Catching up with a non-walker on the Camino

[Disey]

I am planning my first Camino from St Jean Pied de Port through to Finisterre for 2017. My partner is not able to walk long distances but is keen to meet me at various points along the Camino. We are keen to learn if anyone else has had a similar experience, locations where they caught up along the Way, travel methods for non-walkers between towns, etc.

 

[SabsP]

Hi and welcome Disey! It is certainly doable. If your partner is not able to drive him /herself ( for example health reasons ) there is a company called Marly Tours that does the driving and arranging. Don't find the link now but am sure other forummembers will give advice.

Public transport is pretty ok. So your partner could take a bus in between the bigger cities, spend some extra days here, arrange an hotel or pension there ( nice for you when you arrive ). Or if he/she wants to meet you every day they could take a taxi in between every village you stop. In that case they could end up in really small villages where there is nothing much to do of you are not a pilgrim.

Also take into consideration that public albergues or donativos most probably won't take in people who did not walk that day. So private accomaodation might be best.
Pamplona, Estella, Puente la Reina, Logrono, Burgos, Carrion de los Condes, Sahagun, Leon , Molinaseca or Cacabelos, Sarria or Portomarin and then of course Santiago or excellent towns to stay a couple of days.

 

[SYates]

Bus (and sometimes train) service is generally good between towns. Perhaps a good starting point for you two would be to figure out a list of towns where your partner would be happy to stay a few days and then use booking.com to look at accommodation options. Buen Camino, SY

 

[Disey]

Hi and welcome Disey! It is certainly doable. If your partner is not able to drive herrself ( for example health reasons ) there is a company called Marly Tours that does the driving and arranging. Don't find the link now but am sure other forummembers will give advice.

Public transport is pretty ok. So your partner could take a bus in between the bigger cities, spend some extra days here, arrange an hotel or pension there ( nice for you when you arrive ). Or if he/she wants to meet you every day they could take a taxi in between every village you stop. In that case they could end up in really small villages where there is nothing much to do of you are not a pilgrim.

Also take into consideration that public albergues or donativos most probably won't take in people who did not walk that day. So private accomaodation might be best.
Pamplona, Estella, Puente la Reina, Logrono, Burgos, Carrion de los Condes, Sahagun, Leon , Molinaseca or Cacabelos, Sarria or Portomarin and then of course Santiago or excellent towns to stay a couple of days.

Thank you very much Sabine P - he is very keen to experience as much as he can of what I will be walking.

 

[Disey]

Bus (and sometimes train) service is generally good between towns. Perhaps a good starting point for you two would be to figure out a list of towns where your partner would be happy to stay a few days and then use booking.com to look at accommodation options. Buen Camino, SY

Thank you SYates, we appreciate your feedback - it is all valuable.

 

[wayfarer]

Welcome Disey, I met a Canadian man who was with his wife and sister on the Camino in 2012. His wife could not walk very far and so she would bus or taxi ahead to the next planned stop, she would arrange accommodation and then walk back along the trail a bit and wait for the others there then they would walk in together. We met her a few times along the trail sitting and waiting for for their arrival.
This plan might also work for you.
Buen Camino.

 

[oursonpolaire]

I have run into several couples where the wife was walking and the husband drove between towns to await her arrival, cerveza in hand. Two of them used bus or taxi. One of them was able to find nearby golf courses about every second or third day. When the husband arrived, he would find accommodation (as he was not eligible to use the pilgrim albergue) and text his spouse as to where they would be staying. It seems to work out quite well for some people.

 

[Diane Kinney]

Last fall I ran into a couple from Denmark. Due to his health, they decided they would only walk 10 k a day. They only stayed in private accommodations, would leave when they got up (not at first light), walk their 10 k and bus or cab to where they wished to spend the night. And they travelled with day packs having sent their luggage ahead.
My husband is not a walker but I would love to walk the Camino with him. I told him about this couple and he said that was something he thought was doable. So this year or next we will do this Camino. I may walk 20 to 25 k a day and send him on after 10k or join him taking the bus or cab, as the spirit moves me.

 

[Anemone del Camino]

Thank you very much Sabine P - he is very keen to experience as much as he can of what I will be walking.

Bus and taxi it is then. Budget 1€ per km for a taxi. Buses are a couple or handful of € per etapa distance.

 

[Maryimelda]

Bus (and sometimes train) service is generally good between towns. Perhaps a good starting point for you two would be to figure out a list of towns where your partner would be happy to stay a few days and then use booking.com to look at accommodation options. Buen Camino, SY

When my son walked the CF last year I stayed for five days each in Pamplona, Logrono, Burgos, Sahagun, Astorga, Ponferrada and of course in Santiago. I chose not tostay in Sarria but stayed in Lugo instead even though my son was not going to be coming to Lugo. It was just a place I wanted to see and I'm glad I did. As SY says, the buses are usually available between most towns although I did catch a train between Astorga and Ponferrada. It was my experience that the buses were cheaper and more reliable than the trains, as I did do day trips on my own by train and often was left waiting way past the scheduled departure time. That may have just been my bad luck.

I did have all my hotels booked in advance through booking.com and was always able to get a second room for my son by asking at reception on the day before he was due. This meant that he did not have to meet me on a designated day if he was running ahead or behind schedule.