LIVE from the Camino It’s Hot!

[Kevin Considine]

In Lourdes, France starting my Camino via Aragones to Santiago tomorrow. Forecast was just reduced fortunately. Reduced from 39C to 38/100F.
Jeezes!

 

[VNwalking]

Wow. Stay cool, everone! Ice under the hat helps.

 

[Deleted member 56069]

Spring and fall Camino's for me only. Anything over 33C for me is too hot and takes the fun out of it totally. Probably because I live in a very cool climate in northern Alberta.

 

[rappahannock_rev]

Be prepared for buzzing bugs on that initial walk out of Lourdes, down alongside the river, in the trees....

It's a memorable walk you're about to start! God speed!

 

[Juspassinthru]

Kevin,

A little Texas unsolicited advice, start early, hydrate and remember what Nöel Coward said about mad dogs and Englishmen...

 

[freeflyer123]

Your remark, Juspassinthrough, made me laugh as it reminded me of when we rode the Camino back in 2013. It was July and very, very hot and I kept telling my husband that we should rest up during the middle part of the day because it was the hottest time then. He said it didn't matter because if I was expecting the temperature to drop just because it was early evening, I was sorely wrong. This did prove to be the case as 5.30 in the early evening was as hot, if not hotter, than 3.30 had been.

Seriously though, everybody, do drink loads of water (not sure beer will do it, although again my husband would dispute that). We honestly don't realise just how much our bodies sweat in this heat and it's only when we get a headache that we realise we haven't been drinking enough.

 

[Former member 49149]

Your title is rather expressive, alright! It explains why I sat in the shade waiting for a bus today, rather than turn myself into a terminal case...a very short distance, but still too far. I will be able to leave early tomorrow- it will be tomorrow, as I have had my first sleep and about to go back to snoring sleep... it is just half ten.
And for those who like graphs and such stuff,

 

[Kevin Considine]

Be prepared for buzzing bugs on that initial walk out of Lourdes, down alongside the river, in the trees....

It's a memorable walk you're about to start! God speed!

Haha. I suppose it is relative. On the Wicklow Way 3 days ago walking into Dublin there were scores of flies; sometimes going into your ears and nose and mouth. Today I barely noticed them. Of course with a temperature going to 38 the intelligent creatures are resting.

 

[Rebekah Scott]

It´s f...ing JULY.

 

[dfox]

Seriously though, everybody, do drink loads of water (not sure beer will do it, although again my husband would dispute that). We honestly don't realise just how much our bodies sweat in this heat and it's only when we get a headache that we realise we haven't been drinking enough.

If sweat profusely, I think it is desirable to add some electrolyte (salt?) in the drinking water. I prefer fresh squeezed orange juice if available.

 

[GraemeHall]

Sorry if this makes me a wowser, but I believe this to be a site for Pilgrims, so could we please refrain from all the "f....ing"s and "Jeezus" etc? Offensive to a good number of members I'd say. Well, one that I know of.
Rant over.

 

[bbleasdale]

Sorry if this makes me a wowser, but I believe this to be a site for Pilgrims, so could we please refrain from all the "f....ing"s and "Jeezus" etc? Offensive to a good number of members I'd say. Well, one that I know of.
Rant over.

Sorry if this makes me a wowser, but I believe this to be a site for Pilgrims, so could we please refrain from all the "f....ing"s and "Jeezus" etc? Offensive to a good number of members I'd say. Well, one that I know of.
Rant over.

Kevin is right, it is very, very hot on the Camino at the moment! We are just getting through the Meseta and it’s tough going and at the same time beautiful. I also had a detour via ambulance to Palencia hospital two days ago as I passed out after drinking cold water. Thankfully all is well now and we’re back on the road but I cannot emphasize enough how careful we must be. Walking at 6am is delightful! Be done by 1pm at the latest. We are walkers and it doesn’t matter how we say it - be careful! Thanks Kevin for drawing attention to this.
Bríd

 

[bikerkvw]

In Lourdes, France starting my Camino via Aragones to Santiago tomorrow. Forecast was just reduced fortunately. Reduced from 39C to 38/100F.
Jeezes!

Kevin, please watch your language. Your lead line was inappropriate for this blog. Get use to the warm. Global warming and all that.

 

[carryoncouple]

Your remark, Juspassinthrough, made me laugh as it reminded me of when we rode the Camino back in 2013. It was July and very, very hot and I kept telling my husband that we should rest up during the middle part of the day because it was the hottest time then. He said it didn't matter because if I was expecting the temperature to drop just because it was early evening, I was sorely wrong. This did prove to be the case as 5.30 in the early evening was as hot, if not hotter, than 3.30 had been.

