but definitely take layers so you can adjust to the unpredictably weather.
4) Rain gear a necessity this time of year. For me, my boots were a must as I walked in deep mud.

Do not be discouraged my the possibility of some cold/wet weather. It is a beautiful time of year and with the appropriate gear, you will have a wonderful Camino.

Buen Camino,
Susan

Hi, Susan,
I'm walking my first Camino, the Frances, starting in mid-March 2017. I'm starting in Roncevalles. Do you have a list of what you carried? What kind of rain gear? What brand of boots?

Thanks so much for posting about the temperatures and rain!
Anne

 

[Susan Peacock]

Hi, Susan,
I'm walking my first Camino, the Frances, starting in mid-March 2017. I'm starting in Roncevalles. Do you have a list of what you carried? What kind of rain gear? What brand of boots?

Thanks so much for posting about the temperatures and rain!
Anne

Anne,

Oh where to start?

Boots.....are such a personal item. My comment was to wear a mid-boot instead of a sandal or trail runner, as I would have had mud in my shoe. For me the best boot is last year's version of the Hoka Tor Summit mid, but everyones feet are different, so my best advice is to try on every boot you can find and then test them. The Hokas were not the first brand I tried. The one piece of advice that I have is to buy them a whole size bigger than your street shoes. This will accommodate a sock and liner and any swelling. There are a lot of threads on boots and you will find a lot of opinions.....for different feet and preferences.

Rain gear.....For this time of year I would definitely wear an Altus or Ferrino poncho. They are referred to as ponchos but aren't really. They are basically a long rain jacket with a hump for your pack. They weigh about a pound and can be warm if worn in the summer, but I appreciated the warmth in the spring and didn't run the risk of my pack getting wet in the rain. Normally, I would say to pick this up in SJPdP but I am not sure the stores will be open in mid-March. Anyone know? You can normally order them on amazon. I have tested multiple brands and they are superior. The other were too short or didn't have actual sleeves. If you choose the jacket and rain pants (probably only worth their weight this time of year) be sure to pay attention to the weight. It can vary greatly. I have a very nice Outdoor research jacket but it weighs in at 14 oz, I also have a Marmot price that weighs in at 10 oz, but am trying out the Montane minimus that weighs in at 6 oz. for my upcoming walk though Italy on The Way of St. Francis.

Packing List: Basically I take one outfit to wear during the day and one in the evening. This includes pants (for spring), shirt, underwear and bra. I take a pull over for day time and a fleece for evening. Last spring I also took a puffy jacket (synthetic, down is not good if it gets wet.) I also take 3 pair of socks and 3 liners. For the spring I would invest in smart wool long sleeve shirt for evening and tights. You could wear the tights under your pants if needed and wear them to sleep in.
Avoid the temptation to take a bunch of "what if" little stuff . For instance in the spring the sun rises earlier (should be around 7:30 a.m.) so you probably don't need a headlight. If you were going in October I would recommend taking one.

One more thing I might mention, is that you need to do some homework to determine which albergues will be open in March. I am walking the Camino Finisterre the first week of March and many of the places to stay (albergues and hotels) do not open until April. People walk all year so you will be able to find accommodations, but maybe not in every town. Also, note that you should not trust that a particular place will be open based upon various web sites. I found them unreliable in planning my upcoming trip.

You might also try searching the forum for threads on March Caminos.

Buen Camino,
Susan Peacock

 

[HellsKitchen]

Merry Xmas, Susan, and thank you for your reply. Oh, so much to think about! Great suggestions all.

 

[J F Gregory]

My wife and I walked from SJPDP last April. We had snow the first 3 days, then rain, then 2 more days of snow. We experienced rain and overcast the rest of the walk. We had a total of 5 days of sunshine. I would do it again right now.

 

[trecile]

Hi everyone! My brother and I are hiking the Camino in April this year and we are super excited!! Could anyone else who has hiked that month tell me what the weather like? What clothes should we bring? Tent or just sleeping bag? Ad what did you all do as far as food goes? Carrying money? Anything and everything is appreciated. I want to start getting my gear list together, but I'm not really sure how cold it will be. Thanks!

