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Camino with babies and dog

wildroverwild

New Member
hi!
We, 6 month old, 2 year old, dog and I are heading Camino 1st week of april. So excited!! We are taking a Croozer (like a chariot but unfortunately no drum brakes - i am currently looking into the possibility of having some fitted). The dog pulls in a sledge harness when the uphills are steep.

Any last minute tips would be great. Maybe see some of you there! xox
 
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The Croozer looks like quite a machine but given that it weighs 15kg alone without children inside, I'd recommend that you get some form of braking system fitted. Parts of the Camino are very steep and you will struggle to control the descent unless you plan on walking with the chariot behind you.

Take a look at the cycle guides if you haven't already for recommendations on when to take the trail and when to take the road. Cyclists will face many of the same challenges as yourself when it comes to panniers, weight and the condition of the trail.

Buen Camino to you all.
 
Transport luggage-passengers.
From airports to SJPP
Luggage from SJPP to Roncevalles
I have a chapter on walking with dogs - and a chapter on walking with babies and children - in my planning guide YOUR CAMINO on foot, bicycle and horseback in France and Spain. Too much info to share here but it is available as a digital book and print.
 
Technical backpack for day trips with backpack cover and internal compartment for the hydration bladder. Ideal daypack for excursions where we need a medium capacity backpack. The back with Air Flow System creates large air channels that will keep our back as cool as possible.

€83,-
Hi Wildroverwild, my hubby and I would love to know how your camino is going with your children? We are heading off with our 4 yr old end of this month and are so excited. Can't wait for this amazing experience and hope you and your family are getting everything out of the experience you had hoped for regardless of the challenges that you are likely to face. Glad to see people doing the Camino their way.
 
We met this lady at Zubiri on 25th April. The chidren were coping very well, and the dog. The lady herself seemed to take everything in her stride. There was one worrying thing, she had been turned away from the Albergue at Roncesvalles, not because of the dog but because of the young children. When we saw her at Zubiri she and her children and dog had been welcomed with open arms. The buggy she has is enormous!

Ron
 
Ideal sleeping bag liner whether we want to add a thermal plus to our bag, or if we want to use it alone to sleep in shelters or hostels. Thanks to its mummy shape, it adapts perfectly to our body.

€46,-
Hi!!!
First time on this forum since our trip. It all went REALLY WELL! Amazingly well, we had really very few problems, all were solvable.
One major one at near the beginning my 2 year old had been playing with my bumbag and the wallet dropped out, so stranded with no money, cards etc. I was at a bit of a loss, I must admit, as I hadnt paid for the previous nights meal yet and had to go in and try to explain that I had now lost my money! AHem. Received lots of help, even hard cash which was VERY welcome to give me some security right one the very first day, when I was considering turning around homewards - thank-you!!! It was quite an experience, living without money of 5 days, "begging" at the albergues for a bed, very humbling. A local spanish lady who we met whilst camping during this time in the park in Logrono, who i didnt tell we were currently destitute, actually brought us a basket full of supermarket essentials like milk for the babies, fruit etc and toys . Another Camino coincidence :)

True, ROncevalles turned us away on a freezing, snowy evening. After that we bought a tent in Pamplona so we wouldnt be dependant on such things.

Also the pilgrims themselves had very mixed attitudes regarding the babies. The percentage for us increased as the journey went on. Also we too became more confident.

Technically everything worked perfectly. The Croozer with fitted hand brake, our irish setter Ruby pulling us up the hills, the ergonomical fast walking with no back pack, as it all fitted in the luggage compartment of the Croozer,the fast walking due to the wheels, leaning into them, meant only short periods in the pram for the babies, the loads of kids parks, at least one on every stretch, the large church courtyards with semi tame pigeons for my babies and dog to chase (sorry bird lovers!), icecream parlours in every village, babies getting served frothy milk for every one of my coffees, the getting up always the last, so the babies didnt get trampled on underfoot, the getting into the albergues around 6-7pm every evening, late but mostly all OK.

Half way, Ruby got tired. Luckily (as it is on the Camino!!!) the Albergue we turned back to reach after deciding to give Ruby some rest, was owned by a vet!!! She had the best treatment, a nice dark room with milk to drink for 2 days, no people interactions, they said she seemed as emotionally tired as physically. As I said on another post to which I have just read very many disapproving comments, I dont ever use a lead on her, (except when sleeping near main roads). I respect the independancy of setters, and she always made sure she didnt get left behind anywhere. SHe slept outside mostly, which didnt seem to be a problem. Only at the beginning crossing the pyranees, but sure they didnt even wANt to give the babies accomodation so I didnt even ask about the dog, but later found a heated toilet block where she spent the night :)

PS wE HAD QUITE an adventurous trip home from the end of the world, in an old type 3 camper, driving back to Salzburg. Whole trip took 3 months in total. BUT on the last night before arriving home, we parked up in Venice near the fish market, and were robbed! They used gas, dog included all didnt hear a thing, the y took the wee bit of money but more importantly....... THE CAMERA with ALL the photos of the whole trip :( So if anyone has any photos of us I would be sooooo grateful to get a copy!!!!!