Seriously though, everybody, do drink loads of water (not sure beer will do it, although again my husband would dispute that). We honestly don't realise just how much our bodies sweat in this heat and it's only when we get a headache that we realise we haven't been drinking enough.

Like you, we did the Camino in 2013 as well!

 

[DLJ]

If sweat profusely, I think it is desirable to add some electrolyte (salt?) in the drinking water. I prefer fresh squeezed orange juice if available.

Electrolytes should preferably contain more than just salt (sodium chloride) and potassium, there are a number of other minerals lost in the perspiration; but taking any electrolytes that are available will definitely benefit.

 

[Meggins]

Always had some gatorade in my pack. Learned a tip one hot end of May while walking the Ottawa Half-Marathon: a smallish sponge full of water placed on top of head in hat. A little push down on top of hat gives some pleasant relief! ---)

 

[Stephen]

I notice it's warmer in Pamplona today than it is in Sevilla. Be careful out there. Carry plenty of water and perhaps invest in a parasol.

 

[Kevin Considine]

It´s f...ing JULY.

Very true.But I have walked in July and August several times. Never experienced this kind of heat.

 

[Kevin Considine]

Kevin, please watch your language. Your lead line was inappropriate for this blog. Get use to the warm. Global warming and all that.

My apologies. I’m Irish American and we talk that way in extreme situations. Won’t happen again.

 

[Kevin Considine]

Kevin is right, it is very, very hot on the Camino at the moment! We are just getting through the Meseta and it’s tough going and at the same time beautiful. I also had a detour via ambulance to Palencia hospital two days ago as I passed out after drinking cold water. Thankfully all is well now and we’re back on the road but I cannot emphasize enough how careful we must be. Walking at 6am is delightful! Be done by 1pm at the latest. We are walkers and it doesn’t matter how we say it - be careful! Thanks Kevin for drawing attention to this.
Bríd

Exactly. I left today at 7:15 and shortened my normal distance from 30k to 23k and I struggled the last hour between 12 and 1. Hope noone is walking in the 4-5 period.

 

[gittiharre]

Walked Le Puy route last month in the heatwave. We would leave at 5.45 am to beat the worst of it. Kept distances to 22 km on average except for last day SJPP to Roncesvalles, which was sizzling with a strong headwind up on the mountain.
Avoiding walking during the middle part of the day was not an option, as temperatures peaked at 5 pm, so we just kept on going until we reached our destination. My strategy was to walk slowly and not get my heart rate up too much as I found it hard to bring it back down in the heat. I also read a scholarly article advising how to stay safe in the heat that stated that electrolyte supplements can be unhelpful, even dangerous. If your sweat tastes salty, that is good, if not you extra need salt. I drank 1.5 to 2 ltrs of water while walking and a large beer on arrival and ate lightly. No ill effects.
If I passed running water, I held my wrists together and ran water in between, really cooling.

 

[Anto]

In Lourdes, France starting my Camino via Aragones to Santiago tomorrow. Forecast was just reduced fortunately. Reduced from 39C to 38/100F.
Jeezes!

Please don't go to Spain in July and expect it to be cool ,We went in late September last year and it was hot at times heading for Logrono

 

[Walking Lover]

In Lourdes, France starting my Camino via Aragones to Santiago tomorrow. Forecast was just reduced fortunately. Reduced from 39C to 38/100F.
Jeezes!

Ice cold bandana around the neck.

 

[Lydia Le]

How do people sleep in the heat? Albergue do not have air conditioning and I did have to share room with people who do not believe in sleeping with open window. I ended up with private room for most nights when I walked in 2015 in Sept and Oct.

 

[roamingpaddy]

I.m only praying it wont be too hot in August when I resume my camino in Burgos on the 11th ! Us Irish are fair skinned creatures Bon camino Kevin

 

[nycwalking]

I.m only praying it wont be too hot in August when I resume my camino in Burgos on the 11th ! Us Irish are fair skinned creatures Bon camino Kevin

If still hot, you’ll be a paddymelt!

 

[MinaKamina]

Heatwave all over Western Europe.

Most of you will not be in the area, but rest assured that the Dutch government has a heat plan in operation.



The Directorate-General for Public Works and Water Management is well prepared for the extreme heat of Wednesday and Thursday. In recent weeks, millions of kilos of cheese have been deposited, so that at the end of this week the Netherlands will be deliciously gratinated.

