Hubby wants to do a 6 week holiday alone

I’d not have a problem with this unless it left you tight financially. Six weeks will go fast. Can you join him for sections?

I walked the camino del norte solo - my partner at the time came to join me for a day in bilbao and then in oviedo for a couple of days walking, and then came back to wait for my arrival in santiago. So we saw each other every 12 ish days!
I think you should let him go, but I'm biased.

Oh OP, we’re getting to the age when, if you don’t do it now, you’ll never do it. Let him enjoy what may be his last big hike. But make sure you plan good times for yourself while he’s away.

It sounds like a bit of a bucket list type trip for him and it’s not that he doesn’t want you there it’s that you dont hike so would hold him back from completing it. What’s on your bucket list? Something you could do while he’s away? Or could you fly out and meet him for a few days along the trail? Don’t prevent him from achieving the things he wants to achieve in life. It’s not like he’s off for a month long piss up in Vegas.

If it's a one off and it's something he really wants to do I'd be sympathetic. Yes it's a long time to spend apart and I would find that difficult... but I also understand having a passion for something. I'm a climber myself. I hope when my children are grown I can devote more time to that.
My DH is not a climber. I love him very much and like to spend a lot of time with him, but I also like to do my hobbies you know.
And I'd be different about it if it was 6 weeks apart all the time.. but to do something he really wants to do that just happens to take that long?
I'd try and work it out and be supportive. Because I understand how meaningful and important to people it can be.

She could also, very easily indeed, go and see him off and meet him at various stages on the way, and be there at the end to cheer him on. Loads of people do this. But if that's too much effort for her, I really hope he does it anyway, it is a once in a lifetime dream for many walkers. What a shame if she manages to spoil it for him.

Can you go along and maybe not do the hiking if it’s not your thing but travel by other means and meet him along the route? It sounds like a dream of his so I’d be keen for him do it but I’d imagine you both would like you to be a part of it also.

Thanks for posting this @Arregaithel , missed it the first time around and it’s an inspirational read ( though not inspiring enough to make me do it!) . Has Twodogs seen this thread I wonder?

I see Twodogs had family support to see her off and greet her at the end, so that is one way to shorten the six weeks, or have a meet up half way. I hope your husband gets to fulfil his dream OP.

Can you train to do hiking and join him with this hobbit you’re healthy enough ?

How can you really STOP him from doing something be loves and enjoys? He is a person with his own interests and passions - apart from you. He's also a grown retired man who now gets to choose one thing for himself on his own terms. Imagine if you wanted to go off an he stopped you. Be gracious.

Yes, you are being selfish. If this is a dream of his and you have no interest in participating then let him go. 6 weeks is nothing and presumably you have been married a while so what on earth is the big deal?

He loves hiking. You don't. You both know if you went you'd hate it.

It's understandable that you'd feel upset that he wants to do something that you don't - and you don't want him to go.

He's staring 70 in the face. If he doesn't do it now, it will probably never happen.
The chance to do something amazing, probably the last opportunity he'll have before time, fitness and health begin to run out, is becoming very pressing.

And if he doesn't, it'll be you who stopped him.

Plus the Camino has a strong spiritual element. Is he exploring something spiritual within himself that he feels a need to do? Something missing?

Stop standing in his way. You don't need to be joined at the hip.

Plan something you want to do - and he wouldn't. A trip with friends, family. Experiences that would suit you.

And plan something for after those separate trips for you to do together. To each hear about what the other did and loved doing.

I understand that it feels like a long time, and although I don’t believe you clarified your objections, it seems that you might be feeling left out, or concerned about his activities on the trip. First, in case it’s the latter, the Camino is not a tropical resort, so he won’t be sitting poolside for six weeks talking to young women while you dust the furniture at home. If it’s the first, and you’re feeling left out or abandoned, then I would suggest you find a way to share this experience with him. Maybe do your own journey through Spain/Portugal and meet up at pre-arranged locations? I hope to walk the Camino myself one day, but if I didn’t and my husband did, I would be thrilled at the opportunity to wander around small delightful towns and then take the bus or trains while he walked.

I did part of the Camino last year, it’s a wonderful experience. Encourage him to do it and and meet him in Santiago - it’s a beautiful city.

I'm thinking needy.

I can definitely understand feeling upset and put out. I would be upset too.

It does sound like a once in a lifetime thing though & at the age of 69, he won’t have the opportunity to do this ever again.

I would try and hold back your feelings and let him go.

I think at 69 for a generally loving and supportive husband I’d support it. I’d be proud he was doing something fit and active and adventurous. However I’d also expect him to be up for doing some fun trips as a couple and supporting me doing stuff I wanted as well. So assuming money no object I think life’s too short and he should go for it.

Hubby went to France to look at Cathedrals for eight weeks - he had a sabbatical and I didn't. I went out to meet him for a weekend twice and the time passed in a flash. I was happy for him, its definitely not my sort of trip, but he came back with all kinds of suggestions and ideas of places to go that he thought I'd like, and we went to them together over time. We still use the hotel in Paris he found. It helped our relationship, not harmed. I'm free to do what I want too, though I've never wanted to go away for 6 weeks. I think a healthy relationship can accommodate each other's interests and shouldn't stifle them.

This kind of crap is where phrases such as “the old ball and chain” come from 😂

@Moomum123 has a good suggestion. What I’d do is arrange to meet him at the end in Northern Spain.

Mind you, I want to explore that area so it would suit me to do that. It may not be your thing.

6 weeks. 42 days. Absolutely no time at all.
I would miss my DH horribly (as I did when we had to be apart for 2-3x that duration due to work), but I would also wave him off gladly, knowing that he was fulfilling a dream.

A partnership should lift each other up, encourage and support, not hold either person back.

This for sure.

The Camino sounds a wonderful experience. I am sure there must be others in your position who travel the route supporting their partners. It would be amazing for you.

Let him go. It’s most Amazing thing. If you don’t want to go with him then let him go himself.

As someone who has a husband who at times has been away for months at a time for work, six weeks won’t kill you.

i missed my
husband but he loved his job and I wanted him to be happy.

its really important to have your own stuff going on in life away from him or else any time apart will feel like a small death for you.

Why on earth are you unable to not be with him for six weeks!!?? What is it that you won’t be able do as your own person? If you had young’s kids or ran a business together sure I’d get it - but. Basically as far as I can tell the issue is that you can’t do basic daily life on your own for six weeks? And he can’t achieve a life long dream because of that? VERY selfish