Primitivo in August (first camino)

[Karoissunshine]

Hello all! My partner and I are setting out on our first camino in August. We have been dreaming about this for a long time and are incredibly excited. I have a few questions whose answers keep eluding me when I read other threads. Thanks in advance!

1. Is there an easy way to get from the Barcelona/Girona area to Oviedo? Or is the best option to go through Madrid?

2. Can't decide on a 40 degree (5 Celsius) or 55 degree (13 Celsius) sleeping bag. It will be August, but I'm worried about the weather on the Primitivo regardless.

3. We are planning travel before and after and need a safe place to keep our suitcases while on the camino. Has anyone used the correos service and had a positive experience? Or stored luggage at Ivar's? We will have our laptops in those suitcases (for business travel purposes afterwards), so it is important to us to find safe and secure transfer and storage.

4. Will reservations be needed for the Primitivo in August? And long in advance or just a day or two?

5. Lastly, we are thinking of bringing 25L packs. Is this too small? We really want to walk with as little weight as possible.

 

[jungleboy]

I am walking the Primitivo for the first time in May/June. Regarding your points 2 and 5, I would think a 25L pack is too small if you're carrying a sleeping bag. I carried a 35L pack with no sleeping bag on the Francés last year and even though I think I packed pretty lightly, I couldn't have fit a sleeping bag in.

¡Buen camino!

 

[spursfan]

I am walking the Primitivo for the first time in May/June. Regarding your points 2 and 5, I would think a 25L pack is too small if you're carrying a sleeping bag. I carried a 35L pack with no sleeping bag on the Francés last year and even though I think I packed pretty lightly, I couldn't have fit a sleeping bag in.

¡Buen camino!

In my opinion, that means all the better to keep your 25L pack and replace the sleeping bag with a silk sleeping bag liner if you need some warmth and maybe even a merino wool t-shirt if you're still anxious

 

[Kiwi-family]

Check out www.rome2rio for connections.
The light sleeping bag should be fine. Ivar will keep your gear safe.
25l is fine - I have a 35l and carry a sleeping bag and have spare space. You can always do a trial pack and see how you go. Less is better!

 

[Colette Z]

In my opinion, that means all the better to keep your 25L pack and replace the sleeping bag with a silk sleeping bag liner if you need some warmth and maybe even a merino wool t-shirt if you're still anxious

I totally agree, I just returned from El Norte in March and needed my sleeping bag and liner first 3 weeks then used only my silk liner with albergue provided blanket the end of March and 1st week of April. I carry a 30L Millet Venom pack total weight 5.5 kg with sleeping bag, silk liner plus my 1 change of clothes, med kit, etc and I still have room to carry food. 2 good compressable stuff bags help reduce space needed.

 

[OzAnnie]

1. Is there an easy way to get from the Barcelona/Girona area to Oviedo? Or is the best option to go through Madrid?

2. Can't decide on a 40 degree (5 Celsius) or 55 degree (13 Celsius) sleeping bag. It will be August, but I'm worried about the weather on the Primitivo regardless.


4. Will reservations be needed for the Primitivo in August? And long in advance or just a day or two?

5. Lastly, we are thinking of bringing 25L packs. Is this too small? We really want to walk with as little weight as possible.

Hi
1- fly to Asturias airport. Bus outside to the right
Will take you into Oviedo in approx 20?? Mins
2. Take the warmer bag
4. When I walked primitivo I walked slow and most albergues were ‘completi’ When I rolled in. If you’re a reasonable spread peregrino you should find places in albergues. I, on a few occasions went to a Hostal. You decide once you’re on trail whether it’s a busy season or not and book if you think you need to.
5. If you can travel light of course it’s possible. Take a liner only for September and it should fit. Depends on your first aid requirements etc.
Buen Camino
Annie

 

[Knoepfchen]

I walked the Primitivo in August 2017 (also first Camino). I took the train from Barcelona to Oviedo (change in Madrid). Long journey, but I'm not much for flying when I can avoid it, so it was the right choice for me.

I reserved almost every night. A day in advance should be fine most of the time. I remember that early on, there were a lot of people very much against reserving anything in advance, ever. By the end, pretty much everyone I met did, as everyone was tired of having to walk on or call a taxi to the next town. There just aren't as many albergues on the Primitivo as there are on the Frances, and people end up walking the same distances and stopping in the same villages. There wasn't a night when the albergues I stayed at weren't completely full or with just 1-2 bunks left at most. And when the next one is 15km on or more, things gets tough. I remember Berducedo (after the highly!!! recommended Hospitales route) being particularly competitive, and that village had at least three albergues, all full.

The one I would recommend reserving more than a day in advance is Bodenaya, should you plan on staying there, as only a few beds are up for reservation, the rest is first come first served. And that albergue is absolutely magnificent.

I took the cheapest sleeping bag available, no problem at all. Most albergues even had blankets (sometimes for a little extra charge). It can rain a lot during the day, but it didn't really get that cold during the night.

 

[BoAbney]

2. We walked early April and didn't need sleeping bags...silk liners only.
4. I reserved everything in advance because I'm a planning geek. However, there was one day where those we were walking with had to continue on because our place was booked.
5. 25L sounds small. My wife carried a 35L and I had a 40L.

 

[alaskadiver]

You won't need a sleeping bag in August. It will be HOT. I took a 50F bag in May and didn't need it. A liner is sufficient.

 

[Torbs]

Hi all

Would you say that albergues, either private or municipal, would be as frequent in the Primitivo as they are in the Francés? I too am thinking of doing this route but I´d prefer to take accommodation as it comes. Also when you say it get´s hot, how hot exactly do you mean? I live in Sevilla where it can reach the mid 40s in August so it can´t be that bad, right?

 

[spursfan]

The Primitivo has under 10% of the pilgrim numbers as the Frances - albergues are small and relatively few in number - there are hotels though - buy a guide (such as wise pilgrim) and see in more detail