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Walking in July/August 2008

LillAnna

New Member
Hi!

I am planning to start walking the Camino in the middle of July this summer. I know it is not the best time of the year to go, but I don´t really have a choice. My question is, how crowded will it be at the albergues during these weeks? Will it be hard for me to find places to stay every night?

And how is the weather then, will it be extremely warm? Should I leave the warm sweater

Thank you!

Anna
Sweden
 
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LillAnna said:
My question is, how crowded will it be at the albergues during these weeks? Will it be hard for me to find places to stay every night?

I walked the Camino Frances in July-August of 2007. I never had a problem finding a place to sleep, although I tended to stop walking between 12 and 3 PM. Later walkers sometimes had to sleep in overflow rooms or on mattresses on the floor. But most of the time, everyone had a bed. The albergue workers will always try to find a tired pilgrim a place to crash. And there are often hotels, pensions, and so on to choose from if an albergue happens to be full (although in the smaller towns you may be limited in that regard).

One thing to keep in mind: In the summer the Camino tends to get quite crowded during the last 100 kilometers, since that is the minimum distance one can walk and still get a compostela. So, the albergues will be fuller then.

LillAnna said:
will it be extremely warm? Should I leave the warm sweater

Apparently, last summer was cooler than usual. However, it was still very hot, especially in the meseta. But it cooled down at night, and the mountains of Galicia were at times cold and rainy. I brought along a fleece vest which served me well during the cooler parts of the afternoon/evening. If you are sensitive to cold (as I am, despite being a full-blooded Scandinavian-American), you might want to bring a comfortable & warm garmet for evening wear... :arrow:
 
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I concur wholeheartedly with VT! I too walked in July/Aug, 2007 and started out in full raingear in Roncesvalles. There was one day, leaving Virgen del Camino when we could see our breath and the it was as cold as a December morning in the northeast USA! I'd have given anything for a pair of gloves that day! (August!!!) I frecuently wore my long sleeved fleece mornings and evenings.

The best garment I brought was a long sleeved silk thermal shirt that I wore under my regular shirt. At about 9 - 10 in the morning I could usually take it off, but it weighed nothing and was the best thing I brought!

By the time we got to Galicia, it was cool and rainy...I would say always plan in layers for the coldest... you can take things off as the day warms up. The meseta was very hot...but the same clear cloudless sky that makes it so hot, makes it cold at night and in the morning.

In terms of crowding... again, like VT, I never had a problem (well, once in El Burgo Raneros) until the last 100km. BUt still if you stay in the smaller towns and avoid the obvious "end of the etapa", you should be fine. I began walking early and also stopped usually around 2... I found 8 hours a day walking was plenty and gave me time to take siesta, relax, browse around the town, write in my journal and generally enjoy the Camino.

It's looking like I might be on the Camino again this summer... (july/aug) and I look forward to it!

Buen Camino,
 
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Hi Anna,
Welcome to the Forum :) . As mentioned by others the numbers can vary but it gets more crowded the nearer you get to Santiago. In 2005 some refugios were full, June, but some of us still used the showers, etc and then safely slept outside next to the refugio if the weather was good. It means you get an air-conditioned room, plenty of space and a wonderful view of the stars! I always thought it was a shame that so many pilgrims walk along the Milky Way and never see it's most wonderful sight!
Buen Camino,
Brendan
 
Hi!
I intend to start off the second week in July armed with my stamp book from St. James' Gate in Dublin.
I don't want to be weighed down with stuff. I'd like to know the mininun I need to take.
Is it a good idea to book ahead for accomodation?
Buen Camino,
Rosaleen.
 
Hi Roseleen and Anna...and welcome to the Class of 2008!

As you make your way through the many threads you'll find list upon list of things you should consider taking...so please check out those threads.

There are Four key pieces of gear you should take your time deciding on and once you do...make sure they fit and break them and you in properly:

1. Your boots/hiking shoes and socks. Your feet will be your vehicle and if you skimp on purchasing a good pair...it could be painful. When you go to get your boots, try them on with the socks and liners you intend to wear. The socks provide the cushion the liners act as blister protection. If properly fit, as you push your toes to the front of the boot...you should be able to put your thumb "snuggly" into your boot behind the heel. Also, stand on an incline board (the better outdoor shops have them) and make sure that your toes are not scrunched in the front of the boot. Break them in by walking with your pack on and over rolling pathways with a good incline/decline.
2. Your pack. The Camino is not a long distance no facilities walk, there fore you need a pack just large enough to carry the gear you will be taking...plus a little room for a snack...maybe hard sausage and cheese. The pack should have an adjustable waist band that will allow your pack to ride comfortably on your hips and allow the shoulder straps sufficient space where they do not hang on your shoulders. The shoulder straps are meant to help balance your pack...not carry the load.
3 Your wicking clothes. Purchase two good sets of poly-pro (or other wicking material) shirts (one long/one short), a breathable wind jacket and a fleece vest.
Also, two pair of hiking shorts...one can be the type that zip out the legs from the longer pant leg.
4. Sleeping bag. There are many out there. I suggest you find a good down filled 40F bag. This should be fine, especially if you purchase a silk liner. On hot days the silk liner becomes your covering and the bag your pillow.

An outlet to check is:

http://www.rei.com

Buen Camino

Arn
 
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I'm planning on doing the Camino in late July/August. I'll be in Madrid in June for a TEFL course, teaching at a couple of summer camps in July, which will hopefully leave me enough time to walk the whole route before a teaching job starts in September back in Madrid.

I'm just saying hello to anyone who'll be out there the same time.
 
Welcome!
If you go to the link for the Calendar then you'll be able to see who is walking at the same time as you - don't forget to add your own dates so others can see too
 
Several points:

There will be something of an influx of pilgrims during the summer months, especially during August. You'll have people setting off before sunrise, all aiming to be the first people at the alberges, but sadly, I fear that they're missing something. The only time I've ever had any problems with finding somewhere to stay, was when I was late arriving at Atapuerca, not far from Burgos.

The only other places I think you might have problems finding a place to stay, would be from Santiago to Finisterre. There are only a few beds in each refugio and I would strongly suggest that you try to get into these towns before say... 3pm, as they do fill up alarmingly quickly.

Weather-wise, it'll be very hot after about 12 noon. So the best thing to do in my opinion would be to get the majority of the walking done during the morning, leaving yourself the afternoon for a siesta, a bite to eat and some time just to chill out for a bit. Oh.. Nearly forgot to add bits that other people have mentioned (only to emphasise!) - Galicia will be a bit damp and not quite as warm as the middle section and the section from SJPP through Navarra might be a bit coldish at times. Also, there's going to be a bit of a chill in the higher sections so it mightn't be a bad idea to at least take a jumper or something thermal.
 
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I can't remember if I read it here or heard it from a hospitalero. Some of the larger refugios have a policy of letting people in as they open and there are people waiting. Then they tell people arriving early afternoon that they are full but they keep a number of places ready for those arriving late in the day for those who have walked a long way. If this is the case you can still arrive late and hope to find a place.

Buen Camino
William
 
I guess that depends on the hospitalero, but I've never noticed that before. I've seen that some places let walkers in, then ask cyclists to wait until say 6pm until they're assured a bed.
 

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