THANK YOU once again for the very supportive messages – what a fabulous group of people you are.
In Pamplona we stayed in an excellent albergue right next to the cathedral. Albergue Plaza Catedral is spotlessly clean and well organised. If only the same could be said of some of the residents! One bloke had his alarm set for 05:00 with a loud annoying ring tone which he managed to sleep through for several minutes, and then he was still hanging around at gone 06:30! Total lack of consideration.
Here are a few pics of the city…
I took the 12:30 bus to Bilbao which left and arrived precisely on time at a cost of just €9.
And now I’ve entered pilgrim heaven, even if it doesn’t last for long. I’m currently in a four bed dorm with no one else having checked in (yet) and I’m going to make the most of having a room to myself for the first time since I left home. And if that wasn’t good enough – there’s pristine white cotton bedding including a duvet. Such luxury!
It may transpire to be a mistake because Latroupe La Granja may well be a decidedly young persons’ hostel with lots of events put on in the basement bar. If the worst comes to the worst I can always plug in to a radio 4 podcast. We shall see!
I decided that my hour of bliss needed to be interrupted by a walkabout. I have passed through Bilbao on camino twice before (and met up with regular commenter Setmeravelles back in 2016), but on neither occasion did I have much time to explore. Both times I walked out on the far (east?) side of the Rio Nervión where I was lucky enough on both occasions to have a bright morning and the Guggenheim museum threw wonderful reflections onto the water. So I decided to walk on the other side of the water and around the outside of the museum this time. I’m not really a museum kind of person so wasn’t tempted to go in. I then sauntered to the Nueva Plaza which was buzzing on a Monday afternoon. It’s quite a lovely place to chill out and update the blog.
When I eventually returned to my room I was hugely relieved to learn that the three other occupants were female – I had been fearing raucous young men. Fingers crossed that the women don’t turn out to be raucous.
When I finish a camino I really just want to go straight home, but that doesn’t always work out. And I have to say that there are worse places to hang out than Pamplona and Bilbao. I had planned to visit Zaragoza before I returned home but I really didn’t have the energy for a side trip. However the camino del Ebro runs through the city so maybe that’s one to consider for the future. I’m also considering walking the Via Augusta from Cadiz to Seville and then on the Via de la Plata from Seville to Mérida. I’ve walked the VdlP when I’ve started from Málaga and from Almería (which join the VdlP at Mérida) but never the first nine stages. And there is also a proposal from our Portuguese camigo Aurelio which I need to look into. So now that I have managed to complete a camino at last I can seriously dream about another next year.
I’ve managed to walk 14 km today to-ing and fro-ing to the bus stations and generally ambling around the city and I am now definitely ready for a good night’s sleep 🤞
I was reminded how an albergue works when there are a number of pilgrims staying. The commotion started at 04:30 with inconsiderate people making a racket rustling carrier bags and communicating in voices that definitely weren’t whispers. We were the last to leave at around 07:00.
We have a lovely narrow dirt track winding up and down hills. But when we stopped for a rest at 6.5 km and check the track, I see that we overshot our turn off by 450 m. We are not walking the standard stage to Puente La Reina but taking a diversion to Pamplona which has better transport options for us.
We’re back on gravel tracks but fairly smooth and not dead straight. I realise pretty soon that we are heading towards a big hill that we have to climb over. And then the route is interrupted by a farmer who has fenced the approach and installed a very barky dog. In order to regain the track we had to walk along the edge of a wheat field (note: we were walking carefully to do least damage, not like our recent Prime Minister Theresa May!!) It was full of brambles and gorse grabbing at us as we passed, and then over a newly mown hay field and down a very steep bank! It was necessary to climb over a few fences before we were finally back on track – so don’t follow my route unless you like an adventure!
That’s the pesky hill in the distance of the first pic
Then it was on to a nice dirt track through overhanging trees, so we had plenty of shade albeit uphill all the way
I have to say it felt very good to reach what I hoped was the top of that hill although there were a few more climbs to tackle. The problem with following random tracks is that things can change – rights of ways can be withdrawn. But we made it. We were passed by a group of 15 or 20 mountain bikers whizzing down the hill and a couple of runners and various people out for some Sunday exercise.
