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What month to walk the Primitivo?

rsmith0000

Member
Time of past OR future Camino
Frances (2013) Frances (2014) St. Oswald's Way (2015) Le Puy (2016) Portugues (2018)
I'm planning to walk the Primativo this year but am stuck on the month. I'd like to walk when there's enough foot traffic not to feel lonely -- I may be walking solo -- but not so much that I'm in a contest for a bed. I have liked walking the Frances the most in March and April, when it's still relatively quiet, but fear that could mean encountering snow and a lot of mud on the Primativo. Any advice on when to walk? On the flip side, what's the latest? Any preferences for early or late? Thanks so much.
 
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I'm hoping someone will say last week in March and first two weeks in
April are the best time to go
 
There is a possibility of snow until the end of April, but it might be fine and dry. No way to tell. May should be better weather and if it has been wet the tracks should be beginning to dry out. Having said that in 2013 there was snow until mid-May in places but the late snow is usually lighter and only for a day or so. Earlier snow can close the roads and make the route very difficult I think. In 2013 people walking in April had better weather than those walking in early May.:) However we have walked in May with no problems.
 
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Hi, rsmith,
Take a look at the cathedral's compilation of statistics, you can see month by month for each camino to give you some idea. Of course that won't give you an idea of what those numbers mean on the ground, but you can see when the most popular times are to walk.

I've walked this route twice, once in late September, years ago, and there were always people at night in the albergues and opportunities to walk with others during the day if you wanted.

The second time was just a few years ago, and it was in late June, about the time I'm planning to go this year. It had a healthy group of pilgrims, never any crowding except at one point where there is a shortage of spaces (Berducedo), and beautiful weather.

I'm going back in late June this year, I hope, and I see that the numbers from June of last year are twice the numbers for the year I last walked it. So I expect there to be some crowding. But @Juanma reports the opening of several new places along the way, so I don't think you should worry about a bed rush. Except perhaps in August.

The preference of month is such a personal thing, but I personally think the Salvador/Primitivo are at their peak in summer, so I'm hoping that late June is the sweet spot -- great time of year, and manageable crowds.

Buen camino, Laurie
 
@ peregrina 2000. I am planning on walking the Primitivo in early June. In your experiences, what are your suggestions for best way to get to Oviedo ? from flights arriving via Madrid, Paris, or Barcelona?
 
@ peregrina 2000. I am planning on walking the Primitivo in early June. In your experiences, what are your suggestions for best way to get to Oviedo ? from flights arriving via Madrid, Paris, or Barcelona?

Hi, Frisbie,
Welcome to the forum. My instinct, without checking all of the options out, is that hands down Madrid is the easiest city for arrival. Go to alsa.es to see the large number of daily buses, even some from the airport depending on your arrival time. Train is also very easy, about 7 trains a day (check renfe.com), and you can get to Chamartín train station from Barajas Airport T4 on a 12 minute cercanías train ride that runs every half hour.

I don't know where you're flying from, but Madrid is also a good choice for most international destinations and is closer to Santiago than the other options.

Buen camino, Laurie
 
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Thank you Laurie. Very helpful.
 
@ peregrina 2000. I am planning on walking the Primitivo in early June. In your experiences, what are your suggestions for best way to get to Oviedo ? from flights arriving via Madrid, Paris, or Barcelona?

And just a quick p.s., which may be an irrelevant bit of unwanted advice. For the return home, I always fly out of Santiago, by purchasing a "multi city" or "open jaw" ticket. That way the Santiago-Madrid journey and the Madrid-Chicago journey are on the same ticket and don´t have to worry about missing connections, because the airline will rebook me. It is frequently not much more expensive than a round trip ticket from Chicago to Madrid and saves me a lot of time and money (because all other options require me to get into Madrid a day before and spend the night there).

Buen camino, laurie
 
I'm planning to walk the Primativo this year but am stuck on the month. I'd like to walk when there's enough foot traffic not to feel lonely -- I may be walking solo -- but not so much that I'm in a contest for a bed. I have liked walking the Frances the most in March and April, when it's still relatively quiet, but fear that could mean encountering snow and a lot of mud on the Primativo. Any advice on when to walk? On the flip side, what's the latest? Any preferences for early or late? Thanks so much.
I walked the Primitivo in October 2015, it was a great experience, not too crowded, finding room in Albergues was never an issue. The weather was great, (no rain to speak of). It only got very crowded when I re-joined the Camino Frances at Melides. It was as if someone opened the floodgates then! Buena suerte on your Camino!
 
