Walking with a 13 year old

Julia Mumford · Feb 2, 2016

My daughter is keen to walk the Camino with me in October this year. She is 13 years old and I am just wondering if other teenagers complete the walk or will it be too much for her? She is a walker and a keen geocacher, so she is accustomed to walking in all types of weather etc.

This will be our first experience so I am wondering which route would be the most safe for us, and perhaps one that is not so strenuous? (about 10 miles a day)

Thank you. (My first post).

Julia

SabsP · Feb 2, 2016

Hi and welcome! She will do fine. Do take a look into the threads by kiwi-family who walked as a family of eight.

The Camino Frances woud be most interesting for both of you : most stops possible for short days and by October the crowds will be over but there will still be enough " traffic ".

Happy preparations!

Kanga · Feb 2, 2016

Oh @Julia Mumford welcome to the forum and how wonderful that your daughter wants to walk with you! I think that is lovely. Yes, I agree, the Camino Frances is likely to be the best option for a first Camino with a youngster. She will meet heaps of people, experience being treated as rather special but still an equal, you will find a supportive community, a good infrastructure, and with plenty of options as to how much you walk each day.

Julia Mumford · Feb 2, 2016

Wow! Thank you all for your quick responses. Camino Frances it is then!

Time to get planning - thank you so much. I can see that I will be using this forum lots! Time to get my profile sorted out!

Kiwi-family · Feb 2, 2016

HI and welcome! I have walked with 6-18 year olds so have a wee bit of experience (but every child - and adult - is different!) Sounds like your daughter will be just fine.
Camino Frances is great for the frequent bars and albergues.....but my kids LOVED turning right at Leon and doing the San Salvador to Oviedo and then hopping onto the Primitivo. These were their favourite routes because the scenery is just so fantabulous. (Admittedly we had already walked from Astorga to Santiago a couple of years earlier, but when people ask the kids which route to do they always say "Turn right at Leon!")
On the other hand, I really do think you can enjoy wherever you are! It's about mindset.

PeregrinaIR · Feb 2, 2016

Kiwi-family said:
HI and welcome! I have walked with 6-18 year olds so have a wee bit of experience (but every child - and adult - is different!) Sounds like your daughter will be just fine.
Camino Frances is great for the frequent bars and albergues.....but my kids LOVED turning right at Leon and doing the San Salvador to Oviedo and then hopping onto the Primitivo. These were their favourite routes because the scenery is just so fantabulous. (Admittedly we had already walked from Astorga to Santiago a couple of years earlier, but when people ask the kids which route to do they always say "Turn right at Leon!")
On the other hand, I really do think you can enjoy wherever you are! It's about mindset.

Hi Rachael, hoping to do a camino walk with my 15 yr old daughter nxt October, either Portugeuse or Francaise. Haven't my Brierly to hand, so is the San Salvador to Oviedo 'turn off' covered in Brierly, or what was your source? Really want to take her on a scenic route to give her a memorable experience. How was accommodation on the way? I'm no spring chicken & 20-22 kms per day would be my max. Thanks! Sandra

Pato777 · Feb 2, 2016

Julia Mumford said:
My daughter is keen to walk the Camino with me in October this year. She is 13 years old and I am just wondering if other teenagers complete the walk or will it be too much for her? She is a walker and a keen geocacher, so she is accustomed to walking in all types of weather etc.

This will be our first experience so I am wondering which route would be the most safe for us, and perhaps one that is not so strenuous? (about 10 miles a day)

Thank you. (My first post).

Julia

Hi there, I have done 2 Camino's, the French one on my own and last year from Porto to Santiago with my then 13 year old daughter and 17 year old son. I think the Porto one would be good for you and your daughter. It's achievable in one go, if you have two weeks to do it. Regardless of ow fit you and your daughter are, be prepared for a few blisters, make sure you have a trusted pair of walking shoes. The first day walking from Porto, along the coast, is beautiful, brings you into Viil de Conde, Portuguese people are also very open, friendly. What ever one you do, try to enjoy the moment and dont get csaught up in making a certain amount of KM's each day. Good luck, Pat

HeidiL · Feb 2, 2016

Pato777's recommendations are good. I've walked with my son at 8, 11, 13, 14, 15, 16 and 17, and love walking together. You meet each other in a very different setting, and there is no need to nag about cleaning anyone's room or doing homework...

Pato777 · Feb 2, 2016

thanks!!

Deleted member 3000 · Feb 2, 2016

You can do distance planning here:
http://www.godesalco.com/plan/frances

You will have an option at the end to print stage profiles so you can see the elevation changes.

3walkingtoSantiago · Feb 3, 2016

You'll be fine. We walked with my son over 3 summers starting when he was 11. That first year, he got tired, grumpy, we carried his pack for a while every afternoon. By the last year, he was leaving us behind. There seemed to be more kids on the Camino by our third summer - but that may be a function of having been closer to Santiago. Buen camino!

Kiwi-family · Feb 4, 2016

No Brierley for the Salvador. Check out the camino resources section or get the CSJ guide or just use the free guide on www.eeoski.com or www.gronze.com. Hard to get lost despite being stunning scenery.
I just walked from Porto last year and while it was pleasant, it was not as spectacular.