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Travelling with baby

gentoo_penguin

New Member
Hi All, I've been interested in walking the camino for some time now and plan to do it with a 12 month old and my wife. I've looked at a number of on-line sources but have found nothing about travelling with a very young child. Is this raising the bar too high or is it do-able??? I guess what I need to know about are the real basics such as purchasing nappies along the way and wether we would be welcome at the refugios.

I'd be keen to get any information about this.

We plan to start in August and walk from St Jean to Santiago (at a relaxed pace). We are both pretty determined and robust people and we take our daughter everywhere.
 
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Taking Baby

Hi,
The 2004 stats showed that children as young as five years accompanied their parents on the camino and 10,597 children between 7 and 15 got the Compostela in 2004. So, it's not an impossible dream.
Two major concerns would be the time of the year you have chosen to walk - it is extremely hot in August and the Camino and refuges will be very overcrowded. Even the hotels and inns will be full at that time. And secondly, a young baby who cries all night could also be a problem for other pilgrims in the refuges. I doubt that you would be turned away from any albergue.
There are a couple of articles on walking with a baby on Confraternity of St James web site.

eg: “My wife and I have plans to walk with our 8 month old in a nice 3 wheeled jogging stroller with shocks (the 6 yr. old is staying home with grandma), late June/early July and hope to walk at least 100 to 150++? km... What are your thoughts? About staying in refugios, a reasonable length of walking, and per day mileage? Any other info? We can stay in hotels, etc. if advisable. I am wondering what would be a safe for all. What route/ stops to take and good places to stay would be helpful.”

The reply is here:
http://www.csj.org.uk/i-faqs.htm#stroller


Good luck and let us know how you get on. It could be useful for future parents with young children to know how you manage.
 
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Hi there gentoo_penguin,

One of our members did it with an 8 year old last year, see her experience here:
viewtopic.php?t=559

..of course there is a difference between an 8 year old and a 12 month old...

Greetings from Ivar in Santiago, just back from Rome!
 
A selection of Camino Jewellery
Just returned from walking the Camino with baby

Hi Everyone,

We have just returned from walking the Camino from Leon to Santiago (between 7 and 27 of October) with our 16 month old daughter (Anika). It was the most amazing experience for all of us, although it had its moments. What we lacked in time to reflect for ourselves we gained by bonding together as a family. We also met a number of incredible people (walkers on the Camino as well as locals) and felt like we were propelled by the good wishes of the people we met.

We weren't the only ones on the trail with children, we met a Swedish couple with three children (7, 5 and an 8 month old) who were walking from Sarria to Santiago.

On the practical side we used a baby backpack for Anika (which my wife carried) and I carried the rest of the stuff. I'll be putting together a website (my first go at web publishing) with info about what we did and took to help others out.

Cheers and buen Camino

peter
 
WELL DONE Peter, Mom and Anika!! That is an amazing 300± km journey.
Are you pleased you didn't go in August when it could have been more crowded?
Were there things you would change it could do it again tomorrow? If you have hints and tips for other parents, please put them on your web site.
Give Anika a big hug from me!
 
I met a French couple in Terradillos de los Templarios this summer. They were cycling and had their three year old in a buggy towed behind the Dad's bike.

They said that rather than risk upsetting others with a noisy child overnight, they camped. For his part the child said he liked it, and wasn't ever bored.
 
The 2024 Camino guides will be coming out little by little. Here is a collection of the ones that are out so far.
I have posted a photograph of a father on a bike with his child in a buggy that was taken in O'Cebreiro. I can't remember whose photograph it is but I kept it because it was so cute!
 
Wow - it's hard enough getting up to O'Cebreiro just with a backpack - imagine cycling uphill dragging that behind you!
 
The 2024 Camino guides will be coming out little by little. Here is a collection of the ones that are out so far.
Hi all

When I walked the Camino francés this year in September, I met an Argentinian woman with her one-year old daughter.

There were a few problems. Heat (even in September) as well as getting access to medical attention when the baby fell a little ill at Puente La Reina.

At the time, I wrote about my experiences with these two pilgrims on my blog. (http://la-via-lattea.blogspot.com/2006/09/inspirational-pilgrims-1-patagonian.html)

Sadly, although many people were thrilled to have such a cute baby around, others went out of their way to be judgmental towards her mother as they felt that what she was doing was foolish and endangering her baby's health.

I am full of admiration for her and others like her, who complete this journey with dedication, courage and perserverance under such difficult circumstances.

