April 2011

[mullinshinch]

my daughter and I are considering the camino frances in April 2011. My spouse would join us for the last 100 miles.

I wonder if anyone can tell me about the weather in the mountains at this time?

[Covey]

Welcome to the Forum.

The word "mountains" needs a little definition when it comes to the Camino. There ain't any!! There are hills and some of them are steep, but nothing you will walk over constitutes a mountain. Mountains conjures up thoughts of impossibly steep rock faces and ravines, ropes and crampons etc etc.

If you are walking the Camino Frances and start at St Jean Pied du Port, you spend the first day walking from St Jean to Roncesvalles and go up over the hills and down the other side. St Jean lies at 250m above sea level and the peak of the hill walk is 1400m (ish) and then you drop down to Roncesvalles which is 950m. 70% of the day is spent walking on a metaled road and the rest on tracks down through the forest.

The highest point on the Camino Frances is the Cruz de Ferro which is about 1500m and again you are walking along the road!

The weather between St Jean and Roncesvalles can be very variable in April. The Pilgrim Office in St Jean will advise you on the local weather and will tell you if you need to take the lower Winter Route to Roncesvalles. Heed their advice as people have died ignoring it!