Thoughts about doing the Camino de Madrid in June/July?

[SpanBrit]

Hi everyone,

I'm (hoping to be) a first time pilgrim this summer and am trying to work out what camino to do (before researching I really thought there was just one route, oh how naive I was...) I'm pretty used to doing shorter hikes on my own, like the peace and quiet, and have family in Madrid so I was planning on doing the Camino de Madrid, perhaps then linking up with the Camino de Invierno or the del Norte (I also considered doing the Camino de Salvador and then linking up with the primitivo or del norte but I think that might be a little too ambitious). The issue is that I only really have time to do it from late june onwards, has anyone done the Camino de Madrid in the summer? How did they find it? I've been to Spain and the two Castilla's many time so I'm aware it can be anywhere from 30-40 degrees celsius plus in the summer, what I don't know is just how hard people finding it walking in that sort of weather, whether there is anything in particular I should bring for that time of year that I wouldn't need at other times of year etc... Apologies for the, likely, very novice questions.

 

[C clearly]

Welcome to the forum! I haven't walked at that time of year, but would consider taking a reflective umbrella if I did. These threads tagged with "rain/sun protection" might help.

 

[peregrina2000]

Echoing @C clearly’s welcome, @SpanBrit. I don’t think many people walk the Madrid at any time of year (On my walk I met two pilgrims on foot and one cyclist). But hopefully a forum member will appear who has walked in summer.

Thinking back to the terrain, there are some lovely pine forests, but a huge percentage of this camino is open agricultural land, which means no shade at all in summer. I think the umbrella suggestion is a good one.

 

[SusanSmyth]

I walked it in June 2019. It was very hot, but wonderful. I had a good hat with a wide brim so I didn’t need an umbrella. I wish, though, that I had brought and used a stronger face cream/sunblock because my lower face became chapped from the sun and wind. A minor problem.

The Madrid doesn’t have the infrastructure you can find on other, more-traveled routes, and who knows how it is now, with Covid? It was sometimes a challenge to find food and water, so stock up whenever you can.

It is a wonderful Camino!

 

[SpanBrit]

I walked it in June 2019. It was very hot, but wonderful. I had a good hat with a wide brim so I didn’t need an umbrella. I wish, though, that I had brought and used a stronger face cream/sunblock because my lower face became chapped from the sun and wind. A minor problem.

The Madrid doesn’t have the infrastructure you can find on other, more-traveled routes, and who knows how it is now, with Covid? It was sometimes a challenge to find food and water, so stock up whenever you can.

It is a wonderful Camino!

Yeah, my mum already warned me about buying a wide brimmed hat. How bad is the infrastructure? I would have thought it would be ok to at least find hotels but maybe I'm wrong. It also seems to be slightly better than the invierno, I've heard that there a lot of 30km+ stages on that and I'm hoping the madrid isn't as bad...

 

[pjacobi]

I suggest wearing a long-sleeve non-cotton shirt. Some sport shirts list the SPF sun protection factor.


-Paul

 

[SusanSmyth]

I never had a problem finding a place to sleep, but several times I passed through villages without bars or stores or drinking fountains, and everything was closed. For me sleeping was never a problem but food and, especially, water were. Who knows now with Covid?

 

[frbobs]

Hey SpanBrit,
Welcome and Buen Camino! I walked the Madrid in August 2019. I will reiterate what was already said: slept in a bed every night (some interesting ones, at that), had a number of days without finding anything substantial to eat, I met 9 walking Pilgrims and 5 on bikes. It was relentlessly HOT with large sections of no cover, and a couple of very long days.

Here's the deal: one of the best things I've ever done. I only have one regret, that my command of Spanish is not conversational. I can be polite and ask for what I need, I can understand quite a bit, but not enough to sit down and converse with folks. I know that it would have been very different if I could (the food and water issues probably would have been solved most of the time).

From Madrid to Segovia (AWESOME city) you probably want to book ahead (Hotels and Hostels), not a lot (if any) Pilgrim services until after Segovia (which I would recommend staying in as long as you can). After that, there is at least one Albergue in each of the Villages you would stop.

In terms of food, timing is everything. If there's anything open when you get into a Village, buy everything, because once they close, that will be it. You will be able to subsist on the occasional tapa offered in the local bar. When you get into a Town that is a little larger, get as much food and drink as you would be willing to carry...worth it. I carried 2-48oz water bottles, 6 lbs...also worth it, only ran out completely twice.

Buy the strongest sunscreen you can get and put it on constantly. Pay attention to how you feel, you can even shorten the stages (there's only a couple of really long ones anyway). One of those wide-brim hats that you can wet, would be great. Definitely use moisture wicking material for shirts and shorts.

