@Gumba
I began in Roncesvalles. I didn’t want to deal with the SJPdP - Roncesvalles stage. The first stage and more importantly MY first stage, I really didn’t want to walk the highway most of the way and the up and down to boot just sounded like I would be working to recover from that first stage for several days. Just a choice that I contemplated and was happy in the end I made.
The gaiters help as Samarkand mentioned but with one other added benefit. On the days where it isn’t snowy or muddy bog, Villafranca Montes de Oca to Ages being a good example, if worn on the outside of your pants it helps to keep your pants presentable for the evening. Some people wear them outside the entire time and happy with that, I’ve had wet feet using that method in the past. Mine are over the calf by RAB. They are not absolutely necessary with solid rain pants, but do help on those occasions of deeper snow or mud. Unless people use them entirely to keep pant bottoms presentable as evening attire! Which was a topic of discussion in the evenings.
One item that I purchased and took but jettisoned in Logroño were some simple rubber slip over boot tire chains doohickies. Simple design for walking on ice. I really could have used them in parts of Leon and Galicia. The warmer midday and cool night got the ice formed just beautifully in the mornings. Slow going and one tumble that thankfully my backpack and shoulder took the brunt of...rather than my head. I was wishing i kept them then. Even with trekking poles it would have been safer and more enjoyable not thinking about breaking my gourd.
I had mid Keens. I did find that the water proof membrane in them was no match at all for the rain in Galicia. Towards the end of a few days my boots had turned into some groovy water fountain show as water was shooting out of the eyes with each step. Funny but not fun. I also found Keens didn’t have a firm enough shank for my feet and that they were pretty much good for one Camino: the tread was bald in several of my normal wear spots. Currently I’ve been trying Oboz, the ugliest bowling shoes in the world, and the shank seems to give my feet better support. Merrels don’t work for my feet. Haven’t tried any of the shoes with narrower lasts. My recommendation is listen to your feet and work to find the footwear that works best for you. I have bad feet, horrible feet. Dropped metatarsals, hallicus rigidus, bone spurs on the top of metatarsal joints, toes that I broke as child that jut off in random directions. Real beauties. For those old enough to remember Steve Martin’s Cruel Shoes, you might get the picture. My wife is terrified of my feet. Toe socks have also been good for me as i get blisters between toes where they don’t articulate with each other well.
A neck gaiter was indispensable for me. Merino wool, but some form of technical fabric would do. In certain areas I pulled it up over my ears like a balaclava. I would probably stick with the same as a balaclava would have really only been useful 1 day for me; the Meseta can be bitter at times in the morning. The neck gaiter has multi purposes! Again, your mileage may vary and you might prefer more coverage. See pictures below for the neck gaiter in action. I think in the future for winter I would replace one of my mid-weight layers with a mid-weight merino turtleneck as the neck gaiter would crawl up my neck at times leaving the tender pasty flesh bare around lower neck...as I said...Meseta cold.
Accomodations, albergues for me, were never an issue in my case. They were all warm enough and ended up only using my sleeping bag a few times. My silk sleeping bag liner was sufficient with some of the thermals. I keep considering taking 2 silk liners and forego the sleeping bag. That could be foolhardy but I tend to sleep warm.
They were always at a distance for me that was doable. The Aprinca list that Lourdes in Fromista maintains is the winter Bible, although not 100% accurate as she relys on the albergues to contact her of their closed dates and sometimes that information isn’t passed. More might be open but they have chosen to not be on the list for one reason or another or other. A few people told me of arriving at one on the list and they had some issues and weren’t taking pilgrims so they had to wander to the next village. Here is the website, you will find it plastered all over this forum and others:
http://www.aprinca.com/alberguesinvierno/
I carried some high cacao chocolate bars or a few mandarins. Coffee for the most part is pretty easy to find...this is Spain and there are bars! BUT...as some villages are dwindling the bars would not be open in the winter. Argh! Santo Domingo de la Calzada to Belorado, not one bar open. There was a bakery in Grañon that I chose to pass-up for a better offering...mistake. It was really cold and I really really wanted some coffee. Get while the getting is good if you aren’t prepared or willing to forego.
Groceries. I chose to not do much cooking in the albergues. But I did go hunting for provisions of one type or another. Most towns and villages have something. Entering Galicia I was surprised to find less. Sufficient but less. After one particularly long day of wet and soggy walking I finally threw in the towel in Hospital de la Cruz where there was either nothing open or it didn’t exist. With a few squares of chocolate I was just prepared to deal with the hunger until the next day. A few other pilgrims rolled in later in the same conditions, wet and tired but in good spirits. The hospitalera of the Xunta that evening, unsolicited, kindly offered to take a few of us in her car back to Portomarin to get some provisions. One of several acts of kindness I found on my walk that really helped to restore my faith in ‘us’. We are all pilgrims in one form or another. Even if you don’t ask for hospitality it sometimes finds you. Precious.
I encountered 3 people between Roncesvalles and Pamplona that I was never far from. Other confluences from other routes and starting points gave momentary blips of people or journey long interactions. Galicia is where the crowds began. A holiday around the 2nd week of February there was a holiday in Portugal. Hundreds of young teenagers and the Sarria to SdC crowd. One albergue, the Xunta in Barbadelo, filled 17 of 18 beds. If you are alone, you won’t be for long. If you are with people you can choose to walk alone.
I hope in my meandering fashion that I have answered your questions! Very best to you!