And once we crested the top of the hill at 13 km Pamplona came into view far far away. There are wonderful signs of life in the fields – horses with foals and cows with calves. This is what I have really missed on this Camino – live animals breathing fresh air under a blue sky.
There was a last hoorah from poppies adorning a wheat field and after various tracks and a little bit of road walking we had reached the outskirts of the city at 21.5 km and stopped at our first opportunity for refreshment and a bite to eat.
We passed a huge number of shiny new apartment buildings that lined both sides of the approach road for kilometres and finally made it to the old city centre after 26.5 km.
And so we have completed our last day of walking. I made it without injury. My body didn’t let me down this time, and I am very happy about that. Tomorrow I will get the bus to Bilbao and fly home the following day.
Paul and I have stuffed ourselves with excellent food this evening – the first time I have eaten properly in three or four days. Marilyn is on her way to Barcelona and is flying back to South Africa tomorrow. Sadly her ankle is still painful. It has been great to spend time with fab camino buddies, making more memories to last for years to come.
I seem to have picked up a head cold during yesterday‘s walk and I’m finding today a bit of a struggle, having to constantly blow my nose and having difficulty breathing through my nose. I also have to say I’m so tired of these gravel tracks and I can see one looming ahead and continuing as far as the eye can see.
The wind is still very strong although it doesn’t have the bitter coldness to it. As I walk past a field of barley it is ripling and swaying and looking quite magical.
Arrows are very sketchy today so it’s lucky that I’ve downloaded a track otherwise I’m not sure we would know where we were going.
There’s a 2.5 km steady climb on the road but only four vehicles pass us all the time we were on it. I think most people are using the motorway that runs close by.
The arrows are really bizarre today. There are none whatsoever at really crucial points and then suddenly one pops up out of nowhere. I don’t think you could walk this route without having some sort of track to follow.
There are the usual crop fields of wheat, barley, and oats but also many fields of broad bean. So there is nice green scenery but the gravel path is relentless.
We pass through a series of immaculately kept villages. None with any services. I wonder if there is a program for renovation in this area because it seems unlikely that there should be no dilapidation in these tiny remote villages.
I had been wishing for a dirt track through trees for most of this stage and finally my wish was granted shortly before reaching our stage end at Monreal, another large village/small town that is very pretty. There notes that I had researched told me there were all services here, but sadly there is no shop but two bars that sell food. The albergue here is very nice – good kitchen facilities, 20 beds, sufficient bathroom facilities if the place isn’t full. Tonight we are joined at the Albergue by 8 other pilgrims, none of whom we’ve seen before.
Albergue de Peregrinos, C. Santa Barbara, 4, 690 024 701. email: alberguemonreal@koine-aequalitas.es, €10, 20 places, kitchen, washing machine, rave reviews
After walking for over half an hour the wind has really picked up and is quite chilly.
The lovely breeze that kept us fresh in the latter stages of our walk yesterday turned into a very strong gusty wind after we arrived in our destination. The hospitalero told us that the area is often very windy particularly in the winter. He also mentioned that there were 42 inhabitants of the village, which is immaculately presented – all the stone buildings are perfectly finished, there is a massive church and even a sign for a swimming pool. He also told us that this village is on the dividing line between Aragón and Navarra.
I was pleased when I poked my nose out of the door this morning that the air was still and calm although it’s quite fresh with some cloud and a bright sun
I’m not at all surprised to be on a very steep narrow track out of the village, overgrown with dog roses and honeysuckle with a very sweet scent. But mostly the tracks are wide with fairly smooth gravel.
There’s a downhill pattern to the walk for the first section of 10.5 km into the town of Sangüesa.
Aesop may have concluded in his fable about the wind v the sun that gentle kindness works best to make a man remove his coat, but I can assure you that the opposite was true the morning. The wind was definitely the dominant factor in me stopping and putting on my fleece for only the second time on this camino. It’s my habit to start off the day in shorts, sleeveless T-shirt and arm warmers and with a thin cotton scarf across my shoulders and that is how I set off today.
We leave Artieda via a steeply downhill road until we get to a track at just after 1.5 km. The camino markings are not so obvious since being on the Aragonés – there are discrete posts with an engraving of a shell to indicate the way, and very few arrows to be seen. This system is a lot less intrusive but also a lot easier to miss. (In fact further along the camino the arrows reappear which was very welcome).
It’s a warm day and the sun is shining.
