What weather to expect on Primitivo in May

[Lowtide]

Planning to walk primitivo on or about may 1, 2023. Just finished the Portuguese coastal route, and was able to do it in 10 days. Hoping for good weather, and not too busy (no bed rush).
Bob

 

[Beth and Rodney]

I am planning to walk the Salvador and Primitivo in Mid-May, 2023. Any ideas about what I should expect of the weather?

 

[Lowtide]

I have the village to village guide and it reports to expect rain. I think the best info would be to check the 10 day forecast, starting 2 weeks ahead, and then pack accordingly. I packed a goretex rain jacket and never put it on!

 

[The Cumbrian]

When I walked it in mid to late May this year it rained on three days out of fourteen, and it was prolonged and heavy on only one of those days. Apart from that I was blessed with the weather; bright, warm sunshine, a nice breeze and interesting fluffy white clouds. It was occasionally misty in the mornings, but it soon burned off.
It might be completely different next year of course...

 

[Gailerart]

Planning to walk primitivo on or about may 1, 2023. Just finished the Portuguese coastal route, and was able to do it in 10 days. Hoping for good weather, and not too busy (no bed rush).
Bob

Hi Bob
I am also planning to hike the Primitivo in late April-early May so will be interested in responses from Pilgrims who have walked at that time of year.

 

[Jan Jones]

Me too, hoping to start early May on the Salvador and continuing to the Primitivo.

 

[Stripey Socks]

I am loving hearing that you will all be out and about in 2023. I am starting in Madrid in mid-May then onto the Salvador and Primitivo. I hope to meet a few of you out on the trail. Mel

 

[dougfitz]

I am planning to walk the Salvador and Primitivo in Mid-May, 2023. Any ideas about what I should expect of the weather?

The Spanish met service website can provide standard climate data for places where they collect weather information here. You will find monthly lists of the key climate variables such as the average number of rainy days, minimum and maximum temperatures, etc. As you get closer, they provide a seven-day forecast. You might find some weather prediction sites with slightly longer range forecasts, noting that these will necessarily be less reliable the further out the forecast is.

 

[Peter Fransiscus]

Planning to walk primitivo on or about may 1, 2023. Just finished the Portuguese coastal route, and was able to do it in 10 days. Hoping for good weather, and not too busy (no bed rush).
Bob

There was snow early May this year.

 

[Perambulating Griffin]

There was snow early May this year.

I'm assuming that was in the high region on the hospitals route? Or was it more than that and fore more days?
I'm to pull out of Oviedo on or about May 3rd (I think). Aiming for Grado, Salas, Tineo, and then, weather permitting: the hospitales route and then down to Grandas de Salime etc. on to SdC.
I'm not sure if I am seeking a compostela on this trip -- the main issue being how crowded it can be from Melide to SdC. Hopeful that mid-May won't have too awful a bed-rush. I've put in too many double-stages in those last KMs now because of needing to avoid bed-crunch problems.
@wisepilgrim, what do you think about my chances for weather and beds in the first half of May from Oviedo?
Question for area experts.... does anyone know if the reproductions of the Codex that one can buy in the museum are complete or abridged in some fashion?
Thanks in advance all.

 

[Jonnym88]

I did Lugo to Santiago 1st week of May last year and it was sunny everyday with highs of 18 at the start then 26 in Santiago. Mornings/evenings were chilly though. No rain but I met a few guys who started in olivero and they had some bad weather (heavy rain/wind). So I’d expect some rain and fluctuating temperatures

 

[Tincatinker]

I'm not sure if I am seeking a compostela on this trip -- the main issue being how crowded it can be from Melide to SdC

No need to join the Frances at Melide. Take the Camino Verde to Sobrado and the “bypass” route from A Gandara and join the Frances at Lavacola. It’s way marked and mellow

 

[Perambulating Griffin]

Agonizing over weight -- to take the very light-weight puffer (which is entirely unsuited to the conference I will be at after the camino walk ends), or take my heavier fleece, that gets the job done but is more busy, and will be more presentable at the conference.
This is probably my fault for aiming to do two very different kinds of travel on one transatlantic crossing and return.
Still... fleece or puffer? ugh... the fleece is a full zip and in a staid grey so I can wear it to dinner and not look wildly out of place. There's no getting around the appearance of the puffer jacket as such.
Thoughts?

 

[Tincatinker]

Fetch a decent Tweed jacket to Oviedo, post it to Ivar

 

[Stripey Socks]

Thanks for the heads up @Tincatinker about the waymarking from A Gandarra to Lavacola. That's my plan in mid-June and I didn't know if there would be signage. That gives me a bit more confidence walking this stage solo. Much appreciated.

 

[MadoneRider]

No need to join the Frances at Melide. Take the Camino Verde to Sobrado and the “bypass” route from A Gandara and join the Frances at Lavacola. It’s way marked and mellow

I've been looking closely at the maps to try and find A Gandara, as I'm interested in taking the Camino Verde, to avoid a lot of the crowds. Can you identify its location more specifically? Thanks

 

[Stripey Socks]

I've been looking closely at the maps to try and find A Gandara, as I'm interested in taking the Camino Verde, to avoid a lot of the crowds. Can you identify its location more specifically? Thanks

I am pretty sure Gandara is just below Boimorto. It almost looks like a mini south-east suburb. Mel

 

[Tincatinker]

I've been looking closely at the maps to try and find A Gandara, as I'm interested in taking the Camino Verde, to avoid a lot of the crowds. Can you identify its location more specifically? Thanks

@notion900's resource for the Verde is here: https://www.caminodesantiago.me/com...er-lugo-on-primitivo-to-sobrado-on-norte.508/

A Gandara/Gandara is, as said above, the southern end of Boimorto. Take the CP-0603 to your right just after the Centro de Saúde de Boimorto

 

[MadoneRider]

@notion900's resource for the Verde is here: https://www.caminodesantiago.me/com...er-lugo-on-primitivo-to-sobrado-on-norte.508/

A Gandara/Gandara is, as said above, the southern end of Boimorto. Take the CP-0603 to your right just after the Centro de Saúde de Boimorto

Muchas gracias! That link is a wealth of information. Just after a quick review, we've decided to take this route!

 

[Tincatinker]

Muchas gracias! That link is a wealth of information. Just after a quick review, we've decided to take this route!

We loved it. The navigation wasn’t challenging, just required focus at a couple of points. The Hostal/Posada in Friol was lovely. After telling us that the meson was closed on Mondays they asked us what we’d like to eat and cooked us up a feast. The diversion/variant to Santa Eulalia da Bóveda is worth it but check opening times

 

[Former member 92300]

I walked the Primitivo in June - cool most days with only 4 very warm days, then it cooled off. I had planned to walk from the Hendaye to Santiago (via Norte/Primitivo) and then do the Portugues from Porto right afterwards - but I had so many cool days that I decided to pack up and head to Sicily to warm up. I wasn't excessively cold - but cold enough that I was tired of being cold.

But then - the heat wave hit right after I left Spain and it was VERY hot for the next several weeks. I didn't have much rain on the Primitivo, but I had quite a bit on the Norte (I started the Norte around May 28 - and reached the Primitivo 2 weeks later).