wheelchair stretch

[Javelino]

My wife was watching a documentary regarding the camino on TV and said: wish I could experience a bit of the spirit... But she is wheelchairbound. Now it so happens that I intend to particcipate in the European masters Indoor Athletics Championships next year 18 - 24 march in Donostia-San Sebastian. We will either go by car or fly and rent a car but either way it would be possible, after the championships to drive towards the Camino Route. My question: who knows if there is anywhere between say Pamplona and Leon a stretch of say 20 km, where a welltrained walker would be able to push his wife in her wheelchair. I would greatly value tips, suggestions, etc.

 

[grayland]

I am unable at this moment to come up with an exact spot...but I do know it exists. It would be fantastic for the two of you to do this. If you could walk at least 2 days (distance doesn't really matter) and stay at least one night between it would be magic for her.
It may take a little work to find a place to stay that will be compatible...but there are many people here to help.
Hopefully, someone will be quicker than me to suggest an agenda.
Buen Camino.

 

[tyrrek]

Can anyone think of any obstructions between, say, Puente la Reina and Estella? You'd pass through some pretty villages like Cirauqui and Lorca, and could do the extra few kms to the fountain of wine in Irache to toast the end of your Camino! I think altogether that would be around 25kms, so break somewhere in between.

Don't start in Pamplona due to the Alto del Perdon a few kms afterwards, which would be very difficult.

Buen Camino!

 

[ivar]

Hi there,

Have a look at this site that has been created for pilgrims in a wheelchair wanting to do the French route starting at O Cebreiro:
http://accesible.xacobeo.es/etapas-acce ... otografico
..I know it is only in spanish, but have a look at the photos of each stage. That will give you a good idea as for what the trail looks like.

This is the Google Translate version:
http://translate.google.com/translate?s ... obeo.es%2F

Buen Camino!
Ivar

 

[Javelino]

Can anyone think of any obstructions between, say, Puente la Reina and Estella? You'd pass through some pretty villages like Cirauqui and Lorca, and could do the extra few kms to the fountain of wine in Irache to toast the end of your Camino! I think altogether that would be around 25kms, so break somewhere in between.

Don't start in Pamplona due to the Alto del Perdon a few kms afterwards, which would be very difficult.

Buen Camino!

Hello Tyrrek, thanks for your reaction.
One walking guide I consulted states that the stretch from Puenta la Reina to Villamayor de Monjardin is medium difficult. It shows Puenta la Reina at elevation 346 m and Cirauquia at 500 m, so maybe after passing Cirauqui is beccomes relatively light. Who knows....
We would very much like to visit Lorca and Estella; also would like to have information regarding the stretch between Viana and Belorado.

 

[tyrrek]

Hi Javelino!

The advice you've got about that stage may well be right. It's so hard to remember every step of the way, and occasionally you come across a stream with stepping stones or similar, which would not be a problem for walkers and easily forgotten, but with a chair would be more awkward or result in wet feet!

You know better than all of us exactly what your wife's abilities are so how easily the odd difficulty could be overcome if she can walk short distances, for example. There are sometimes alternative routes that the cyclists take, but you'd be missing out on the spirit of walking with other pilgs, which from your original post is what you're both looking for.

Cirauqui as a hilltop village would involve some heavy pushing for a short time, but hopefully you'd find some other spirited pilgs to help you out. If not, just take it 10 metres at a time. You'll find somewhere like that whichever section you choose. As a smoker, you'd probably overtake me anyway! Beyond Irache, at least on the Luquin option it would be hard as it's relatively hilly and narrow woodland paths. I think I did the Monjardin option last year but honestly can't remember if that was any better.

Good luck and Buen Camino!

 

[tericarns]

We walked (most of the way) from Pamplona to Santiago in September 2012. One stretch that I thought was particularly wonderful and, as I recall it, would be entirely suitable for a wheelchair, was Villafranca de Bierzo to Vega del Valcarce. Most of the distance is fairly level. The road is mostly (entirely?) paved, and most of the distance is alongside one river or another. It is roadside, but because most traffic is on the N-VI, the road carries only light traffic. Trees shade much of the distance, the birds sing, and it is delightful. The distance is about 20 kilometers, just over 12 miles.

 

[Carol06]

I stayed at the albergue in Ciraqui this May. There was a woman in a wheelchair being assisted by her husband. Anything is possible.

 

[Javelino]

We walked (most of the way) from Pamplona to Santiago in September 2012. One stretch that I thought was particularly wonderful and, as I recall it, would be entirely suitable for a wheelchair, was Villafranca de Bierzo to Vega del Valcarce. Most of the distance is fairly level. The road is mostly (entirely?) paved, and most of the distance is alongside one river or another. It is roadside, but because most traffic is on the N-VI, the road carries only light traffic. Trees shade much of the distance, the birds sing, and it is delightful. The distance is about 20 kilometers, just over 12 miles.

Thank you, Tericarns, for your reply. The stretch you describe sounds delightful indeed, but unfortunately we have less than one week after the championships, so Leon is probably as far as we can go....

 

[sillydoll]

Cogami is an association based in Santiago that takes people with disabilities - including those who use wheelchairs - on the Camino from Sarria to Santiago. Perhaps you could aim for this adventure one day!

In the meantime, you could contact the Navarra Tourism office that provides a lot of info on the Camino route. Perhaps they have information for people with diasbilities? Their website shows the profile and elevation of each stage in Navarra from St Jean to Puente La Reina
http://www.turismo.navarra.es/eng/propu ... actica.htm

This website shows profile maps, elevation, and a full description of each stage with the difficulties etc. Have a look at this stage from Puente la Reina to Estella showing the many steep up and downs (including the long, steep climb to Maneru).

http://caminodesantiago.consumer.es/eta ... la-lizarra

The next stage shows the climb to Villamayor - after that it is pretty straight forward with very little change in elevation.

http://caminodesantiago.consumer.es/eta ... es-del-rio

Viana is a lovly town with a wonderful cathedral. The route from there to Logrono is pretty flat.

http://caminodesantiago.consumer.es/eta ... -a-logrono

The weather in March through to May can either be stunning, with cool nights and sunny days, or wintery with snow and torrential rain! I'm holding thumbs for sunny weather!

 

[tericarns]

Vaya con Dios, whatever you decide.

 

[oursonpolaire]

Certainly, most of the meseta is wheelchairable, provide that you have a sports chair or tricycle-chair which can navigate gravelled stretches and that the wheelchair-rider can take some uneveness in the path (many conditions do not permit this and users can experience fatigue and discomfort after a few hours of uneven rolling). There are a few steep inclines heading into some of the villages and a long long rise out of Castrojeriz, so the wheeled pilgrim would need an assistant with some endurance on those bits. You will need a rugged chair and think of perhaps taking some replacement spares, as few chairs are designed for this sort of use.

IIRC, Leon to Astorga is largely manageable by chair, although assistance again would be needed on stretches-- I particularly note the railway-crossing apparatus going into Astorga.

 

[Javelino]

Hello Sillidoll,
Thank you for this wealth of information, including te remark about the weather.
It will certainly help us to make a good plan. Or two.
Kind regards,
Bernard Krabbendam