Quite a lot of the immediate landscape here is most peculiar. It looks as though piles of cement have been dumped all over the place – huge mounds of material which I assume is natural (like fine shale) but doesn’t look like it.
After 6 km we are finally directed onto a narrow steeply rising track which is running through a wildflower meadow – the colours are just amazing, truly beautiful
The surrounding hillsides are totally covered in pine trees and the hillsides are completely surrounding us. Soon after the climb we’re on a track running alongside a new ploughed field, and I can understand that if you’re passing field after field of freshly turned soil it could become a tad boring.
And then there’s a woodland track and suddenly I’m unexpectedly very close to the reservoir. The only bad thing about walking through woodland here is that you get totally buzzed by small flies trying to get to your face – clouds of them sometimes – it’s necessary to constantly bat them away.
And whilst (flies apart) it’s always lovely to walk through woodland, it can sometimes feel as if you are blinkered because there is no view beyond the immediate trees to your left and right.
I’m out of woods onto a rough road at around 10 km. There were a couple of encounters with a very large, very barky Spanish mastin and I wasn’t convinced that I could sweet-talk him, so went through the rigmarole of bending down and pretending to pick up a stone and clacking my walking poles to keep him at bay.
Soon after I arrive at Castillo de Ruesta, an absolutely stunning ruin. There is an albergue (ancient but not a ruin) here and I can’t imagine a more fabulous and atmospheric place to stay. I have stopped for breakfast at the bar. It’s a huge complex of buildings, some ruins some renovated, all are absolutely charming. The camino winds its way through the buildings and down onto a narrow track above the Rio Regal. Info about Ruesta here.
Then there’s a 6 km climb on a wide gravel track through the pine trees. Although it wasn’t too strenuous I was glad to finally be at the top. The best thing about that climb was good cloud cover and a fresh brisk breeze.
Having climbed to the top of the mountain there’s a plateau where I can see for miles around – the hillsides covered in gorse and broom, long grasses waving in the wind and bright pops of blue from flowers.
Today I thought we had the unique experience on this camino of seeing our end-stage in the distance at the bottom of a hill.
Oh, but how wrong I was! It was a mirage. There was a very steep stony path going down, down and down a bit further, which I couldn’t see from afar. And I expect you’ve guessed – once we were at the bottom there was a very steep climb up to the village – so no change there then!
The albergue here in Undués de Lerda is superb. Fabulous kitchen/lounge, excellent bathrooms, spacious dorms and use of washer/dryer. It is operated via the bar which has a lovely outside terrace and serves meals for pilgrims. No shop though.
C. Mayor, 40, 613 412 657, 948 888 105, €12, 26 places, can reserve, call at bar to book in, dinner recommended €12, washer/dryer, excellent reviews
So today we have joined the Camino Aragonés, which starts in Somport and we are on stage 2/3.
I make an early start today and leave just before 06:30 as it is a fairly long stage and it is likely to get very hot as the day progresses.
We set off on comfortable flat track running very close to the road but not within sight, and at this time of day there’s practically no traffic.
It’s lovely to get off the road for a while at 5.7 km and into woodland. There are lots of smooth large pebbles alongside the path and someone has taken it upon themselves to build lots of mini cairns which look absolutely lovely and remind me a bit of my garden at home.
I have been using the Merlin bird identification app on my phone today. I am amazed/impressed at the long list of birds it has recognised – assuming it’s accurate.
Common Nightingale
European Robin
Eurasian Blackcap
Eurasian Wren
Song Thrush
Eurasian Blackbird
Corn Bunting
European Serin
Common Firecrest
Western Bonelli’s Warbler
Common Chiffchaff
Corn Bunting
Common Cuckoo
Eurasian Skylark
European Bee-eater
Sadly, the beautiful woodland track doesn’t last very long and we emerge alongside the Rio Aragón very close to the Puente la Reina de Jaca bridge.
There are all services in this town but I have a supply of food that I bought yesterday in Jaca and I never need a caffeine fix, so don’t bother to divert into the town.
There’s a sign on the road that we are to walk saying closed for works. You’ve got to love a road with no cars. I was merrily enjoying walking along the middle of the road when some instinct prompted me to look at the track I had downloaded and lo and behold we had missed a turn off, fortunately not too far back. So we retraced our steps for a couple of hundred metres and saw that amongst the excavations/roadworks that were going on the original track we were meant to take had been diverted to a different access point. There were actually some arrows but we had totally missed them.
