Families with Children
More and more families are walking the camino together. We have seen babies as young as ten months in an all-terrain stroller. Children as young as 6 were walking the trail with older siblings and their parents. Many private accommodations offer family rooms, with 3 or 4 beds, which can be economical and more private for a family. Your walking pace with young children will likely be slower and it is important to carry plenty of snacks.
Some albergues may have age restrictions and not allow children. If you do wish to stay in albergues with your child(ren), please remember to supervise them closely and make sure they are not making a mess or disturbing other pilgrims.
Women on the Camino
Many women successfully walk the Camino de Santigo, in fact 47% of pilgrims receiving their Compostela in Santiago in 2015 were women. The camino is one of the safest trails in the world for solo women, as during the high season it is easy to find others to walk with. Here are a few tips and suggestions for women as they pack, plan and walk.
For safety, it is worthwhile to carry a small plastic whistle to use in case of emergency to draw attention to yourself. Whistles can be heard from very far away. Three urgent blasts is a universal distress signal.
Sanitary pads and tampons are widely available along the camino even in small village shops. Another option is to use a menstrual cup, such as the DivaCup or Moon Cup, which are reusable, lightweight and environmentally friendly. Some women like to carry a female urination device, such as the Go Girl or Shewee, which serves as a funnel so that women can urinate standing up without removing any clothing for privacy and efficiency. Be sure to practice this technique at home as it can take some practice!
