Where to leave my car

[Colette Hobson]

I am planning to drive from the UK in September. Then leave my car in Santiago and then travel to Sarria to do the last 100km's.
I will be bringing my little dog and a pet stroller so she will only walk what she normally does at home.
Could anyone help me with the following;

1. where could i leave my car safely and the cost per day?
2. Should i bring a tent since most places won't let me stay with my pup? and
3. what challenges do i need to consider for my little dog?
4. Is it safe for a lone female?
5. I plan on taking it slow - 5 miles per day then building up to 10. Any rough idea of cost?
Thank you in advance for any help. x

 

[Deleted member 67185]

Hi, Collete, and a warm welcome to the Forum.

1. You could check with the lodging you will stay at in Santiago and see if they can keep your car until you return. Otherwise I would use Google or another search engine and see if there are places in Santiago for long term parking.

2. Have you ruled out ALL available lodging options, as not all refuse pets. There are hotels, casa rurals, hostals, etc.

3.The challenges include village and farm dogs that will not take kindly to strange dogs, the terrain, whether or not your dog is actually both physically capable and used to this kind of walking, paw care for the wear and tear, etc. etc. The last thing I would do is take a dog with me, but that's me.

4. You won't be alone, especially in that last 100 km stretch which is the most popular and crowded part of Camino Frances, along with the fact that September is a popular month for Camino walking.

5. Costs depend on a number of factors, but with a dog and not knowing the type of lodging you end up with, it can be as much as 50 to 100 euro per day, or as low as the cost of food if you are staying in a tent (which has its own set of difficulties with regulations and restrictions).

 

[natefaith]

HI Colette and welcome to the Forum!

Dave has given you good advice above, and I would just add that the terrain from Sarria to Santiago is hilly and at times rocky with dirt paths. If your pet stroller has good rugged wheels (like a kid's jogging stroller/ hiking stroller), it should be all right, but if it has lightweight plastic wheels it won't serve you very well.

Looking on Booking.com for the towns you think you may stay in can give you an idea of pet-friendly places.

Also, one challenge to mention is you may find it lonely to be staying in pet-friendly accommodations and taking it slower than most other pilgrims will be. Most other pilgrims will be walking 9 - 15 miles a day. This scenario may set you up to meet people on the Camino that you'd love to spend more time with, but your pace and your need to find special accommodations every night may mean that you miss out on some of the more communal aspects of the Camino Frances (for which it is quite well-known). Solitude like this may be exactly what you're looking for! But if you were hoping for a mix of solitude and community time, you could starting training now so you're ready to walk more in case you meet other pilgrims you really want to walk with and spend an evening with.

Training with your pup and pet stroller ahead of time might be a good idea anyway - walk for 5 miles with your backpack, pup, and the pet stroller to see what it feels like, ideally in a hilly place, and build up to walking for 10 miles with both to see what it feels like, etc.

As for parking in Santiago, there are several options for long-term parking: Plaza de Galicia, San Clemente (expensive!), Belvis, and San Caetano.

Buen Camino,
Faith

 

[Colette Hobson]

Thanks so much to you both for the excellent advice. The pet stroller will be one with mountain like wheels for rough terrain but at the sometime lightweight.
With regards to restrictions - do you think some of the accommodation will allow me to pitch my tent in the grounds - obviously for a fee.
The idea of training is an excellent idea with my pup and now i will order the stroller earlier and put it all to the test over the next few weeks.
My pup is very well behaved and v small - she is a maltipoo and very rarely barks so hopefully other dogs won't notice her. Obviously i will keep her on a lead but she will only walk a little each day so not to hurt her paws and also since being a little dog wouldn't take miles of exercise each day.
I know its hard to say but what is the weather usually like in mid september?
Thanks once again and will post again no doubt after my pup and I get on with our training. BTW, do many walkers leave their cars or do they usually fly? Not an option for me since I don't want my pup in hold, etc.
Ive attached pic of my pup so if i bump into you it would be lovely to say hello x

 

[Jeff Crawley]

Well I've heard of stranger proposals on the forum but not much

Can I confirm that you intend to spend two or three days driving to Santiago, catch a taxi to Sarria, walk for perhaps 12/13 days to SdC and then drive home over another 2 or three days?

