Sarria to Santiago with a 19 month old in a buggy and Silver Foxes

[Sindoors]

Hello, just starting to plan a family Camino hike with parents and grandkids. We will likely go in late September or October and would like to hike at least 100km. I have so many questions but the main one is what is the mildest-easiest 100k to walk on the Camino. We would like to do the mass in Santiago but we do we have to pick the 100km leading into that mass or can we walk 100km anywhere along the route and then transport to the final walk into Santiago? We will be with grandparents in their late 70s, and a 20 month old baby who I will be pushing in a heavy duty Bob "iron man" stroller. We would also like to take it easy and not walk more than 10-15k a day, and have comfortable private accommodation at night. Any family friendly tours would be great. Thank you.

 

[Tincatinker]

If you wish to obtain a compostella you must walk the final 100km into Santiago. The Camino Frances route from Sarria to Santiago should meet all your needs.

 

[Sindoors]

If you wish to obtain a compostella you must walk the final 100km into Santiago. The Camino Frances route from Sarria to Santiago should meet all your needs.

Ok thanks! So then that narrows the area down!

 

[NualaOC]

Hi @Sindoors, welcome to the forum! As @Tincatinker said, you must walk the final 100kms of a Camino route to be eligible for a Compostela. The pilgrim office website has useful information about this.

You can attend the mass regardless of whether you have a Compostela. So if some of your group are less able than others, they could use transport for part of the journey and still join you in the cathedral, They won't be able to sit in the area reserved for pilgrims, but as there are often far more pilgrims than seats, that mightn't be an issue anyway.

Buen Camino and happy planning!

 

[Mark Lee]

Walk the last 100 km from Sarria, pre-plan your stops, and make advance accommodation reservations beforehand. That way you can also have your bags sent ahead and only have to carry daypacks.

 

[grayland]

I would add that the grandparents in their "late 70's" are not an uncommon age here on the forum.
We have many very active Camino walking members who are in their late 70's and some in the 80's. Many walk full 800 km distances every year with no more problems than those of younger ages.

The age is not the factor....physical condition is the primary element for all ages.

 

[grayland]

I might also add that most of us do not consider ourselves as either senior or elderly...

 

[Kiwi-family]

Another very gentle option of about 100km which ends in Santiago would be the Portuguese route from Tui.

You can look at stages here: http://www.gronze.com/camino-portugues

Suggestion: Tui - O Porrino (16.1km but very flat) - Redondela (15.5km including a hill) - Arcade (short day - 6.7km - but lovely little town to wander round, especially the waterfront where there's a nice playground for the toddler and lots of nice places to eat and let the oldies recover from the previous day if necessary) or Pontevedra (19.6km from Redondela or 9.6km from Arcade if splitting the stage in two) - A Portela (10km there's only an albergue, but maybe you could try it just for the experience!) - Caldas de Reis (11.1km) - Pontecesures (16.1km) - Rua de Francos (13.5km) (or could add a wee detour - about 3km - to visit the monastery at Herbon on the way) - Santiago (12.7km)

 

[cher99840]

I might add that most of us do not consider ourselves as either Senior or Elderly...

I don't mind being a "senior" as that gives me discounts, but "elderly"?? Never!!

 

[Anemone del Camino]

While it is true you must walk the last 100km to earn the Compostela, you can walk any distance, anywhere, and get a certificate of distance which is just as pretty. Do you really meed a Compostela if it means walking with lots of peole, lots of bycicles, lots of mayhem?

Easy because flat is the Meseta, the plateau, from Burgos to Leon, two beautiful and easily accessible cities. 178km. Perhaps a bit more than you want to? Even if you can split it over 8 days to make it comfy?

http://caminodesantiago.consumer.es/los-caminos-de-santiago/frances/

Or, staying at the 100 mark, again if you don't need a Compostella, walk from Santiago, after a morning mass if you want, and head out to Fisterra and add on Muxia if you are enjoying yourselves. You get two lovely certificates for walking those routes as well, if a souvenir is what you want rather than the Compostela and its religious/spiritual meaning. These are a beautiful walk, with a mixture of history, woodland and of course seascape. Lots of pensiones and albergues to accomodate your needs.

 

[C clearly]

I consider myself to be a senior person in management terms, not elderly at all, and an almost-intermediate pilgrim.

 

[Sindoors]

I might also add that most of us do not consider ourselves as either senior or elderly...

Ok, next time I will write "Silver Foxes on the Camino"! I will get more responses I bet.

