Wife can't walk long distances.

[Urban Trekker]

My wife of 37 years wants to go with me to Spain but she can't walk long distances. Are there any tour groups that let one person walk and their companion ride. I plan on walking the French route next year. :wink:

 

[Deleted member 12253]

Ask your wife to stay at home, 33 days walking for you, she will get bored, you will then have to get where she has bused to, what happens in rain or snow, you could be 20 km apart, I don't think you should walk with partner or friends, you won't be friends after camino, as a veteran camino walker better leave loved ones at home

 

[Tia Valeria]

The first time my husband walked I stayed at home, then joined him in Santiago. The following year we walked parts of the Camino together at my speed and have walked together since.
I would suggest that you start your Camino together each day, with that night's accomodation booked in a private albergue or a pension, phoning just ahead each evening for the next day's accomodation. If you walk with the phone number for a taxi firm, or arrange with the accomodation to call them when your wife has walked far enough for her for the day, she can be collected and you can walk on to be with her.
It will take some thought, especially where the Camino is more remote, maybe stopping at a cafe-bar.
My walking distance for the day to be comfortable is about 10 - 15kms. Last year I did manage 3 days with 22 - 24kms, this year we are back to planning 10 - 12kms average again.
Letting Terry go on his own was probably one of the hardest things I have done, but at the time it was right. If you really want to walk it together the the planning is well worth it. I am sure Sillydoll will have more helpful advice and suggestions for you. Also you can get ideas from the thread 'Walking with a Companion'
Buen Camino

 

[wayfarer]

I met a Canadian couple on the Camino last year in a similar situation, she couldn't walk very far but she walked with her husband as far as she could then arranged a taxi on to the Albergue or hostal where they were to stay, and book in. It seemed to work for them. If your wife trains with you this could work just fine.
Buen Camino.

 

[hecate105]

I am sure there are companies that would be flexible enough to allow you to do this. Another idea is to hire a camper van (if your wife can drive) then you can spend the nights together and meet up in the day but always have the comfort/tea-making facilities at hand. My husband and i did this throughout Europe when I could not walk more than half a mile. Now I am fitter (but still can't carry a pack) we cycled the Camino, stopping and occasionally getting a train (thru mountains!) whenever my health necessitated. We love travelling together - despite many arguments and tantrums along the way - I would not do it with anyone else! Another idea I have seen people do is for the wife to meet up with you every few days, at a bigger town, where you can walk together and easily get a taxi/bus forward or back to accommodation. Then you plough ahead and she has a couple of days gentle sight-seeing/rest and then meet up again. There will be a way of organising it so you are both catered for and happy. If all else fails put her in a wheelbarrow and push her along yourself!!! (this was firmly vetoed by my husband when I suggested it!!) #Good luck.

 

[Pieces]

tons of options, anything from bilking to only meeting up in the more interesting places (interesting for her) thus I think the best answer can only be given based on information on this question:

If she can't accompany you walking, why does she want to go, what does she expect to get for HER ?

 

[peregrina2000]

I have seen many ways that couples coordinate their different walking levels and still manage to stay together. I have to say that I am in awe of them, because it requires a tremendous amount of patience and compromise that some hard headed people like me would find hard to exercise.

I think the tour option would be expensive and cumbersome, but it is true that these guided tours usually have a vehicle option for people who cannot walk on any given stage, so maybe they would allow a non-walker to join the group and have daily transport.

On the Frances, though, you will find that there is a very good system of bus transportation that works its way across the entire span of Camino. So one option would be for you to start out together and then your wife hops on a bus or calls a taxi to your destination. Taxis are very plentiful, and at about one euro a km, that would be much more economical than the guided tour option.

Another option I've seen is that one spouse has a car or camper van. The couple separates in the morning. Then the car driver will either drive to the day's destination and wait for the walker, or will drive to an intermediate spot and meet the walker for a break/snack/short walk. Depending on the driver's fitness level, another thing I've seen is that the driver leaves the car in the day's destination, then just starts walking "backwards" to meet the walker coming through. Although walking backwards can be tough, it's not on the Camino Frances because of the huge quantity of people who will be coming towards the backwards walker (if you're walking in May-Sept/Oct, that is). For this option to work well, Spanish cell phones would be required, though I've seen people do this in the early 2000s without cell phones.

The only caveat I'd add is that if your wife is driving, she will not be able to stay in many of the albergues. Private albergues can take whomever they want, so you may find accommodation there. But there are so many private accommodations on the Frances that you won't have trouble at all finding private rooms for around 40-50 euros usually.

Buen camino and good luck with this, it does requie a bit more advanced planning than most other caminos, but I've seen many couples do this successfully. In fact, one option is to consider an RV rental where you could both sleep, I saw that the last time I walked on the Frances.

