Walking July/August

[jessie_d]

Hi,

Is it ridiculous to think about walking in late July, early August? I only have 3 weeks holidays and they must be taken late in the summer. I can cope with stopping walking earlier in order to find a bed but will the heat be too much? Has anyone here walked at that time of year?

Thanks in advance.

 

[Minkey]

Not ridiculous at all. You'll want to be done walking by lunchtime though

 

[Whalleyranger]

I walked both my Caminos in July-August. The sun doesn't come up until around 7.30ish so any earlier than that and it's cold and dark. The only problems you'll encounter are the scrummage for beds and (especially in Galicia) you'll never be alone on the Camino. You'll spend all day within sight of people. It depends on how you feel about it I suppose but for me I missed the solitude of the earlier etapas.

Walk in the morning, grab a bed then spend the afternoon sunbathing - lots of towns have municipal pools. I especially recommend Portomarin with the fantastic views over the valley.

 

[sillydoll]

July/August

Hi Jessie,
I think the later in the summer you can walk the better.
We walked in Italy last July and the temperatures reached 40oC a number of times. Coming from a hot climate (Durban, South Africa) none of us found it unbearable but the locals thought we were completely "pazzo" (crazy or Loco) to be walking in the mid-day sun.
Hydrate well, use lots of sunblock and remember, it it hotter at 3pm than it is at mid-day so try to get to your destination before mid-afternoon.
If you only have 3 weeks, perhaps you should consider skipping the Meseta which can be an oven in summer.
Besides the heat, another reason why so many websites - CSK et al - warn against walking in August is because many Europeans take their annual holidays in August and the camino can be rather crowded with pilgrim groups.
Besides all that, huge numbers of pilgrims walk the camino in August and love it - and I'm sure you will too!

 

[cilento]

July/August

Hi Jessie,

I'm glad you posted this because I'm also planning to walk in July and August, and I'm worried about the heat and the crowds.

Maybe someone can help me to understand this. I realize that I will be rising early to walk in the morning hours, but...

What happens when you get to a town and the refugio is full?

What are the options at that point?

Should I bring a sleeping bag and prepare to sleep outdoors or just lots of extra money to rent a room whenever this happens?

 

[Whalleyranger]

I've never been in a situation where I haven't got a bed on two summer Caminos. Larger towns will always have more than one hostel - there are usually private ones alongside the municipal ones, and you'll see them advertised en-route.
Failing that the council will improvise - opening up sports halls and the like. You might want to take a sleeping mat and bag for peace of mind but as long as you arrive by no later than 2pm you shouldn't have a problem.

 

[jessie_d]

Thanks everyone. That's really helpful. Now I'm definitely going to go ahead

 

[Minkey]

My only real suggestion is that you don't become overly confident when you're walking in the overcast/slightly cooler weather and assume you'll be able to cover more ground as a result. I made that mistake walking from Carrion to Sahagun, last year and ended up going utterly bonkers! The cloud burnt off by mid afternoon and we were left stranded in the heat... Not good.

Other than that, hope you have a good un!