Portugal Weather - Pilgrims - best time to walk

StevethePlanner · Feb 26, 2015

My weather assumption for CP starting in mid/late-August is: still somewhat hot, but getting cooler not hotter. The Summer traffic is lessening by the beginning of September about the time I hit Porto. Even less traffic from Lisbon to Porto. One of my reasons for CP is less people vs Camino France, although multiple 30 km days is not appealing. At least it's mostly flat. Low traffic implies I shouldn't have issues finding Alburgues. Right? Any experienced opinions for taking Fatima vs Tomar. Besides the interesting Fatima story, I'm not Catholic so it holds no other special interest for me. Other pros/cons? Take a bus day trip there from Tomar?

Hmmm… I just noticed on a weather web site that June is about the same temps as Aug-Sept. How does the early Summer compare to late Summer in real life?

Albertinho · Feb 26, 2015

StevethePlanner said:
My weather assumption for CP starting in mid/late-August is: still somewhat hot, but getting cooler not hotter. The Summer traffic is lessening by the beginning of September about the time I hit Porto. Even less traffic from Lisbon to Porto. One of my reasons for CP is less people vs Camino France, although multiple 30 km days is not appealing. At least it's mostly flat. Low traffic implies I shouldn't have issues finding Alburgues. Right? Any experienced opinions for taking Fatima vs Tomar. Besides the interesting Fatima story, I'm not Catholic so it holds no other special interest for me. Other pros/cons? Take a bus day trip there from Tomar?

Hmmm… I just noticed on a weather web site that June is about the same temps as Aug-Sept. How does the early Summer compare to late Summer in real life?

There is no issue finding albergues inPortugal. Most albergues are privat and organised like hostals .only in Spain you'll find Xunta albergues. The most people will walk from Tui to Santiago for the last 100 kms.
find out yourself what Fatima is like. I have seen it that that was enough

Diogo92 · Feb 27, 2015

StevethePlanner said:
My weather assumption for CP starting in mid/late-August is: still somewhat hot, but getting cooler not hotter. The Summer traffic is lessening by the beginning of September about the time I hit Porto. Even less traffic from Lisbon to Porto. One of my reasons for CP is less people vs Camino France, although multiple 30 km days is not appealing. At least it's mostly flat. Low traffic implies I shouldn't have issues finding Alburgues. Right? Any experienced opinions for taking Fatima vs Tomar. Besides the interesting Fatima story, I'm not Catholic so it holds no other special interest for me. Other pros/cons? Take a bus day trip there from Tomar?

Hmmm… I just noticed on a weather web site that June is about the same temps as Aug-Sept. How does the early Summer compare to late Summer in real life?

Although there are averages of temperature, I'm finding summers to be more and more unpredictable here in Portugal. We have more and more heat from the mid-August, untill mid-October, than we had some years ago. For instance, we had a very tempered summer last year, but we had very hot days in September, and some in October too. You can still catch near 30's if you ask me, during the time that you talked about.

And in September there are still a lot of people walking it. One could say that there are more people walking the Caminho Português in September, due to the temperatures in August.

Gerry & Heather O'Neill · Feb 27, 2015

StevethePlanner said:
My weather assumption for CP starting in mid/late-August is: still somewhat hot, but getting cooler not hotter. The Summer traffic is lessening by the beginning of September about the time I hit Porto. Even less traffic from Lisbon to Porto. One of my reasons for CP is less people vs Camino France, although multiple 30 km days is not appealing. At least it's mostly flat. Low traffic implies I shouldn't have issues finding Alburgues. Right? Any experienced opinions for taking Fatima vs Tomar. Besides the interesting Fatima story, I'm not Catholic so it holds no other special interest for me. Other pros/cons? Take a bus day trip there from Tomar?

Hmmm… I just noticed on a weather web site that June is about the same temps as Aug-Sept. How does the early Summer compare to late Summer in real life?

Hi Steve,
My wife and I rode the Portuguese Camino last May 2014, there might be some thing of interest in our blog to help you with your planning.
http://portugalcaminobike.blogspot.com.au/
Cheers
Gerry

amorfati1 · Feb 27, 2015

StevethePlanner said:
My weather assumption for CP starting in mid/late-August is: still somewhat hot, but getting cooler not hotter. The Summer traffic is lessening by the beginning of September about the time I hit Porto. Even less traffic from Lisbon to Porto. One of my reasons for CP is less people vs Camino France, although multiple 30 km days is not appealing. At least it's mostly flat. Low traffic implies I shouldn't have issues finding Alburgues. Right? Any experienced opinions for taking Fatima vs Tomar. Besides the interesting Fatima story, I'm not Catholic so it holds no other special interest for me. Other pros/cons? Take a bus day trip there from Tomar?

