Weather SJPP to Roncesvalles

[Marianjhart]

Hi friends,

I’m new here! I’m coming from San Diego, California (where it’s sunny with an ocean breeze year round. So, hopefully, I won’t sound overly worried here.)

I’m beginning my Camino on Friday. I am prepared for rain, of course, but all of my information keeps saying there will be thunderstorms... potentially for several days. Can anyone tell me if these are intermittent or more likely to be at a particular time of day? I am assuming it’s not safe to be walking over a mountain in a thunderstorm and so, I’d like to know if it will be possible to walk around them or if my start is likely to be delayed for safety. Also, there are emergency storm shelters between SJPP and Roncesvalles, I’ve heard. I guess I’d like to know where to find them in case I need one. Many thanks.

 

[Ianinam]

When you arrive in SJPdP you go to the pelgrims office. The volunteers who are working there will tell you exactly all the details about the weather you can expect, and if it is not safe enough to walk over the route Napoleon they will warn you and tell you to take the route via Valcarlos. But always keep in mind you are walking in the mountains where the weather can change within 5 minutes!

 

[mspath]

Here is a copy of the map the SJPdP Pilgrim Office will give you showing the two routes.
The small emergency shelters on the Napoleon route are shown on the map. There are neither shelters as such nor few buildings along the Valcarlos alternate route.

Furthermore between SJPdP and Valcarlos there is only one place for food/water/petrol near the old frontier; between Valcarlos and Roncesvalles there is no place for food nor water. Be prepared!

Good luck and Buen camino!

 

[Rick of Rick and Peg]

When on a mountain ridge you are the tallest target for lightning. In the valley you walk among trees.

 

[Ianinam]

The pilgrims's office in SJPdP always keeps an eye on the most reliable local weatherforecasts. In case of bad weather, the route via Valcarlos is preferable as you can walk long stretches along the road and thus having the opportunity to call a taxi. On the route Napoleon this is not possible; in case you get in trouble, you can only call 112 and the bomberos from Burguete will come to pick you up: walking, or with a terraincar, or even with the helicopter. In case the pelgrims office gave you the warning NOT to take the route Napoleon, the costs of these rescue activities are yours......

But always, always keep in mind: weather can change every minute in the mountains. We often see (say 2, 3 times a week) this change happen in Roncesvalles!

 

[MisterH]

I crossed over twice in early May with windy and sunny skys but no wet weather both times.

 

[Marcus-UK]

Hi friends,

I’m new here! I’m coming from San Diego, California (where it’s sunny with an ocean breeze year round. So, hopefully, I won’t sound overly worried here.)

According to the UK Met Office. Its all down to the jet Stream at the moment. The high speed spring/summer winds over the Atlantic have split into two major air masses between Northern and Sothern Europe. Over Spain and Portugal there is a captive Low Pressure region that is retaining the heavy rain. Over the UK there is a captive high pressure region which is causing both good weather and convectional rain and thunder storms. at the same time! Any change in the Jet stream will disrupt the present weather patterns and hopefully return the Iberian peninsular back to its usual drier self. However be advised Galicia can be wet at any time of the year!.

I am following the weather in Spain since Next Wednesday my wife and I will be taking the ferry over to Bilbao. We will then be touring NW Spain, Portugal and back to the Basque country for the final couple of days.

Good luck and enjoy your Camino.

 

[Marianjhart]

Hi Everyone,
Here is the update. We consulted the pilgrims office in SJPP and they felt it was safe to go over the Route Napoleon and so we did. We had very heavy rain from the start all the way until about Orrison, but only intermittent rain after. It was very muddy especially through the forested parts but extremely beautiful. The thunder kindly waited until we were all snug and safe at Roncesvalles.

 

[Marianjhart]

So what kind of advice, if any, were you given? [I was typing my reply while you posted your previous message so thank you for the feedback] I guess you are now on your way and trust that you have a great time. French pilgrims usually quote a well-known proverb: La pluie du matin n'arrête pas le pèlerin - literally, rain in the morning doesn't stop the pilgrim but it rhymes in French and it means more generally don't stop when you've just started some kind of endeavour and encounter the first hurdle. So, buen camino.

If I'm not mistaken, the weather during May was cooler and rainier in parts of Spain than usual and they had a record number of thunderstorms. Apparently, this had to do with Danas - depresión aislada en niveles alto - or Cold drop in English. Never heard this before.

PS: The second Wikipedia article linked above isn't brilliant - you also need to read the Talk page.

Leon in the pilgrims office (totally lovely), just said I’d be fine on the Napoleon and then he explained the map to Roncesvalles to me, and cautioned me to avoid the forested route on the downhill portion to Roncesvalles at the end.

 

[Deleted member 3000]

cautioned me to avoid the forested route on the downhill portion to Roncesvalles at the end.

It can be slippery when it is wet. However, hundreds traverse it daily even in the rain. Trekking poles will make the descent less treacherous. The descent into Zubiri may be worse!! Unless you like road walking (which I do), the forest trail is just fine if you proceed with a bit of caution.