Walking the camino on a wheelchair. Any experience?

[CHITITA]

A member of the Association of Friends of the Camino de Santiago in Valencia has asked in a forum if we knew someone who had done the camino on a wheelchair. Someone from her family cannot walk and would like to do it. Any info is much appreciated.

 

[CWBuff]

I've seen people in the wheelchairs. I cannot possibly tell you "how it goes" for these folks but I can guarantee you that it is not easy. If anything one definitely needs a Camino-buddy for some physical support. The routes would have to be scrupulously planned, chances are some transportatrion will have to be involved and\or the wheelchairr itself may have to be motorized (else on some of those ascends someone has to push and\or carry the wheelchair bound Pilgrim)

Speaking of - I strongly suggest to watch I'll Push You as this will give you an idea of what is involved...
The Way it is not.... very moving....

Good luck to whoever is planning this Pilgrimage

 

[natefaith]

Justin and Patrick from I'll Push You also coordinate accessible Caminos, where pilgrims using wheelchairs or other mobility aids can do the Camino in groups. Here's their website: https://www.accessiblecamino.com/

 

[J Willhaus]

Yes, last summer a young man in a wheelchair completed Sarria to Santiago the same time frame as us. Not as many steep climbs.

 

[Trtlwalks]

Last year I met a mother, who was wheelchair bound, and daughter duo. They started in SJPDP and finished in Santiago, doing the whole route like other pilgrims.

As I understand it, they used a service to book their accommodations and move their luggage and extra wheelchair.

While traversing the route, the mother had a special athletic wheelchair and the daughter pushed and pulled her the whole way. There were some spots that other pilgrims jumped in to help push and in some cases carry the wheelchair.

Something to note… Depending on the person’s mobility, finding locations with accessible bathrooms can be a challenge.

It’s not easy… but it can be done.

 

[Peterexpatkiwi]

A member of the Association of Friends of the Camino de Santiago in Valencia has asked in a forum if we knew someone who had done the camino on a wheelchair. Someone from her family cannot walk and would like to do it. Any info is much appreciated.

We have a forum member who is literally called @Wheelchairpilgrim :

Hi,

I don't do my pilgrimage by bicycle but by wheelchair but I mainly follow the cycling routes that is why I post it here.
2016 I started my pilgrimage in the Netherlands. 2016 haarlem-den Bosch, 2017 Den Bosch-Maastricht, 2018 Maastricht-Reims, 2019 Reims-Vezelay, 2020 Vezelay-Taizé, 2021 Taizé- Le-Puy-en-Velay, 2022 Le-Puy-en-Velay - Rocamadour (2023 i had surgery and could not go).
Spring 2024 I hope to roll from Rocamadour to Lourdes and after that to Spain (I am not sure year how far I get, I have 6 weeks and I expect to do the last part 2026).

Is there anyone who know what will be the best point to cross the pyrenees? I see a few options but it is difficult to find out how steep and busy the roads are and how long the distances are between places I can sleep.
I rolled already a few mountains (like Massive Central in France) but I do not know well what to expect from the bike routes in the pyrenees.

Thanks for your replies.

I'm unsure where they're currently at, at the very least they're likely to have some pretty good info let alone extremely valuable experience. You appear to have made the minimum number of messages required to write a PM, if they don't answer this thread why not message them?

 

[andycohn]

A member of our Northern California APOC chapter, Rob Nickerson, has done several wheelchair caminos with his wife, Betsy, who is now unable to walk. In Ivar's last broadcast, from 6/26, he mentions (starting at 5:40) that he interviewed Rob and Betsy, and presumably Ivar will feature the full interview soon. When he first did a wheelchair camino, Rob set up a website called www.pushbetsy.com. His address on the forum is @robwalker. If you have trouble reaching him through the forum, let me know and I'm reasonably sure he'd let me share with you his real world email address.