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,-
I was hoping to walk the Primitivo starting about April 9th or 10th having walked up from Leon via the del Salvador (starting on the 4th or 5th April) however it's beginning to sound like that's too early in the year. I don't mind solitude or cold but if it's just a terrible idea I might need to switch...and switch quickly. Any thoughts?
 
I was hoping to walk the Primitivo starting about April 9th or 10th having walked up from Leon via the del Salvador (starting on the 4th or 5th April) however it's beginning to sound like that's too early in the year. I don't mind solitude or cold but if it's just a terrible idea I might need to switch...and switch quickly. Any thoughts?[/QUOTE

Too early I would say, especially for the Salvador. Late May of 2015 it still had snow. And Liz Brant who jpdated her guide last spring here on the forum got quite a bit of mud on the Primitivo. Might be worth reading what she had to say.
 
Thanks Anemone del Camino for the prompt response, much appreciated - I was thinking that may the case, will look at switching to 2 weeks on the VdlP instead and save this combo up for a future camino
 
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The Salvador is more likely to cause a problem if there is snow. If you manage that then the Primitivo would probably be OK, but it is probably a bit early in the year to be sure for either as @Anemone del Camino says. We have walked the Primitivo in May OK - arriving in Santiago on the 15th. The following year there was snow into mid-May some days.
 
You are all the best!! Thank you so much for the advice and recommendations on when to walk the Primativo. I will take them to heart. Looks like I'll be shooting for late May, at the earliest, or June. Buen camino to you all.
Regards,
Rebecca
 
image.jpeg
There is a possibility of snow until the end of April, but it might be fine and dry. No way to tell. May should be better weather and if it has been wet the tracks should be beginning to dry out. Having said that in 2013 there was snow until mid-May in places but the late snow is usually lighter and only for a day or so. Earlier snow can close the roads and make the route very difficult I think. In 2013 people walking in April had better weather than those walking in early May.:) However we have walked in May with no problems.

My experience matches the above possibilities.
It seems change is the only constant thing !

I hate getting overheated when walking , so would prefer to opt being a little cold in morning and warming up walking. I started San Salvador April 25 2015 and started on Primitivo may 1. On Salvador late April, a couple of snow patches mainly just making a pretty picture in photos and walked beside a bit but never experienced walking 'in snow ' (then).
However, you are asking about the Primitivo .
I didn't see snow (even in the distance ) after starting Oviedo may 1
This was my experience though. And 2015
Pics below show route San Salvador 28 April with bits of snow and 2nd pic was taken on Primitivo (hospitales route) may4
I had been reading others experiences before starting and there had been more snow on Salvador earlier in April. A picture can indicate but is no guarantee. It was a most enjoyable time to walk for me.
Best of luck planning. Annie
 

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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 did walk the Camino Primitivo last year in the beginning of the September. Actually the weather was surprising - there were some very hot days, but some late evening / earyl mornings it was only +12 and it came quite as a shock to me after +35 a week ago in Camino del Norte. Overall I was doing fine, but some days I found myself wearing everything I had with me. :) Please be prepared for a rain...and a fog.

And my conclusion is: the importance of the weight of the backpack is overrated! Some days we were carrying aroun a bottle of wine... And a lot of food. The weight really became irrelevant. Next time I will take more clothes!
 
I walked the Primitivo in October 2015, it was a great experience, not too crowded, finding room in Albergues was never an issue. The weather was great, (no rain to speak of). It only got very crowded when I re-joined the Camino Frances at Melides. It was as if someone opened the floodgates then! Buena suerte on your Camino!

That's helpful information for me. Thanks. My husband and I are just starting to plan our second Camino and this time we want to walk the Del Norte and the Primitivo. We will be on the Primitivo in October and I was wondering what to expect
 
And just a quick p.s., which may be an irrelevant bit of unwanted advice. For the return home, I always fly out of Santiago, by purchasing a "multi city" or "open jaw" ticket. That way the Santiago-Madrid journey and the Madrid-Chicago journey are on the same ticket and don´t have to worry about missing connections, because the airline will rebook me. It is frequently not much more expensive than a round trip ticket from Chicago to Madrid and saves me a lot of time and money (because all other options require me to get into Madrid a day before and spend the night there).

Buen camino, laurie




Holy schmoley!! I had never heard of this before! Spent a few minutes googling and am totally amazed by the new options this opens up for my Camino trip!!!!

With much gratitude,
Jen
 
The one from Galicia (the round) and the one from Castilla & Leon. Individually numbered and made by the same people that make the ones you see on your walk.

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Can anyone recommend a good snack to buy for the hospitalès route Nothing major just something to keep me going Many thanks

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