Cycling the Camino with an 8 and 9 year old, which route is best?

[Purita]

I am looking for advice on cycling the Camino with an 8 and 9 year old, they can cycle around 20 km on Country lanes at the moment, which route and sections would be best and the most interesting for the off time. I was thinking of the Pomferrada to Santiago section but am open to advice.
Is there connecting transport between any of the stages?

 

[Saint Mike II]

Hola - I cycled this section back in September last year. I think on the first stage - Ponferrada to Villafranca del Bierzo I pretty much followed the walkers trail (so about 22-24 km this day). I can't really recall the track condition - but I memory serves there was a minor road(s) following us most of the way. You can also use the N-VI - its a lot less crowded following the opening of the A-6 (autoway - no cyclists allowed on the A roads). The following sector - Villafranca to O'Cebreiro - this can be ridden over two days - its around 30 km but the last section from Las Herrerias to O'Cebreiro is a really tough climb. I did ride the N-VI all day (at least to Herrerias where I branched off onto a minor road that does parallel the camino for a section and then diverts - there is a sign directing cyclist to branch right. But the thing about this day is that the section from Herrerias to Laguna de Castilla and O'Cebreiro climbs 450 metres and then a further 150 metres. So given the ages I would make it a two day stage.
From O'Cebreiro to Santiago you can choose which route - the road or the camino but it does get a bit crowded after Sarria.
There probably are buses, or private taxis but I never used them and can't really remember seeing them. Cycle loads are something you will need to consider - I suggest that the children not have anything extra - maybe a very light day back with water bottles and rain gear. What time of the year are you considering doing this ride as it can be very warm to hot in July and August and it rains 200 days a year in Galicia (and can snow on the high hills anytime after the end of October).
I hope this gives you some scope to plan and think about other questions. Happy to try to answer more specific ones. Cheers.

 

[Castilian]

Hi Purita! Welcome to the forum!

I was thinking of the Pomferrada to Santiago

I guess the question is: How does your children deal with climbs? The climb to O Cebreiro has gradients over 10% and even over 15% on some parts...

Is there connecting transport between any of the stages?

Between most of them, yes. However, bikes might be a problem. If you plan to take connecting transport between stages, I would suggest to look beforehand where you plan to take it, look what's the bus company involved and read what they say about bike transport (if they allow it, maximun number of bikes allowed, if you have to get a special ticket for the bike, if they transport it later if it can't go on the bus you plan to take...).

 

[Lucky Sprite]

Hello I just cycled 5 days from Logrono to Sarria and also hope to do a stretch with my 7 & 8 year old soon so I was checking this section out. It is tough and I opted for the road more than I'd hoped as the trail was very rugged in places. The downhill to Molinaseca and later towards Sarria is great fun but I would be very wary of letting young kids do this on the road. I once did Pamplona to Logrono with my 12 yr old and although the high bit is tough and scary after Pamplona from Puente la Reina it was ok and we enjoyed it. Sarria to Santiago might be ok off season someone posted about doing it before with a child.
Good luck whatever you decide I'm going to look into the Portuguese one as well.

 

[Lucky Sprite]

I finished in Sarria but then got a bus with my bike to Santiago for flight home.
I wasn't allowed bike on train.

 

[C clearly]

I wasn't allowed bike on train.

I am very uncertain, but I think that bikes might be allowed on some trains. You should check it out before eliminating that option.

 

[Lucky Sprite]

I think they are allowed on some trains I checked at Sarria station and the guy said I would be allowed to take the bike from Lugo but not Sarria so I got the bus to Lugo cycled to the train station to then hear that the train would not take bikes so I cycled back to bus station in the nick of time to get the next bus to Santiago. It can be difficult to get the precise information on transport I was googling and asking people in the station.

 

[Castilian]

I am very uncertain, but I think that bikes might be allowed on some trains

Yes, on Regional, Regional Express and MD trains. The number of bikes per train is limited though (and in trains without space for them might be forbiden although I'm not sure if that changed). And the number of bikes per passenger is limited too: just one. For routes longer than 100 kms you have to pay 3 euros. I don't know what are the currents rules for groups of people traveling with a bike (they used to request a permit beforehand).

Long distance trains sold at Regional, Regional Express or MD fare for some routes aren't included.

Dissasembled bikes inside something can go in any train as long as they are within the allowed hand baggage dimensions.