 

[Sindoors]

Walk the last 100 km from Sarria, pre-plan your stops, and make advance accommodation reservations beforehand. That way you can also have your bags sent ahead and only have to carry daypacks.

Thank you. We are looking to book with Camino Ways and they will organize private rooms in country houses and pick us up from the road as well as transport our luggage. Also we will take 9 days to walk so we are walking around 12k a day. One day is 18km but looks like a downhill day. Is there a town between Sarria and Santiago you would spend an extra day to rest?

 

[Sindoors]

If you wish to obtain a compostella you must walk the final 100km into Santiago. The Camino Frances route from Sarria to Santiago should meet all your needs.

Thanks. Our trip planning is coming along nicely and looks as we will depart Sarria on Sept 19 and take 9 days to walk to Santiago. We are celebrating a special birthday in Santiago. I have been looking at all terrain strollers and this one seems to be sturdy. https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01BSPDQ9M/?tag=casaivar02-20

Are you familiar with the route from Sarria to Santiago? Do you think we can manage with this stroller? One walker is very fit. We are staying in private accomodation every evening.

 

[Sindoors]

Another very gentle option of about 100km which ends in Santiago would be the Portuguese route from Tui.

You can look at stages here: http://www.gronze.com/camino-portugues

Suggestion: Tui - O Porrino (16.1km but very flat) - Redondela (15.5km including a hill) - Arcade (short day - 6.7km - but lovely little town to wander round, especially the waterfront where there's a nice playground for the toddler and lots of nice places to eat and let the oldies recover from the previous day if necessary) or Pontevedra (19.6km from Redondela or 9.6km from Arcade if splitting the stage in two) - A Portela (10km there's only an albergue, but maybe you could try it just for the experience!) - Caldas de Reis (11.1km) - Pontecesures (16.1km) - Rua de Francos (13.5km) (or could add a wee detour - about 3km - to visit the monastery at Herbon on the way) - Santiago (12.7km)

Hello and thank you for the reply. I think the group wants to do the Sarria to Santiago and is excited to see a lot of walkers. We are doing an easy version and have scaled it down to 9 walking days. Sarria to Morgade to Portomarin to Ventas De Naron to Palas de Rei to Melide to Arzua to Rua to Lavacolla to Santiago. Most days are 10-15 but we do have an 18Km day in there, which is Rua to Lavacolla. Is there any bits that would be very difficult with this type of stroller?
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01BSPDQ9M/?tag=casaivar02-20

 

[Mark Lee]

Thank you. We are looking to book with Camino Ways and they will organize private rooms in country houses and pick us up from the road as well as transport our luggage. Also we will take 9 days to walk so we are walking around 12k a day. One day is 18km but looks like a downhill day. Is there a town between Sarria and Santiago you would spend an extra day to rest?

That's a tough call. No really large towns after you leave Sarria.

 

[William Marques]

Portomarin is where I would choose to spend an extra day if I wanted to. I would say if you have a large wheeled stroller and a fit member of the team there should not be a problem.

 

[trecile]

Ok, next time I will write "Silver Foxes on the Camino"! I will get more responses I bet.

To tell you the truth, one of the best things about the Camino is the shedding of labels. The Camino is a great equalizer, everyone is a peregrino/a.

 

[SYates]

While it is true you must walk the last 100km to earn the Compostela, you can walk any distance, anywhere, and get a certificate of distance which is just as pretty. ....

That is not correct, see this earlier thread: https://www.caminodesantiago.me/com...istance-offered-by-the-pilgrims-office.24969/ where @JohnnieWalker clearly says "The Certificate of Distance is only offered to pilgrims who qualify for the Compostela"

Buen Camino, SY

 

[JabbaPapa]

Sounds like a wonderful plan !!

And I agree, the Sarria to Santiago stretch sounds perfect within the stated requirements, wishes, and needs.

To stretch it a tiny bit further within that scenario, you could start at Triacastela instead of Sarria ; this would let you have some comfort and relative peace before joining the madding crowd from Sarria onwards, and Triacastela itself is quite charming, and provides all mod cons for the pilgrim needing better sleepovers on his Way than bunk beds provide.

 

[Sindoors]

Sounds like a wonderful plan !!

And I agree, the Sarria to Santiago stretch sounds perfect within the stated requirements, wishes, and needs.

To stretch it a tiny bit further within that scenario, you could start at Triacastela instead of Sarria ; this would let you have some comfort and relative peace before joining the madding crowd from Sarria onwards, and Triacastela itself is quite charming, and provides all mod cons for the pilgrim needing better sleepovers on his Way than bunk beds provide.

Thank you!!!