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You may want to spend a day touring Leon before going to Astorga but do skip the stretch in between. I could quibble about the description but won't. I liked the small stretch between La Virgen del Camino and Villar de Mazarife but I probably would not in winter.I picked Astorga as starting point given pilgrim comments on the Leon-Astorga stage being largely walking through city/industrial estate.
BTW – I picked Astorga as starting point given pilgrim comments on the Leon-Astorga stage being largely walking through city/industrial estate.
Be sure to check out this recent Forum thread and links for many tips to help you prepare your winter camino.
https://www.caminodesantiago.me/com...forum-walking-this-dec-jan.42732/#post-437828
I don't think 30 pounds is necessary. I've walked in late November and start of December with my usual 6.5 kg (14 lb). If walking through winter, I would likely add just 1 kg or so (warmer sleeping bag, hat and gloves; extra pair of socks; maybe an additional base layer).weight you intend to carry (which will be 30 or more pounds, not 15-20)
I have not read to see if anyone has responded that has walked the end of Dec into January. As others have pointed out many places are closed. I even wonder how easy it would be to call a taxi? I would most likely pack a 1 man tent & a pad that had some thermal rating. That along with the normal extra cloths would get into the 25-28lb area. The OP could ship ahead if they could ensure a place to stay. The other issues, short daylight, heavy snow & wind.I don't think 30 pounds is necessary. I've walked in late November and start of December with my usual 6.5 kg (14 lb). If walking through winter, I would likely add just 1 kg or so (warmer sleeping bag, hat and gloves; extra pair of socks; maybe an additional base layer).
I have not read to see if anyone has responded that has walked the end of Dec into January. As others have pointed out many places are closed. I even wonder how easy it would be to call a taxi? I would most likely pack a 1 man tent & a pad that had some thermal rating. That along with the normal extra cloths would get into the 25-28lb area. The OP could ship ahead if they could ensure a place to stay. The other issues, short daylight, heavy snow & wind.
Yes but now only during hunting season, our winters are well below freezing. I am too old & soft for winter tenting. Even for hunting season I try for back country cabins. Since I have not experienced Spain in the middle of winter I would just assume it could get below freezing at times.. Nice to know the pensions/hotels stay open.Some places are closed, but not too many (if you figure in pensions/hotels) Tenting in winter? Have you ever done it before? There was that day in the Pyrenees when I forgot my water bottle outside the tent and it was frozen solid in the morn ... Buen Camino, SY
I think I might have been a little over-the-top in my original post. I don't have any experience at all in winter walking on the camino. My comments were just based on the very long distances Sha has planned and some limited experience in winter camping in North America. Okay, maybe I did have some experience in winter walking on the camino although it was actually late in May, 2013:I don't think 30 pounds is necessary. I've walked in late November and start of December with my usual 6.5 kg (14 lb). If walking through winter, I would likely add just 1 kg or so (warmer sleeping bag, hat and gloves; extra pair of socks; maybe an additional base layer).
As toHi All,
Thank you all for your comments and suggestions, all of them useful. Having reflected after seeing youtube vids of pilgrims, blog entries and other posts, I have decided to start in SJPdP on 24 December and walk as far as I can for a couple of weeks. The aim is to complete the remainder another time.
@SYates – thanks for the comment on pensions. This relieves pressure to walk x kms to the next open Aulberge.
As always, thank you all.
- What is a recommended place to around 20 km from SJPdP, say 5 K short of Roncesvalles?
- What should I expect to be open on Sunday Christmas day and Monday 26th. I understand 26th is an important holiday as well.
- How easy & expensive is it to send backpacks through to next stage if you know target pension / albergue?
Sha
Hi falcon am doing astorga route in October any suggestions of getting there am travelling from SW UKSeveral of the stops you have planned will be closed. Trabadelo, Fonfria, Barbadelo, and Ventas de Naron are not likely to be open (they were closed this year in January). Foncebadon will be a "maybe." There will not be many intermediary stops for food or coffee, so have provisions for yourself. Since it will be between Christmas and the New Year, there may be a lot of unannounced closings; the hospitalero just takes a vacation. They don't wait around in winter for the one pilgrim per day that may want to stop in!! It is not a profitable time of the year, and they have lives that may extend beyond the Camino. The tourist office in Ponferrada told me that everything on the Camino Invierno was closed. That may not have been accurate, but the stages are long, so only a few places would need to close to make that route very inconvenient.
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