In the case of the route from Sarria to Santiago de Compostela, a MD train from Sarria to A Coruña and another one from A Coruña to Santiago de Compostela would be the easiest way to make the route although it's a big detour. Bikes on MD are limited to just 3 per train if I'm not wrong.

the guy said I would be allowed to take the bike from Lugo but not Sarria

That only makes sense if by whatever reason the computer system in Sarria don't/didn't allow them to issue a bike ticket. Or if all the space for bikes on the train(s) was already full but someone was going to get off in Lugo leaving one available. Otherwise, it's the same MD train to A Coruña from Sarria than from Lugo.

 

[Lucky Sprite]

Thanks Castilian I had time constraints as I needed to leave my bike with someone in Sarria and catch a flight home so the 2nd last day was v rushed.
I will finish the frances - Sarria to Santiago in the not too distant future and probably with my 3 children however I really do need to improve my Spanish for these type of situations.

 

[Saint Mike II]

I am very uncertain, but I think that bikes might be allowed on some trains. You should check it out before eliminating that option.

Yes they are - the local commuter trains; and if you make advance arrangements certain of the media distance trains have a cargo area. I had to wait 3-5 hours in Sahagun for a train to Leon that accepted my bike.
From memory none of the AVE trains allow bikes. I know that for me, at the finish of my Camino, it was easier to arrange road transport back to Madrid - one of the cycle shops in SDC arranged.
The ALSA buses will normally allow bikes - again with advance notice - a fee may be charged (a couple of Euros) - but if there are already two bikes in the cargo hold then no more bikes are permitted. Oh and the do not refund the bike ticket fee!!??

 

[Seano]

I am looking for advice on cycling the Camino with an 8 and 9 year old, they can cycle around 20 km on Country lanes at the moment, which route and sections would be best and the most interesting for the off time. I was thinking of the Pomferrada to Santiago section but am open to advice.
Is there connecting transport between any of the stages?

Wow It hard to believe that an 8 and 9 y.o. would want to put themselves through such a challenge. I have seen fit thirty y.o. struggle (as in Walking) on top of range MTB's on using Camino on wet days.

 

[Kanga]

@Saint Mike II how hard do you think it would be for children of 8 and 9? And how safe? What sections would work? I'm just thinking that we have a special law that allows children under the age of 12 to ride bicycles on the footpath, because the research shows that until that age children do not have the mental capacity to cope with other traffic.

 

[Stev0]

Yes they are - the local commuter trains; and if you make advance arrangements certain of the media distance trains have a cargo area. I had to wait 3-5 hours in Sahagun for a train to Leon that accepted my bike.
From memory none of the AVE trains allow bikes. I know that for me, at the finish of my Camino, it was easier to arrange road transport back to Madrid - one of the cycle shops in SDC arranged.
The ALSA buses will normally allow bikes - again with advance notice - a fee may be charged (a couple of Euros) - but if there are already two bikes in the cargo hold then no more bikes are permitted. Oh and the do not refund the bike ticket fee!!??

Hi Saint Mike , do you know if the ALSA buses take bikes (complete not dismantled) from Santiago, cheers

 

[Saint Mike II]

Hola @Basicoro - as far as I know ALSA will take an assembled bike - but as I said you normally have to pay an extra luggage fee and if the bus you get already has bikes in the luggage area, or the luggage area is full then your bike does not go and again from memory (but not experience) they don't give refunds;

@Kanga & @Purita -the question of safety is an issue for both the walking pilgrim and the cyclist. You need to keep your eyes open all the time. There are definite sections of the road that I would be most hesitant recommending to cyclists under 12 - Rabanal to Cruz de Ferro to Molinaseca. The first part is about a 350 metre climb over about 7-9 km (I followed the road here) - so on a quiet day it might be ok. However the descent from the Cruz to Molinaseca is around 20 km (as per Brierley) and the descent is 900 metres (3000 feet). I came down this road on a Sunday and I kept my eyes very open. Fortunately it was very quiet. So I guess what I am saying is: how really road experienced are your children? how confident are you with your bike experience - especially on those descents?
I think I have posted elsewhere about the section from Villafranca del Bierzo (and also from Ponferrada) to O'Cebreiro and then down to Triacastela. But again similar questions/answers apply.
I hope this helps all three of you. Cheers