Winter walking options

[Kiwi-family]

i understand wild adventurers cross mountains in winter and no part of any of the Caminos are Everest..... but if you just want a walk with accommodation no more than 40km apart (preferably within 30km) are you restricted to the Frances?
I've been around here a while now and I know I could go to accommodation guides for all the different routes and look up the winter closures....but I thought someone more experienced is probably holding all that information in their head and could give me a quick heads up.
Tell me to follow my own advice and that the research is all part of the fun if you like and I'll understand;-)

 

[Bradypus]

Depends how far you plan to walk and your budget. The Xunta albergues in Galicia are open all year round so the final 100km of the Portugues, the Ingles and the Primitivo are all easily done. A lot of private albergues and many of those on other routes will be closed and you may have to find private rooms more often.

 

[C clearly]

@SYates walked the VdlP in February.

 

[KinkyOne]

i understand wild adventurers cross mountains in winter and no part of any of the Caminos are Everest..... but if you just want a walk with accommodation no more than 40km apart (preferably within 30km) are you restricted to the Frances?
I've been around here a while now and I know I could go to accommodation guides for all the different routes and look up the winter closures....but I thought someone more experienced is probably holding all that information in their head and could give me a quick heads up.
Tell me to follow my own advice and that the research is all part of the fun if you like and I'll understand;-)

Hi, Rachael,

I just finished with updating my Camino de Madrid distances & albergues & infrastructure list for two forum members today and I realized that most of the albergues on that route are open even during the winter. Most of them are municipal and have that only purpose while hospitalero/as are locals.

As already said Xunta albergues are also run by locals and hence they are opened year around.

I think you could do (from the Caminos I walked) Levante, Madrid, Sanabres, Invierno, Ingles and Fisterra/Muxia no sweat in the winter with some thorough research and planning though.

 

[LTfit]

Levante at least till Toledo (after that there are two mountain passes which could have snow I imagine). I walked Toledo-Zamora in early April without a problem although saw only 2 pilgrims before Zamora. The Mozárabe or the Plata would be doable too. I did the Plata once in February (Sevilla - Salamanca) and except for one or two municipals everything else was open. But if I recall correctly you had a horrible weather experience on the Plata right?

Look forward to hearing feedback as I am also getting an itch to walk around December.

 

[Former member 49149]

Eroski includes dates when albergues are open, so you could match your search to their list of albergues. i hope you are taking along a crocheted poncho to keep you warm!

 

[poogeyejr]

Norte is available in the winter, as there are many, many alternative accommodation options. I did find that the Albergues, when open, were fairly empty, one or two people every couple of days (looking at the Galicia logs). This is a great route to walk with others. I met 2 Spanish groups of 4 on group that was walking a week each year in Feb., and the other doing a month and they both said "often they were the only pilgrims for days".