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Olvidado in October or July?

Mike Long

Walker, Kayaker and dog guy
Donating Member
Time of past OR future Camino
CF + Le Puy, Central/Coastal, Primativo/Verte
I have an opportunity to walk the Olvidado in either October or July 2025. Considering weather and availability of accommodation (albergue like places perf), suggestions/advice welcomed. I walk around 25km /day.
 
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Mike Long said:
I have an opportunity to walk the Olvidado in either October or July 2025. Considering weather and availability of accommodation (albergue like places perf), suggestions/advice welcomed. I walk around 25km /day.
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Hi Mike, here is a link to help with weather for all camino routes in all months. I haven't done the Olvidado yet but walked the Norte in Sept -Oct and the weather was perfect. Given the literal killer heatwaves in the past couple of years in Spain I'd stay away from July. https://caminoweather.com/
 
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Unlike @FSP, I would choose July because it will be summer, and there are so many beautiful mountain days that will shine in summertime. This is not an unusually hot part of Spain, though of course everything is warming. Unlike the Norte, where pilgrims collide with tourists in summertime, the Olvidado does not go through many high-tourist areas. There are enough albergues and cheap-ish private places that you will not have to pay premium prices in summer. You can get a good idea of albergue offerings on this website.
 
This is one of less than a handful of caminos that I would choose to do in summer rather than winter, which is probably why I haven't yet tackled it, since I never get time off in summer!
 
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Mike Long said:
I have an opportunity to walk the Olvidado in either October or July 2025. Considering weather and availability of accommodation (albergue like places perf), suggestions/advice welcomed. I walk around 25km /day.
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I walked it in 2023 from Bilbao to Ponferrada, the last week of Sept and first two weeks of Oct. It is a solitary walking experience. I encountered zero other walkers doing the entire route. I met three people in La Robla who were walking a couple of days. Trail marking is poor from Bilbao to La Robla and the trail is overgrown in places because of few walkers. It's easy to lose the trail so a digital navigation app was invaluable to me. Infrastructure is limited. There are some albergues, but not consistently. I had to also stay in pensions, casas rural, and hotels. I enjoyed the Olvidado but I must say I was very happy to reach Ponferrada. I continued on the Invierno.
 
I agree with Brian regarding the solitary experience. Walked it in August 2021 during Covid. Met no other pilgrims at all. Carried a tent, so was not depending on the availability of lodging. Just pitched the tent where possible. Gardens, campings, etcetera. Temperatures varied. Occasionaly from 4 degrees Celsius in de early morning to 36 degrees in the afternoon.
 
No one should walk the Olvidado expecting to meet anyone else. I walked once with a friend, and once by myself, and never met another pilgrim. The infrastructure is actually much better than you would expect for such an untraveled route. Those who want to limit themselves to Albergues will have to spring for a private accommodation a few times, but the Albergue offering is very good. The last time I was there, in 2018, I thought the signage had improved quite a bit. But I agree with those who recommend going with a GPS.

The attraction of the Olvidado is undoubtedly the mountains— more days of beautiful, slightly remote, mountain scenery than any Camino I’ve walked. I hope to walk it again.
 
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BrianLCrabtree said:
the trail is overgrown in places because of few walkers. It's easy to lose the trail
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It sounds like a machete could be useful on the Olvidado, (said tongue in cheek). Possibly hacking the brush back with a hiking pole could be good enough, but I would be checking for ticks later.
 
Having completed the aragones and invierno late last year, I am used to walking alone and enjoying the peace. My pacerpoles have dealt with dogs and overgrown bushes in the past, so I should be fine. Thanks everyone for the input.
 
I agree and did the same July 2023. Weather was great.
 
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Mike Long said:
peregrina2000, thanks for your comments. I have been eyeing the Olvidado for a couple of years now and 2025 is the year to get it done.
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When do you begin? I'm starting April 24.
 
After some assessing, and sorting out of other travel arrangements, it is looking like a late May 2024 start for me. Really looking forward to an other camino adventure.
 
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