I walked the
Camino Frances from St. Jean Pied de Port to Santiago starting the last week of April and finishing at the end of May in both 2013 and 2014. Here are some general observations and recommendations you might find helpful:
- Snow can and does occur, especially at altitudes above about 700 meters, though the end of May. Be prepared with warm hats and gloves!
- Rain does occur, all too frequently, throughout May and June. One of my favorite sayings from a friend who passed away while on Camino in 2013 is "The rain in Spain...falls mainly on Galicia." Be prepared with rain gear and pack protection!
- Temperatures will range from freezing (32 F or 0C) to the upper 70s F or mid-to-upper 20s C. Be prepared with layered clothing. The daily temperature swing can be extreme, with snow in the morning and hot sunny weather in the afternoon.
- Cloud cover will range from zero to 100 percent. Be prepared with sun protection. The Spanish sun is HOT. I found that SPF lotions attracted insects like no-see-ums and gnats. I also learned from the Australian pilgrims to wear light colored, long sleeve tops, and long trousers, regardless of the temperature. When I stopped relying on lotions and started relying on fabric coverage, the bugs went away. I suspect the scent attracts them and they can detect scent that humans cannot.
For reference, in 2013, I walked for 35 days and had totally overcast, rain, or snow on 26 of those days.
In 2014, I walked the same route in 34 days and had rain, snow on 20 days. PLAN ACCORDINGLY.
Based on my two Caminos, my standard pack and dressing plan now includes:
- A broad brimmed sun hat with a high SPF rating. Mine is from North Face.
- A side-mesh-ventilated ball cap in a bright, lime yellow color with visor (OR - Outdoors Research) to keep rain off my eyeglasses.
- A microfiber watch cap or Buff. I started walking on cold or rainy mornings with the Buff, sometimes under the ball cap, under the poncho hood. I prefer my bright, lime yellow Buff as it has multiple uses.
- A pair of fingerless biker (cycling) gloves for grasping hiking poles in cold weather. They are day-glo lime yellow for visibility.
- A four-layered clothing system consisting of:
- "Underarmour" brand or other technical fiber polo shirt. I prefer polos to t-shirts as they can help protect my neck against cold and sun by turning the collar up. Plus, they look dressier in a city. The weight difference is negligible.
- Mid-weight fleece layer (Polar Tech 200 or equivalent) Polar Tech fleece comes in level 100, 20 and 300 thicknesses.
- Waterproof, hip-length parka with integral hood and arm-pit zippers for ventilation. Mine is from Eastern Mountain Sports. The pit-zips really, REALLY help to ventilate perspiration.
- Lightweight, Sea-to-Summit Siliconized nylon poncho. Mine is light blue for contrast against natural colors while walking.
NOTE: I strongly advise that your outer layer of raingear be in a color NOT found in nature, that contrasts against the green background along most of the Camino. Black, rust, brown, navy blue, green, olive, clear, or grey ponchos blend with the background and do not offer increased visibility in poor weather, in the early morning, or at dusk. Bright is better. This eliminates the need for heavier "blinky lights." Even a white poncho is better. FYI, my Osprey Kestrel rucksack has a built-in rain cover that I used in addition to the poncho. Sweat condenses under the poncho and will soak your backpack.
NOTE: On BOTH my month-long Caminos I ended up buying an EXTRA form-fitting fleece layer (Polar Tech 100 level fleece) to add to this configuration as my core temperature fell noticeably on days when the temperature was in the upper 30s or low 40s F and it rained ALL DAY. Warm and wet is acceptable. Cold and wet is very bad. Hypothermia can present. Then there are situations where you stay in unheated albergues and need to sleep in a fleece layer, inside your sleeping bag. Personally, I now plan to take two fleece layers, one form-fitted, and another loose, zip up fleece on all future Caminos. I can reduce the bulk by 2/3 using a compressor bag. If I had to buy another fleece two years in a row, it suggests that discretion might be cheaper than obsession with weight.
I hope this helps.
