Return to the Camino.

[johnnycanuck]

Hi -- my name is John and I am returning to the camino for a third time. I was looking for info re the weather that I could expect in late October; early November when I came upon this web sight. What a great idea for exchanging up to date information. I look forward to hearing from anyone that could reply as to what weather conditions we might find. We are starting, probably, at Pamplona on Oct 18th or 19th and hope to reach Finnesterra but November 20th or so. I will be walking with my son and his partner. Have previously walked Roncesvalles to Santiago (2003) and Leon to Santiago (2005). I am really looking forward to this year's camino.

 

[robtward99]

Hi John,
I walked mid-October to mid-November in 2000. Some beautiful sunny weather at the beginning (harvesting the grapes in la Rioja), a strong and often cold wind in my face from Burgos to Leon (I recommend a hat with ear flaps), snow in the Montes de Leon and O Cebreiro (but you're a johnny canuck so that won't bother you. It was the best part of my walk. The highway patrol tried to turn me back to Rabanal but I told them I'd stick to the road. They shrugged and drove away. I love the Spanish. The blizzard started after Foncebadon. Tremendous. Lots of blowing snow, but it wasn't really that cold. I stopped for soup with Tomas the Templar and friends (sitting in pitch darkness - his solar generator had run down) and spent the night in El Acebo. A bottle of wine and a big hunk of pork never tasted better. And O Cebreiro was absolutely magical under a foot of snow.) There was a fair amount of rain and wind in Galicia. Surprise surprise. Very few pilgrims on the road, and those I met were all a little crazy. Made for good company. It's a fantastic time to walk the Camino. Is there a bad time?

Have a great journey.

 

[Dale]

Hi John:

I haven't walked the Camino yet but plan to next April and May. Just a fellow Canuck who wanted to wish you Buen Camino . If you find time why not return to this thread and keep us Canucks updated on your progress. Safe Journeys. :!:

Dale

 

[johnnycanuck]

Hi John,
I walked mid-October to mid-November in 2000. Some beautiful sunny weather at the beginning (harvesting the grapes in la Rioja), a strong and often cold wind in my face from Burgos to Leon (I recommend a hat with ear flaps), snow in the Montes de Leon and O Cebreiro (but you're a johnny canuck so that won't bother you. It was the best part of my walk. The highway patrol tried to turn me back to Rabanal but I told them I'd stick to the road. They shrugged and drove away. I love the Spanish. The blizzard started after Foncebadon. Tremendous. Lots of blowing snow, but it wasn't really that cold. I stopped for soup with Tomas the Templar and friends (sitting in pitch darkness - his solar generator had run down) and spent the night in El Acebo. A bottle of wine and a big hunk of pork never tasted better. And O Cebreiro was absolutely magical under a foot of snow.) There was a fair amount of rain and wind in Galicia. Surprise surprise. Very few pilgrims on the road, and those I met were all a little crazy. Made for good company. It's a fantastic time to walk the Camino. Is there a bad time?

Have a great journey.

Hi Robert

Thanks for your reply. Glad to hear of the bounty of harvest through La Rioja - I do enjoy a feast of grapes, particulary the nonGMO variety. The fruit that I enjoyed on my previous treks stand out as one of those strong memories for me - particularly the nectarinos. Not looking particularly forward to climbing O Cebreiro in a snowstorm, but would definitely do so now that you have brought such a possibility to my attention. Thanks for the advise on head gear - this would not have occured to me.

By the way - if I am not mistaken; was not one of your caminos done in reverse? I seem to recall that in one of your books (Virgin trails??) you walked the camino from Finesterre to the Pyrennes; or is my memory fading even faster than I suspect?

Thanks for the advise & support.

John Stout

 

[robtward99]

By the way - if I am not mistaken; was not one of your caminos done in reverse? I seem to recall that in one of your books (Virgin trails??) you walked the camino from Finesterre to the Pyrennes; or is my memory fading even faster than I suspect?

Nope, I was walking due west through Virgin Trails (unless you count going back from Puente la Reina to Eunate) I don't think I'd be capable of doing the Camino in reverse. I'd keep meeting people I wanted to walk ahead with. It was another Canuck, Taras Grescoe, who did the Camino in reverse for his book The End of Elsewhere.
Cheers! RW

 

[Lora]

Thank you for the update on what kind of weather to expect during Oct-Nov. As a fellow Canadian, I will start from Pamplona on Oct 17. This is my second camino this year, the first one being May-June. I am looking foward to seeing the camino in a different season, most especially looking foward to the lack of crowds, and of course the grapes in their many forms.

As a seasoned pilgrim, I can relax and just let the camino work it's magic!!

Jonnycanuck, I hope to see you on the trail!!

Lora

 

[brendan nolan]

Hi to all you Canadians,
Hope those walking this/next year have a great Pilgrimage. I may be on the right track but would like to know what you all mean by 'Canuck', or am I just thick? If the answer is 'Yes', don't be afraid! :?
Cheers,
Brendan

 

[JohnnieWalker]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Canuck

 

[Deleted member 397]

It's a mistake to ask what weather anywhere will be at a future date. I walked from Le Puy to SDC in high summer and had some terrible weather! I was also in the UK in June and at times it was more like winter and they had one of the wettest summers ever. I live in Melbourne and we are in a cold spell even though we are nearly half way through spring yet Sydney, 800kms north had 35 degrees yesterday.
It's a pointless question.

 

[johnnycanuck]

Thank you for the update on what kind of weather to expect during Oct-Nov. As a fellow Canadian, I will start from Pamplona on Oct 17. This is my second camino this year, the first one being May-June. I am looking foward to seeing the camino in a different season, most especially looking foward to the lack of crowds, and of course the grapes in their many forms.

As a seasoned pilgrim, I can relax and just let the camino work it's magic!!

Jonnycanuck, I hope to see you on the trail!!

Lora

Hi Lora

My party (self,son & his partner) are leaving Canada on the 17th and arriving in Bilbao on the 18th - will most likely stay overnight in Bilbao and travel to Pamplona on the 19th - putting us 2 or 3 days behind you. I don't intend on making as much of a race of the camino as I did on my 1st time and do as you suggest - just relax and let the camino work its magic. Hope to see you - Buen Camino

John