winter pilgram

[ribzi]

Hi I'm Ribz I am planning to do my first pilgramage from Leon to Santiago in December. So if any of you have some good tips I would apreciate any info I can get. Thanx

 

[brendan nolan]

Hi Ribzi,
Welcome to the forum. I think that you will appreciate that starting from Leon in December you will be walking into winter. You will already be at a good height above sea level as you start and then beyond Astorga you will be rising to approx. 1500 metres. Galicia, which is where you are heading, is beautiful but the weather is not kind to pilgrims; it is also known as 'Green Spain', i.e. its wet, and in the mountains you can also expect snow - I haven't been there in the winter but I'm sure that if you check out the weather reports you will find snow; they even get it in Spring and Summer. So weatherwise I would say prepare for the worst.
Also, while there is plenty of accomodation on the route, make a thorough check of which refugios, hotels, etc are open in the winter, even to the point of checking those places/villages where, initially, you don't intend to stay - 'the best laid plans ......'.
That's all for the moment, hope you have a great trip.

Buen Camino,
Brendan

 

[ribzi]

thank you for the information, does anyone know where i can get info on how many hours of sunlight etc a day in winter?

 

[brendan nolan]

Hi Ribzi,
To work out your daylight hours I looked at first to Camino Latitude to compare with J'burg but decided that comparisons got too complicated. So, I think when you are walking in December there is little pressure on refugios,hotels, etc so you can take your own pace; there should not be the need to worry about accomodation as in July/August. Up here in the north east of England in December sunrise is about 0800/0830 and sunset is about 1530/1630. So Ithink Spain will be an hour or so better off. But since you have Internet access you could enter some words that will give you what you want. I would think in general terms you have light from 08.00 to 1530/1600 hrs.

Buen Camino,
Brendan

 

[KiwiNomad06]

thank you for the information, does anyone know where i can get info on how many hours of sunlight etc a day in winter?

ribzi, If you go to this planner site http://www.godesalco.com./plan/frances and personalise it with appropriate dates, you are able to get sunlight times and percentage of lunar illumination.

First you put in start and finish places, and you need to add a name at the bottom to 'customise' it. This takes you to a second page. If you tick to enter some "stages" on this form, the bottom of the form changes to enable you to enter a date for starting the Camino. You can then go to the 'results' page. If you choose the 'spreadsheet with your stages plan and data" you then get a spreadsheet that includes the times of sunrise and sunset, plus the 'percentage of lunar illumination'.
Margaret

 

[Javier Martin]

I can talk you about my two winter caminos, the portuguese (feb/2004) and the sanabres (feb/2006). Then, sunlight finished at about 18:30, but on december possibly it finishes at 17:45.

Buen Camino,

Javier Martin
Madrid, Spain.

 

[ribzi]

thank you - and wow what an amazing website!!!

It always helps to get first hand infomation!