Walking in warm weather when not used to it.

[philo]

I start my camino next week.
All my "training" walks have been in cool weather 5'c - 12'c.
I've noticed temps are in mid 20s c next week.
Any extra tips other than drink water, take your time and wear a hat for dealing with heat when you are not used to it?
Thanks

 

[donalomahony]

Start out a little earlier...

 

[backlasher]

An umbrella makes a big difference.

 

[CarolamS]

I chose October for my first Camino because I'm not good with heat...there was a heatwave with temperatures in the mid 30's. I learnt to wet my whole head at water fountains and yes it dripped all down me! I had a small micro towel (30cm square) which I also soaked then folded up and placed it inside my hat, on the top of my head. The evaporation of the water really helped me tolerate the heat. I also aired my feet and changed my socks when I took a break.
Buen Camino

 

[LavanyaLea]

Any extra tips other than drink water

Don't drink just plain water but add an electrolyte tablet to replace some of the lost salt. It usually has a small amount of sugar as well so keeps your energy up. There are various brands so get whichever is available where you come from. Big cities/large supermarkets in Spain will have them too, or failing that, get dioralyte sachets from the pharmacy but you can make it more dilute.

Start out a little earlier...

Between 1-1.5 hours pre-dawn, whatever time that is.

I learnt to wet my whole head at water fountains and yes it dripped all down me! I had a small micro towel (30cm square) which I also soaked then folded up and placed it inside my hat, on the top of my head.

A good trick! Depending on what hat you uses, can also wet the hat in water, squeeze the excess water out, then it will keep your hat cool.

 

[dougfitz]

Warmer temperatures will come with higher UV factors. I prefer to wear trousers and long sleeved shirts, but if you are a shorts and t-shirt person, remember your sunscreen. You will need some anyhow for your face and neck, just take more of it.

I also have a bandana filled with small, water absorbing, pellets similar to those used by florists. I soak this overnight and the evaporation during the day cools my neck.

Give yourself a revision on this signs of heat exhaustion, and if you do detect them, discipline yourself to take a break and cool down. If you don't, the next stage is heat-stroke, and you won't know this is happening, so you are hoping others might before you make yourself very seriously ill. It's better to know the signs of heat exhaustion, and stop for a rest, than it is to push on.

 

[Richard Smith]

I would suggest that you start early, perhaps just before dawn, and finish your walking before the day heats up (1pm? but check for you).
Spain is west compared to many other places in their time zone so the day's heat starts later than the middle of the day (noon). And walking as dawn comes up is really good.
Also, start with easy days and you may find you adjust to the warmer weather quickly, in just a few days.
Dougfitz's advice above regarding awareness of heat exhaustion/heat stroke is good.

 

[markie6]

I see a lot of experienced pilgrims suggest an umbrella for wet and sunny weather and if you suffer from the sun it would seem like a sensible suggestion. Chances are you have prepared for sunny weather so it will rain. Good luck , slap some sun cream behind your knees if wearing shorts. You spend a lot of time with the sun behind you

 

[snuz55]

I have been doing my "training" here in Florida and have already hiked a number of 85-90 degree F days. I was hoping leaving Lisbon on the Portuguese Camino would be a nice break for me as they typically say late April is mid 70s during the day. I'm seeing just outside of Lisbon I may see a 90 degree day or two. I had already changed my clothes plan to more shorts and t-shirts and maybe only 1 pair of long pants/convertible. The best advice I see is to start earlier. It looks as if the hottest part of the day is mid afternoon...

 

[RRat]

I start my camino next week.
All my "training" walks have been in cool weather 5'c - 12'c.
I've noticed temps are in mid 20s c next week.
Any extra tips other than drink water, take your time and wear a hat for dealing with heat when you are not used to it?
Thanks

Suffer! You will be miserable. But you have a solution. Start early. Stop for the day early. Skip grueling sections. In other words modify your plans. I'm from the Arizona desert. I walked the Meseta during a September heat wave. I found it comfortable while others, like you from cooler climates, were suffering. The beauty of the Camino is the challenges it presents us and the solutions we utilize.

 

[DoughnutANZ]

20 degrees Celsius is not hot, even if you previously lived in an igloo.

 

[Robo]

Just completed 23kms today on VdlP.
We were exhausted.
I thought i had enough water, but realised 8kms from town it would not last. So just,sipped what i had, rather than drink freely as normal.

I had been gradually reducing my water load, to save weight. But we ended up walking a bit later into the day than planned.

Result? Very mild dehydration (check pee colour). This caused pain in tendons and joints. On arriving in town 2 bottles of aquarius went straight down!!

So....always make sure you have and drink enough water to stay 'well hydrated'. Take account of stage length, water sources along the way, weather, and your own water consumption requirements.

Today i wore long pants, long sleeves as i always do. It avoids sunburn. I pull up my sleeves now and then and my arms are now well tanned.

I still put sun cream on my face neck and hands though. and these are all tanning...

And i use an umbrella, purely as shade from the sun, which was fierce today. If not using an umbrella i wear a wide brimmed hat.

And due to the unseasonal heat on this route, i have joined the 'early brigade'.

I generally start walking between 6:30 to 7:00 depending on breakfast avaibility.

Dawn where I am has been about 8:15am.
Twilight (you can see where you are going) has been about 7:45 am.

