May or July/August for Salvador/Primitivo?

[meandering]

We are a group of friends in our thirties (probably average fitness) who are interested in walking the Camino Salvador followed by the Camino Primitivo and on to Santiago this spring/summer.

We are guessing this will take around three weeks, with 18 days or so of walking (is this about right or too ambitious? If too ambitious we might just do the Primitivo).

In terms of weather/crowdedness, would May (arriving on Ascension day or the day before) be better than July or August? Are these routes still quite cold/damp in May or will the weather be more pleasant for walking than in high summer?

 

[Arn]

Hola...welcome to the Forum and the Class of 2012!

May I suggest you check out the "Other Camino" section. You will find info specific to the C Primivito and Salvadore.

As you find additional questions...just ask.

If you're going as a group...have a good plan as to where you will stop each day, so that you can walk at your individual pace. Some days you might go fast, some days slowly and contemplative.

Buen Camino,
Arn

 

[peregrina2000]

Hi, meandering,

Welcome to the forum. I walked the Salvador/Primitivo in Sept./Oct. several years ago. I was in my late 50s at the time and spent 4 days on the Salvador and 11 on the Primitivo, so I think your proposal of 18 days is plenty. I'm going to repeat it this summer and will add a day to each of the two Caminos but that still is under 18. I would like to do the Hospitales segment of the Primitivo and it seems pretty hard to plan that without extending the walk to 12 days, because of placement of accommodation. I spent most nights in albergues and had no trouble with crowding, but it was a less busy time than you're proposing.

I know that these routes have seen a large increase in traffic. I think May would be less crowded that July/August, which is when many of the Spaniards walk. Depending on the winter, early May might be dicey on the Salvador. If Rebekah sees this post, she can comment for herself, but I think she had snow up in the mountains in spring on the Salvador.

I walked from Sevilla starting in early May 2010, and it was COLD in the mornings for the first two weeks. I was glad to have my lambswool gloves! But people who left SEvilla several weeks before me hit a heat wave, so you just never know. July/August is the most likely time to have dry weather, I would suspect, but then you also have the problem of the crowds.

You didn't say how big your group was, but a couple of the albergues are small, though most are quite ample. Buen camino! Laurie

 

[angulero]

¡Hola!.

Si yo tuviera que elegir una fecha para hacer ese camino, intentaría que fuera a finales de mayo o principios de junio. En esas fechas es difícil que nieve por las alturas por la que discurre el camino (podrás encontrar algún nevero, pero nada que haga difícil el camino). Si este camino sorprende en verano, imagínate en esas fechas con la primavera en todo su esplendor. Y además, son unas fechas donde no encontrarás muchos peregrinos todavía.

Te dejo unos enlaces donde podrás ver como está la cordillera en esas fechas (por estas zonas no pasa el camino, pero no están lejos y te vale para hacerte una idea), aunque depende del año. La verdad es que este año aun no ha llegado el invierno. Al final vendrá, pero para finales de mayo o principios de junio el verano ya tendría que estar llamando a la puerta.

If I had to choose a date to do that route, try to go in late May or early June. At that time, it is difficult for snow on the heights through which it flows the way (you can find a fridge, but nothing that makes difficult the way). If this path surprises in summer, imagine at that time with the spring in all its splendor. And also, are some dates where pilgrims still will not find many.

I leave you some links where you can see is the mountain at that time (in these areas does not go the way but not far and you'd better to get an idea), but depends on the year. The truth is that this year has not reached the winter. At the end will come, but by late May or early June, the summer and would be knocking on the door.

Mayo 2011

http://www.foropicos.net/foro/viewtopic ... 17&t=24925

Mayo 2010

http://foro.asturmet.com/index.php/topic,2276.0.html

Junio 2010

http://losdelasclaras.blogspot.com/sear ... /Saliencia

 

[Josefine]

I walked the Primitivo in beginning of August 2010 and the albergues were filled very early in the day, the rest of us slept in private albergues or schools or where ever we could find a place. If you are a group you have to consider this and may be pre-book. Apart from this, August was a great month for the Primitivo, mornings and nights chilly and yes, quite hot during the day, around 30 C most days. Personally I prefere this to cold rainy days but I know other pilgrims would dislike these temperatures so it all depends on what your own preferences are.
Josefine

 

[meandering]

Thank you everyone for your helpful replies! I'm very excited about the trip this summer. Lots to think about and discuss with the group (weather/crowds/accommodation etc).

To answer questions, we are quite a small group (probably three/four) but are happy with the idea of staying in pre-booked private accommodation.