Last I heard, they made it to Santiago safe and well! If anyone can confirm that I would appreciate it.

:D
John
 
Re: Just returned from walking the Camino with baby

gentoo_penguin said:
Hi Everyone,

We have just returned from walking the Camino from Leon to Santiago (between 7 and 27 of October) with our 16 month old daughter (Anika). It was the most amazing experience for all of us, although it had its moments. What we lacked in time to reflect for ourselves we gained by bonding together as a family. We also met a number of incredible people (walkers on the Camino as well as locals) and felt like we were propelled by the good wishes of the people we met.

We weren't the only ones on the trail with children, we met a Swedish couple with three children (7, 5 and an 8 month old) who were walking from Sarria to Santiago.

On the practical side we used a baby backpack for Anika (which my wife carried) and I carried the rest of the stuff. I'll be putting together a website (my first go at web publishing) with info about what we did and took to help others out.

Cheers and buen Camino

peter


Hi Peter,
I'm Esau from Germany, we met some day on the way to Astorga. Unfortunately I didn't take a picture of you and your family...but I remember your happy child and the big rabbit-balloon very well :D

I also met the swedish familiy you told about. You can see a picture of them right here:

http://www.blog.de/srv/media/media_item ... _ID=957437

If you understand a little bit German you can visist my blog, where I wrote about my trip to Santiago and Finisterre. Or you just enjoy a few more pics...

take care and always buen camino

Esau
 
Hi All,

Just to let you all know that I've put most of the website about traveling with a child on the Camino up. The site is http://www.kidsoncamino.com and has lots of practical information. The only part of the site still under construction is the our story section. Please feel free to link it to your own websites and blogs (it would be much appreciated). Comments about improvements to the site would also be appreciated.

And hi Esau. We remember meeting you on the way to Astorga. I'll send you a photo of us for your collection (including the pink rabbit).

Cheers

peter
 
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Kids on the Camino

Hello Peter,
What brave parents you are! Can't wait to read your story on the website.
You could add another resource onto the Reading Material Page.
The tourism institute of Spain - Turespana - published an official guide of hostals, pensions, hotels, and camping sites on the Camino called "Guia Oficial de Hoteles y Campings del Camino de Santiago". It is available in French, German, Spanish and English and lists all accommodation authorized by the appropriate municipal and national tourism authorities. You can obtain the booklet free of charge in any tourist office or from TOURSPAIN E-mail: manuel.jurado@tourspain.es.
Abrazos,
Sil
 
Walked the camino 2 mths ago and saw a mother and her mother a friend and a eight mth old baby walk with a pusher. I saw them a few times but witnessed one alburgue turn them away.Her reasoning was she had to think of the other pigrims sleeping in the room...maybe the baby would cry and pigrims where in need of their sleep...snoring people are acceptable as that is all part of it
 
The spanish guidebook has an entire section on taking children.

We met a 2 year old girl being taken by bicycle cart and a 11 year old riding a triplet bicycle.

We met a family of 4 who walked from Sarria using strollers (which I would not recommend).

A family with 3 children (ages 2-8) and 3 donkeys walked the Norte last Fall and returned the Frances this summer.

Several other people have done it in the past and have blogs.

We took a 14 month old by foot from Iruna/Pamplona to Santiago this May/June. Our blog can be found at http://elpequenoperegrino.blogspot.com/

Hope this helps!
 
The 2024 Camino guides will be coming out little by little. Here is a collection of the ones that are out so far.
There is a series of You Tube videos of a couple that walked the Camino Frances with their 6 month old baby! They started on January 1st and to make it even more difficult, they were both vegans :shock: My wife and I watched their entire journey. They did a video of about 10-20 minutes each day of their journey. What an inspiration!! Just get on You Tube and do a search for "Baby Camino de Santiago" and look for the videos from "BeYourPotential". Very inspiring and what a cute and happy baby!!
 
