From Burgos to Santiago in March-April - with a child?

[HeidiL]

I'm planning to walk from Burgos to Santiago in March-April this year
with my husband and our son (almost 9). We have been talking about it
for about three years, but this time, for the first time, our jobs
seem to make it possible.

We're thinking about spending 20-24 days on the road, and we're not
going to be purists about our trip - if one day our son (usually a
very energetic young man!) is completely exhausted after 10
kilometres of our planned 25 km walk, we might take a taxi/bus for
the rest of the day's walk. We're also planning a few days of
rest at nice hotels on the way - this is not planned to prove how
tough we are, but to have fun and spend some time together.

We lived in Spain for a few years in the late 1990es, so we're not
anticipating language problems on the way, and we're fairly fit and
know we shouldn't carry too much stuff with us. We drove most of
this stretch by car in 1999, so we know the countryside is likely to
be green and not too hilly. Is there anything else we should think
about? Any special considerations for traveling with a child? Rainy
spring season? Closed refugios around Semana Santa?

(Anyone else planning to walk around the same time?)

All the best,

Heidi

 

[ivar]

Hei Heidi,

Before you read on, I have to say that I have not done the Camino. I live in Santiago and I am generally interested in the town and the pilgrimage.

My opinion, for what it is worth, is that this it should be possible for you to bring you son along as long as all are flexible regarding how to finish “today’s stage”.

It seems like you know the stretch that you will be going and the language (if you need to get a bus/taxi).

Have you done any practise walks with your son? This might give you a good indication of how life will be on the walk to Santiago.

Velkommen til Santiago!

Ivar

 

[HeidiL]

Please see private reply (and invitation)

Dear Ivar,

I've written a private message to you.

Heidi

 

[William Marques]

It may be difficult on some of the stretches between Burgos and Leon to find a convenient bus or train when your son gets tired as you can be miles from anywhere, from there on there should be no problem doing what you suggest.

 

[ivar]

Re: Weather

Hi Heidi,

I know you where wondering about the weather for your trip. Check out this post by Peter Robins, he has a webpage with weather information.

viewtopic.php?t=51

Ivar

 

[HeidiL]

Update

Hi, I just wanted to leave a quick message to update you about our plans...

On Friday the 18th, we're flying to Villadolid, we're spending the weekend at Silos, and on Monday the 21st, we'll be in Carrión de los Condes to start our trip.

Our plane home from Santiago de Compostela leaves on April 13th, so we now know just about how fast we'll have to walk to get there in time...

Other pilgrims who pass us on our slow amble: Please stop and say hello! There can't be that many Nordic-looking families on the Camino at this time of the year, so you'll know who we are...

 

[ivar]

I had a nice coffee with Heidi, her husband and a very proud little boy yesterday. They made it to Santiago several days ahead of schedule.

It sounded like they had a great time, and that their 9 year old boy did just great. We all had coffee at Hostal Suso, their son had a sandwich because "he was hungry after all the walking". :wink:

They returned to Oslo today with RyanAir.

So old and young, el Camino is for everyone.

Greetings from Santiago,
Ivar

 

[HeidiL]

So many years ago - and so many more walks...

This year, we're walking from Porto to Santiago with our son, now 16 and able to carry me, should he want to.

I just found my old log-on here and looked for my old posts, this was a wonderful reminder of our very first walk in Spain.

 

[sergeantmajormammy]

Lovely to read this - we're heading off Holy Week from StJPdeP to Pamplona - three mothers, two fathers, 4 children 11 - 13 for the same reason you did it - 'this is not planned to prove how
tough we are, but to have fun and spend some time together. '


I hope our lads will finish the Camino on their own in future years (or better still, with us!)

 

[HeidiL]

Many years later (because I was looking for another thread and this one popped up): very soon we're going to Spain to walk the final bit of Vía de la Plata - Cubo del Vino to Astorga. Our son (26) will be joining us.

He believes that walking in Spain is just what you're supposed to do at Easter, and has also walked a few hundred km of the Norwegian Olavsleden. Last year, his girlfriend walked with us as well.

 

[VNwalking]

Gosh, ir's so wonderful to see how things work out! Buen camino to you all!

Edit. The Plata has a few Visigothic gems. This one is a bit out of the way from Zamora, but not so far. I'd definitely walk out of my way for this:

San Pedro De Nave which is on the Camino Portugues de la Via de la Plata outside El Campillo. It is just under 30km walk from Zamora

San Pedro de la Nave

Blog de la iglesia parroquial de San Pedro de la Nave, en El Campillo (Zamora, España), una joya arquitectónica visigótica del siglo VII.

sanpedrodelanave.blogspot.com

Sadly, this spectacular one is farther down the camino, South of Caceres:

another surviving visigothic church is Santa Lucía del Trampal, a short detour or alternative route from the Vía de la Plata between Mérida and Cáceres.

I think it's my favourite of the three. It hasn't got the exquisite carvings of San Pedro or Santa María but the structure is more impressive, with its three naves. And its position is glorious: serene and solitary out in the dehesa, surrounded by oaks, with a hot spring nearby. The place was sacred to the celtiberians and their spring goddess Ataegina. The Romans, as they did, adopted her and merged her into their equivalent, Proserpine, and the present structure has been used by Christians since about 700AD.