So the first part has required head torches. I've come to love this time of the day. Crisp, at about 8-9C. And walking in the dark watching the sun come up. Amazing. And trying to reach our destination before the sun reaches its hottest...

You don't say which route you are walking. Or maybe i missed it.

 

[hikentravel1234]

I start my camino next week.
All my "training" walks have been in cool weather 5'c - 12'c.
I've noticed temps are in mid 20s c next week.
Any extra tips other than drink water, take your time and wear a hat for dealing with heat when you are not used to it?
Thanks

I am the opposite of you. I've walked 3 Caminos with high temps in the upper 20's and the 30's. I start April 30th and see that the lows (in the early mornings when I start) will be 9c, which is cold for me. The afternoons look like they will be up to 24c--a bit hot, but I usually finish by 2 pm.
Overall, MUCH cooler than my previous 3 caminos, so I am glad.

 

[MichelleElynHogan]

Lots of water. Stay hydrated. Rest when tired, stretch, munch on a snack. One stage at a time. Never overdo it.

 

[Kgaynor]

20 degrees Celsius is not hot, even if you previously lived in an igloo.

I’ve been walking for months in -40. Believe me, 20 above will feel extraordinarily hot when you are coming from a place that gets -40 for months.

 

[Sam - AU]

Similar to the wet hat suggestion earlier, a wet buff around your neck also helps. And as others have suggested, earlier starts, electrolytes and breaks in shady spots when you see them.

 

[Former member 92300]

Make sure you carry extra water. Drink a lot before you leave for the day if you can - and refill before departure. Every time you pass a fountain - refill. Often fountain water is cooler than what is in your bottle.

Either carry electrolytes, or stop at a bar and order Aquarius as needed. I preferred stopping at bars for Aquarius because they are served cold. Makes a huge difference. Or at the very least - eat salty items that help you retain water.

Start early and try to stop for the day by 2 pm. I start at 6-630am in the summer. Can usually see well enough to avoid using a headlamp - but only when skies are clear and not in wooded areas - so best to at least carry a headlamp. Stop frequently to rest if needed. I take a break in the shade when I can.

Wear a hat and sunscreen. Long sleeves and long pants are good for sun protection - but make sure it is a breathable fabric. I do like merino wool even in the heat (and I live in a desert and always hike in merino wool year round).

A hiking umbrella with SPF rating can keep you even cooler. It even allows you to skip the hat if positioned right which in turn helps your head stay coolers.

And yes - get your hat or neck gaiter or something wet to help keep you cool.

 

[dougfitz]

Make sure you carry extra water. Drink a lot before you leave for the day if you can - and refill before departure. Every time you pass a fountain - refill. Often fountain water is cooler than what is in your bottle.

To give this some extra context, here is some analysis I did a few years ago in another discussion. While it might help to know what your water consumption rate is per hour when walking in the heat, that is not something that I expect most pilgrims will have taken the time to discover during their training. Indeed, some might not even be able to train in the hot weather conditions they might face on any camino route.

It is, though, relatively easy to work out where those long stretches are between locations that will take more than a couple of hours to walk. I estimated that of the some 156 distinct location on the CF, about 7% are more than two hours away from the previous location (see the linked post for sources and other assumptions). These are the times you will need to consider how much extra water you need to carry if you are normally taking just enough, thinking you will find somewhere to refill within an hour or so from your last refill.

 

[JCarpenter]

A word of caution about wet cloths around necks and on heads...these can hold in heat if there is no wind, and can cause rapid overheating. Some have success, some end up suffering badly from this. Your neck and head lose 30% or your body heat, so wrapping it can impede this on a hot day.

 

[dougfitz]

A word of caution about wet cloths around necks and on heads...these can hold in heat if there is no wind, and can cause rapid overheating. Some have success, some end up suffering badly from this. Your neck and head lose 30% or your body heat, so wrapping it can impede this on a hot day.

I have never heard of this happening before. Do you have more information about this?

 

[Former member 92300]

A word of caution about wet cloths around necks and on heads...these can hold in heat if there is no wind, and can cause rapid overheating. Some have success, some end up suffering badly from this. Your neck and head lose 30% or your body heat, so wrapping it can impede this on a hot day.

A wet neck gaiter is a great tool to keep cool. A tutorial to prevent what you are talking about... although I never found it to be an issue and many people in my area hike with wet gaiters on hot days (I live in a desert where summer high temperatures are usually 32-43 Celsius/90-110 Fahrenheit for more than half of the year. I just wring out my gaiter - I don't shake it.

How To Activate Cooling in a BUFF® Neck Gaiter | Buff® Headwear Australia

It's hot and you want immediate cooling. This tutorial shows you in 6 easy steps how to cool your Buff® before putting it on.

technicalheadwear.com.au

 

[David Tallan]

A word of caution about wet cloths around necks and on heads...these can hold in heat if there is no wind, and can cause rapid overheating. Some have success, some end up suffering badly from this. Your neck and head lose 30% or your body heat, so wrapping it can impede this on a hot day.

I always thought that the principle of the wet wraps is that you lose heat to evaporation. If the humidity is so high that evaporation cannot occur, I can see them perhaps acting as insulation. My experience of hot sections of Spanish Caminos is that they also tend to be dry, facilitating evaporation and the cooling effect.