October is better so is April. The heat! Babies are not as adaptable as adults to temperature change. A baby's body surface is about three times greater than an adult's, compared to the weight of his/her body. Take some sort of first aid course, recognize the symptoms of heat stoke and dehydration, learn to recognize early symptoms know what to do neither is something to be shrugged off - inexplicable crying or long periods of sleep at strange hours are first signs. No direct exposure to the sun, baby sun hats (take several they get lost easily) rest during the hottest hours (you wrote that you will be taking it easy so no problem there) look for air conditioning (not as easy as it may sound) a reliable medical themometer and everybody should drink drink drink-especially if you are still breast feeding. As a grandfather four times over, I would be less then enthusiastic should my children announce such an adventure for sure but Buen Camino-bailout is an honorable option.
 
scruffy1 said:
October is better so is April. The heat! Babies are not as adaptable as adults to temperature change. A baby's body surface is about three times greater than an adult's, compared to the weight of his/her body. Take some sort of first aid course, recognize the symptoms of heat stoke and dehydration, learn to recognize early symptoms know what to do neither is something to be shrugged off - inexplicable crying or long periods of sleep at strange hours are first signs. No direct exposure to the sun, baby sun hats (take several they get lost easily) rest during the hottest hours (you wrote that you will be taking it easy so no problem there) look for air conditioning (not as easy as it may sound) a reliable medical themometer and everybody should drink drink drink-especially if you are still breast feeding. As a grandfather four times over, I would be less then enthusiastic should my children announce such an adventure for sure but Buen Camino-bailout is an honorable option.

Based on our experiences this year, I'd vote against April and probably October (though I'd also vote against July, for just the reasons you mention). I realize this was an unseasonably late spring (the coldest May I've ever seen in Spain), but we walked from May 19-June 30 and the only two times we had to bus (10 km each), both times for baby's safety, were because of cold, not heat. I certainly wouldn't try this with a baby in summer, but I'd be leery of the cold too. But really, it all comes back to the baby's personality. Ours was happier on the camino than he usually would be anywhere else. That wouldn't be true of most.
 
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I've seen people go hiking with very young children.

There were several issues that had to be overcome:

- normal pack weight plus all the items needed for the baby (clothing diapers etc). You're likely looking at double weight plus baby.

- a baby requires a lot of care ... a lot of time will necessarily be spent looking after the child. Looking after yourself and walking are time consuming enough when on the camino.

- I have encountered people had to spend their non walking time in the tent with their baby because of cool weather (hovering at 0 C). I would imagine exposure to sun and heat would be a similar problem.

If you can find a way to overcome these real logistics problems then more power to you.
 
ManyMiles2Go said:
There is a series of You Tube videos of a couple that walked the Camino Frances with their 6 month old baby! They started on January 1st and to make it even more difficult, they were both vegans :shock: My wife and I watched their entire journey. They did a video of about 10-20 minutes each day of their journey. What an inspiration!! Just get on You Tube and do a search for "Baby Camino de Santiago" and look for the videos from "BeYourPotential". Very inspiring and what a cute and happy baby!!
I have seen those videos, but I would respectfully say that those videos provide as many good reasons for not taking a baby as good ones. I won't disrespect someone else's camino by going into detail about my thoughts about those videos, to each their own.

I think taking a baby can be the greatest decision you can make, it was for us, but it greatly depends on the baby, the family, and the preparation. If any single category says no, then no it has to be. You can't shoehorn your baby into this experience just because you want to do it. That doesn't mean don't consider it, it just means it takes a LOT of serious thought and planning. It made our camino MORE special, and, in the end, didn't create many extra problems. But a lot, lot, lot of careful thought and planning went into it.......and the decision was only made because of the personality and experience of our baby and our family. If you are considering taking a baby, I would ask that you put as much thought into your decision.

If our blog can be of any help to those deciding about going, then please feel free to check it out and/or ask questions on it. http://www.elpequenoperegrino.blogspot.com
 
Hi All,

Just to let you all know that I've put most of the website about traveling with a child on the Camino up. The site is http://www.kidsoncamino.com and has lots of practical information. The only part of the site still under construction is the our story section. Please feel free to link it to your own websites and blogs (it would be much appreciated). Comments about improvements to the site would also be appreciated.

And hi Esau. We remember meeting you on the way to Astorga. I'll send you a photo of us for your collection (including the pink rabbit).

Cheers

peter
Hi Peter, it looks like your web page is down or not available anymore. Did you change the website?

This site can’t be reached
www.kidsoncamino.com’s server DNS address could not be found.
ERR_NAME_NOT_RESOLVED
 
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Hi Peter, it looks like your web page is down or not available anymore. Did you change the website?

This site can’t be reached
www.kidsoncamino.com’s server DNS address could not be found.
ERR_NAME_NOT_RESOLVED

gentoo_penquin put up his site in 2006 and has not posted on the forum since 2007. Perhaps he no longer checks the forum.

Here are two later threads that may be of interest to you.
https://www.caminodesantiago.me/community/threads/traveling-with-a-baby.10056/

https://www.caminodesantiago.me/community/threads/camino-with-babies.19936/
 
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