As years go by, St Jame’s Way was transformed in order to be adapted for those with disabilities both mental and physical
This is not unfortunately an easy task, mainly because depends on the road and it’s sometimes it’s not suitable for disabled people.
In such cases, alternative routes have been created , so these special pilgrims are able to travel even with a wheelchair.
Also take a look to: St Jame’s Way a scheduled trip
Back to the Middle Age, disabled people used to walk the Way looking for a St Jame’s miracle. Many references could be found on the Codex Calixtinus.
Unfortunately and despite of the 21st century advances is already pretty complicated to face all the inconveniences along the Way.
Technical training to face St Jame’s way with reduced mobility.
First handicap
When it comes to a person with reduced mobility, the first handicap will be the technical training. This will be crucial to determine the number of stages and km / mi to face.
Previous training
As well as the rest of the pilgrims a previous training is vital to determine the endurance and distance to confront According to this, fragmenting the Way into small stages will help pilgrims with a wheelchair.
How to adapt a wheelchair
The most suitable option is to adapt our regular wheelchair or to obtain a hand-bike ( a kind of wheelchair used for cycling with three wheels). The last option is perfect in case we are in good condition because it will help the access to steep slopes and roads with damaged pavement.
The chosen season to walk the Way, will be crucial due to the fact, most of the tracks will be unaccessible on rainy months as some floods can imped the way. We will later talk about alternative options.
Most of the stages have an irregular pavement, forcing us to take diversions that will normally end up on a National or a Secondary Road.
All those factors turns the Way into an Odyssey,walking most of the time along the hard shoulder and with an eye on the traffic.
The most suitable adapted Way for disable walkers is….
without any doubt, The French Way being the most crowded as well.
The best option is walking in groups scheduling in advance the breaks and the overnight stays as many of them are not adapted.
When it comes to the French Way, the best option is fragmenting the stages according to their accessibility.
For that purpose, Pilgrim offers a customized program totally adapted to any personal needs.
Best Season for people with reduced mobility.
We have to take into consideration the season to walk the Way, as in wintertime is more complicated.
Most pilgrims choose to walk the Way in summertime, as the climate is gentle and most of the people are on holidays.
We honestly advice those with reduced mobility to travel on a less crowded season with gentle conditions. According to that Springtime is shown as the best option, as well as September. However we have to remark that the weather in this area is very changing , so it’s pretty complicated to foresee.
If you don’t have enough time to walk the St Jame’s Way in one go, it is recommended to fragment the stages and walk them when possible.
Many people opt to walk the way in different seasons, so we shouldn’t worry if we cannot do it all stages on the trot.
Advices to Walk the St Jame’s Way if you are a disable.
Depending on the disability, some stages could be more severe than others on its Way to Compostela.
We will consequently give some advices according to the disability grade.
Pilgrim with Physical disability:
We have previously remarked how important is the fitness training to face the challenge, so consequently this point is even more relevant for someone with reduced mobility to overcome possible obstacles on the way.
The weight of the backpack in this case should be lighter, we recommend disable pilgrims to travel with someone who can assist them in case they need help to take the burdens or to finish the stages.
Pilgrims with Psychic Disability.
In this case , we deeply encourage to walk The Way in company. This partner should be a trustful person conscious of the disability to help in the most suitable way.
Pilgrim with hearing disability.
They don’t really need extra help, however it is recommended to support them.
They should be more cautious about the environment in other to detect potential problems. In case of walking on traffic areas, the precautions should be increased.
Pilgrims with Visual Disability.
In this situation a partner will be necessary to support the pilgrim as there are sudden and continuous ups and downs along the way. This support will be welcome when it comes to face any situation that requires a visual capacity.
We hopefully expect these advices can help those pilgrims with doubts to face the St Jame’s Way. Everybody should enjoy a tour with an amazing stages and landscapes called St. Jame’s Way.