The 2013 'Camino Frances' and 2014 'Camino Ingles' groups were wonderful! All the 'Caracoles' made it to Santiago and earned their Compostelas.
We haven't decided whether to organize another Slow Camino in 2016 but if there is sufficient interest we might have one walking the historic Camino Frances from Sarria to Santiago. We will need 8 walkers and 2 helpers to make it viable.
100km to Santiago de Compostela on a Slow Camino
Over the years many people, young and not so young, who are not so able-bodied have expressed their regret at not being physically able to walk a Camino.
With a bit of help and planning it can be done. More and more people with different physical abilities are doing Caminos - on crutches, with walkers, in wheelchairs and hand cycles - or just taking it slowly but still achieving their dream. Most are able to do the walk with help.
A wonderful woman (with multiple sclerosis) who walked the last 114km from Sarria using her Rollator, helped me tremendously with the chapter on disability in my Camino planning guide YOUR CAMINO. She planned on doing her Camino in 3 weeks but ended up racing to the end and finished it in 2 weeks - 14 days.
Most guide books suggest daily stages of between 20km and 30km. This is far beyond the capabilities of people with joint or back problems, lateral paralysis or muscular disorders, or those who just can't walk long distances. In order to earn the Compostela - a certificate of completion - pilgrims have to walk the last 100km (or cycle the last 200km) to Santiago. There is no time restriction on how long it takes to walk the last 100km and it makes no difference if it takes you 4 days or 24 days.
If you are comfortably able to walk about 10 km in a day (± 1.5km per hour) it will take about 12 days to reach Santiago.
amaWalkers Camino has decided to consider an accompanied Slow Camino walk on the Camino Ingles from el Ferrol to Santiago for people who are not-so-able. Unfortunately, we can't include pilgrims in wheelchairs or those with Walkers in this group but we are not ruling out the possibility of organising one for wheelchair pilgrims at a later date.
Some Questions and Answers:
Q: When will the Slow Camino be held?
A: Either in June or early September. The May walk was very cold and wet and was made difficult with muddy paths and swollen rivers.
Q: Which Camino route will we walk?
A: We will walk the Camino Ingles - a historic route used by millions of pilgrims who arrived on the north coast of Spain in ships and walked to Santiago.
Q: Where will we meet?
A: At this stage we are planning to meet in Santiago de Compostela.
Q: I'll need to travel with a helper (my sister, friend, wife, husband, etc).
A: That won't be a problem. We will accommodate your regular companion/helper.
Q: Where will we start the walk?
A: At the 100km mark which is at Neda.
Q: What is the terrain like?
A: Challenging! Although there are no mountains to climb the path is undulating with some short, steep sections and some rocky, uneven trails. In some places we will detour from the path to side roads in order to avoid particularly difficult sections. I will also walk the route before we meet and will map out the distances, mark the difficult sections and plan the stopping/pick up places at 8km (or less) stages.
Q: What if there are days that I can't walk?
A: You could have a rest day at our booked accommodation. If you are unable to walk the full 100 kilometers you might not be given a Compostela but pilgrims are assessed according to effort, distance walked and disability.
Q: Where will I sleep if there is no place at the 5km or 7km mark?
A: We'll have reserved accommodation at the same towns that people who walk the route in five days stay at. Each day our transport will fetch us at a pre-arranged pick-up spot and will take us to our accommodation. The following day, we will be taken back to where we left off the day before. This means that we won't have to pack up our belongings every day or sleep in a different place every night.
Q: What if I need medical assistance while on the walk?
A: It will be mandatory for every walker to have comprehensive travel and accident insurance. All our support walkers will have First Aid certificates but besides general advice and first aid assistance, we will not be legally covered to treat you on the walk. Spain has a first class meidcal and ambulance service and we will have all the necessary emergency contact numbers with us at all times.
Q: What will the walk cost?
A: 10 people in shared accommodation, and share of transport costs, amounts to approximately €1000 each.
(This does not include your air fare to Spain. For most international flights you should budget between €750 and €850)
Added daily expenses: allow approximately €30 - €40 per day:
€3 for breakfast, €5 for lunch and between €10 and €12 for dinner, plus €10 per day for snacks, sweets, cold drinks, Internet usage, telephone calls etc.
Accommodation: We will stay in small pensiones, family owned hostales or Casa Rurals (country houses).