So we are now on a very narrow track through scrubland which is most pleasant.
Now that we have climbed on this narrow path, I can see down below the flat plains of crop fields before the Pyrenees rise up in the distance. There are lots of rugged peaks and they are all crowned in snow.
There’s a wonderful variety of wildflowers on this little track – including many pyramid orchids. I’ve seen irises for the first time and campanulas which I don’t think I’ve ever seen on the camino before, plus all the usual suspects. But my very favourite wildflower on this camino has been the tuberous-rooted meadow rue – a rather ugly name for a beautiful delicate flower. There are also signs of an abundance of cowslips which bloomed a few weeks ago. When I’m walking alone, which is often, I tend to find myself greeting the flowers as I would a young girl in her fanciest frock, complimenting them on their beauty.
Tuberous-rooted meadow rue
The normal order of things on this Camino is that we might all leave together or we might, as this morning, stagger setting off. I leave first today because I am ready and don’t want to wait around. Paul leaves sometime soonish after, but he has a much faster natural pace than I do and so he catches up with me after about 5 or 6 km and we probably stick together for a while before I start to faff about taking photos and he walks on. Marilyn has a slower pace and usually brings up the rear, but sadly at the moment her pace is all but halted. She has decided to get a taxi for this stage in the hope that resting her leg will enable her to complete the last few stages on this camino. It is so disheartening to have to give up a longed-for walk through the Spanish countryside because of an injury, as I know only too well.
In 2019 I ended up with a stress fracture to my right femoral head on the Camino de Lana, and my last camino in 2022 to put my hip replacement to the test on Caminos de Norte and Primitivo also failed when I damaged my knee going down of a particularly steep rocky hill. I did struggle on in this instant but I could see I was doing myself no good and gave up a few stages short of the end. That is why I have been so desperate to complete this camino without injury as I fear if I suffer a third time it may put an end to my camino career for good, and that would be a very sad thing. The camino has given me so many truly wonderful experiences and has introduced me to some wonderful friends from all over the world whom I keep in touch with years later.
I’ve just realised there have been no dewdrop photos on this camino – largely because there’s been very little dew.
At 10.7 km this lovely path comes to an end at the village of Arrés. There’s an albergue here and Paul pops in for a coffee whilst I continue and find a lovely shaded spot by some running water to take a rest.
My camino mate Dave recently walked this route and has reported some very useful information. On today’s stage he commented that it is possible to avoid the incline and descent from Arrés by using a cycle track. I’m not sure if I would have been tempted had I noticed where this cycle track was, which I didn’t, but I would have missed a beautiful beautiful path if I had done so.
I see the first camino mojon at the bottom of the descent from Arrés, showing 800 km to Santiago.
Then we are walking on a wide straight well compacted comfortable gravel track.
At 18 km we’re sitting down talking a break with two nightingales singing to eachother. Wonderful!
When we set off again at 11:30 the sun is suddenly pumping out a tremendous amount of heat
We have walked on a variety of paths today most of them comfortable. And as we progress throughout the day we are leaving the white peaked mountains of the Pyrenees behind us which is a shame but I am sure we have other treats in store in the next few days – and there are only a few more days on this camino adventure.
We meet up with a large group of sheep – rather smelly at such close quarters but a treat to see them and hear their bells ringing.
After this it’s a bit of a slog for the last few kilometres. Lots of inclines with a few descents as we climb and climb to the stage end at the top of a hill. Artieda is another very pretty stone village with amazing views to the Pyrenees and over the Embalse de Yesa (a huge reservoir).
We’re staying at the Albergue de Artieda, in a tiny room with two sets of bunk beds. I’ve pulled the short straw and am up top for the first time this trip. Very undignified for an old lady, but it was my turn. Now that we have joined with the camino Aragonés there are suddenly more pilgrims on the road.
There is an attached bar/restaurant but no other facilities in the village.
C. Luis Buñuel, 10, next to the church, 948 439 316, info@alberguedeartieda.com, Web: alberguedeartieda.com, can reserve, €12, 16 places, food available in bar but no shop. Good reviews.
So our cunning plan for today was to take a little holiday.