 

[Stephan the Painter]

A member of the Association of Friends of the Camino de Santiago in Valencia has asked in a forum if we knew someone who had done the camino on a wheelchair. Someone from her family cannot walk and would like to do it. Any info is much appreciated.

I met a young German man this spring who did the Camino Frances from Logrono to Santiago all by himself in a wheelchair. He was young and strong. And once I watched him wheel himself up a long hill. I talked to him a few times and got the impression his biggest issue was finding appropriate housing that was wheelchair accesible and had handicapped bathrooms/showers.

He seemed like a nice guy and would probably share his experiences. He spoke German and reasonable English. I doubt he speaks Spanish. I do have a WhatsApp for him, and I could reach out to him if you want to PM me some contact information? Or....?

 

[J Willhaus]

Just an FYI, all the Xunta Albergues in Galicia have disability beds and sometimes even separate rooms. One time the tried to put Phil and I in such a room just because we had CPAP'S. Don't know where you are starting, but good to know.

 

[Mark Francis Auchincloss]

Luis Freixo who has a Blog with maps/info of all the Portuguese Caminos has helped alot of pilgrims to do the Camino with mobility impairment including in wheelchair. One route he has created with maps from Porto is mobility friendly with maps etc

 

[Wooz]

I was in Santiago on Tuesday when the group from I’ll Push You arrived. Blessed to have met and walked with one of the pushers a few days prior as he was starting earlier to prep for the task. They had several able bodied folks per wheelchair. It was incredibly moving to watch their celebration. Looking forward to watching the documentary.

 

[CHITITA]

We have a forum member who is literally called @Wheelchairpilgrim :

I'm unsure where they're currently at, at the very least they're likely to have some pretty good info let alone extremely valuable experience. You appear to have made the minimum number of messages required to write a PM, if they don't answer this thread why not message them?

Thank you so much! I'll pass all this information over to Anna, the person who asked for help and I'll try to contact @Wheelchairpilgrim.

 

[CHITITA]

A member of our Northern California APOC chapter, Rob Nickerson, has done several wheelchair caminos with his wife, Betsy, who is now unable to walk. In Ivar's last broadcast, from 6/26, he mentions (starting at 5:40) that he interviewed Rob and Betsy, and presumably Ivar will feature the full interview soon. When he first did a wheelchair camino, Rob set up a website called www.pushbetsy.com. His address on the forum is @robwalker. If you have trouble reaching him through the forum, let me know and I'm reasonably sure he'd let me share with you his real world email address.

I met a young German man this spring who did the Camino Frances from Logrono to Santiago all by himself in a wheelchair. He was young and strong. And once I watched him wheel himself up a long hill. I talked to him a few times and got the impression his biggest issue was finding appropriate housing that was wheelchair accesible and had handicapped bathrooms/showers.

He seemed like a nice guy and would probably share his experiences. He spoke German and reasonable English. I doubt he speaks Spanish. I do have a WhatsApp for him, and I could reach out to him if you want to PM me some contact information? Or....?

Thanks a lot, Stephan! I would love to contact him and know more about his experience. I think the Camino Francés might be easier. The Association here in Valencia is preparing a trip for members next October from Los Arcos to San Juan de Ortega. That might be a good starting point for this person. Language should not be a problem. Half my family (my husband and kids) are Österreicher.

 

[JerryStroebele]