Transport: We will use the very efficient taxi services on the Camino
NB: This is a provisional estimate.
If you are not -so-able and are interested in joining our assisted group walk next spring, please complete the contact form below and tell us that you are interested in the May SLOW CAMINO walk.
With a bit of help and planning it can be done. More and more people with different physical abilities are doing Caminos - on crutches, with walkers, in wheelchairs and hand cycles - or just taking it slowly but still achieving their dream. Most are able to do the walk with help.
A wonderful woman (with multiple sclerosis) who walked the last 114km from Sarria using her Rollator, helped me tremendously with the chapter on disability in my Camino planning guide YOUR CAMINO. She planned on doing her Camino in 3 weeks but ended up racing to the end and finished it in 2 weeks - 14 days.
Most guide books suggest daily stages of between 20km and 30km. This is far beyond the capabilities of people with joint or back problems, lateral paralysis or muscular disorders, or those who just can't walk long distances. In order to earn the Compostela - a certificate of completion - pilgrims have to walk the last 100km (or cycle the last 200km) to Santiago. There is no time restriction on how long it takes to walk the last 100km and it makes no difference if it takes you 4 days or 24 days.
If you are comfortably able to walk about 10 km in a day (± 1.5km per hour) it will take about 12 days to reach Santiago.
amaWalkers Camino has decided to consider an accompanied Slow Camino walk on the Camino Ingles from el Ferrol to Santiago for people who are not-so-able. Unfortunately, we can't include pilgrims in wheelchairs or those with Walkers in this group but we are not ruling out the possibility of organising one for wheelchair pilgrims at a later date.
Some Questions and Answers:
Q: When will the Slow Camino be held?
A: Either in June or early September. The May walk was very cold and wet and was made difficult with muddy paths and swollen rivers.
Q: Which Camino route will we walk?
A: We will walk the Camino Ingles - a historic route used by millions of pilgrims who arrived on the north coast of Spain in ships and walked to Santiago.
Q: Where will we meet?
A: At this stage we are planning to meet in Santiago de Compostela.
Q: I'll need to travel with a helper (my sister, friend, wife, husband, etc).
A: That won't be a problem. We will accommodate your regular companion/helper.
Q: Where will we start the walk?
A: At the 100km mark which is at Neda.
Q: What is the terrain like?
A: Challenging! Although there are no mountains to climb the path is undulating with some short, steep sections and some rocky, uneven trails. In some places we will detour from the path to side roads in order to avoid particularly difficult sections. I will also walk the route before we meet and will map out the distances, mark the difficult sections and plan the stopping/pick up places at 8km (or less) stages.
Q: What if there are days that I can't walk?
A: You could have a rest day at our booked accommodation. If you are unable to walk the full 100 kilometers you might not be given a Compostela but pilgrims are assessed according to effort, distance walked and disability.
Q: Where will I sleep if there is no place at the 5km or 7km mark?
A: We'll have reserved accommodation at the same towns that people who walk the route in five days stay at. Each day our transport will fetch us at a pre-arranged pick-up spot and will take us to our accommodation. The following day, we will be taken back to where we left off the day before. This means that we won't have to pack up our belongings every day or sleep in a different place every night.
Q: What if I need medical assistance while on the walk?
A: It will be mandatory for every walker to have comprehensive travel and accident insurance. All our support walkers will have First Aid certificates but besides general advice and first aid assistance, we will not be legally covered to treat you on the walk. Spain has a first class meidcal and ambulance service and we will have all the necessary emergency contact numbers with us at all times.
Q: What will the walk cost?
A: 10 people in shared accommodation, and share of transport costs, amounts to approximately €1000 each.
(This does not include your air fare to Spain. For most international flights you should budget between €750 and €850)
Added daily expenses: allow approximately €30 - €40 per day:
€3 for breakfast, €5 for lunch and between €10 and €12 for dinner, plus €10 per day for snacks, sweets, cold drinks, Internet usage, telephone calls etc.
Accommodation: We will stay in small pensiones, family owned hostales or Casa Rurals (country houses).
Transport: We will use the very efficient taxi services on the Camino
NB: This is a provisional estimate.
If you are not -so-able and are interested in joining our assisted group walk next spring, please complete the contact form below and tell us that you are interested in the May SLOW CAMINO walk.
