The Camino Frances in February?

[John_Tillquist]

Hi all,

My name is John and I have been reading this forum for quite some time. So, now I think it’s time for me as well. Long story short, I have quit my job in order to do the "walk". So I have time for sure ha-ha and some money. There will be some questions from me (see below for starters), so I hope you all can help me out.

1. Is it possible to bike the Camino Frances this coming February? (I would like to bike it, but I know the weather can be quite bad with snow and so on...)

2. Is it possible to camp with tent or do you recommending staying at the usual hostels? (At least sometimes)


Thanks in advance,
John

 

[JohnnieWalker]

Hello John

Welcome to the Forum. Congratulations on making the big life style change and travelling the Camino is a great way to mark that. The answer to both of your question is yes in my opinion. It is perfectly feasible to cycle the Camino Frances in February and there are many road alternatives to the waymarked route if the weather is very bad. Secondly some pilgrims do camp and there are posts on the forum regarding this. However it will be very cold and possibly very wet in February and there will be fewer other pilgrims around - why not use the albergues which are there?

Good luck with your planning.

John

 

[Dael]

Hi John,
As the revered Johnnie Walker has replied to you - for once I find myself not agreeing with his points re cycling.
I have cycled the route but in deference to walkers stayed on nearby roads. The actual pathway will be quiet with many fewer walkers but you may have to consider the weather. The path may, in places, be either muddy/snow covered or frosted ruts, none of which make for an easy ride. If on roads you will be surprised by the wind chill factor generated by your fast movement so many layers of technical clothing required. I spent six weeks cycling, this Spring, in Scotland and wild camped most of the way. Like Johnnie I would opt for "business class" and stay indoors wherever possible.
I walked the Francais in Jan/Feb and was blessed with little snow but, even for a Scotsman, was cold.
Search the forum for previous posts re equipment/weather etc - there is a wealth of experience hidden away in odd corners.
Best of luck with your journey and don't hesitate to get in touch if I can be of further assistance.
dael_wilson@yahoo.co.uk.
Dael

 

[John_Tillquist]

Thank you both for the input!

As I have resigned from my current work I am in no hurry. The advantage with taking a bike would be faster movement and cover more miles of course. If or when I reach Santiago either way, I would like to continue exploring, maybe down to Portugal or pretty much anywhere. As we all know, time is money and I have some. So that's why I would like to bike it. From Sweden so I am pretty much aware of the cold climate and its effects. Now living on Malta, so it will come as a shock!

I have checked this site: http://www.mundicamino.com/ and my plan is to buy the bike there on spot.

I could use the albergues provided, how about price and so on? Open in February? I really don't know so much about it? I have ordered some books for preparation.


Thanks again,
John

 

[cecelia]

Hello John,
As you've probably noticed, there is an overwhelming amount of information about the caminos on the internet reflecting the experiences, opinions and knowledge of people from all over the world. Just keep reading because there is such a wealth of info but remember that your camino will be your own and therefore different.

You may have noticed that you will need a 'Credencial' to stay in the albergues. These can be obtained in many places including (usually) at your first albergue. This is another site you may be interested in looking at http://www.csj.org.uk/index.htm . They have overviews of all of the routes with albergues etc. Lots of information there. And this site also has a lot of good info, including weather and maps: http://www.elcaminosantiago.com/ .

The prices of the albergues range from as low as 5 Euros and as high as 35 for the private ones which usually include a meal. There are also other layers of places available for the times when you may need a hot bath or a warm bed: pensiones (often around 20 or 25 Euros), hostales(20 to 30 Euros), casa de rurales (20 to 35 Euros) and of course hotels - all have their advantages. Some albergues will be closed in February and maybe in March but some are open. I know there are lists available but I don't have them. Someone else will no doubt speak up about that however.

I live in Canada and we think of a bar as a place where you go to share alcoholic drinks with a friend. In Spain you can do that but it's also a place to go for breakfast, snacks, lunch or light meals or tapas at almost any time of the day and also the place where you are most likely to buy coffee in many forms or freshly squeezed orange juice (not sure about the latter in winter though).

Unless you are dedicated to being alone, I'd recommend that you don't isolate yourself by camping all of the time. A most wonderful part of the camino can be sharing moments, coffee and meals with some of the people you may meet somewhere along the way from one of about 137 countries.

I wish you a most glorious adventure and as you will hear frequently along the way - buen camino.
Cecelia

 

[Caminando]

Hi John

I'd suggest using the albergues because meeting others is part of the experience.

On cycling, I only know that a friend who first walked the Camino Frances, then cycled, said that cycling was much the lesser experience. That's the view of one person. You can also find albergue restrictions.

Read around this forum for a long time - you'll find your questions have already been asked.

Have a great camino and please keep us up to date?

Buen camino

 

[Deleted member 3000]

While part of the experience CAN be other pilgrims, being alone is important to many walkers, your choice. In February, there may not be many other pilgrims, and on a bicycle, you will only be with the ones you meet for one night as you zip on ahead. In general, municipal albergues only admit cyclists after 6 p.m., but in the off season, you probably won't encounter enforcement of the "rule." Cyclists may not be able to navigate snow covered terrain, so you may need maps to find the roads that go to your destination. It sounds like a great adventure!

 

[John_Tillquist]

Thank you all and sorry for late reply. I have been thinking a lot about this. Walk or bike. The only thing that concerns me is the snow... Maybe I miss a lot of the scenery when walking in snow and so on? Maybe March is more suitable?

Appreciate the input and thanks again,
John

 

[skilsaw]

The only thing that concerns me is the snow... Maybe I miss a lot of the scenery when walking in snow and so on? Maybe March is more suitable?

Snow has its own beauty. March will still have snow at higher elevations. The trees will not be in leaf, the fields will be just dirt, waiting for spring, the vinyards will be bare.

I love the colour green. I walked from mid April to mid May and spring was breaking out as I walked along. I started in winter conditions, and when I finished, Santiago was green.

I didn't have problems with crowding, except during the week of Easter, and even then, we managed to find space every night. There was plenty of time to be alone, and opportunity to be with other people.

Just a few thoughts on an April/May Camino.

Good Luck
David, Victoria, Canada.

 

[cumbriahiker]

http://www.csj.org.uk/update-caminofrances.htm


This website is a place that tells you a bit about albergues, good luck!