We took a taxi and Paul jumped out at Jaca, whilst Marilyn and I continued up the mountain to Estación Canfranc. We hung out, drinking chocolate con churros, and mooched about admiring the station building (now an extremely posh hotel), and the scenery, and generally behaving like laid-back tourists.
We then got the bus back down to Jaca for the princely sum of €2.10, where we mooched around a bit more, admiring the beautiful old quarter and then visiting the castle.
We returned to Santa Cilia by taxi as there’s no bus from Jaca.
All in all a very restful day.
And a restful evening as this is such a short post.
We were serenaded by a nightingale all night in Ena – it was beautiful.
It’s a grey morning and quite fresh. We have a very steady climb on a gravel track through scrubland/woodland and some crops.
We reach Botaya at 7.4 km – another beautiful stone village but with no services. There is a youth hostel which may or may not be available for use. But most important to me today, there is a picnic table just outside the village where I can take a rest and grab a bite to eat accompanied by the sound of flowing water right alongside.
It’s still very cloudy and quite cool at 09:00 which is a blessing as there is a ridiculous hill to be climbed immediately I set off.
The scenery is layer upon layer of hillside and mountains – all different colours of greeny grey. It is very peaceful apart from the birds who are singing loud and clear.
I’m on the road for a short while and then directed onto what seems to be a lovely woodland path
Our disruptive friends from the other night have been working very hard on these last two stages. All arrows have been refreshed with sparkly yellow paint and they were kind enough to leave us a note at the albergue last night to say they’d left a box of eggs in the fridge for us. How kind!
The steep and winding track, although a bit stony is largely made up of leaf litter and tiny pinecones. It wouldn’t do to have vertigo on some of these narrow tracks with sheer drops to the side.
This stretch of climb was 197m in 1.92 km
At the top of the hill we finally reached the new Monasterio San Juan de la peña. We call in to the cafeteria and I am taken aback at how very modern the interior is. I don’t take the opportunity for a tour but a pilgrim will never use finer facilities. (From Google … Construction began in 1676 and lasted until the early 19th century. The dependencies were abandoned in 1835 and the building began to deteriorate, leaving in the middle of the twentieth century practically in a state of ruin. It was subjected to a profound restoration by the Government of Aragon, and converted into a restaurant and museum space. The New Monastery was declared a National Monument on August 9, 1923.)
And now I am making my way down a very steep hill with lots of tree roots and stones forming steps. It’s all charming and lovely, and cool to boot.
After turning onto the road for a very short while I come across the Monasterio Viejo de San Juan de la peña which is built into the side of the mountain. There is a €7.50 charge to go in, which also includes the new Monastery and the church in the village below. So if you’re interested in looking around the new monastery buy a ticket up there and it will cover all three. The old monastery is absolutely fascinating and beautiful and an amazing feat of engineering.
(From lonely Planet… The road from Santa Cruz winds 7km up to the 10th-century Monasterio Viejo, tucked protectively under an overhanging lip of rock. A fire in 1675 led the monks to desert this original site and build the Monasterio Nuevo1.5km further up the hill. Abandoned by the mid-19th century, these historic monasteries have since been rehabilitated and merit a visit by anyone interested in architecture, sculpture, history, scenery or wildlife.
The Monasterio Viejo, one of the most important monasteries of old Aragón, contains the tombs of Aragón’s first three kings – Ramiro I (1036–64), Sancho Ramírez (1064–94) and Pedro I (1094–1104) – and two churches (the lower one Mozarabic, the upper one Romanesque). But its greatest highlight is the Romanesque cloister, with marvellous carved capitals depicting stories from Genesis and the life of Christ.)
Then it’s onward on a track quite soft and gentle underfoot. The views of the surrounding mountains are quite astounding. It’s difficult to think of enough adjectives to describe the sights and views on this camino – well on the last two stages – so apologies if I repeat myself.
The last part of the descent from the old monastery to the village below is extremely tricky with lots of large loose stones and deep rocky steps. It’s a bit like walking over a landslide.
Well, that descent must set a record for my slowest ever camino section. The ground was so unstable and I was so worried about damaging my knee again that I just took it extremely slowly and very carefully, and actually discovered something that might be useful going forward. If I take a deep step down with my bad knee and I turn my foot in either direction inward or outward, it doesn’t give anything like as much discomfort as it would if I had placed my foot forward. I’m so anxious not to end another camino with an injury.