No need for a tent as the albergues have roofs.
I carried very little food - usually just an orange and maybe a chocolate bar for a snack. I ate almost all of my meals in bars, cafes or the albergues. The one time I cooked several of us just bought the ingredients that afternoon.

 

[camino-david]

Just a word of warning. Virtually every food store in closed on Saturday afternoon and all day Sunday, so if you are cooking for yourself stock up on Saturday morning.

 

[Jose J. Martinez]

We did April and May this yr. Have another one planned for April 17. Pls call me USA, or provide conact inf.

 

[Jose J. Martinez]

I want to caution all about the Easter days. They are not regular days and one might encounter processions along the way. Easter Sunday is April 16.

 

[Deleted member 56069]

My wife and I started from St.Jean on April 8th in 2016. The Napoleon route was closed on that day. Even on the Val Carlos route we ran into heavy snow the last 2 hours into Roncesvalles.
I prefer a good vented nylon shell for wind protection, then as under layers I have a heavy sweater. Below that a merino wool long sleeve and possibly a T shirt under that for the cooler mornings.
You will find you quickly warm up when walking, so a heavy jacket is not needed for very long each morning.
Layers work better than a heavier insulated jacket which is difficult to pack or carry when not needed.
There is a constant physical exertion in walking, so you need to balance being warm without getting over heated and sweaty which can lead to hypothermia on cooler days.
For actual rain, a good poncho works well, others have actual rain suits which work, but are often too hot and don't allow sweat to escape as easily as a loose floating poncho.
Light ski gloves are good to have as is a knitted ski hat. Warm hands and keeping your head warm go a long way to keeping you warm on a cooler day.
I wore low cut trail shoes and with the assistance from trekking poles was able to navigate even wet swampy trails without overflowing my shoes.
Make sure you have trekking poles, always good to have, but essential in wet conditions.
My wife made slip on water proof covers for our shoes which worked great for the really wet days.
Temperatures can vary a lot. The higher areas can be below 0 first thing in the morning.
Most days we were in the 10 to 15 C range by noon, early afternoon with only a few days cracking 20 C. Actually preferable to the 35 C to 40 C that was common this past summer.
April 2014 when we went the first time on the Camino was a notable exception as they had a very warm spring and were into short shirt sleeves by mid morning most days. 2015 and 2016 have both been cooler and wetter, but not at all to the point of being miserable. Remember, you don't have to be comfortable to be having fun!
We did not carry much food, but had some power bars when we needed a quick boost of energy.
April is a great time of year to go. Not as busy, accomodations easy to secure each night and everything is so green.
We are doing the Portuguese Camino in April 2017 for these reasons.

 

[Robert Long]

About food and money. There is ample food along the way. The Café and Mercados are there. Just plan ahead. If in doubt buy a sandwich at breakfast. A few power bars does not hurt.
Be careful of the pilgrim meals. If there is a printed menu in front choose carefully, the pizza and paella are most likely frozen.

Money is not a problem. Most towns have ATMs. Just be careful. Only use an ATM connected to a bank. Choose the ATM that is in the wall of a bank and be sure the bank is open when you use the machine. I had my card eaten by the machine and had to ask management to open the ATM. Not an easy task.

Buen Camino
Bob

 

[trecile]

We did April and May this yr. Have another one planned for April 17. Pls call USA, or provide conact inf.

José, I suggest you edit or delete your post. You should never post your phone number or email address on a public forum, unless you enjoy receiving lots of calls and emails from strangers.
Instead you can either send a private message to another member, or ask them to send you one.

 

[Jose J. Martinez]

José, I suggest you edit or delete your post. You should never post your phone number or email address on a public forum, unless you enjoy receiving lots of calls and emails from strangers.
Instead you can either send a private message to another member, or ask them to send you one.

Done

 

[Bradypus]

José, I suggest you edit or delete your post. You should never post your phone number or email address on a public forum, unless you enjoy receiving lots of calls and emails from strangers.

@trecile Do you know that you have left the phone number visible in your quote and that Jose cannot edit or delete that?

 

[trecile]

@trecile Do you realise that you have left the phone number visible in your quote and that Jose cannot edit or delete that?

