Yossi Fuchs
Member
- Time of past OR future Camino
- May 2016
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Yossi,
October into late autumn is a great time to walk with generally golden days and cool nights. Do be aware however that many albergues start to close mid October. For lots of personal commentary regarding walking at this time including a kit list see my Camino Gazetteer blog.
For what others have posted re Autumn walking see this earlier Forum thread.
Happy planning and Buen Camino to both of you!
Mid-October is an excellent time to walk.
Orisson closes in mid-October, so you should find out that date if you want to stay there. In Oct 2014, the wind on the Napoleon route was tremendous. In Oct 2015, the higher parts were quite chilly early in the morning (i.e. freezing) and my gloves were invaluable! Both times were quite clear and beautiful for walking, with comfortable temperatures during the day. Otherwise, I can't think of anything that was unique to that section or that month. The weather can be problematic at any time.
There was no shortage of accommodation. Do you have other specific questions we can answer?
I left SJPdP 25 Oct 2012. Dark till about 0830. It rained sideways for a couple of hours.
Orisson was closed for the winter.
There was frequent light rain and cool weather for the section from Roncesvalles to Pamplona. There were rumors of snow having fallen on the SJPdP - Roncesvalles section the day after I went.
There were perhaps a hundred at the Roncesvalles albergue. Same at Jesus y Maria in Pamplona ... not full but more than expected. Statistics indicate the numbers have increased significantly in the 4 years since I went.
Be prepared for mountain weather ... unpredictable ... possibility of hard driving rain, snow, low cloud (very disorienting) and high wind. Carry good rain gear and high energy snacks.
Thanks, I hope my wife won't be reading this...
I think crossing any mountains in the spring is just a matter of how lucky you are any given day. Some years it can be horrible & some beautiful every day. So plan for the worse snow/sleet & thank r god it was beautiful.
Thanks! if you had to choose between crossing the Pyrenees on October 10th or May 22nd, which do you think is preferable? two aspects I would like you to consider; one is weather and the other is the landscape/views...
thanks!Weather is simply a question of good/bad luck. Landscapes and views depend also on the weather - fog=no views. May is better for green spring meadows, October for lovely colored autumn/fall leaves/forests. Take your pick and Buen Camino, SY
I will answer concerning the spring, others who have walked the fall should chime in. I will only say concerning the fall you may want to start the end of September.Thanks! if you had to choose between crossing the Pyrenees on October 10th or May 22nd, which do you think is preferable? two aspects I would like you to consider; one is weather and the other is the landscape/views...
So you already have the experience then to answer the question directly May 22 if I were to have my wife along simply due to weather & finding places still open.Thanks for the info!
I walked this year from Pamplona to Santiago - Muxia - Finisterre (skipped the Burgos-Leon stretch). Started April 29th, finished May 30. I did no training at all before and ended up without a single blister! I am 67 years old and my two companions were 70 & 76 years old! Now I have this urge to do the SJPP - Pamplona part that we decided to skip for lack of time. I am going to do it with my wife who is 10 years younger than I, but I am not sure how tough she will be on the trail...
I believe you are over dramatizing it... this year I did Panplona - Santiago (skipped burgos-leon part) - muxia - finisterre, started april 29, finished may 30. no big deal... granted that SJPP - roncevalles is different due to crossing the Pyrenees but we plan on doing it in two days, first day just to orisson
I re-read that post and didn't see any exaggeration. The weather in mid-October can certainly be unpredictable. @whariwharangi encountered sideways rain and chilly conditions. I encountered extreme winds (gusts almost blew us over at times) on one occasion, and freezing temperatures on the other occasion. We have no idea what you will encounter, but you should be aware of the possibilities. That is how you ensure "no big deal."I believe you are over dramatizing it.
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