This section was 369 m down over 2.59 km! But the scenery and wild flowers are just fabulous.
The village we have descended into at 18 km, Santa Cruz de la Serós, is another stone built stunner. The bar in the centre was closed so we took a rest on stonewall had a bite to eat and a boots off break, but on walking out of the village I noticed another bar and a restaurant.
There’s a short climb then a long descent, also tricky and unstable underfoot for stretches.
I see my first orchids on this camino and the aroma of the broom is lovely. There is such a profusion of wild flowers on the tracks and surrounding me in every direction are hillsides and mountains covered in pine trees, all lit differently depending on how the sun is peeping through the clouds. It’s all just stunning.
I finally reach Santa Cilia de Jaca after 25 km and find the albergue amongst the attractive buildings in the old part of this small town. There’s a panaderia but it’s not open and a bar that doesn’t open until 18:30. The hospitalera is lovely and provides us with dinner – way more than we can eat for €10.
We hatch a plan for tomorrow…
C. del Sol, 8, 722 608 760, 18 places, €10, can reserve, no use of kitchen but hospitalera will cook, well reviewed
The 1st km and a half out of the town is a bit of a shock to the system – up, up and up again On very rough ground with big stones and rocks. You have to watch every step on these tracks to avoid tripping or twisting your ankle.
Then the track widens, which is less interesting but a bit easier to walk on.
The Castillo de Marcuello is in sight for a while before we arrive – it looks very different from different angles.
The track flattens eventually – it clings to the side of the mountain – rising up to the right and delving into the steep valley on the left with stunning never-ending views of the flat planes that we have walked across for days, but now with ridges of hills breaking it up.
It feels like we’re at the top of the world and the scenery is incredible with peaks rising in all directions and deep deep valleys in between. I can hear distant chimes of cow bells and catch a glimpse of a couple of black cows across the valley. This is about as perfect a stage as a camino can be.
We’ve been so lucky with the weather. After the first couple of days we have not experienced any rain. Sometimes the sun can be a bit too hot in the early afternoon but nothing totally unbearable. And today walking this incredible track in perfect conditions is spectacular.
When we reach the Castillo there are towering cliffs. And soon after impressive rock formations known as Mallos de Riglos. Every direction provides a new sight to marvel at.
And then we’re directed to turn down what I would describe as a steep stony rocky ravine which is very difficult to negotiate. It was extremely tricky – I take this sort of track really slowly and carefully. But I made it safely down to the bottom. Paul had been ahead of me before this and much later I could hear him tap-tapping behind – he had missed the ravine and walked an extra 2 km.
Once at the bottom, having breathed sigh of relief, I’m still walking downhill but much more gently on a track that runs through a forest. It’s shaded and cool and there’s a light breeze. It’s absolutely delightful and so entirely different from twenty minutes ago with that open mountain scenery.
The wildflowers are beautiful and delicate this morning gone are the poppies and back is the broom, wild roses , wild honeysuckle and dogwood and tiny flowers that look like miniature cistus both white and pink
Several motorbikes and a group of cyclists pass by without kicking up too much dust.
There’s a section with fencing protecting walkers from a severe drop. There are towering mountains of rock either side and the sound of rushing water deep down below. It rather reminds me of the Caminito del Rey.
And then I can see where the water is rushing – a beautiful wide twisting river deep down below. And soon enough I am walking over that river into the town of Estación la Peña having so far walked 15 km. Paul is already at the bar. It being Sunday the bar kitchen is closed as is the panaderia, but the ice cold Fanta tastes good! Marilyn limps in a while later – she’s still having issues with her leg.
The deep narrow gorge from the other side
Then we’re off again with a couple of kms on the road. As we walk along a car pulls up and we see Marilyn in the passenger seat. She very sensibly organised herself a lift to our stage end. Paul and I declined to join them and were soon directed off the road onto a steep climb over hard and rocky ground and then onto a narrow track for the pretty much rest of the stage, mostly through natural woodland with lots more climbing and some very welcome stretches of flat track.
There are a series of rock pools that we can see far below us, some of them with people bathing and we are exceptionally envious because when we set off on the second part of our walk it has become really hot and I am certainly glowing with the effort.
