Weather conditions in November

[lckgj]

hi
I am planning to walk from Logrono to Burgos from 9th Nov. I walked from Roncevalles to Logrono in June (Iam not able to take a long enough holiday to do the entire Camino in one go). I have checked the temperatures for both Logrono and Burgos at that time of year and was surprised at how cold it was- down to minus 2 degrees at night. My previous experience was of sweltering heat and I am struggling with knowing quite how to dress and what to pack. Has anyone done this stretch at this time and could give me a few pointers? I carried my pack without any difficulty last time but am anxious not to increase the weight if possible. I had a lightweight sleeping bag and wondered if the hostals are heated and whether a silk liner would increase the warmth factor by much?
this is a great site - wish I'd known about it before my last walk!
Thanks

 

[Peter Robins]

Don't forget on the meseta you are 800m up. I have walked from the border to Logrono, and from Fromista to Astorga in November. The 2nd of those was woolly hat and mittens weather throughout; the first was milder during the day, but you must expect frosts overnight. If by 'hostals', you mean the albergues, few of these are heated (though some have an open fire you can use) and you will need a proper sleeping-bag, with or without a silk liner. Bedrooms in the cheaper hostales are also often not headed, though you'll be warmer there than in the albergues. Pack weight shouldn't be a problem, as you will be wearing the extra clothes

 

[sillydoll]

Camino in September

A friend of mine is walking the camino now and emailed earlier this week from Boadilla that it has turned very cold. She said that the nights are bitterly cold and that she felt as though she was constantly freezing so she donated her short sleeved t-shirts to the albergue in Burgos and bought two long sleeved shirts, a fleece and a parachute jacket.
If it is cold now, it will be colder in November so anyone planning on walking later on, go prepared.

 

[bjorgts]

Good clothing

In Norway we have a saying, which will be something like this in english: There exist no "bad weather" only "bad clothing". So what is good cloths? A general rule: Use wool nearest to the body. (Some will say use the modern synthetic articles.) Then a layer with fleece or something like that and then a windbreaking jacket. None of theese articles have much weight. The woolen layer is also good to use at night when the room is cold. Another general rule: Never use cotton piece of clothing nearest to the body. If it get wet in one way or another (from inside or outside) you will fell cold and freeze. With wool you can be warm even when it is wet. You do not so easy get that freezing feeling. Good clothing is not always a question of a lot of cloths, but of the right sort of cloths. Good luck!

 

[spursfan]

Just to reinforce the last post - wool is also great because it can cope comfortably with wide ranges of temperatures - I wear Icebreaker, based on New Zealand Merino wool. There's also Helly Hansen Lifa that is artificial but will certainly keep you warm at night and, as you've mentioned, silk - liners typically add 5 degrees C to a sleeping bag - you can also get a silk balaclava - and all these are very light - and the fleece, of course

 

[sillydoll]

Keeping warm

And don't forget the good, old fashioned ladies panithose! Even soldiers wear them under their trousers! In the old days we could cut out the gusset and the cut off the feet, pull it over your head, arms through the legs, to make a really good 'body' stocking.
Another tip is to have a rainsuit instead of a poncho. I have a good one and it doubles up as an extra pair of trousers and jacket.
Keep warm!