[Gocamino] communication- climate

[Eldor Pederson]

I am unable to answer your question about phone service, but having walked twice in September-October I found it was an excellent time to make the trek to Santiago. 

On my first walk from St. Jean I began in mid-September. I arrived in mid-October and had only one serious day of rain, from O Cebreiro to Triacastela. The remaining days were coolish with hazy sunshine most of the time. On my second walk beginning in Somport I left about a week later and arrived at the end of October with even better weather, sunny and warm most afternoons. Again only one serious day of rain, from Villafranca del Bierzo to O Cebreiro. Mid day temperatures were mostly in the 15-20 C (60s F) range, perfect for walking but cool enough to require some clothing adaptations. A light cotton jacket may not be quite warm enough as mornings can be almost cold, and it is still just dawn at 8 am in Spain, far to the west in its time zone. A polartech pullover or jacket and a light pair of gloves would be on my packing list for a hike that leads to a Santiago arrival in late September or October. A rain parka is also worth considering, though it is not likely to be used often. A sleeping bag rated down to freezing (0 Celsius or 32 F) was plenty warm on colder nights in refugios, even those without extra blankets.

After mid-September the crowds had gone home, and it was rarely a problem to find a refugio bed though most of the seasonal refugios remain open to the latter part of October. On a few nights a problem was caused when busloads of tourists, cheating and doing most of the Camino in vans or other vehicles, were allowed refugio beds. With only a few exceptions there are inexpensive hostals close to the refugios, so finding a bed should not be a serious problem.

Buen Camino

E. O. Pederson