We just returned from an amazing month on the Camino where we walked from Burgos to Santiago with our 2-year old daughter. It was a true family trip with 3 generations making the pilgrimage together. There isn’t a lot of first-hand information available for people who are thinking about bringing a baby on the Camino, so I’d thought I post a follow-up here.
We had a very positive experience with our daughter, however I do not think bringing a child on the Camino is something that should be considered lightly. Before embarking on such an adventure, you must know yourself and know your child. If your kid cannot sit still and refuses to be confined in a relatively small space for 6+ hours a day, then walking the Camino is probably not a good idea. If you require a lot of alone time to recharge, it equally isn’t a good idea. While the solo peregrino needs to find things to do each afternoon and can choose when to socialize, we always had to be Catie’s parents first. She napped in the cart, so by the time we stopped for the day Catie was ready for the local playground. All we wanted to do was shower, drink a cold beer, and get off our weary feet. Between giving Catie a chance to play, doing laundry, shopping for the next day’s breakfast & snacks, eating, and getting clean, we never had a chance to rest. Even with all the extra hands, we were still busy every day. On top of that, regardless of whether you choose to carry your child in a backpack, baby carrier, or push them in a cart- you will be carrying more weight than the average pilgrim.
So, that said, here are a few ways we dealt with being pilgrim parents. Everything I’m writing here is geared toward traveling with a 1-3 year old. I suspect the experience is quite different for older kids or younger babies.
KID TRANSPORT. You have the option of carrying or pushing your baby. We tested several methods in the year before we made the trip. Initially we thought that I’d carry her in our baby backpack, but once we discovered that it would weigh ~35lbs fully loaded and that my husband would be carrying even more weight, we opted to push Catie in a Croozer Kid for 1. Not only did it allow us to push, rather than carry Catie’s gear, but pushing Catie in a cart allowed her considerably more freedom of movement than carrying her would have. She was able to sit, stand, lay down to sleep, eat, and play in the cart. Because she could move around so much, we were able to walk longer hours than we ever would have carrying her. The enclosed capsule also provided much better protection against the elements than a carrier would have.
Interestingly, the Croozer appeared to be the vehicle of choice on the Camino this May. Of the 4 families we met or heard about with young children/babies on the trail, 3 were pushing Croozers (the last was using a Chariot- better suspension for the kid, considerably less storage room for gear, much more expensive).
The base Croozer works, but I’d recommend a few modifications. Most importantly, I’d add a hand brake. Adding a brake would really reduce the strain on your back and knees going downhill. My husband built a wooden platform covered with a foam mat that provided a more stable surface for Catie to stand on. We used a padded sheepskin cover to protect her butt and provide her a comfy place to sleep. A rear bike bag provided extra storage as well as easy an easily accessible place for my water bottle, Catie’s sippy cup, and snacks. We added a clip-on stroller sombrilla in Spain since Catie disliked how the Croozer sun shade prevented her ability to stand up. Removable window stickers, books, a magnetic doodle board, and a variety of small toys provided entertainment.
THE TRAIL. The Croozer handled pretty much everything the Camino threw at it. For the most part, we stayed on the Camino or on the roads immediately adjacent to the trail. Occasionally, a former pilgrim would tell us about a particularly rough stretch or a bad descent and we’d opt for the highway. It seemed like bikers had the best knowledge regarding trail conditions. I’d recommend getting a bike guide in addition to the walking trail guide since they are more concerned with trail conditions. We had to carry the Croozer over a few streams, tree roots, and lots of stairs. We also had a tow rope that we used for particularly steep hills. My husband and/or father would pull, while my sister or I pushed. The Camino is doable with a cart or jogging stroller, but again, be aware of the challenges the added weight and width create.