Laurie

 

[robhay60]

Your wife cant walk but you can.. You want to do your camino, your wife wants to come with you. Sounds like you both will need to find some understanding about why it is that you are both wanting to do the Camino..Would you be happy to go on your own... Is your wife happy for you to go on your own.. If it was not for you , would your wife still want to do her own Camino??
The Camino is a journey like no other , there is no right or wrong way of doing it.. However it is always up to the individual about how they go about it..
It is certainly possible that you can work it out between you and both go together but it will take some organising.
Also as previously mentioned , if you are walking for a month then it will be a totally different experience for your wife as she takes local transport and probably will spend quite a bit of time waiting and wondering where you are, Possibly!
Good Luck and buen Camino :arrow:

 

[Olivares]

Rent a car. She can do the Camino by car. Obviously, it is not the same trail, and I doubt there will be a credential, but she will still be part of it. Meet for lunch and dinner

 

[Kiwi-family]

There are already good replies to this question, but I'll add that we met a group....one lady had broken her ankle and the group decided each evening how far they would walk the next day and she took a bus or taxi. She was not bored, but so grateful to be there, to remain part of the group, and especially thankful for their accommodating her needs. While there is a lot of talk about it being "your" camino on this board, it is helpful to understand this is a modern western individualistic mindset, and by no means the only way to approach life or the camino. My own experience of walking with nine others who could not match my pace was at times a teeny bit frustrating, but overall I was appreciative of the opportunity to do this together. I imagine it could be the same with you and your wife - and you'll make some wonderful memories to share as you work this through and serve each other.

 

[Freedrik]

Your Camino does not need to begin in Spain. I think I would find a route, even traveling in an auto together.

I know from an accident last fall, my Camino end with my partners injury. She was unable to walk and I could not imagine the end of my Camino without her as part of the road.

 

[Urban Trekker]

Thanks for the responces. I want to walk the Camino and travel in Spain and Portugal, she wants to travel in Spain and Portugal. We just did 41 days in Eurpoe traveling in a RV and had a wounderful time. I think we will look into a RV again or a rental car. I'm going to see if she would consider a bike, I like that idea.

 

[annakappa]

Several years ago, we met an Austrian couple. She walked and he rode beside her on his bike due to some disability that he had. We met up with them many times. Occasionally, he had to take the road route while she walked the trails. It worked out - perfectly, (I think)!
Last year, after descending a beast of a path from S. Juan de la Peña, I damaged my knee, which made walking almost impossible. I was given a lift for two days by a French lady, who was accompanying 4 of her friends, so as to give my knee the necessary time to mend. She herself had just come out of an operation and wasn't able to walk, but she met up with them each evening. We had a great time together, visiting interesting places near the Camino, while my husband and her lady friends carried on walking. I'm sure that there are lots of options for someone to accompany spouse/friend, etc without actually walking. Anne

 

[K. Reed]

My wife of 37 years wants to go with me to Spain but she can't walk long distances. Are there any tour groups that let one person walk and their companion ride. I plan on walking the French route next year.

Did you ever get an answer to your question? My husband cannot walk very far (3-5 miles) but I am determined to walk the Camino. What did you find out?

 

[Anniesantiago]

I lead groups - and I had a lady in one of my groups one year who literally bussed and taxi'd the entire Camino after SJPP. We had 70 kph winds on that first day and that was it for her! And she had a great time! I'm telling you this because if you walk alone (or with a group), it is not that difficult to find buses and taxis to the next stage. MOST villages (not all) will have a bus you can hop for a few euros. All are served by taxi on the Camino Frances. With a little research you should be fine.

Are you wanting to walk the entire route or just Sarria to Santiago or ???

 

[Anniesantiago]

Did you ever get an answer to your question? My husband cannot walk very far (3-5 miles) but I am determined to walk the Camino. What did you find out?

Consider a slow Camino. There is no law that says you have to walk full stages - there is lodging all along the way. Start by only walking a few miles each day, then increase your distance.
Or, walk with your husband as far as he can go, then have him bus/taxi to your destination to meet you.
It is do-able.

 

[Former member 91017]

Did you ever get an answer to your question? My husband cannot walk very far (3-5 miles) but I am determined to walk the Camino. What did you find out?

On my first camino I met a couple for whom the walk was one person’s life’s desire, and the other person’s albatross. One could not walk at all… turned out to have congestive heart failure. They gave up the walk at Estrella after the one had taken taxi’s all the way from Zubiri. They jumped forward to Sarria after spending a week somewhere for the one who could not walk to recover their strength. From Sarria forward the one walked and the other bussed or taxi’d.

BUT: the found that they were unable to *afford* the extra cost of what would have been in the range of 20 days of private transportation costs.

It’s a real consideration. If 30-50 euros on top of the daily accommodation and food costs will not break your bank, then I think that yes, you can absolutely manage that way. I do recall that the one doing the private transportation was bored stiff waiting for several hours each day until they gave up the walk at Estrella.

 

[wayfarer]

Did you ever get an answer to your question? My husband cannot walk very far (3-5 miles) but I am determined to walk the Camino. What did you find out?

Hi K and welcome. Just to let you know Urban Trekker hasn't been seen since May 2019 but his question had several good solutions.

 

[Sirage]

hasn't been seen since

To the moderators, or Ivar.
Is there a possibility for an alert to warn people they are using an old thread?

It seems common for people not to notice the date and to offer information to specific people who asked a question long ago.

 

[wayfarer]

To the moderators, or Ivar.
Is there a possibility for an alert to warn people they are using an old thread?

It seems common for people not to notice the date and to offer information to specific people who asked a question long ago.

This has been discussed many times and the concensus is that there is plenty good information on old threads and that it is no harm most of the time to resurect them.

 

[David with new Kit!]

When I'm on my iPad or PC I can see the OP date, but on my mobile it's not shown, so I can understand people getting it wrong.

Heck, I've done it many times myself. But, as @wayfarer says, lots of interesting old threads.