• Get your Camino Frances Guidebook here.
  • For 2024 Pilgrims: €50,- donation = 1 year with no ads on the forum + 90% off any 2024 Guide. More here.
    (Discount code sent to you by Private Message after your donation)
  • ⚠️ Emergency contact in Spain - Dial 112 and AlertCops app. More on this here.

Search 69,459 Camino Questions

Walking July/August

jessie_d

New Member
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.
 
Technical backpack for day trips with backpack cover and internal compartment for the hydration bladder. Ideal daypack for excursions where we need a medium capacity backpack. The back with Air Flow System creates large air channels that will keep our back as cool as possible.

€83,-
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.
 
New Original Camino Gear Designed Especially with The Modern Peregrino In Mind!
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!
 
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?
 
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.
 
Very light, comfortable and compressible poncho. Specially designed for protection against water for any activity.

Our Atmospheric H30 poncho offers lightness and waterproofness. Easily compressible and made with our Waterproof fabric, its heat-sealed interior seams guarantee its waterproofness. Includes carrying bag.

€60,-
The first edition came out in 2003 and has become the go-to-guide for many pilgrims over the years. It is shipping with a Pilgrim Passport (Credential) from the cathedral in Santiago de Compostela.
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! :)
 

Most read last week in this forum

La Voz de Galicia has reported the death of a 65 year old pilgrim from the United States this afternoon near Castromaior. The likely cause appears to be a heart attack. The pilgrim was walking the...
This is my first posting but as I look at the Camino, I worry about 'lack of solitude' given the number of people on the trail. I am looking to do the France route....as I want to have the...
The Burguete bomberos had another busy day yesterday. Picking up two pilgrims with symptoms of hypothermia and exhaustion near the Lepoeder pass and another near the Croix de Thibault who was...
Between Villafranca Montes de Oca and San Juan de Ortega there was a great resting place with benches, totem poles andvarious wooden art. A place of good vibes. It is now completely demolished...
Left Saint Jean this morning at 7am. Got to Roncesvalles just before 1:30. Weather was clear and beautiful! I didn't pre book, and was able to get a bed. I did hear they were all full by 4pm...
Hi there - we are two 'older' women from Australia who will be walking the Camino in September and October 2025 - we are tempted by the companies that pre book accomodation and bag transfers but...

❓How to ask a question

How to post a new question on the Camino Forum.

Forum Rules

Forum Rules

Camino Updates on YouTube

Camino Conversations

Most downloaded Resources

This site is run by Ivar at

in Santiago de Compostela.
This site participates in the Amazon Affiliate program, designed to provide a means for Ivar to earn fees by linking to Amazon
Official Camino Passport (Credential) | 2024 Camino Guides
Back
Top