We finally found a spot where we could dip our feet in the ice cold water accompanied by a raucous chorus of frogs. I dipped my scarf in the water and really enjoyed the cooling effect on my neck.
It really was very hot and I found the last few kms very hard going. But I made it with the help of a couple of paracetamol.
We’re staying in the really beautiful village of Ena where all the buildings appear ancient, all built from stone – so charming. There albergue isn’t the exception and it’s as excellent inside as it is pretty outside – perhaps the loveliest albergue I have stayed in! But there are absolutely no facilities in the village – no bar or shop, which is why we have been carrying food with us for a day and a half.
Essential to call ahead, 670 406 469, 8 places, €5. No shop or. bar – TAKE FOOD. Very well reviewed.
Well, that was a night not to be staying at the alberge in Botea. At about 10:40 pm I received a WhatsApp message from the hospitalero telling me that six pilgrims were due to arrive and have they come yet? Marilyn and Paul had already been asleep for awhile. Four, rather than six, eventually turned up at 1:30 in the morning and although they were as respectful and quiet as possible they inevitably caused a very disturbed night. And then there were very loud noises coming from the adjacent sport centre from about 5 am and when I got up at 5:30 there were many voices to be heard. It turns out today is the day that a walk/run starts in Bolea and preparations involved the dragging of tables and chairs and chatter and scraping and banging.
As we were preparing to leave this morning, one of the late arrivals came down to talk to us saying she was from Barcelona, the Confraternity of the Camino Catalán, and that her jolly band were spending the weekend painting the very excellent yellow arrows. I mentioned the contradiction of arrows at times and she said that new signposts have been installed that indicate the direction and distance to various villages but she says if ever there is a conflict between the arrows and the signposts, take the arrows.
The scenery has changed a lot today. We are now walking through olive and almond groves with dry stone walls separating the plots on rocky ground
It soon becomes apparent that the walking/running group are taking the same route as us. One keen guy has passed us already and I just hope and pray that the hundreds of others aren’t quite so spritely. My worst nightmare would be to walk amongst a huge group of people.
The mountains to our right are coming closer and closer and we can see the Castillo de Loarre high up ahead.
Some madness propelled me to take the diversion from the camino route up to the castle. I’m sure I won’t regret it when I get there but the tremendous climb up the zigzaging track is taking some considerable effort. A few people have passed me from the village, but of course they are not carrying ten kilos on their backs. Luckily there is a lot of cloud cover today otherwise this walk would have been even more of an effort in strong sunlight.
Saw a hoopoe bird today, but not for long enough to take a photo. I made it to the castle but guess what? It isn’t open, and that’s okay. I met my challenge and can see it up close and personal.
I don’t know if there is a formal way down from the castle towards the town of Loarre but I didn’t want to go back the way I came or take the long and winding road, so instead I looked on maps.me and found some very narrow very rocky overgrown tracks. There’s an awful lot of horse poo on a very narrow stretch, luckily none of it is very fresh but I’m keeping my fingers crossed that I don’t have to pass any four-legged friends. These tracks kept me off the road with the exception of about 30m and it has been very pleasant indeed. And in addition I feel that I have really challenged myself both going up and coming down. I do like a challenge now and then.
Once we reach the town of Loarre it’s necessary to buy sufficient food to last for the next two days as there is no opportunity to purchase anything between here and the rest of this stage, or the next, and there is no guarantee of being able to find sustenance.
Loarre is a charming, lively town and Paul and I enjoy a lunch of huevos y patatas and a couple of cold drinks before Marilyn catches up with us and we visit the panaderia which also sells a variety of other goods to keep us in food for them next couple of days. It’s a good place to hang out for a couple of hours as our stage end is a very small and quiet village and we don’t want to get there too early.
The Last stretch of this stage is less than 5 km albeit mostly uphill and we are checked in to the albergue and are joined by a bicigrino. We establish with the hospitalero that we can actually eat at the social club this evening, so that’s good news.
Albergue, C. de la iglesia, s/n, 618 614 669, €8, eight places, no reservations, kitchen, no shop – bring food, although possible to eat at social club.
This morning the views on my blog tripped over one million. I know that’s small fry compared to the big guys, but it’s big fry to me. Thanks so much to everyone who takes the time to read my posts.
We walk through Huesca under a very grey sky although there is no forecast for rain.
