Lana/Sanabres or Levante/Invierno in winter

The short mid summer camino I was hoping for this year is not going to happen so I have turned my mind to a different possibility. It would be solo and so time is less of a constraint than when we were trying to squeeze something into the three weeks hubby could get off work - in fact, if the kids get all their home education goals met by the end of November I could legitimately take two months.

I'm wondering about Ruta de la Lana to Burgos, a few steps on the Frances (including stopping in Moratinos to meet Rebekah), then the Invierno to Santiago.

A second possibility would be Camino de Levante + Sanabres.

Would there be any advantage to one over the other? Or something completely different?
When we finished the Primitivo in October it was down to 3 degrees in the mornings and I was still comfortable in my standard hiking shorts, long sleeved hiking shirt and a vest and gloves. I'm guessing in December/January I'd need a fleece jacket and might even need longs. Would possibly even have to relinquish my sandals....but that's all detail that can be sorted IF I get the go ahead from the Powers That Be on the Home Front!

Please help me decide on a route first so I can put together a convincing proposal!

@peregrina2000 Laurie do you have an opinion?

@mspath our Resident Winter Walker, would you consider either of these options safe in December/January for someone unaccustomed to mountaineering and snow (although I do know they’re not Everest!)

peregrina2000 said:

Hi, Rachel,

Which winter months are you thinking about?

I haven’t yet walked the Lana, but I think that just looking at the map, you would have more possibility of dicey weather in winter if you went on the Levante. The part around Avila especially.

Econodan and Ellen started out on the Lana in January, but she was injured so they had to stop. Wasn’t Sara (the bridge dance young woman) also on the Lana in late fall/early winter?

And we have definitely had a couple of forum members who walked the Invierno in winter, @chinasky was one and most recently @Athena Atterdag. They both posted.

And don’t forget that you can detour off the Lana when you get to Santo Domingo and take the San Olav on into Burgos. A favorite of mine!

Abrazos and sending you and your country many thoughts. Laurie

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Thanks for your input Laurie. I’d be looking at December/January and have not found much information about these months. I’ve done climate searches for cities along both route combos but that is useful only to a certain extent.
I’m even wondering if perhaps the Francés would be a more sensible option for winter.

peregrina2000 said:

The Frances goes through such gorgeous country, the cities are nice treats, and without the crowds I would be tempted too! Maybe combo Frances and Invierno when you get to Ponferrada.

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On the face of it this looks like a good suggestion, but one of my goals is to walk the Francés one day (i have clocked up a few trails now, but never SJPdP to Santiago), so I’d probably save the Invierno to do with the Levante and just do a straight run on the Francés this time. Need to check out numbers - I do want a quiet time.