Wanting to do some of the Camino in an electric wheelchair

[Aina Boss Budde]

Hi all.
My name is Aina and I am from Denmark.
My friend is doing the Camino in march/april 2018 and has asked if I want to join the last part of it. And I would LOVE to do it!!
I use an electric wheelchair and unfortunately I can't switch to a manual due to me using a ventilator/respirator and I have backproblems that a manual would increase.

I am trying to search the web to figure out how much of the Camino I can do in my chair.
Do any of you have experiences that you can share? Or do you know sites where I can estimate the paths difficulties/obstacles?
I am used to travelling and obstacles don't hold me back - they are just a part of life My last travel adventure was a 6 month long roadtrip in the U.S.

Thanks in advance

 

[Turga]

Hi Aina

I don’t have a clue what an electric wheelchair is capable of. Though you may be able to go around the rougher parts of the trail and go mainly on paved road, there will still be quite steep and long ascends and descends, longer and steeper than you will find in most places in Denmark. That goes even for the last, rather level stretch from Sarria to Santiago.

I hope someone more knowledgeable than me will be able to give you advice that is more elaborate.

Anyway, I admire your adventurous spirit and I hope you will find your way.

Best wishes, your country fellow man.

 

[Deleted member 3000]

If you need fairly flat terrain to conserve battery power, there are many sections between Burgos and Leon that will accommodate a wheelchair. Quite a few are called senda with an improved surface specifically built to accommodate wheelchairs. You should be able to research the sections on the internet. Buen camino!

 

[mspath]

Aina,

Your courage and tenacity are wonderful; may your camino dream come true.

Be sure to check the many helpful links/tips in these earlier forum threads.
https://www.caminodesantiago.me/com...heelchair-camino-but-need-some-answers.37371/

https://www.caminodesantiago.me/community/threads/completing-the-camino-in-a-wheelchair.17141/

 

[grayland]

If you can give us an idea of the portion of the camino that your friend is considering for you....maybe some of us can do some research and come up with some suggestions as to how to route it to avoid difficult stretches.

You posted that she has invited you for the "last part of it"..so we assume you are considering the last 100 km from Sarria to Santiago. This would qualify you for the Compostela.
Can you give us some idea of what the capabilities of the motorized chair are...and what are the problem conditions.

There are many here who would be very happy to discuss and help you plan a route that will work for you.

 

[Peter Fransiscus]

Hello Aina ,
I admire you that you want to do this.

Wish you a wonderful journey and a Buen Camino,Peter.

 

[Former member 49149]

Hi all.
My name is Aina and I am from Denmark.
My friend is doing the Camino in march/april 2018 and has asked if I want to join the last part of it. And I would LOVE to do it!!
I use an electric wheelchair and unfortunately I can't switch to a manual due to me using a ventilator/respirator and I have backproblems that a manual would increase.

I am trying to search the web to figure out how much of the Camino I can do in my chair.
Do any of you have experiences that you can share? Or do you know sites where I can estimate the paths difficulties/obstacles?
I am used to travelling and obstacles don't hold me back - they are just a part of life My last travel adventure was a 6 month long roadtrip in the U.S.

Thanks in advance

Aina, I see another reply with references to more information, but here is a link you might find encouraging. I watched a TED talk about it, and unfortunately missed the film, but
I must say it was very inspiring. All the best, and you will get plenty of ideas and guidance from other members.

 

[Camino Chrissy]

Aina, I see another reply with references to more information, but here is a link you might find encouraging. I watched a TED talk about it, and unfortunately missed the film, but
I must say it was very inspiring. All the best, and you will get plenty of ideas and guidance from other members.

I saw both the TED talk and the related beautiful movie "I'll Push You". These would both be such inspiration for Aina's own adventure.

 

[Praorn]

Hi Aina,
I wish you Buen Camino! It is incredible and I hope I will see you perhaps in Santiago as I will do my Camino around the time you want to do yours.
Buen Camnio!

 

[linkster]

You may want to use Google Earth to do a virtual Camino as research.

You rock!

 

[VNwalking]

What a wonderful aspiration, Aina.
In addition to the links others have posted, there are photos in the forum media section of a group that did the camino in wheelchairs. Writing a PM to Samantha (who posted the photos) might give you much more information than we could - she has been there.
May the beauty you love be what you do! (Paraphrasing Rumi....)
Buen Camino!

 

[oursonpolaire]

The Confraternity of Saint James has a publication directed toward cycling pilgrims. While I am quite aware that wheelchairs are not bicycles, the bicycle routes often follow paths which are not as challenging as the pedestrian route. Even so, I think that the last 100km, from Sarria on, would be pretty manageable.