PINK Croozer with 2 babies and a crazy skinny elegant racing white with red patches dog and blonde irish mummy, all from Salzburg.

Thanks!!!!! Buon Camino xoxoxoxoxxoxo
 
Hi Wildroverwild, my hubby and I would love to know how your camino is going with your children? We are heading off with our 4 yr old end of this month and are so excited. Can't wait for this amazing experience and hope you and your family are getting everything out of the experience you had hoped for regardless of the challenges that you are likely to face. Glad to see people doing the Camino their way.
How did it go? Hope really well :) Ours too, amazing experience and great times xoxoxoxo
 
h
Hi!!!
First time on this forum since our trip. It all went REALLY WELL! Amazingly well, we had really very few problems, all were solvable.
One major one at near the beginning my 2 year old had been playing with my bumbag and the wallet dropped out, so stranded with no money, cards etc. I was at a bit of a loss, I must admit, as I hadnt paid for the previous nights meal yet and had to go in and try to explain that I had now lost my money! AHem. Received lots of help, even hard cash which was VERY welcome to give me some security right one the very first day, when I was considering turning around homewards - thank-you!!! It was quite an experience, living without money of 5 days, "begging" at the albergues for a bed, very humbling. A local spanish lady who we met whilst camping during this time in the park in Logrono, who i didnt tell we were currently destitute, actually brought us a basket full of supermarket essentials like milk for the babies, fruit etc and toys . Another Camino coincidence :)

True, ROncevalles turned us away on a freezing, snowy evening. After that we bought a tent in Pamplona so we wouldnt be dependant on such things.

Also the pilgrims themselves had very mixed attitudes regarding the babies. The percentage for us increased as the journey went on. Also we too became more confident.

Technically everything worked perfectly. The Croozer with fitted hand brake, our irish setter Ruby pulling us up the hills, the ergonomical fast walking with no back pack, as it all fitted in the luggage compartment of the Croozer,the fast walking due to the wheels, leaning into them, meant only short periods in the pram for the babies, the loads of kids parks, at least one on every stretch, the large church courtyards with semi tame pigeons for my babies and dog to chase (sorry bird lovers!), icecream parlours in every village, babies getting served frothy milk for every one of my coffees, the getting up always the last, so the babies didnt get trampled on underfoot, the getting into the albergues around 6-7pm every evening, late but mostly all OK.

Half way, Ruby got tired. Luckily (as it is on the Camino!!!) the Albergue we turned back to reach after deciding to give Ruby some rest, was owned by a vet!!! She had the best treatment, a nice dark room with milk to drink for 2 days, no people interactions, they said she seemed as emotionally tired as physically. As I said on another post to which I have just read very many disapproving comments, I dont ever use a lead on her, (except when sleeping near main roads). I respect the independancy of setters, and she always made sure she didnt get left behind anywhere. SHe slept outside mostly, which didnt seem to be a problem. Only at the beginning crossing the pyranees, but sure they didnt even wANt to give the babies accomodation so I didnt even ask about the dog, but later found a heated toilet block where she spent the night :)

PS wE HAD QUITE an adventurous trip home from the end of the world, in an old type 3 camper, driving back to Salzburg. Whole trip took 3 months in total. BUT on the last night before arriving home, we parked up in Venice near the fish market, and were robbed! They used gas, dog included all didnt hear a thing, the y took the wee bit of money but more importantly....... THE CAMERA with ALL the photos of the whole trip :( So if anyone has any photos of us I would be sooooo grateful to get a copy!!!!!

PINK Croozer with 2 babies and a crazy skinny elegant racing white with red patches dog and blonde irish mummy, all from Salzburg.

Thanks!!!!! Buon Camino xoxoxoxoxxoxo
hi , its so refreshing to read someone who has done the Camino with children , trailer and a dog, well we plan to do the same with 2 bikes , a Burley trailers and 2 small dogs who will obviously travel in the tralier most of the time. I was a little put off from even trying this due to the negative responce off various sites when asking for advice but now i am inspired again and it is possible, Thank you
 
St James' Way - Self-guided 4-7 day Walking Packages, Reading to Southampton, 110 kms
Tillytrotter,
Welcome to the Forum. You will find lots of info here to help you plan your future camino.

The earlier posts which you read in this thread date back many years. In fact the latest is dated 2013. Do search traveling with children and/or with dogs to see other answers. Good luck with your plans and Buen camino .
 
This thread has now been tagged with "children" - you can see it at the top of the thread under the title. If you click on that tag, you will get to a list of many threads that addess the topic of taking children on the Camino.
 
No problem taking children (lots of forum members have, and you can read their experiences above) but with dogs it can be difficult to find accommodation.
 
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