Walking Del Norte with young children, possible?

[Kimberley Hall]

Pilgrims!!!!
I walked the del Norte route back in 2016. I still think about my experience every day. Once a pilgrim, always a pilgrim ey!
Well a lot has changed since my last walk including bringing two beautiful souls into the world. I’m thinking I’d love to walk the del Norte route again next year. I’m not confined to time. Has anyone else done it with young children? Mine will be 2&3 by then. Thinking to start in April. I’ll be walking alone and with a double pram.
When I did it last time I stayed in albergues when possible and camped when not. What are the options with bubs do you think?

 

[C clearly]

Hi! I have added the tag "children" to this thread. If you click on the tag that is under the thread title, you will find other threads about children on the Camino. They will likely be of interest (if you haven't found them already)!

 

[Vacajoe]

Some albergues have rules against minor children, so definitely research ahead of time on where you might be staying so you don’t get a terrible surprise upon arrival.

As for the route, you may be forced onto roadways more than you may like due to the double pram. Having walked only a small portion (Bayonne to Bilbao), most of the “must see” trail portions in that’s section would not be accessible with that.

 

[kelleymac]

This is one of my favorite videos of the camino (le chemin) ever. When I first heard about the camino I had two little ones, and this video was close to how I imagined we could walk with our children.-- I ended up finally walking when my youngest was 13. Watching this makes me happy.

 

[LTfit]

I'm on the Norte now for the second time (now in Gijón) and I personally can't imagine taking two small children along. Just looking at today's stage with one steep climb of 320 meters followed by a very long downhill then a steep climb of 200 meters was difficult enough on my own let alone pushing a pram! You would need to take the bicycle routes a lot. Also remember that the Norte is asphalt, asphalt and more asphalt.

I've walked 14 different Camino routes and the Norte would definitely not be my personal choice with two small children.

 

[lt56ny]

What are the options with bubs do you think?

I'm on the Norte now for the second time (now in Gijón) and I personally can't imagine taking two small children along. Just looking at today's stage with one steep climb of 320 meters followed by a very long downhill then a steep climb of 200 meters was difficult enough on my own let alone pushing a pram! You would need to take the bicycle routes a lot. Also remember that the Norte is asphalt, asphalt and more asphalt.

I've walked 14 different Camino routes and the Norte would definitely not be my personal choice with two small children.

I too have walked the Norte. Not only would it be exhausting and difficult, I think with those really steep and long up and downhills if you lost your footing or had some other unforeseen mishap it has the potential for being dangerous and life threatening to your children.

 

[JerryStroebele]

I love the del Norte and in 2017 met a Swedish woman walking with 3 (or 4, can't remember) children, ages about 2 or 3 and up. No pram. They were just happily bouncing along. BUT, I agree if you are pushing a pram I believe that would be very difficult on the del Norte and much more easily managed on the Frances. Buen Camino

 

[Kimberley Hall]

Thanks everyone. Maybe need to delay a few years. Blessings. Buen Camino xxx

 

[Laura Blue]

I think from morning to night it would be incredibly difficult, even when you've done your days walk, showering washing clothes etc etc, in a different place every night especially with two very young children and being on your own. I always found when my kids were young it was best to do something that made them happy, then I could be happy and enjoy the experience. But then again maybe you're a braver and more organized woman than me.

 

[Jim]

I too have walked the Norte. Not only would it be exhausting and difficult, I think with those really steep and long up and downhills if you lost your footing or had some other unforeseen mishap it has the potential for being dangerous and life threatening to your children.

My thoughts also.

 

[FSP]

Attached is a couple of pics from my Norte during a relatively good weather stretch that may answer your question.

 

[trecile]

Pilgrims!!!!
I walked the del Norte route back in 2016. I still think about my experience every day. Once a pilgrim, always a pilgrim ey!
Well a lot has changed since my last walk including bringing two beautiful souls into the world. I’m thinking I’d love to walk the del Norte route again next year. I’m not confined to time. Has anyone else done it with young children? Mine will be 2&3 by then. Thinking to start in April. I’ll be walking alone and with a double pram.
When I did it last time I stayed in albergues when possible and camped when not. What are the options with bubs do you think?

I think that only you can answer this question. Since you have already walked the Norte you know what the terrain is like. And only you know how your children might behave.

Personally, I wouldn't attempt such an endeavor with two very young children without an adult partner (or two or three!)

