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Family Camino in 40 days?

R

Richardw2

New Member
Time of past OR future Camino
July 2018
I'm taking my family ages 16, 16, 14 & 14 (crazy dad) on the Camino Summer 2020 starting in mid June. Is 40 days enough to get to Santiago starting in SJPP without walking them into the ground?

I'm looking to create an opportunity for them to have a life changing grit building experience.
 
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It should be plenty of time, given the ages of the kids, and without knowing specifics about health and fitness and levels of physical activity. If you haven't done so before, you could do some backpacking trips together in order to 'practice' the group dynamic and start learning as a family how you all work together with long distance walking.

That kind of activity will also allow you to work out strategies, like getting used to the practice of meeting up together when the teens want to go off at a faster pace by themselves. You can start smoothing out the edges of being a unit, and how each individual knows how to do their part as part of that unit. Plus, it helps to build trust and confidence in each other when you are all doing this type of activity.

It could be a wonderful opportunity to bond as a family.
 
How wonderful! My friend and I celebrated our 60th birthday and planned on 40 days and ended up completing the Camino in 34. That included 2 days off to give ourselves a break. We did the Pyrenees in one day and when we got to Roncesvalles we met a single Mom with a 14 yr old and a 10 yr old. The 14 year old was telling me his Mom and sister were too slow for him and he was wanting to go faster. Make sure your teens take time to stop and breathe the mountain air! Buen Camino!
 
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Our 9 and 11 year old kids out-walked us most days, we averaged 23km per day. My husband and I would often round a bend to find them sitting on a rock or wall waiting for us! We walked via Valcarlos to Roncesvalles in the first day - it was hard on all of us. We had rest days in Pamplona, Burgos and Leon. We ended up skipping Leon to Sarria as we had all developed colds and a couple of sore throats. From Sarria onwards we walked 15km per day - as far as the kids were concerned, they were short days! We are going back again this Chrismas and have 36 days to do the walk. This time we will take 2 days to get to Roncesvalles, a rest day around Logrono for Christmas and probably a rest day in Burgos and Leon. Hopefully this time we will not skip any legs but if we do, that is perfectly fine with us.

Just make sure you do lots of training with the children and make sure they are 100% on board with walking the Camino. If they are not, then no-one will enjoy the walk.

To answer your question - 40 days? Luxury!!!
 
The walking will be a doddle for the kids. Handwashing their clothes, cooking dinner for you and fellow pilgrims and carrying your gear between them should contribute to the grit building experience!
 
Probably. When I walked with my 15/16 year old son (birthday en route) we took 41 days to get from Roncesvalles to Finisterre. That included a couple of rest days, at least one of which was medically necessary. You will be starting a day or two earlier but not including our last four days of walking.

My general advice is, if at all possible, to pad your trip a bit. That way, if the unexpected happens, you won't be racing to Santiago to make a flight. If all goes well and you have extra days at the end, there is plenty to see in Spain.
 
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I started in St Jean. I will be in Santiago in a few days. I will have walked 40 days. I will have averaged 12.5 miles per day, which was my goal. I booked ahead 2-5 days. Buen Camino.
 
Oh boy, doing the camino with four teens....you could become a suitable candidate for parental sainthood.
Since you will be five, and it is peak season, reservation could be very, very convenient. Not all the way, but maybe two days in advance, so you can adjust your destinations.
I am no fan of Orisson, but the SJPP-Roncesvalles stage is really tough for a first day. You may consider breaking it in two days.
Consider also abergues with a kitchen. That could be good for your budget, and give your kids something to be busy in the evenings. Remember, many end of stages are in little villages, where there is not too much to do.
Buen camino, amigo.
 
Think about having one hold-all bag transported. That way you can have food & maybe some cooking utensils ready for you in those smaller albergues. The cost of eating out will really mount up otherwise.
 
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I'd suggest doing a week or two of the Camino without children so you can gain some first-hand experience. Then you will have a better insight to planning a family Camino.

-Paul
 
Richardw2 said:
I'm taking my family ages 16, 16, 14 & 14 (crazy dad) on the Camino Summer 2020 starting in mid June. Is 40 days enough to get to Santiago starting in SJPP without walking them into the ground?
Click to expand...

There were two different families with teens and pre-teens I was around during my CF. In both cases, it was the parents' who were "pole dragging" and having trouble keeping up with the youth. I wouldn't underestimate their energy!
 
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