You can do it but it won't be easy or cheap. My youngest son has multiple sclerosis. He walked from Porto to Santiago in 2015 WITH GREAT DIFFICULTY. MS is a degenerating disease and he now uses a wheelchair occasionally. A few years ago he asked to accompany me on another Camino. I did "due diligence" in planning a wheelchair Camino, scouting on the Camino Frances, reviewing wheelchairs that may be suitable (and tough enough) and by luck, meeting and talking to two different parties using wheelchairs on the Camino Frances. First, I concluded that the Camino Frances would be the most suitable due to the great pilgrim infrastructure. Second I concluded we needed a three (or more) wheel "offroad" wheelchair. Issues here were the cost ($5000 and up, way up), getting the wheelchair to and from Europe from the US, getting the wheelchair to the start of the Camino and back to the departing airport (offroad wheelchairs are long and somewhat heavy), and then finding an albergue in each stop that is disability accessible by wheelchair. Third, I realized we would need help from other pilgrims because I am old and have great difficulty pushing my son in a regular wheelchair on rocky/gravel paths.
As I walk around Spain in great wonder and awe of the fabulous churches, cathedrals, castles, hotels, restaurants, bar/cafes and private homes, I note, sadly that few are disability accessible nor could they easily be made so. Almost every town or village was built on a steep hill for defense or so the flat land could be farmed, not occupied. Just getting around in almost every albergue I have stayed in (well over 100) would be a challenge -- an offroad wheelchair could not navigate inside any of them. Getting to a bathroom in the middle of the night -- muy difficult. Having said all these negative comments, I say, go for it, there are good offroad wheelchairs and good wheelchair support groups. Ivar told me he had a reinforced wheelchair we could borrow. In our case, my son refused to let me buy him an offroad wheelchair (which I decided was essential to success for our small party) and we compromised on a family trip to Utah Beach in France where his grandfather landed in the first LCT to hit the beach on D-Day -- planned for 2025. Buen Camino

 

[David Tallan]

A member of the Association of Friends of the Camino de Santiago in Valencia has asked in a forum if we knew someone who had done the camino on a wheelchair. Someone from her family cannot walk and would like to do it. Any info is much appreciated.

There is someone on the Camino Forum Zoom chats who is doing the Portugues in stages with his wife, both in wheelchairs (edited to add this is Rob, in post #7 above). They are benefiting from an organization called DisCamino, which is helping them pro bono. They speak very highly of the DisCamino organization. Perhaps the member of the Valencian association may want to check them out.

 

[trecile]

There is someone on the Camino Forum Zoom chats who is doing the Portugues in stages with his wife, both in wheelchairs (edited to add this is Rob, in post #7 above). They are benefiting from an organization called DisCamino, which is helping them pro bono. They speak very highly of the DisCamino organization. Perhaps the member of the Valencian association may want to check them out.

Here's the website for DisCamino

DisCamino – Que nadie te diga que no puedes

discamino.org

 

[David Tallan]

Here's the website for DisCamino

DisCamino – Que nadie te diga que no puedes

discamino.org

I like their catchphrase "Que nadie te diga que no puedes" - "Don't let anyone tell you that you can't".

 

[CHITITA]

I like their catchphrase "Que nadie te diga que no puedes" - "Don't let anyone tell you that you can't".

Thank you so much, David! I have just found their website https://discamino.org/ . That's exactly what the family needs to hear: don't let anyone telly that you can't.

 

[JDM]

Pilgrim in wheelchair using a modified electric scooter on the de Madrid in 2022

 

[14c]

There is czech documentary about a guy with multiple sclerosis who travelled in wheelchair, but he had quite a support team. I haven't seen it personally, but I imagine it would give you some idea of what to expect.

Trailer:

Can be view online for free here, unfortunately there are no subtitles, so it also serves as crash course of czech language

Camino na kolečkách (2017): Ke zhlédnutí zdarma | Kinobox.cz

Celý dokumentární film Camino na kolečkách (2017) ke zhlédnutí zdarma! Užijte si film z pohodlí domova na Kinoboxu online.

www.kinobox.cz

 

[Joe C]

CaMinus de Santiago might be another resource for you, although the app that they reference on their website does not seem to be available anymore:

CaMinus de Santiago, Queremos ser embajadores de la accesibilidad universal

El objetivo principal de CaMinus de Santiago es conseguir que las personas en silla de ruedas realicen el Camino de Santiago sin barreras.

www.caminus.es