 

[Camino Chrissy]

@Kimberley Hall, I too have walked the Norte and unfortunately my opinion falls in line with the majority of excellent responses you have already been given.
If you choose to bring such young children, I think the experience you hope to have will be far different and much more difficult than the memories you carry from 2016.

 

[LewSher]

I walked the Frances in 2019. At the beginning, I saw several parents with young children and several Peregrinos with dogs. From about the middle of the trail until I reached Santiago I saw no such travelers. That may tell you something.

 

[MinaKamina]

Thanks everyone. Maybe need to delay a few years. Blessings. Buen Camino xxx

Hi Kimberley, it may take a few years before walking the camino with your children is doable and a happy experience for all of you. In the meantime, you can take baby-steps to make it happen. A walk in the park, a longer walk in the park. Sleeping in a tent, in new surroundings and getting to know Spanish food. The list is endless.
A friend of mine went to great lengths to teach his young daughter NOT to drop her doll when in her pram or seated in her chair on the back of a bike. It may seem a mere detail, but having to pick up toys over and over again, is something that you would rather avoid. Especially if this happened a while ago somewhere in Spain and the youngsters urge you to return.

Happy pre-camino to you, and may your road be full of joy and discoveries

 

[KathySG]

Pilgrims!!!!
I walked the del Norte route back in 2016. I still think about my experience every day. Once a pilgrim, always a pilgrim ey!
Well a lot has changed since my last walk including bringing two beautiful souls into the world. I’m thinking I’d love to walk the del Norte route again next year. I’m not confined to time. Has anyone else done it with young children? Mine will be 2&3 by then. Thinking to start in April. I’ll be walking alone and with a double pram.
When I did it last time I stayed in albergues when possible and camped when not. What are the options with bubs do you think?

Hi Kimberley!

I have not walked the Camino de Norte so I can’t speak to the route. However, I have walked two caminos with my children. My husband and I took our son on the Portugués when he was 14 mo and both our son and daughter on the Camino Ingles when they were 1 and 4. We Took them in backpacks and carried them on our backs both times. We are currently planning a trip on the Mozárabe with a stroller.

Personally I think so much of this depends on your ability to problem solve and your frustration tolerance. Any Camino is hard, and it is a lot more challenging with children. But we have found it to be an experience that we adored and would not trade for anything.

We have stayed in hotels/albergues with private rooms with our children to make sure that they sleep. It takes a lot more planning ( read A LOT) but I think it’s possible on most routes.

I recommend thinking about worst case scenarios. Can you pick up and carry the stroller for a half a mile or a mile over ground that your kids can’t ride in it? Can they walk that far? Would it be worth it? If he answers to those kind of questions are yes, then I think you should go for it.

One difficulty that I wasn’t prepared for Is that of having children who have Too much energy after having sat all day while you walked. You really need a lot of energy! But I found watching my son go off at each stop to socialize with the Spanish bartenders and other pilgrims was really remarkable.

If this is a big dream of yours— go for it! Just plan it out shoughtfully.

Kathy

 

[Kiwi-family]

Thanks everyone. Maybe need to delay a few years. Blessings. Buen Camino xxx

Maybe.
Could I encourage you to start (if you haven’t already) taking walks with your children at home? Let them walk too. You may need to change your speed and focus. They will want to stop and observe plants and insects - let them!
You sound comfortable with the idea of waiting to get to the Norte - and I think it’s a good strategy (that coming from one who has walked with eight children, the youngest being 6). Things I would be thinking about with two littlies include:
- how will you keep them safe when you are showering? (The answer might be private rooms or taking along another adult to share the load)
- how will you keep them safe when you are cooking? (The answer might be to always eat out)
- same question for when you are doing laundry
If you absolutely must go in the next two or three years, would you consider an easier route? And perhaps taking another adult along? You could set your daily distances low and carry the children on your backs some of the time and let them walk too - send your gear on a transport service. (But the thought of carrying a 3 or 4 year old leaves ME cold - I’d really be inclined to wait just a couple of years til they can manage a 10km day and go then)
You will find a solution.

 

[Jaime Carrollo]

IMHO: I would not take children until they are old enough to appreciate and remember the experience.

 

[David Tallan]

IMHO: I would not take children until they are old enough to appreciate and remember the experience.

How old that is may be hard to judge. I have distinct memories of a family trip. When I raised them with my parents as an adult, it turns out I was 2 or 3 at the time. You never know what will leave a memory. In terms of appreciating it: some can appreciate at 5. Others won't appreciate at 45.