Weather outlook in May

[Charlee]

Hello, my wife and I are in our 60's and are preparing for the Frances walk next May ('12) and we are wondering what weather conditions (rain, rain intensity, temperature extremes, etc. to expect that month. Any thoughts and experiences would be welcome.

[HuskyNerd]

Hi Charlee ~

May is my favorite month to walk the camino. In 2008 and 2011 I started in mid-to-early May at St. Jean and loved the vast expanses of green and the bright red fields of poppies. Weather is variable, depending on where and when you're at some of the hot/cold spots and the particular weather patterns.

In two Caminos Frances of approx 70 days total I've had 5 days of rain, so rain gear is definitely a "must." I've found cool temps at the tops of mountain passes, including Route Napoleon, Foncebadon and O Cebreiro (not sure these names mean anything to you yet), so definitely a warm layer of a medium to thick fleece is important. Definitely needed a sleeping bag for cold nights in these mountainous areas. I've also found warm temps, but seldom "hot" in the Meseta. While I didn't have thermometers with me, I'd say the temps ranged from nighttime lows of 50F (10C) to daytime highs of 85F (30C).

Best to remember that in May the Meseta (roughly between Burgos and Leon) is generally warm and dry, while the last week in Galicia and first week in Navarre are generally cool and sometimes wet. Since it's spring the whole region is green, which to me is quite beautiful. Buen camino!

[Charlee]

Thanks for the insights. We're wondering how many nights we would need to sleep outside on the pilgrimage. We're in decent shape and I figure we can do around 10-12 miles a day (4-6 hours). We're hoping that we'll find a room in the villages rather then stay in the hostels. Is the camino safe at night?

[HuskyNerd]

Hi Charlee ~
No need to plan to sleep outside! It's quite uncommon to sleep outside (notwithstanding the movie "The Way"). The hostels (or albergues as they're most commonly called) are the most common accommodation, followed by small hotels, which are fairly plentiful along the camino. If you're set on getting a room you should call ahead each evening and reserve one for yourselves (use the Brierley guidebook for phone numbers) for the following evening. An average of 10-12 miles/day is a little on the low side of normal, but walking 4-6 hours to cover that distance will still allow you plenty of daylight to put your feet up and have a tall cool one before bedtime. Buen camino!

[grayland]

You should have very little trouble finding hostals (small hotels) on the Camino in May. The best way (I have found) if you think it will be a problem to find a room, is to call ahead while walking the same day. The problem with calling the night before is that you are now locked into a destination and don't have the flexibility to go further or stop early should you find something interesting.
I have been on the Camino Frances a couple of times in May and stayed in both small hotels and albergues each time.
You will want to try at least one albergue on your walk. Do some research and try to find one that sounds like it will work for you.