cycling with a child

[Eavan]

hi there. i'm planning on cyling the Camino this May/June with a five year old boy on the back of my bike. I'd welcome all advice and helpfull tips. thanks

[BHinSanDiego]

Taking a young child on the Camino is something that is not seen too often if at all, this has been a topic of discussion before. Are you planning on staying in alburgues or using hotels? As a cyclist you will not be able to check into the alburgues until later in the afternoon because the walking pilgrims get first priority at checking in. On my Camino I only saw one child at an alburgue and I wasn't sure if they were on the Camino or living in the village and just hanging around, so whether they may or not be allowed I'm not totally sure about, either way it will be a strange environment for the child to see and experience, the everyday decorum or mores are relaxed in the alburgues and it may be uncomfortable and confusing for the child and the adults too. Personnally, I don't think I would enjoy spending the day on the back of a bicycle, the Camino can be rough at times and the ride will be uncomfortable. That will make a long day for the child. Remember it's your Camino, a child may find it fascinating when told about the adventure they truly can't grasp the difficulty involved in taking this on, that being said do you really want to put a child into a situation that's important and enriching to you but not really the child?

[geraldkelly]

I agree with the previous post. Much of the Camino is rocky tracks and it's going to be very, very uncomfortable for the child.

Besides that, I don't think a 5-year-old is going understand the Camino or get anything from it. It could end up feeling like a punishment.

I think you have to ask yourself why you want to do this. If the answer is that you want to spend time with your child then that's great but probably the Camino isn't a good place to do it. Some more gentle combination of cycling and camping might be a better idea, maybe in Holland or Northern Germany. The campsites will be full of other kids and your kid will love that.

Ger

[Jilajila]

I am also looking at cycling with my child. She will be 4. I am not looking at traveling great distances - 10 or 15km a day would be the most. I am happy to stay in hostels or cheap hotels/b&b's. We are not in any rush and are really just wanting the experience of slowly meandering along the camino. One question I have - Is the route the same for bikes and walkers? I picture us walking when we can, riding when my little one gets tired, taking it very slowly. We are thinking of going mid September. Any constructive feedback and comments would be appreciated.