Sleeping bag or backpacking blanket

[Pilsprog]

My partner and I are planning to walk the Camino Frances next year starting at the end of May. We're worried about carrying any extra weight and wondered if it would be warm enough to skip taking a lightweight sleeping bag and instead bring a silk type sleep sack and one of those special lightweight backpacking blanket/covers to use if needed. Any ideas welcome.

 

[whariwharangi]

The albergues all have dormitories with bunk beds. Some of the albergues provide throw away mattress covers but many don't. Most Albergues have blankets too. A single bed that needs sheets and blankets.

Most people take a light sleeping bag with sheet liner.

I think a sheet liner and light weight backpacking blanket would work just fine.

 

[Ruth Ann]

My husband and I who are planning to walk early September until late October, opted to buy a sleeping bag liner sold at Mountain Equipment Co-op in Canada. One side is just a sheet, which you place on top when it's hot, and the other side is light weight down which you place on top when cooler. Very light weight and small. We are hoping that will be enough. Like you, we wanted to keep it small. Will probably bring a treated sheet to place over the mattress as well. The store sold these saying they were used for hosteling so it seemed perfect. Price was right too at $65 Canadian.

 

[SYates]

... the Camino Frances next year starting at the end of May. ... warm enough to skip taking a lightweight sleeping bag and instead bring a silk type sleep sack and one of those special lightweight backpacking blanket/covers to use if needed. ...

Also in May it still can get chilly at night in the mountains / meseta. Some albergues do provide additional blankets, but it is your guess when they have been washed the last time. A lightweight sleeping bag is around 500g. How much is your silk sleeping bag + blanket in total? I myself would take a sleeping bag, no doubt, SY

 

[cecelia]

Hi, I'm currently on the camino. A couple of days ago we stayed in Villafranca Montes de Oca. In the morning we walked into overnight snow - maybe 2 or 3 cm. That day it hailed, snowed, rained and sleeted as we walked into Atapuerca. The people in the municipal albergue were freezing cold according to them. This is the second time I've been on the camino when it has snowed in May and been really cold for a few days. Other times it has been sweltering.
It's certainly true that MOST albergues have extra blankets and equally true that not all of them do. You frequently, but not always,, have the option of taking a private albergue or a casa rural or pension or even a hotel if it's unusually cold for a few days. These all provide blankets.
May weather is very unpredictable in Spain!!
Currently it's pouring rain outside of Burgos.
Buen camino