I would have concerns about the upheaval that nearly three weeks of travel would have on the dog - if you want to walk the last 100km would it not be more selfless to put her in a decent kennel or lodge her with a friend while you walk with humans?

Do you already have a pet passport and is she vaccinated against rabies? I assume that she's already microchipped but do you have pet insurance and does that cover you for foreign travel? You don't want to be caught up in any legal action if she gets free and causes an accident!

Don't forget if the UK does crash out of the EU before you go away then the current pet passport system might be in doubt - oddly enough I spent the whole of yesterday on polling station duties with somebody who has been getting their dog ready for travel to Germany - it's not too complicated a process but you do need to prepare in advance.

If you do go ahead then good luck - I'm sure you'll be quite the focal point on your Camino!

Edit: just remembered, there was some discussion about having to have the dog treated for ringworm (?) in the last few days before returning - not quite sure because we had a flurry of voters at that point.

 

[Rick of Rick and Peg]

Among other concerns is how to get your dog to Sarria from Santiago. Please check this but I've read that dogs carried in buses have to be in a carrier and stored in the bus's luggage hold. If true, one way to get around this could be to kennel the dog in Sarria for a day while you drive to Santiago and bus back.

We thought about taking our dog and we are glad that we did not. I do not recommend it at all.

 

[wayfarer]

Welcome Colette. Have a look here for parking:

parking in santiago de compostela spain - Google Search

I would also advise leaving your pup at home.

 

[Deleted member 73526]

Might be worth looking into parking in Sarria rather than Santiago.

Peregrino Parking - Can store your car in Sarria and collect you from Santiago
Irecar - Can store your car in Sarria and transport it to Santiago by truck
Other services exist.

How will you cross the channel? Will you take a ferry with a pet friendly cabin?

 

[DirtAmy]

The Portsmouth/Plymouth ferries to Spain take dogs in kennels that can be accessed and the dogs walked.

 

[Margaret Butterworth]

I met this couple from Liverpool with their dog a couple of weeks ago at Murias de R., just past Astorga. They said he walked all the way. They sent his bed ahead via Jacotrans and stayed in B and B's (not albergues) which they had booked in advance.

 

[Former member 49149]

I am planning to drive from the UK in September. Then leave my car in Santiago and then travel to Sarria to do the last 100km's.
I will be bringing my little dog and a pet stroller so she will only walk what she normally does at home.
Could anyone help me with the following;

1. where could i leave my car safely and the cost per day?
2. Should i bring a tent since most places won't let me stay with my pup? and
3. what challenges do i need to consider for my little dog?
4. Is it safe for a lone female?
5. I plan on taking it slow - 5 miles per day then building up to 10. Any rough idea of cost?
Thank you in advance for any help. x

I don’t quite know what to say. Perhaps, after looking a few times at your post, and at some of the replies - after saying first of all, welcome to the forum- did you think of doing it first by yourself, and then with that experience, deciding if it would work the way you plan with your little cute doggie? Sounds quite complicated, your idea...

 

[lizlane]

What a cutie she is!! No wonder you don't want to be without her! But to be honest, your little dog is going to take SO many more steps than you will. Plus it's hot and hotter for her in the pet stroller than for you creating your own breeze.

I have a one year old English Springer Spaniel, these dogs were bred for distance and moving through terrain. That said I think you will find it easier to find a friend or family member to watch her for your Camino than I will my baby-boy-beast. He's wide open, requires alot more daily exercise than a cuddlebug like you have!

You will hear frequently "It's your Camino!" Meaning walk it however you want. But in this case, yours would be an OUR'S. I never recommend taking pets unless you are wealthy and can pay to stop frequently.

 

[DebraS.]