"We have opted for a nice mixture of Gruyère and Parmesan," says spokesman Jens Borgmans. "Wednesday morning we will start spreading. Then the country will be a beautiful golden brown on Thursday."


https://speld.nl/2019/07/23/rijkswaterstaat-slaat-miljoenen-kilos-strooikaas-in/

 

[LesR]

If sweat profusely, I think it is desirable to add some electrolyte (salt?) in the drinking water. I prefer fresh squeezed orange juice if available.

I sweat profusely and am prone to dehydration...

Carried salt replacement sachets for CF 2017 and used them sparingly, without getting into any difficulties with dehydration. However as I added the sachet contents to my drinking bottle and sipped the mixture during the day as I walked, mould eventually started growing inside the water bottle (no doubt a bit of sugar in the sachet) - undesirable but not catastrophic but finding something to remove it was problematic.....

Carried salt replacement tablets (Hydralyte Electrolyte Effervescent Orange 20 Tablets) for CF 2018 and made a point of consuming two tablets in the full water bottle (800 ml) after each day's walking (in between washing and seeking a lemon beer). Rinsing the bottle before filling it with fresh water dealt with the mould problem, and I had no problems with dehydration (apart from running out of water on the 'middle road' out of Villafranca del Bierzo and into Trabadelo - but that is another story....

Planning for CP 2019 well advanced and salt replacement tablets will be packed...

 

[Camino Chrissy]

Ice cold bandana around the neck.

That's what I do!

 

[Richmond Gardner]

It´s f...ing JULY.

 

[Kathor1]

It´s f...ing JULY.

The "European heatwave July 2019" that has been written and reported about so extensively is now over. The point is not that it got [insert qualifier of choice] hot in absolute terms but that it got [insert qualifier of choice] hot in places where it has never been so [insert qualifier of choice] hot before and/or not for several days in a row. This applies to Switzerland, Benelux, parts of Germany, and France and in particular also to the South West of France where Bordeaux and Lourdes are located where the OP reported from. For Lourdes in July, you'd expect 30 ºC on a hot day and not nearly 40 ºC as happened in July 2019.

Way of life, daily schedules, homes are not adapted to it in many of the regions that were hit. We've already half forgotten it now but these were a few extraordinary days.

A future concern will not be the higher temperatures as such but what may come with them: drought.

 

[Paddy Brock]

and we think in Ireland its very hot at 25degrees """. Starting from Oviedo on Tuesday 27th August to walk the Primitivo and hoping to meet lots of interesting Caminoists along the way, Any information regarding this route will be really appreciated. I look forward to my 6th Camino being as uplifting and serene as previous experiences.

 

[roamingpaddy]

Wishing you a great Camino Paddy

 

[Paddy Brock]

Many thanks , excitement as usual building as date get nearer and nearer. Just so happy to be still enjoying robust health in my 72nd year. Long may it continue and allow me explore further possibilities, still the Norte to walk. Slan agus Beannacht, Paddy

 

[Richmond Gardner]

and we think in Ireland its very hot at 25degrees """. Starting from Oviedo on Tuesday 27th August to walk the Primitivo and hoping to meet lots of interesting Caminoists along the way, Any information regarding this route will be really appreciated. I look forward to my 6th Camino being as uplifting and serene as previous experiences.

Paddy, I will be starting from Oviedo on the 26th, for my second Camino. Might possibly do a short first day, so- I hope to see you along the trail.
Buen Camino!, in any case

 

[K Turner]

and we think in Ireland its very hot at 25degrees """. Starting from Oviedo on Tuesday 27th August to walk the Primitivo and hoping to meet lots of interesting Caminoists along the way, Any information regarding this route will be really appreciated. I look forward to my 6th Camino being as uplifting and serene as previous experiences.

We regularly reach 46 this time of year where I live. It's miserable. I'm leaving for the Frances route in two weeks, and am bringing a sweater because I know the nights are going to be mighty cold to me!

 

[Paddy Brock]

Paddy, I will be starting from Oviedo on the 26th, for my second Camino. Might possibly do a short first day, so- I hope to see you along the trail.
Buen Camino!, in any case

Richmond , I look forward to meeting you along the way . Wishing you a great Camino . Bon voyage on 26th

 

[Stephen]

We regularly reach 46 this time of year where I live. It's miserable. I'm leaving for the Frances route in two weeks, and am bringing a sweater because I know the nights are going to be mighty cold to me!

Where is it you live, Death Valley?

 

[K Turner]

Where is it you live, Death Valley?

I'm on the outskirts of Tucson, Arizona, USA. During the summer I also refer to it as "The Threshold of Hell."