There is also a publication in Spanish from the Spanish association supporting those using wheelchairs. I tried to find it, but my castellano is weak and failed me. Perhaps one of our Spanish-speaking forumistos might know??

 

[William Garza]

Aina
Go forth and Conquer!

 

[nycwalking]

Buen camino.

 

[Peter CapeTown]

Aina, sounds like a great plan! I am also doing the Camino at about that time, my first one (CF, end Mar - start of May). If we meet we must have a drink and compare Camino war-stories. i am sure your war-stories will be much more adventurous than my biped'ed ones.
Glad to see that you are planning to do Your Camino; may your wheels be willing & able. Ultreya!

 

[JohnnieWalker]

Hola Aina - the Confraternity of Saint James provides advice and support to people with disabilities who wish to make the Camino. Contact through the website www.csj.org.uk

Buen camino

John

 

[Aina Boss Budde]

Thank you - all of you!!
So many great tips and wishes for my trip <3
I am just starting the planning and it is so great to also get tips on what to think of (what my wheelchair can manage, how far I want to "go" and much more)
I will definitely use all your tips and links and write updates about my preparation.

And I hope to meet you guys there! Can see more of you are walking around the same time

 

[oursonpolaire]

I have found the Confraternity members to be very helpful and would look at JohnnieWalker's suggestion. As well, this thread might be of use:
https://www.caminodesantiago.me/com...the-camino-in-a-wheelchair.17140/#post-123974

Forum member Fraluchi scouted the entirety of the Francese for wheelchair-ability and you might wish to PM him directly for advice.

 

[Sailor]

. . . And I hope to meet you guys there! . . .

A lot of forum members will be on the trail during April and May [including this writer, I hope], and you will meet a lot of them. Aina, please keep us updated on your plans. God Bless you and your family, have a Merry Christmas, y que la luz de Dios alumbre su camino.

 

[Dorpie]

Hi Aina,

Welcome to the forum. I know Burgos prides itself on being a wheelchair friendly city, something about that here: http://civitas.eu/sites/default/files/CARAVEL D5 - BURGOS MERS 11.11.pdf and also the terrain for the 140kms or so after it is relatively flat and if memory serves on fairly good surface so perhaps worth considering as a start point.

Good luck with the planning and have a great trip.

Rob.

 

[Deleted member 56069]

Aina, this is Fantastic! I would think that parts of the Meseta would work best for you for traveling in a powered wheel chair as it is relatively flat for fairly long sections. As others have suggested Burgos as a starting point would work. What kind of range can you get out of a charge? Are you planning to have any kind of support team, ie a chase van?
I think what you want to do is doable with some planning and will give you a good taste of Camino life. Be prepared to met a lot of great people on your journey.
You will get lots of help along the way from people you have yet to meet, but will be waiting for you to help if needed.

 

[Aina Boss Budde]

Aina, this is Fantastic! I would think that parts of the Meseta would work best for you for traveling in a powered wheel chair as it is relatively flat for fairly long sections. As others have suggested Burgos as a starting point would work. What kind of range can you get out of a charge? Are you planning to have any kind of support team, ie a chase van?
I think what you want to do is doable with some planning and will give you a good taste of Camino life. Be prepared to met a lot of great people on your journey.
You will get lots of help along the way from people you have yet to meet, but will be waiting for you to help if needed.

My chair only do about 20 km per charge, but am contacting the wheelchair company to ask if it is possible with extra battery.
I am "walking" with one of my handicap assistants and have another one who drives my van to the next location and then he will ride a bike back to where I am and walk with me as well. If something goes wrong then he can quickly ride the bike back and get the van to me

 

[Aina Boss Budde]

Hi Aina,

Welcome to the forum. I know Burgos prides itself on being a wheelchair friendly city, something about that here: http://civitas.eu/sites/default/files/CARAVEL D5 - BURGOS MERS 11.11.pdf and also the terrain for the 140kms or so after it is relatively flat and if memory serves on fairly good surface so perhaps worth considering as a start point.

Good luck with the planning and have a great trip.

Rob.

I think Burgos might be to far from the end? But it might be better if the terrain is good there and worse again later on

 

[Dorpie]

I think Burgos might be to far from the end? But it might be better if the terrain is good there and worse again later on

Hi Aina,

You're right, Burgos is a long way from the end. Sorry, I didn't remember the "last section" part of your original post.

It's unfortunate that the final 100kms or so of the Camino are some of the hilliest but I'm sure with your attitude and the infrastructure that has grown up around that section of the Camino anything is possible.

All the best,

Rob.