Regarding parking....I have not done it in Santiago but when I do similar plans, I often park my car at the airport long term parking. It is usually one of the safest locations to leave your car IMO.

 

[Deleted member 67185]

Regarding parking....I have not done it in Santiago but when I do similar plans, I often park my car at the airport long term parking. It is usually one of the safest locations to leave your car IMO.

That is a great idea. Easy to taxi into Santiago de Compostela from there.

 

[Landon Ricketts]

Googled campsites in Galicia and found this site: https://www.pitchup.com/campsites/spain/galicia/
I have left the research to you but hopefully you can find something suitable along your route.
Edit: found another website:

Campsites in the way of Santiago Camino Santiago Francés

We indicate in map all nearby campsites to the Camino Santiago Francés. All campsite roads Santiago.

www.campings.net

 

[Kimtom]

I’ve been trying to get my mind around this one. It’s gone in all directions including a flight of fancy imagined from dogs point of view. In a lucid moment little dog wonders “how did I in 15,000 years, go from being a magnificent wolf in the wilds, to a cute cotton ball being hauled across Spain in a baby carriage?” Little fluffy dog knows it is still magnificent on the inside and not just cute, and maybe can share some of it on the Camino.
Well, the logistical issues have been laid out by others. So what remains is to say that you never know what is actually going to happen. It’s good to use common sense but leave lots of room for decisions based on inspiration as well.

 

[Deleted member 73526]

In a lucid moment little dog wonders “how did I in 15,000 years, go from being a magnificent wolf in the wilds, to a cute cotton ball being hauled across Spain in a baby carriage?” Little fluffy dog knows it is still magnificent on the inside and not just cute, and maybe can share some of it on the Camino.

“He was sounding the deeps of his nature, and of the parts of his nature that were deeper than he, going back into the womb of Time.”
― Jack London, The Call of the Wild

 

[Kimtom]

“He was sounding the deeps of his nature, and of the parts of his nature that were deeper than he, going back into the womb of Time.”
― Jack London, The Call of the Wild

Yeah... like that

 

[1946caminoman]

I have seen two solo women with dogs on the Camino so far this year. They seem to be managing.

 

[Colette Hobson]

Might be worth looking into parking in Sarria rather than Santiago.

Peregrino Parking - Can store your car in Sarria and collect you from Santiago
Irecar - Can store your car in Sarria and transport it to Santiago by truck
Other services exist.

How will you cross the channel? Will you take a ferry with a pet friendly cabin?

I am going through the euro tunnel so i can stay with my pup in the car. Since the ferry want you to muzzle your dog and its mad expensive. x

 

[David61]

I am going through the euro tunnel so i can stay with my pup in the car. Since the ferry want you to muzzle your dog and its mad expensive. x

Ferry with cabin (since its 25 hours) is £700 plus, as you say "mad expensive"! I am going by car also and thought that was rather mad. Taking a small dog too is a real challenge though. Good luck!

 

[Barbara]

Hey, I took a donkey! Granted no ferry and the donkey carried the bags. Walked in France with donkey and a dog. Plus tent but mostly the dog slept with the donkey.

 

[henrythedog]

APACA - with an office in Santiago - will offer some advice on walking with a dog. They even issue a certificate (OK fundamentalists, it’s not precisely a Compostela, but we’re all God’s creatures ...)

APACA - APACA

apaca.paradoxahumana.com

I love my dog Henry, but choose to leave him at home. The logistics are complicated and he’s a super-fit labrador who can out-walk me day after day.

To many Spaniards dogs are working animals first and companion animals sixth or seventh.

 

[henrythedog]

Edit: just remembered, there was some discussion about having to have the dog treated for ringworm (?) in the last few days before returning

It’s tapeworm Jeff. Standard pet passport routine.

As you rightly point out, all bets are off if the UK leaves the EU without a deal come October 31. Whilst the world will keep turning and the queen’s head will still be on the stamps many aspect of interaction between the UK and EU might well be disrupted.