The bottom line is that it is isolated, and absolutely beautiful. There is nothing obscuring the horizon, 360 degrees of sky, stunning. The solitude was a positive aspect for me. There is something about having the layers peeled off, being completely alone in silence, that is revelatory (if not a little surreal at times, at least for me).

I'm leaving a lot out, but you get the gist. John Walkers guide book is great. Check out Sara Dhooma's blog on the Madrid as well. I recommend starting at the Church of Santiago in Madrid, there's a Pilgrim blessing after Mass, and they have credentials (the man in the Sacristy was wonderful, BIG Camino Madrid proponent). I'll tell you what he told me, "Senor, I'm...how do you say...I'm envious, it's my favorite". Enjoy

 

[SpanBrit]

This is super helpful! Thanks everyone.

On a related note, are there enough places to get your credencial stamped on this route or is it only done in albergues? I ask because i might end staying in hotels etc... Rather than albergues and don't want to cause myself any issues although now i think about it, is this even an official route where you can get the credencial stamped it didn't come up on the electronic credencial as an option so not a totally crazy question to ask.

 

[frbobs]

Hi SpanBrit,
I got stamps from Hostels, Hotels, Bars, Albergues (I think I got one in a small supermarket). I ended in Sahagun, and still had 27 stamps when I was done. It is definitely an official route, although I did run into a couple of guys from Portugal, who drive on it every day, and didn't know it was a Camino. Have fun planning. Peace, Bob

 

[Anniesantiago]

Much of it is in open fields.
I'd do it in the summer if I had plenty of water and an umbrella. The longest stretch for me was over the mountain but there is a fountain up there. You just have to look for it. It's not obvious nor is it on the Camino. It's about 50 feet off and up another road.

 

[SpanBrit]

Hi SpanBrit,
I got stamps from Hostels, Hotels, Bars, Albergues (I think I got one in a small supermarket). I ended in Sahagun, and still had 27 stamps when I was done. It is definitely an official route, although I did run into a couple of guys from Portugal, who drive on it every day, and didn't know it was a Camino. Have fun planning. Peace, Bob

Thanks, that's helpful to know!

 

[SpanBrit]

Does anyone know if much of it is on the road? I heard that one section involves walking on the shoulder of a very busy road, which I am obviously not super keen to do aha. Apologies for the questions and many thanks again for all the advice!

 

[peregrina2000]

Yeah, my mum already warned me about buying a wide brimmed hat. How bad is the infrastructure? I would have thought it would be ok to at least find hotels but maybe I'm wrong. It also seems to be slightly better than the invierno, I've heard that there a lot of 30km+ stages on that and I'm hoping the madrid isn't as bad...

The infrastructure is very good, but unlike the Invierno, where there are only very few municipal albergues, the albergue system on the Madrid is predominantly municipal. Those are much more likely to be closed for covid. If you search around a bit on the forum, you'll see people have been walking the Invierno without many problems. The Invierno offers mainly private pensiones/hotels and a growing number of private albergues, and most of that seems to be open.

But with regard to the Madrid during Covid. Here is a list that I cobbled together last summer, from watching Álvaro Lazaga’s videos of him walking it from north to south. This is likely to change, of course, but hopefully only for the better!

Between Madrid and Vileguillo no albergues are open. (from memory, though, there is no shortage of private options — Tres Cantos, Colmenar, Cercedilla, Segovia….

Santa María Real there is a hotel

In Navas de Asunción there is a pilgrim albergue (closed) but also an albergue juvenil. It was full when he passed, but I don’t know if he could have stayed there if it had not been full with a youth group.

Coca - albergue closed but good bar (closed Tuesdays)

Vileguillo - albergue open

Alcazarén — albergue open

Valdestillas — bar open

PUente Duero — albergue open

Simancas — hotels, bar

Ciguñuela — albergue closed

Wamba — bar open

Peñaflor — albergue closed

Castromonte — albergue open

Medina del Ríoseco — hotels

Tamariz (a bit off camino) - albergue open with 1 bed!

Vilallón de Campo — albergue closed but I remember there is a hotel across the street from the albergue

Santervás — albergue open

Does anyone know if much of it is on the road?

The Camino de Madrid probably has the least amount of roadwalking of any of the caminos I have walked, because it was put together and marked well after the highway system was in place. Off the top of my head, I don't remeber any scary road shoulder segments at all. And the exit from Madrid is painless, industrial-park-free and quite pleasant.

 

[SpanBrit]

The infrastructure is very good, but unlike the Invierno, where there are only very few municipal albergues, the albergue system on the Madrid is predominantly municipal. Those are much more likely to be closed for covid. If you search around a bit on the forum, you'll see people have been walking the Invierno without many problems. The Invierno offers mainly private pensiones/hotels and a growing number of private albergues, and most of that seems to be open.

But with regard to the Madrid during Covid. Here is a list that I cobbled together last summer, from watching Álvaro Lazaga’s videos of him walking it from north to south. This is likely to change, of course, but hopefully only for the better!

