The Camino del Norte with a toddler: 840 Kilometres on foot

Guest Author: Melanie Gath

Anna and her 3-year-old son Jacob made it! Together, they walked the entire Camino del Norte – 840 kilometres on foot. 840 kilometers across northern Spain, and then another 120 to Muxía and Fisterra. They were equipped with nothing but a large backpack and a stroller.

Who they are, how they experienced this journey, and what it takes – that’s what we wanted to find out from Anna. On her Instagram channel @blonde_and_baby_on_board, she writes: “Life on the Road | Vanlife + Worldschooling with a 3-year-old.”

“Worldschooling” – a word we really love. It says so much, all in one. And yet, it’s almost impossible to translate – even trying to explain it is tricky. Still, here’s our attempt: When exploring the world and living adventures becomes your school of life.

Right now, they're traveling through Australia in a self-converted van. Anna says in the interview with us: “Traveling with my son is about showing that adventure doesn’t stop when you have kids. It just changes shape, becoming somehow even more rewarding.”

For us, this is pure inspiration. We think many parents know the feeling – or rather the fear – that once family life with kids begins, the freedom and possibilities to explore the world just disappear. And sometimes, it takes stories like this – role models that remind us what’s possible. Stories that show us parents that it’s not a question of if, but of how.

“The Camino calls you”

For Anna, it was clear early on that she wanted to share this kind of adventure with her son. She had already gone on two Caminos before, and she says: “At some point, there’s this strange feeling ‘it’s time to do it again’. The Camino calls you.”

She says the pain, the blisters, the rainy and not-so-great days – all of that is already forgotten. “All you remember are the magical, unforgettable moments.”

Anna brings her son along on every adventure. “I want him to experience the world the way I do. Adventures like this teach him so much: curiosity, resilience, openness. Things that no kindergarten could ever give. This is how I want to raise him: exploring, facing challenges, and growing through every experience”, she explains to us.

For her, it’s especially the amazing people you meet along the way that keep calling her back to the Camino. She talks about two moments during those six weeks that touched her deeply: “Someone walking with us for 10 kilometers when the stroller tire broke, taking turns carrying Jacob and pushing the stroller. A pilgrim lending me his walking sticks and checking in on my knee until it healed.”

During the interview, she even talks about the little "Camino family" that has come together along the way. “The people you meet at an albergue or on the road, and then somehow you keep crossing paths again and again. (...) Those connections are one of the most beautiful gifts of the Camino.”

“Wow, this is harder than I imagined”

It all sounds almost too good to be true. So we asked Anna if she ever had doubts about the whole plan. She answers: “Oh, absolutely! When I saw huge rocks on the path, totally unsuitable for a stroller. When we had to carry it through the muddy terrain. When the rain just wouldn’t stop. When we finally got to the albergue, me completely exhausted, hoping for five minutes of peace, and Jacob, full of energy, would just run around, climb on the bunk beds, and be a regular three-year-old with all the attitude.”

There definitely were moments of doubt, she admits. Moments when she thought, ‘Wow, this is harder than I imagined.” But she never considered giving up, because she knows it’s all part of the journey. “The Camino isn’t always comfortable or easy, but that doesn’t make it any less beautiful.”

Vegan travelling the Camino del Norte

To get a realistic picture of the journey – or rather, of everyday life on the road, if you can call it that – we asked Anna what a typical day looks like. She starts by saying: “No two days are exactly the same, but they all start early.” Jacob was usually the first to wake up – and then made sure she was awake too. There always had to be time for breakfast and a little morning routine. “I’m never in a rush in the mornings; getting a toddler ready, packing, and having that quiet coffee time is part of my Camino rhythm.”

The first few hours were usually all about covering distance. Whenever they passed through a town, they’d take the chance to pause – maybe for a coffee, some shopping, or a visit to the playground. Meals were simple, prepared somewhere out in nature. “Bread, hummus, tomatoes, avocado, fruit,” Anna lists.

She lives a vegan lifestyle, and she was surprised at how well that even worked out in the hostels. “Many of them offer communal dinners and breakfasts, usually donation-based, and those meals were often naturally vegan: things like pasta with tomato sauce, rice with vegetables, soups, salads, and bread with jam for breakfast. It all worked out really well.”

“Jacob walks when he feels like it or climbs on rocks when the path is too difficult for me to push him in the stroller; it’s often his favorite part,” she says. On or near bigger or busier roads, he stays in the stroller because it’s safer and makes it easier for them to cover more kilometres. In general, they never wanted to rush. The only source of a bit of stress on the way was sometimes the closing times of the albergues. Especially since Anna noticed that there are fewer and fewer hostels along the route.

