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Norte with kids

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Joe Query

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Time of past OR future Camino
Plan to walk Camino del Norte (possibly) in June/July 2018 with family of four.
First time on the Camino. Thinking of spending 25-30 days on the Camino this June with our 2 kids (2 and 4 years old). Looking at the Camino del Norte due to views, beaches, and less crowds. Our goals for the trip are: Spanish culture, Spanish language, adventure, simplicity of routine, time with our kids. Lots of questions!!!!

1. Accommodation: how early should we book? Can we go day to day, or book just the day before?
2. Any sections to skip so we can see only the best? THinking about skipping the last 100k since it's so busy.
3. Looks like terrain is mostly pavement, which is good for the stroller we're bringing, bad for the joints with the heavy pack to carry the 2 year old.
4. Where would our kids be more entertained? Frances or Norte? I'm assuming their entertainment will come from farms/animals, IPAD, other pilgrims, beaches/pools...
5. Luggage transfers available on this route?
6. taxis/buses if we just need to make it to our next accommodation without walking?!!

We like to run, cycle, hike, climb, etc, so we're fairly well acclimated to long days exercising; we just need some help with the logistics and preparation.

Thanks in advance!

Joe
 
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We just walked the CF with a 5 YO in a 3 wheeled jogging stroller . Get good quality anti puncture tubes and push through the hard stages and you will be fine. It's amazing the number of playgrounds you come across when you have children with you. I have walked the Norte as well . Both great and both doable with children. You will probably need to bypass the San Sebastián to Bilbao section as that is tough even without kids
 
Joe Query said:
1. Accommodation: how early should we book? Can we go day to day, or book just the day before?
Click to expand...

Being four and with kids, booking will be a must, but you can book just the day before, you won´t have any problem.

Joe Query said:
2. Any sections to skip so we can see only the best? THinking about skipping the last 100k since it's so busy.
Click to expand...

The Camino del Norte joints the Frances in Arzua, just 40 km before you reach Santiago. Even you can take a detour in Boimorto and totally avoid the Frances. I would take the full Camino. Sobrado dos Moxes (just before Arzua) deserves the effort.

Joe Query said:
4. Where would our kids be more entertained? Frances or Norte? I'm assuming their entertainment will come from farms/animals, IPAD, other pilgrims, beaches/pools...
Click to expand...

I think Norte. It is beautiful, you pass several beaches and touristic places, lots of farms, almost for sure you will see horses, sure LOTS of cows and sheeps .... I think they will enjoy that. In the Camino Frances the sector between Burgos and Leon is more for introspection.

Joe Query said:
5. Luggage transfers available on this route?
Click to expand...
Yes. No problem with this in any stage of the camino.

Joe Query said:
6. taxis/buses if we just need to make it to our next accommodation without walking?!!
Click to expand...
Yes, you can take the bus without any problem. I would recommend you to take the bus between Gijon and Aviles (if you go directly Gijon-Aviles instead of taking Gijon-Oviedo-Aviles).

Buen Camino & Ultreia!!
 
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If you check out gronze it gives accommodation lists which you can research. Some are better for children than others and you will also get an idea of distances you can manage daily by adapting their stages. Booking in advance has advantages if you are sure of daily stages otherwise booking a day or so ahead gives more flexibility
 
When I was walking one time with four of my kids we walked with a lady who walked solo every year to get away from her family. The day we met she said she’d never walk with her husband and daughter. After three weeks of walking together she said she was going home to propose a family camino. They walked the Norte when their daughter was five - their blog posts were full of smiles and swimming at the beach!
 
@Joe Query

There are lots of paved surfaces along the Norte, but the route from Irun to Bilbao has many very steep, paved slopes. I don't know the actual measurements, but something in excess of 23%. There are a couple of days that would have very long walking days (Deba to Markina come to mind), that might be a bit challenging - the road wasn't paved, more like a groomed gravel road. Most of those days, coming downhill at the end of the day was challenging. If you had a stroller with really good hand brakes (like bicycle brakes), and maybe a safety tether might be a good idea. After Guernika/Bilbao, this is less an issue.

