Hola peregrinos y peregrinas, I’m new to the forum and the Camino and very excited to be reading about all your adventures! I’m trying to figure out my route/schedule ASAP so I can book flights while they’re still cheap (coming all the way from Australia!) and need advice...
Background: I’ve never done any Camino before, and I would like to start with the Vía de la Plata (and possibly Vía Mozarabe) rather than the Camino Francés. I understand VdlP is more challenging, but I feel that I could handle it fine with the right preparation. I’m 29yo with fairly average fitness for someone my age - I’m no gym junkie, but I do have fairly good stamina in general, so I’d expect I would keep up ok with whatever the “standard” pace would be. I wouldn’t call myself a hardcore hiker, but I have done a few long bush walks with friends (about 25-30km non stop) with little to no training/prep, in both hot Australian summers and cold, wet winters - so I know that I can handle walking long-ish distances, in various conditions, without much hassle (with the right footwear, hydration and snacks!). I don’t have a regular exercise routine at the moment, but I’m intending to train and improve my fitness a bit more with a combination of distance walking, running and cycling over the next 3 months or so.
So, on to business - re: Vía de la Plata and Vía Mozarabe. The two big factors I’m not sure on here are 1. timing/duration and 2. weather.
1. TIMING / DURATION - Can anyone advise how many walking days I should allow (not including rest days, though of course I will add them in) to cover the following route options below? I’ve already looked up all of these in the forums etc. but it’s been hard to find clear, straightforward answers.
(A) Via Mozarabe from Granada to Merida, then Via de la Plata from there to Santiago de Compostela? (Total time for that entire journey)
(B) Full length of VdlP from Seville to Santiago?
(C) VdlP from Merida to Santiago?
(D) VdlP from Salamanca to Santiago?
I’m also intending to do Santiago to Finisterre as well - as far as I can gather, it looks like this typically takes about 4-5 days at a comfortable pace. Is that right?
2. WEATHER - I would be setting off anytime between early June (if doing a longer route) and late June (if doing a shorter one) - my end-point is that I’d be flying out to Scotland on 19 July. I’ve read many accounts here in the forums from people who set off from Seville (or elsewhere in the far south) anytime between early August and late September, who all said it was extremely hot for the first couple of weeks until they got further north.
Would it be just as hot in early June? Hotter? Cooler? Again, it’s hard to find a clear answer as I’ve read so much anecdotal information on the weather at various times of year that doesn’t mesh with the actual meteorological data that google searches throw back. As an Australian I’m used to hot summers, but I’ve also had a fellow Australian strongly advise that I shouldn’t do these routes through the south in summer because people have died from dehydration and heat exhaustion, etc. However, again, I don’t know what it would be like in early-mid June compared to August and September (as I’ve seen so many others on here have done) - if it’s likely to be even just a few degrees cooler, then I’d be willing to give it a go. In short, would it be a terrible idea? Would I be better off doing a shorter route that starts further north to avoid this, etc?
Many thanks in advance for any advice people can pass on!
Background: I’ve never done any Camino before, and I would like to start with the Vía de la Plata (and possibly Vía Mozarabe) rather than the Camino Francés. I understand VdlP is more challenging, but I feel that I could handle it fine with the right preparation. I’m 29yo with fairly average fitness for someone my age - I’m no gym junkie, but I do have fairly good stamina in general, so I’d expect I would keep up ok with whatever the “standard” pace would be. I wouldn’t call myself a hardcore hiker, but I have done a few long bush walks with friends (about 25-30km non stop) with little to no training/prep, in both hot Australian summers and cold, wet winters - so I know that I can handle walking long-ish distances, in various conditions, without much hassle (with the right footwear, hydration and snacks!). I don’t have a regular exercise routine at the moment, but I’m intending to train and improve my fitness a bit more with a combination of distance walking, running and cycling over the next 3 months or so.
So, on to business - re: Vía de la Plata and Vía Mozarabe. The two big factors I’m not sure on here are 1. timing/duration and 2. weather.
1. TIMING / DURATION - Can anyone advise how many walking days I should allow (not including rest days, though of course I will add them in) to cover the following route options below? I’ve already looked up all of these in the forums etc. but it’s been hard to find clear, straightforward answers.
(A) Via Mozarabe from Granada to Merida, then Via de la Plata from there to Santiago de Compostela? (Total time for that entire journey)
(B) Full length of VdlP from Seville to Santiago?
(C) VdlP from Merida to Santiago?
(D) VdlP from Salamanca to Santiago?
I’m also intending to do Santiago to Finisterre as well - as far as I can gather, it looks like this typically takes about 4-5 days at a comfortable pace. Is that right?
2. WEATHER - I would be setting off anytime between early June (if doing a longer route) and late June (if doing a shorter one) - my end-point is that I’d be flying out to Scotland on 19 July. I’ve read many accounts here in the forums from people who set off from Seville (or elsewhere in the far south) anytime between early August and late September, who all said it was extremely hot for the first couple of weeks until they got further north.
Would it be just as hot in early June? Hotter? Cooler? Again, it’s hard to find a clear answer as I’ve read so much anecdotal information on the weather at various times of year that doesn’t mesh with the actual meteorological data that google searches throw back. As an Australian I’m used to hot summers, but I’ve also had a fellow Australian strongly advise that I shouldn’t do these routes through the south in summer because people have died from dehydration and heat exhaustion, etc. However, again, I don’t know what it would be like in early-mid June compared to August and September (as I’ve seen so many others on here have done) - if it’s likely to be even just a few degrees cooler, then I’d be willing to give it a go. In short, would it be a terrible idea? Would I be better off doing a shorter route that starts further north to avoid this, etc?
Many thanks in advance for any advice people can pass on!
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