PACKING & GEAR. We each carried our own gear and packed Catie’s stuff in a Deuter Kangakid backpack, which lived in the back of the Croozer. We figured it would serve as a good backup kid carrier and a day bag for afternoon excursions (again, life is different on the Camino with an active 2-year old!). The Kangakid was very useful when our original Croozer was stolen in Leon, however, if I were to do this again, I think I’d opt for a smaller Ergo-like baby carrier and a bunch of waterproof stuff sacks. Smaller bags would fit better and provide a little more flexibility. One woman we met managed to fit all her clothes, camping gear, plus everything for her 2 daughters into the back of a Croozer Kid for 2!
If you’d prefer to carry your kid, but need to reduce your total load, luggage transport service is available along the entire Camino. Jacotrans will deliver your pack to just about any private albergue or hostal for 7 Euros on the meseta and 3 Euros after Sarria.
I’ve seen a couple of questions about diapers and other kid supplies. We had no problem buying diapers and wipes along the Camino. They were easily found in pharmacies or grocery stores in every town. The only bad thing was that we typically could not find packs smaller than 50 diapers. That’s a lot of extra weight if you are carrying them on your back.
LODGING. Catie often has difficulty falling asleep in new places, so we figured sleeping in a different hostal each night was going to pose a challenge. That, combined with the fact that we travelled as a family of 6, made us decide to make reservations for private or semi-private rooms for the entire trip. We stayed in private albergues, hostals, pensiones, and casa rurals. We needed the peace of mind knowing where we were going to stay each night and didn’t want Catie’s presence to upset other tired peregrinos. Making advanced reservations turned out to be a very good thing for us, since we tended to get in a bit later than most pilgrims given the playground breaks, snack stops, diaper changes, etc., and often arrived in town after the main albergues were full. I know of other pilgrim parents who slept in the big albergues and one who camped a lot, so there are other options. If you choose the “normal pilgrim” albergues, just make sure to arrive early and be prepared for a few dirty looks. Not everyone wants to share a bunk room with a toddler, no matter how well behaved they are.
PEOPLE. We met loads of wonderful people along the Way! Most were interested and excited to see our daughter. We often joked that if we charged a Euro for every photo taken of her, we’d have been able to pay for the entire trip! We did run across a few people who disapproved of our having a child on the Camino, but those folks usually were nicer once they realized we were not sharing their bunk room. Others ignored us. But overall, Catie’s reception was very positive. I don’t think she ever got used to getting her head patted and cheeks pinched by every Spaniard she met, but she thoroughly enjoyed the sweets. Catie received more lollipops, candy, and chocolate from strangers along the journey than she’d eaten in her entire life!
Our most negative experience of the trip was having our Croozer stolen from the entry of our hostal in Leon. Everyone had been so wonderful to us, that we’d gotten lax with security. Do not repeat our mistake- if you push a cart, use a bike lock at all times. Luckily, we were able to order a new Croozer from a local bike shop the next morning. With only a 24 hour delay, we were back on the road (thanks, Bicicletas Blanco!).
FOOD. Catie has always been a good eater, however when we arrived in Spain it took us a few days to discover what she wanted to eat. Her typical diet of fruit, fresh veggies, and pasta was hard to come by. Luckily we discovered that she’d eat anything composed primarily of chorizo and beans- easy to come by on the meseta and then as caldo gallego in Galicia. The bigger issue was keeping her hydrated. She really didn’t like Spanish milk or water, the only beverages she drinks at home. Instead, she lived on watered down juice and ‘Bifrutas’ for the entire trip. If your child is a picky eater, I think the Camino would be difficult. The menu del dia/peregrinos menu gets old quickly and there really isn’t a kids menu at most places. Sometimes we’d cook, but often kitchens were not available.
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So, can you bring a kid on the Camino? Yes. It is difficult, but very rewarding! We met so many people because we had Catie with us, and being able to experience a different culture with her was wonderful. Her cheers of “Buen ‘Mino” warmed even the stodgiest peregrino’s heart. We may have explored more playgrounds than churches on our pilgrimage, but the experience was priceless.