There are a few days where you are walk alongside a highway and there isn't a clear and obvious sidewalk (the stretch between Castro Urdiales to Laredo for example). In some cases there are alternate routes, so it is possible to plan around them, or to take a bus (or train for that matter).

Often, the tourist information offices and the hospitaleros at albergues can give you first hand information on what is upcoming - use that to plan from day to day based on how your family is feeling. I wouldn't hesitate to ask the hospitaleros for help even if you are staying in private accommodation. They were usually gracious beyond all imagining.

If you can, a fantastic part of the trip is staying at albergues. Some of them are probably better suited to a young family than others (located in private houses with smaller rooms, home cooked meals, bathrooms closer to beds etc).
 
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THank you very much for all of your responses. We are hesitant to stay in albergues with the kids since they often wake up in the middle of the night and who knows how they'll sleep in a different bed every night.
Should we pack sleeping bags and/or bag liners? If we can find albergues with family rooms for 4, we'd love it. We'd love to enjoy the company of other pilgrims as much as possible while also respecting their space.

Another thought we had to make better time was to bring a double stroller like the Thule Chariot, put both kids in it and RUN the paved sections. We have both run ultra-marathons in the past and thought this might help us cover more ground since we only have maximum 30 days.

More questions:

1. We are currently in Doha, Qatar where it is difficult to find some items and with the Qatar blockade it is exorbitantly expensive and time-consuming to have items shipped here. Any ideas on where I could have items shipped or if I can find them in San Sebastian? I'm looking for tubes and tires for strollers (either BOB or Thule Chariot).

2. Car Seats- If/When we need to hop in a car, what are the chances we can find a carseat? Will we need to hire a taxi, or can we find buses?

3. We will be traveling back to San Sebastian to spend a week with a friend after our time on the Camino. What is the best way to get back? How/where can we store all of our belongings? We will be traveling to Greece after leaving Spain and will most likely need carseats and other kid's items?


Thank you again for all the feedback!
 
In San Sebastian you can find all the stuff you might need. Just to mention one shop, you have there Decathlon www.decathlon.es which is quite inexpensive and they have all the materials you need. For sure you will find a lot of alternatives to this shop.

Basically you will find buses all along the Camino (in every town and even some bus stop between towns). The best is that you ask the hospitalero where the bus stop is and the schedule. For sure they will inform you.

From Santiago to San Sebastian you have a couple of direct buses per day (you micht find other alternatives, but I think that all other alternatives will imply a transfer). The cost is around 60 Euros. The company is ALSA www.alsa.es. Also you can try car sharing with blablacar www.blablacar.es. I think that you also have train service, but it will take a longer time (the train that goes by the coast is more for local service and stops almost in every town).

Buen Camino & Ultreia!!
 
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That's great to hear!
 
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I am also considering taking kids who will be 5 and 2.5 years old by next spring (2020). We are not nearly as athletic when it comes to being outside since we live in Illinois (flat prairie). Just wondering what it would be like to do the last bit of the Camino and how long it takes to do with little kids. We likely would not be there longer than a week as far as doing the Camino.
 
Hi Beth,
We spent 28 days in June on the Norte starting in San Sebastián and ending in Ribadesella. Our kids had just turned 2 and 4. You can get a good feel for our trip on our blog at https://queryfamilyadventures.wordpress.com/

We averaged about 10 miles a day and had 3 rest days. We chose to do the section we thought would be the most interesting and scenic. We will probably be back to finish the second half or do a different route. We loved Basque Country. Happy to answer any of your questions.
 
That sounds amazing. We will not have that much time, though. I also had hoped to visit a few other places like Paris (BUCKET LIST) before we go or on the way in. I'm not sure if that's feasible. We won't have much time on the camino like you had. my husband owns a business and cannot be away that long.

I'm wondering how much time is reasonable (we live in Chicago) to do some part of the camino and experience the spiritual aspects of it and which parts are better to do and which to avoid. Is the last bit of the camino worth waiting to do until you do it alone or can you do it with kids? it might be too far to go with the kids and maybe not as scenic or easy when dealing with kids?

Thanks for info. Any resources you have, feel free to share. I will check out your blog.
 
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...and ship it to Santiago for storage. You pick it up once in Santiago. Service offered by Casa Ivar (we use DHL for transportation).
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