I’ve had my dog Henry have the enhanced rabies testing at significant cost which would currently allow a non-EU dog into the EU, so that I’m not dependant on the current arrangements.

I’m one of the 48, and less than impressed.

 

[Wildcamper57]

I am planning to drive from the UK in September. Then leave my car in Santiago and then travel to Sarria to do the last 100km's.
I will be bringing my little dog and a pet stroller so she will only walk what she normally does at home.
Could anyone help me with the following;

1. where could i leave my car safely and the cost per day?
2. Should i bring a tent since most places won't let me stay with my pup? and
3. what challenges do i need to consider for my little dog?
4. Is it safe for a lone female?
5. I plan on taking it slow - 5 miles per day then building up to 10. Any rough idea of cost?
Thank you in advance for any help. x

Some people are so negative about dogs and the Camino. I am taking my dog. she can easily walk 15 miles a day. We do that or more every day anyway. She loves it. If I left her in kennels she would be traumatized also she is family and where I go she goes. Anyone who has ever travelled in Europe also knows about chipping, vaccination, passports and all that goes with it. There will be some extra work but so what? Do it, if you get tired or the dog tires just take a rest. Just make sure to hydrate both yourselves. I am also taking a tent but then be aware the weight will increase and unless you are used to it you might struggle. So you will need to walk with the weight you intend to walk the Camino with. Do not avoid this. It is crucial. I am walking 10km every day with 10kg, my dog also with her small pack. I have given us 4 months to train. Also crucial. Wear the footwear you intend to walk in and the backpack. You can do it, the dog can do it, but don't just travel there intending to get fit as you do it. Start walking ASAP. Research hiking care for dogs. Some good tips out there. Good luck.

 

[LavanyaLea]

Some people are so negative about dogs and the Camino. I am taking my dog. she can easily walk 15 miles a day. We do that or more every day anyway. She loves it. If I left her in kennels she would be traumatized also she is family and where I go she goes. Anyone who has ever travelled in Europe also knows about chipping, vaccination, passports and all that goes with it. There will be some extra work but so what? Do it, if you get tired or the dog tires just take a rest. Just make sure to hydrate both yourselves. I am also taking a tent but then be aware the weight will increase and unless you are used to it you might struggle. So you will need to walk with the weight you intend to walk the Camino with. Do not avoid this. It is crucial. I am walking 10km every day with 10kg, my dog also with her small pack. I have given us 4 months to train. Also crucial. Wear the footwear you intend to walk in and the backpack. You can do it, the dog can do it, but don't just travel there intending to get fit as you do it. Start walking ASAP. Research hiking care for dogs. Some good tips out there. Good luck.

Agree. The OP posted this in 2019 so I'm curious as to what they did in the end.

I'm taking my dog as well. It's for very personal reasons but we have to do this together or not at all. We regularly go on hikes together but will start training now with backpacks. Leaving the car in Sarria, have already arranged this with the hostel for a €5/day in a secured garage. When we get to SdC, my friend is coming to join us (I invited her to join the camino as she's a long distance runner, but she's more interested in the "celebration" after!) so she will look after the dog while I take the bus back to Sarria to fetch my car. There is only 1 bus SdC-Sarria that leaves at 11am.

You can't take large dogs on public transport in Spain and private taxi would charge €120-130 to pick you up from SdC or SdC airport to Sarria. Car parking wise in SdC, there is one called Xoan XXIII it is just 5 minutes from the Cathedral so about as close as cars can go, and they charge €11/day.

The APACA is a great resource for this as they have a list of dog friendly accommodations in all the different Camino routes. I choose the French camino as it has the most dog friendly facilities (here).

 

[RENSHAW]

The know the OP may have already walked the Camino. I met a family that drove all the way Russia and parked their car at the Pamplona police station but then they had to return for it - it may an idea to see if the police?Gaurda have space wherever you want to leave your for anyone else that needs to do It.

 

[wayfarer]

The OP hasn't been on the forum since she posted so we will probably never know how she got on.