Is a sleeping bag liner enough for June and July Camino?

[MCVet]

Will be staying in albuergues and hostels along the way. I'm wondering if just a liner will be sufficient to keep me warm or if i should bring the full sleeping bag with me? From searching it seems that anytime past May you can bring just a liner and be OK?

What's more confusing is you read some topics where people walk in March and it seems like a sleeping bag is a no-brainer. Then you read some where people walk in September and just a sleeping bag liner is OK. Evidently Spain's seasons are not in alignment with mine cause I'd do that in reverse over here lol.

 

[micamino73]

Have been talking to people about this and they say talk a sleeping bag, some places higher up can be cold at night it seems, other places may be hot. It seems sleeping cold is not nice. I bought a snug lite sleeping bag 800grams.

 

[Sagalouts]

I have never taken a sleeping bag on 5 Camino's April through November,I took a silk liner the first time because I'd read the bed-bugs didn't like silk,the other times walked with a large cotton liner and the very few times it was too cold blankets were available or I wore extra gear.
you will be sleeping in dorms with large numbers of other people-trust me the combined body heat makes some of these places too hot-I've seen people fighting to open windows and the sleeping bag carrying pilgrims unzipping -en-mass. but having said all that its horses for courses-I am North European and don't feel the cold too much.
Ian

 

[MCVet]

Any ballpark of what the temperatures will be like at night that time of year? I see it's at the same latitude as Maine so I imagine it'd be relatively cold? Then again, I don't know the temperature of Maine in summer.

 

[Anniesantiago]

I agree with Sagalouts. You are more likely to be HOT in the albergue than cold! All that body heat warms the place up quickly. I'd just take a liner and go lite!

 

[miamijhp]

Look what I found here:
http://gospain.about.com/od/caminodesan ... _month.htm

Camino de Santiago in January
Very cold and wet in some parts of the Camino and not many people to travel with you.
Camino de Santiago in February
Still very cold in many places, though not as bad as January. Some travelers.
Camino de Santiago in March
Weather is cool but not unpleasant. More travelers now on the route. A very good time to walk.
Camino de Santiago in April
Weather can be be quite warm in some places now. More and more travelers on the route.
Camino de Santiago in May
Could be very hot in May, though weather varies more on northern Spain than it does in other parts of the country. Route is getting quite busy now. Some hostels may be full by the time you get to them.
Camino de Santiago in June
Hot weather can be expected. There is reportedly a slight dip in 'traffic' in June compared to May, though still more than in April.
Camino de Santiago in July
Very hot and lots of other travelers. Can you cope with the sweaty people who haven't showered for days (because the line for the shower was too long)?
July 25 is St James's Day, a popular day for Catholics to finish the Camino. In Jacobean Years, expect vast numbers of people walking in July.
Camino de Santiago in August
Similar to July.
Camino de Santiago in September
Getting cooler now, but not by much. Still lots of travelers.
Camino de Santiago in October
Weather much more pleasant now. Crowds dying away.
Camino de Santiago in November
Quite cold on some parts of the walk. Very few people walking.
Camino de Santiago in December
Cold and extreme conditions possible. Not a good time to walk.

Buen camino

 

[MCVet]

Interesting, thanks for the link. About.com really does have everything I guess, lol.

I guess I'll just order the sleeping bag liner for the time being and buy a sleeping bag (or fish one out of the free stuff bins if possible, as I understand people sometimes abandon sleeping bags) if needed.


One last question related to temperature: from what I can find, the average temperature in Spain during June is about 30 C (86 F)? Is that about right? If so, that sounds downright pleasant for walking in!

 

[dougfitz]

One last question related to temperature: from what I can find, the average temperature in Spain during June is about 30 C (86 F)? Is that about right? If so, that sounds downright pleasant for walking in!

The trouble with statistics like that is that the conventional answer will be for somewhere like Madrid, which won't be particularly relevant, and an average doesn't give any understanding of the variation between the minima and maxima. In Galicia, the difference between that average minima and maxima for Jun is only about 6deg C, half of what it is in the Basque country.

You could try http://www.climatetemp.info/spain/ and then look for the places you will be travelling through or close to. Scroll to the bottom of this page to see what places there is information on.

Remember that monthly averages can still hide a great deal of variation, particularly during spring and autumn as the temperatures increase and decrease. An average minima of +4deg C is quite capable of hiding a couple of sub-zero nights in March and November, although large variations are less likely to be an issue in winter and summer.

At the time you are walking, Pamplona's average minima is about 11deg C, and if you finish in Jul, the average minima at Pontevedra, a little south of Santiago, is around 15deg C. What it is not possible to tell from this is what variability you might expect in those minima at that time of year.

Regards