Leaving Seville December 9th- blankets in Albergues?

[robinmcd]

Hello, last year I hiked Zamora to Santiago and there were blankets in the Albergues. This year I am doing the first part starting December 9th. I try to keep an ultra light pack but don' t want to freeze in my thin sleep sack! Will I need a sleeping bag?
I also want to thank all you wonderful 'posters' for the invaluable information you have given me
Both last year and this. Best Robin

 

[lovingkindness]

Hi Robin, expect to freeze and to have little or no heat in the albergues. if you're lucky there may be hot water in the showers but in some albergues this lasts for only a a minute or two. By the time you reach Merida there will be icy blasts from hell and from Banyos de Montemajor and beyond it may get below zero. I was in Fuenterroble de Salvatierre (50 kms before Salamanca) from 17 December through Winter this past year. It was wickedly cold. It rained incessantly for most of December and then it snowed. It reached minus14 degrees some days and everywhere there was mud. I had a winter sleeping bag (duck down, 1.4 kg) and even then, dressed in all my winter hiking clothes, my hat and two pairs of socks, and with 5 blankets on top, I felt cold. Sometimes albergues have a blanket or two but I wouldn't count on it. Buen camino, friend. -Lovingkindness.

 

[robinmcd]

That sounds like it was a grueling experience! I do appreciate your reply and it has made me rethink
the level of accommodation. Often one years weather is not necessarily like the next..I do think I will be prepared to spend a little more and forgo the albergue if the weather gets particularly bad. We are only walking for two weeks..This is my first winter hike in fifteen years of long distance walking and as such will be a learning experience.
To staying warm, Robin

 

[Andrewere]

I walked last month from Sevilla to Canaverel and most of the alburgues had blankets or duvets. One woman carried no sleeping bag and relied solely on what the alburgues had to offer and she had no problems. I can't vouch for all the alburgues but most, if not all, of those that I stayed at had blankets.

Andrew, Salisbury UK.

http://spanishfootsteps.blogspot.com

 

[robinmcd]

Thanks Andrew. Glad to hear that- for me the lighter a load the more enjoyable.. I don't break my tooth brush in half - but close. I really enjoyed your blog and your description of your hike.. I think you have a great view of walking.. enjoying the process the day to day. I find sometimes there are people on the Caminos who are in some kind of race to the end..of course maybe it is to the next bed..in the warmer months it gets a bit competitive about getting a bunk for the night!
Also beautiful photos of walks in the country side where you live. Best Robin

 

[Andrewere]

Thanks, doing the Vdlp has rekindled my old love of photography and I'm enjoying making my first blog.

As has been said many times on this forum the lighter the pack the better. Before I left for the Vdlp I was determined to carry a light pack of around 6 kilos (without food and water). I spent some time weighing stuff and getting a little obsessed with going light. Then I decided this was pointless and told myself that I would only be carrying what I needed anyway and it would weigh whatever it did. Mistake! I should have stayed 'obsessive' because my pack weight crept up and may have contributed to my foot injury. Along the way a couple of people said my pack was overly heavy but it was only when I returned home that I weighed it. What a surprise - 11.5 kilos and around 14kg with food and water! I'm now back to plan A and I'l check the weight of everything before I go to do some of the Camino Frances next year.

Andrew, Salisbury UK.

http://spanishfootsteps.blogspot.com

 

[durzon]

Got to Santiago yesterday, just ahead of some really nasty weather. The coldest albergue I stayed in was at Mombuey, but that had blankets and hot water. Probably the worst was Lalin, where there were no blankets and the heating turned off at 10.30pm (and there was 2" of snow on the ground in the morning). I think you'd be mad not to have a sleeping bag at this time of year (setting out on November 1st I didn't and had at least 2 really uncomfortable nights, and was unbelievably lucky with the weather).

http://www.alansviadelaplata.blogspot.com

 

[robinmcd]

I did the camino through Galicia starting in Zamora in May two years ago and it was quite cold then! Knowing this we are only going to walk to Caceres and stop before Christmas. We start tomorrow morning and the weather is sunny and around 22 degrees so it is looking good.