Weather of Cruz de Ferro and El Cebreiro in mid March

[Dale]

I have two friends, Pru and Laurie, who live in Paris and will start walking another leg of their Camino from Puente la Reina next week and they would like to have some help with what to expect for weather conditions at the Cruz de Ferro and El Cebreiro in mid March. Any information from those who have walked in this area in mid March or information on current conditions would be appreciated. Thank you. :?:

 

[viajero]

I walked last year at this time--March. There was snow in Roncesvalles, Mansilla de las Mulas (just a little), Rabanal and O'Cebreiro. On the snowy days, most walked on the main road rather than the camino proper. The snow on the off road trails could sometimes be deep but the road was generally plowed. Once I'd come down from the higher elevation, and the snow was melted/less accumulation, I'd rejoin the camino proper. I found it was a great time to walk--the snow days (and some others) were a little cold but also there were sunny, warmer days which were very pleasant. I had one pair of gore tex trousers which were useful on the snowy days but otherwise wore very thin quick dry trousers (with silk long underwear on colder days), a fleece jacket --on the coldest days with a layer of silk undershirt, regular quick dry shirt, lightweight wool shirt and a rain coat. I also had a fleece cap and lightweight knit gloves. I wore wool socks. I felt warm enough even on the cold days. I hope they enjoy this time of year--I certainly did.

 

[Rebekah Scott]

All I can say is expect the unexpected. I was just up in Rabanal last week and we rode the horses up to the Cruz de Ferro. The sun was blazing and we wore t-shirts and got a bit of sunburn...in February!

Still, I was in Rabanal/Foncebadon in April a couple of years ago and we were hit with near-blizzard conditions one afternoon. It´s the mountains. You just don´t know, really, until about June. Not to worry, though -- there´s so much traffic and activity up there these days nobody´s going to be stranded or snowbound for very long.

Reb.

 

[ksam]

All I can say is expect the unexpected. I was just up in Rabanal last week and we rode the horses up to the Cruz de Ferro. The sun was blazing and we wore t-shirts and got a bit of sunburn...in February!

Reb.

Well, now I know where my usual Jersey type winters went...Spain! We've been essentially freezing our butts off here...and the snow that has fallen...just lingers and lingers! Figures, this is the winter I decide to train for a distance run! Perhaps I should hang it up and just go do the Camino again...hiking in this "stuff" is easier than running in it!

Well, happy to hear someone is getting some nice weather...it's in the 20 (fahrenheit) and snow covere on this 4th day of MARCH!!

Wishing you the best, Karin

 

[sillydoll]

You can check out a few photos on the Walking the Camino in Winter post on my blog:
http://amawalker.blogspot.com/2008/10/w ... amino.html

There are a couple of links to youtube videos as well.