“He enjoyed time in nature way more”

She adds: “Things changed a bit when we bought a tent and started camping in nature. Suddenly, the days were slower. We’d take longer breaks throughout the day, enjoying more of the little moments, and then walk in the evenings, often arriving around 9 pm.”

Most of the time, they pitched their tent near other pilgrims. “Sharing stories, laughter, and cooking meals with people from all over the world made the Camino feel even more magical,” she recalls. And for Jacob, the tent setup was so much better: “He was excited every time we were sleeping in a tent. He enjoyed time in nature way more than the crowded albergues.”

Almost every parent knows that even just the walk to school, a trip to the local shop, or putting on shoes can be a real energy drain. So we wanted to know from Anna exactly how they managed that on the road – how she handled Jacob’s needs. How, for example, did she organize breaks, playtime, and nap time?

She answers clearly: “Jacob’s needs always come first, but I try to balance them with the rhythm of the walk. We take frequent breaks, for snacks, water, or just to explore something that catches his attention. He didn’t play much with toys, he preferred climbing on rocks, running ahead when the path allows, or stopping at playgrounds when we pass one.”

Even though Jacob doesn’t usually take naps anymore, there were definitely moments on the road. “He’d say, ‘I want to chill for a bit,’ jump in the stroller, and be asleep in five minutes.”

Anna says there wasn’t really a single day when Jacob didn’t want to walk at all. She made sure to explain everything clearly beforehand – that every day would be about getting up, following the yellow arrows, and walking until they reached the next hostel. It was important to her that he truly understood it wasn’t just about one day, but about a long journey. “Once on the Camino, he quickly understood the rhythm,” Anna says. “He was excited for what’s next, and loved meeting new people. Running into old Camino friends and discovering new places kept him motivated.”

How to pack for 6 weeks in just one backpack

Towards the end, we just had to ask Anna what they actually brought with them – how she managed to pack everything for herself and her 3-year-old son into one backpack and the stroller. And what was indispensable – especially for Jacob? She says: “On the Camino, the most important rule is to pack light, you carry everything on your back, and too much weight can really make your days difficult. We were lucky to have a stroller, which let us pack the heavier gear underneath. That made a huge difference.”

For Jacob, a few things really became indispensable. “His hiking boots were his favourite – they gave him confidence to climb hills, balance on rocks, and he was so proud to wear the same kind of shoes as the other pilgrims.” A warm, cozy hoodie or fleece jacket for chilly mornings and evenings, and his zip-off pants were also especially important to him. He even saw other pilgrims wearing similar pants. “It made him feel like a real hiker,” Anna says. What else she had in her backpack, you can see on her Instagram.

“For the kids, it’s priceless”

Many people set out on the Camino to find answers – often coming from a difficult life situation or a moment of big decisions. We asked Anna: “What has this adventure done for you and for Jacob?” About her son, she says: “He’s learning that adventure isn’t just about reaching the end, but it’s about every step along the way.”

As a tip for other families, she says: “Just go. Don’t wait for the ‘perfect time,’ because it doesn’t exist. For the children, it’s priceless. They learn resilience, adaptability, patience, and the kindness of strangers – things they could never learn in a daily routine.”

It can be an incredibly rewarding experience for parents too: “You’ll see that you can still have challenges, chase dreams, and do things you love, while showing your children they’re part of the adventure. You’re not quitting your dreams because of them. You’re sharing your dreams with them.”

She herself has learned that the magic happens “when you let go of the plan and just trust the journey. The Camino reminded me that life doesn’t need to be complicated. That joy is often found in the simplest moments. And that sometimes, the journey itself is the most beautiful destination.”

To wrap up this wonderful adventure story, we’d love to share one last anecdote from Anna. She told us: “In Santiago, someone asked me if I had found my answers. I honestly said no. I just had more questions now. And that lady said something I’ll never forget: ‘That’s the point. You don’t always get the answers. But you learn to ask better questions.’ “

What do you hope your kid will take away from this journey for life?

“I hope it gives him confidence

That he can keep going, even when it’s hard.

That mountains, long walks, or obstacles are just part of the adventure and he’s capable of handling them.

That the world is full of surprises.

That every village, beach, and forest has something to discover.

That noticing the small things is just as magical as reaching the destination.

That strangers can become friends.

That offering help, smiling, or saying hello can make a big difference.

That he can make fun with very little.

That plans don’t always go perfectly, and that’s okay.

That being flexible can turn challenges into adventures.

That happiness doesn’t have to be big or expensive.

That enjoying small moments is powerful.

That enjoying the journey and laughing through struggles is as important as celebrating the victories.

That adventures are better when shared.

That he can be part of a team, contribute, and help others.”