Between Madrid and Vileguillo no albergues are open. (from memory, though, there is no shortage of private options — Tres Cantos, Colmenar, Cercedilla, Segovia….

Santa María Real there is a hotel

In Navas de Asunción there is a pilgrim albergue (closed) but also an albergue juvenil. It was full when he passed, but I don’t know if he could have stayed there if it had not been full with a youth group.

Coca - albergue closed but good bar (closed Tuesdays)

Vileguillo - albergue open

Alcazarén — albergue open

Valdestillas — bar open

PUente Duero — albergue open

Simancas — hotels, bar

Ciguñuela — albergue closed

Wamba — bar open

Peñaflor — albergue closed

Castromonte — albergue open

Medina del Ríoseco — hotels

Tamariz (a bit off camino) - albergue open with 1 bed!

Vilallón de Campo — albergue closed but I remember there is a hotel across the street from the albergue

Santervás — albergue open


The Camino de Madrid probably has the least amount of roadwalking of any of the caminos I have walked, because it was put together and marked well after the highway system was in place. Off the top of my head, I don't remeber any scary road shoulder segments at all. And the exit from Madrid is painless, industrial-park-free and quite pleasant.

Thanks a lot, this is both super helpful and encouraging! Do you think it's necessary to reserve accommodation in advance on the route? I've read that some routes, for example the primitivo, have had an increase in pilgrims without any concomitant increase in infrastructure so people end up with nowhere to sleep or racing for beds sometimes. I don't have any problems staying in a hotel or casa rural as well but who knows if they exist at every point on the route.

 

[Anniesantiago]

Thanks a lot, this is both super helpful and encouraging! Do you think it's necessary to reserve accommodation in advance on the route? I've read that some routes, for example the primitivo, have had an increase in pilgrims without any concomitant increase in infrastructure so people end up with nowhere to sleep or racing for beds sometimes. I don't have any problems staying in a hotel or casa rural as well but who knows if they exist at every point on the route.

I always reserve in Tres Cantos, Colmenar, Manzanares, Cercedilla and Segovia if I'm staying in any of those.
I have found those places full some years.

 

[SpanBrit]

I always reserve in Tres Cantos, Colmenar, Manzanares, Cercedilla and Segovia if I'm staying in any of those.
I have found those places full some years.

Thanks! Will definitely say a prayer for all you guys once, if, i get to Santiago

 

[SpanBrit]

I've been buying all the gear I need and was thinking, will I actually need a sleeping bag? I bought a liner, but I figure Spain in June/July is usually too hot to need a sleeping bag but now I worry some nights will be too cold to just use a liner... It would be helpful if I could skip the weight of a sleeping bag though and I am pretty sure for July it'd be useless.

 

[Rebekah Scott]

I would take a liner and a fitted sheet to cover the mattress beneath you.
I walked this route in August 2016, and ended up with heat exhaustion the one day I got a late start. I highly recommend you wake up early and get your day's walk done while the sun is relatively low.. the summer temperatures tend to peak in the late afternoon, and OMG can it overwhelm you out there on the flat plains north of Simancas!

 

[Anniesantiago]

Frankly, I'd listen to Rebekah Scott! She lives in Spain and has experience on this route in summer.
On my very first Camino in 2006, Rebekah advised us not to walk the VDLP in summer. We did it anyway, thinking we knew better since we were from California's central valley which is commonly up over 110 degrees in summer.
Well, we found DRY fountains and extreme heat. We ran out of water and it could have been a very serious situation if some local fireman hadn't come along with water. Rebekah's advice is good advice.

 

[SpanBrit]

I would take a liner and a fitted sheet to cover the mattress beneath you.
I walked this route in August 2016, and ended up with heat exhaustion the one day I got a late start. I highly recommend you wake up early and get your day's walk done while the sun is relatively low.. the summer temperatures tend to peak in the late afternoon, and OMG can it overwhelm you out there on the flat plains north of Simancas!

No worries, I'm from Spain so I'm well aware of how crazy the temperatures can get. As you say, and as my mum advised me, I intend on getting up around 5-6am, walking till 11ish, stopping for lunch and/or a siesta and then I guess finding somewhere to say. I'm hoping 5/6 hrs walking is enough, but if necessary I suppose I could do more in the later afternoon.

Is a fitted sheet really necessary? I just would feel a bit weird wondering around with a fitted sheet lol.

 

[Rebekah Scott]

It's not necessary, but it's a real plus when the mattresses are manky. I never felt self-conscious about having one. .. I think I was occasionally the object of envy!

 

[SpanBrit]

It's not necessary, but it's a real plus when the mattresses are manky. I never felt self-conscious about having one. .. I think I was occasionally the object of envy!

I haven't heard the word manky in so long, thanks for making my day aha.