It's officially cold now at night. Frances, Los Arcos

[Damien Reynolds]

So I am outside, at night, wearing my puffy and my beanie. Been in country for 35 days now. Tonight it's cold. First cold night of fall season, I kinda like wearing my puffy and beanie... but when do the hotel operators turn on the heat?

 

[JCLima]

It depends
Some never do
It's expensive

 

[Damien Reynolds]

It depends
Some never do
It's expensive

that sucks, because I don't like wearing my puffy and beanie to bed!

 

[J Willhaus]

Many are closed mid Oct to April because they are too expensive to heat for what pilgrims are paying.

 

[nycwalking]

So I am outside, at night, wearing my puffy and my beanie. Been in country for 35 days now. Tonight it's cold. First cold night of fall season, I kinda like wearing my puffy and beanie... but when do the hotel operators turn on the heat?

I walked CF February to April 2014.

Many albergues were ice cold.

Buen camino puffy and all.

 

[t2andreo]

that sucks, because I don't like wearing my puffy and beanie to bed!

Welcome to the Camino! This is one of those times, when we veterans just say: It is what it is.

Pilgrims have been walking these routes for more than a thousand years, with much less protective clothing than we enjoy today. Perhaps they were made of sterner stuff. Or perhaps this is part of the reason they had short lifespans - whatever!

In my experience, in many places, they will turn on the heat for perhaps one-hour at about 0500 - 0600. If you can ask "if and what time" your particular place of accommodation does this, you can plan accordingly. Try to be thoughtful of your fellow pilgrims.

Other than that, the optimum sleeping solution is to put on the clothes you plan to wear the next day, after you bathe. Wear your fleece layer, and or a puffy if you have it. Also, keeping your head, hands and feet warm is essential to not losing too much body heat.

I always recommend a close-fitting beanie hat, wool socks - the pair you planned to wear as an outer layer in the morning, and a pair of gloves - any gloves. Absent having gloves, an extra pair of socks makes a good field-expedient pair of mittens.

Finally, anyone who starts a Camino in October should carry a proper sleeping bag, or warm down sleeping quilt. DO not rely on the place of accommodation providing a blanket, or at least a blanket you would want to use.

The key concept is to be self-reliant.

Hope this helps.

Tom

 

[Bogong]

I walked CF February to April 2014.

Many albergues were ice cold.

Buen camino puffy and all.

I walked it around the same time 2014. Lots of rain, snow, sleet, hail and wind except on the Meseta. Cold some days - my hands felt like clubs. No heating but I was warm at night in a cheap Aldi down sleeping bag. Tbe few other pilgrims I struck were commonly cold at night. They made the mistake of putting albergue blankets on top of their sleeping bags thus compressing the loft and rendering them ineffectual. They should be underneath. But they wouldn’t be told.

De Colores

Bogong

 

[nycwalking]

I walked it around the same time 2014. Lots of rain, snow, sleet, hail and wind except on the Meseta. Cold some days - my hands felt like clubs. No heating but I was warm at night in a cheap Aldi down sleeping bag. Tbe few other pilgrims I struck were commonly cold at night. They made the mistake of putting albergue blankets on top of their sleeping bags thus compressing the loft and rendering them ineffectual. They should be underneath. But they wouldn’t be told.

De Colores

Bogong

I was warm as well inside my bag.

It was getting in and out of bag that was icy.

Now, have fun out there.

 

[mattythedog]

So I am outside, at night, wearing my puffy and my beanie. Been in country for 35 days now. Tonight it's cold. First cold night of fall season, I kinda like wearing my puffy and beanie... but when do the hotel operators turn on the heat?

What is cold? What is the temperature now? I once walked CF and CP through the whole month of October with just a Coleman fleece liner and it was never below 40 F. All of the albergues were warm enough due to absorbing heat during the day. I have worn the puffy to bed a few times in April when temps are in the 30's outside, but no big deal. Albergues were much warmer, even with no heat turned on.

 

[Damien Reynolds]

What is cold? What is the temperature now? I once walked CF and CP through the whole month of October with just a Coleman fleece liner and it was never below 40 F. All of the albergues were warm enough due to absorbing heat during the day. I have worn the puffy to bed a few times in April when temps are in the 30's outside, but no big deal. Albergues were much warmer, even with no heat turned on.

Cold enough to wear a puffy and beanie at night outside at a bar (40's f). I've been to this rodeo before... I've just always wondered when and if hotels actually turn on the heat. I don't care if it's dry out... I have layers, but if my shoes are wet, that is different altogether. Someone please cue the Airplane! joke.

 

[David Tallan]

What is cold?

I usually define "officially cold" as when I can see my breath. But it is well known that cold in November/December is felt as quite warm in March/April. These things can be relative.