I did realize that, and have deleted the number.
Thanks.

 

[Jose J. Martinez]

For money, cards and passport, be sure to take the small traveler pouches that you carry in the breast area hung from the neck inside the torso. You can leave it with wife or friend when going to the shower. They are small but you may also put them inside a sandwich bag if they could get wet.

For gloves we took some knits that were very cheap, we will take leather ones this time.

For walking sticks we were able to harvest some branches that were fallen. You lever them to cut to size. If you lose them you can always get others next to the road.

I highly recommend not taking any extra shoes... just the ones you will use always.. for the shower or walking indoors... bath slippers or thongs. My shoes were Merrell Moabs which are waterproof. You do have to tame them to avoid getting into problems if they are brand new when you start. I walked mine about 200 km at home and they never caused me any problems on the way.

For raincoats, I suggest the big ones that cover the back pack too. But... watch out if the wind starts blowing because you will feel like a sailboat.

Underwear... all nylon, you wash it and it is dry by morning.

Socks take 3 pairs of cotton or wool mix and 2 pairs of silk liners.

For a towel... take a squeegee made of plastic material... you can dry off with it and also you can put the washed clothing there and give it a good wringing so that it dries easier overnight.

I highly recommend you always choose a lower bunk bed... use the transversal woods above to hang your clothing.

Do not forget lice spray...

 

[trecile]

Socks take 3 pairs of cotton or wool mix and 2 pairs of silk liners.

I would skip the cotton socks in favor of a material that wicks and keeps the feet dry. Wool, and synthetics like Coolmax are good.

 

[kelleymac]

My son and I have walked in both early and late April. Both times (2015 and 2016) we had sunny days-- cool in the morning and warm in the afternoons. Bring light jacket and layer! (I had a sleeveless tank, light fleece shirt, insulated vest, fleece jacket, rain jacket. I started with all of them in the chilly mornings, and ended up in tank in the warm afternoons.) Definitely get your walking shoes/boots a size bigger than you are used to! Not only do feet swell, but after a few weeks of walking, the feet muscles increase in size. Many many pilgrims end up with their feet a size or more bigger after their camino. Trust me! Walking in shoes too small is painful! Keep your toenails short! -- Remember that during Holy Week (the week before Easter), a lot of stores will be closed. We found that some albergues did not open until after Easter. -- One really great thing about Holy Week is that there are lots of Spanish families who walk that week.

 

[Jose J. Martinez]

this is what we used as towel and also for the clothes wringer

it is 70 X 50 cm.
CleanTools 34942 The Absorber XL Synthetic Drying Towel Chamois, 29-Inch x 18-Inch from wallyland...

 

[trecile]

this is what we used as towel and also for the clothes wringer

it is 70 X 50 cm.

Your picture is not showing up for me

 

[dougfitz]

I would skip the cotton socks in favor of a material that wicks and keeps the feet dry. Wool, and synthetics like Coolmax are good.

@trecile, it is always interesting seeing people enthusiastically sharing their experiences and how they went about selecting their gear. And you are so right, there are many options to choose from, some of which might need to be taken with caution. Not only in the matter of socks, but rain gear, footwear, whether to take technical trekking poles or collect a wooden pole along the way, etc, etc. The discussions on most of the individual suggestions raised here have been threads in their own right at some time in the past as members have shared information about what worked for them.

What I do hope is that @Hh19 and the others who have sought advice realize that there is a wealth of other material here on the forum that gives a broader range of views, describing what different people have found to be successful and pointing out useful approaches to the challenges they might face on their pilgrimage. It is not difficult to find, but it won't always be served up on a platter just for the asking.

 

[Willigsu]

Hi everyone! My brother and I are hiking the Camino in April this year and we are super excited!! Could anyone else who has hiked that month tell me what the weather like? What clothes should we bring? Tent or just sleeping bag? Ad what did you all do as far as food goes? Carrying money? Anything and everything is appreciated. I want to start getting my gear list together, but I'm not really sure how cold it will be. Thanks!

My husband and I are planning to do the Camino Frances April~May 18. After your experience this year, any advice?