Hmmm… I just noticed on a weather web site that June is about the same temps as Aug-Sept. How does the early Summer compare to late Summer in real life?

ola steve - and welcome ...
i recall august being hot/humid and september as being warm/pleasant/less mosquitos and not as cool or cooler. but as diogo said: it's now more unpredictable ...
there is no need for lots of 30km days. i had none .... my max was 27km. but i am not from the turbo-brigade and had a slower pace anyway, and stopped more often. it's possible ... more and more accommodation seems to 'appear' and there is more to portugal caminho than what appears in guidebooks.
please do revisit the assumption that 'it's mostly flat' - it's not. unless you walk strictly at the beach ...
enjoy the planning ... and reading of lots of info on the caminho portuguese sub-forum ...
much to explore and to enjoy
bom caminho!
c

Albertinho · Feb 27, 2015

Gerry & Heather O'Neill said:
Hi Steve,
My wife and I rode the Portuguese Camino last May 2014, there might be some thing of interest in our blog to help you with your planning.
http://portugalcaminobike.blogspot.com.au/
Cheers
Gerry

Gerry and Heather.
Thanks for sharing this great blog .very well done, lots of interesting information, also for walkers and to me it brought the happy memories back.
Even found some addresses to stay for our next caminho, next May.

Best regards
Albertinho.

Stephen Nicholls · Feb 27, 2015

As one Steve to another, I can confirm that mid/late August is H-O-T. Of course, if you live in the Sahara desert, it may feel cool. If you're a Brit, it's still too hot for walking after 12 noon. I walked the Portuguese in 2011 and again in .... 2013? You can read my diaries on my web site. To my mind, the Porto to SdC is one of the most beautiful caminos. I may even be tempted to walk it again... if I live long enough!
As you can see, the average 'high' in August is 24.8 degs ... but 'average' means half the days will be hotter than that!

I hope this helps, Steve!
Buen camino, sin mucho calor

Albertinho · Feb 27, 2015

Stephen Nicholls said:
As one Steve to another, I can confirm that mid/late August is H-O-T. Of course, if you live in the Sahara desert, it may feel cool. If you're a Brit, it's still too hot for walking after 12 noon. I walked the Portuguese in 2011 and again in .... 2013? You can read my diaries on my web site. To my mind, the Porto to SdC is one of the most beautiful caminos. I may even be tempted to walk it again... if I live long enough!
As you can see, the average 'high' in August is 24.8 degs ... but 'average' means half the days will be hotter than that!

View attachment 16660
I hope this helps, Steve!
Buen camino, sin mucho calor

From with website you've got this Stephen ? a website about crystal balls ?

Stephen Nicholls · Feb 27, 2015

Albertinho said:
From with website you've got this Stephen ? a website about crystal balls ?

Standard Windows 8.1 Weather screen, Albertinho.

Albertinho · Feb 27, 2015

Stephen Nicholls said:
Standard Windows 8.1 Weather screen, Albertinho.

Okay I have an Apple Imac Never seen this on my screen. But I am not such a computer freak .I know how to cope with it but that's all ..feel more familiar with me ipad and iphone.

Rikkitikkitavi · Apr 12, 2015

StevethePlanner said:
My weather assumption for CP starting in mid/late-August is: still somewhat hot, but getting cooler not hotter. The Summer traffic is lessening by the beginning of September about the time I hit Porto. Even less traffic from Lisbon to Porto. One of my reasons for CP is less people vs Camino France, although multiple 30 km days is not appealing. At least it's mostly flat. Low traffic implies I shouldn't have issues finding Alburgues. Right? Any experienced opinions for taking Fatima vs Tomar. Besides the interesting Fatima story, I'm not Catholic so it holds no other special interest for me. Other pros/cons? Take a bus day trip there from Tomar?

Hmmm… I just noticed on a weather web site that June is about the same temps as Aug-Sept. How does the early Summer compare to late Summer in real life?

I just finished a hike from Lisboa to Santiago, March 12 to April 10, 2015. I got one day of drizzle. The mornings were a bit chilly, but for the most part, the weather was perfect for walking. I highly recommend March to April to walk in Portugal.

edumad · Apr 13, 2015

There should be less people from Lisbon to Porto, even in August, but then onwards, although not super busy you can still find the main albergues full by mid afternoon. It can happen just be aware.
August can get pretty hot, in the north (Minho and Galicia), streams, rivers and water fountains are frequent, so there is some relief. In the south it might be worse.
Those with experience please chime in, but having lived for a while near Fátima, 30-35ºC, full sunshine was usual in August. Walking becomes less pleasant...

kcaldaba · Friday at 6:23 PM

Barcelos was having a huge May 1 celebration when we passed through. There was a major unveiling of a sculpture titled Peregrina the following day—very big event. We weren’t there, so I lifted a...

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