I’ve noticed in Spain, on this trip generally, there are very many pedestrian crossings and drivers are very respectful of them. Here in Huesca they are at every possible junction.
We finally make it out of the city and onto a track at just over 3 km from the alberge, which is someway out of town the other side
It seems to have rained quite heavily during the night. The roads are all quite wet with big puddles here and there. After leaving town we’re walking on a very quiet back lane with virtually no passing traffic. And then onto a dirt track alongside the N240 motorway. Soon enough we turn away from the thundering traffic onto a gravel path In the countryside.
We reach the first village, Chimillas , at 8 km and take a hot drink in the very nice bar. There is, of course, a stork nesting on the church tower, but this is a high rise affair – I guess each year the new tenants build a new storey.
There’s a bit of shade occasionally with tree lined paths now and then
I found a lovely shady spot and stopped for a munch break at 15 km and when I moved on I discovered Paul a few metres ahead who had been taking a break around the corner.
Now we have some undulation in the land. The far wheatfields give the effect of velvet – absolutely stunning – as far as the eye can see green green swathes of land.
We occasionally see lots of damsel flies and the occasional dragonfly – beautiful bright blue in colour.
The forecast this morning was for sun all day, but on checking again later in the morning it showed rain from midday onwards. Midday has recently come and gone with no wet stuff yet. It is very hot today and humid and this is the first day on this camino that I have been “glowing”. To be honest, the rain would be rather welcome in order to cool me down.
I’m wondering today why some crops are thoroughly watered with sprinkling devices and yet today there is no sign of any irrigation channel and no sprinklers but the crops look about the most healthy we have seen – maybe it is because it is more humid here
Poppies hereabouts are plentiful and joyous – it’s such a treat to be walking alongside them all day long.
I haven’t mentioned the pig factories the last couple of blog posts but that doesn’t mean they haven’t been present in their dozens. Less so today but there have been a few still. Some look like ruins from another era others bright and white and shiny. They all have silos and they are all low lying. The stench is totally obnoxious and carries for kilometres – if the wind is blowing in your direction it can knock you sideways, the smell that is, not the wind. Many of these units are situated close to villages and I wonder what the long-term health implications are from being in this environment, breathing in these awful fumes day after day, month after month, year after year. I live just a couple of kilometres from water treatment plant which for the most part efficiently contains its smells, but very occasionally maybe once or twice a month in summer the smell reaches a neighbouring housing estate. The local voices are loud and clear in protest, and there is also a system for making complaints to the water company. I suspect there are no such means of complaint for the local people that suffer this horrendous stench so frequently.
We actually saw our first roaming cows today – that was a treat.
A huge outcrop loomed large for the last section of our walk and I was very much hoping that Bolea was not atop it. No such luck. The severe climb at the end of the day was a bit of a challenge but once we caught our breath all was forgiven.
Bolea is a large village with a couple of bars/restaurants. Although food is not served until later in the evening (9pm), when I asked nicely both were willing to cook for us much earlier. There is a tabac shop that sells a strange variety of goods , including cheese and sweet pastries, and a bread shop with more variety that closes at 13:00 and doesn’t open until 10:00 – so not much use to us.
The albergue is an odd affair. I phoned to advise of our arrival and the hospitalero sent me a little video showing how to get in. It’s situated right at the far edge of the village. There are beds for eight, cost €10, with equipped kitchen – off which is the shower with vaguely see-through doors – not too disconcerting amongst respectful friends, but maybe a bit alarming amongst strangers (and some pilgrims can be very strange! 😉)
All in all, another very enjoyable day on the camino, without any rain!
We leave town via a series of steep paths which take us down to and across the main road and directly onto a rough track.
Berbegal is a very sociable town. The bar was busy when we arrived at lunchtime and was busy when we returned for supper. It’s very friendly and serves good food. Sadly it doesn’t open until 07:30 so no hot drinks for us before we set off .
Yesterday we arrived at around 13:30 but went straight to bar for a drink rather than seek out the shop. This was a big mistake as the shop closed at 14:00 and doesn’t open again In the afternoon – at least it didn’t open on a Wednesday afternoon, maybe it varies on other days. This error has ramifications for our stage today which has no possibility of buying food en route and there is no shop or restaurant or bar at our intended stage end in Pueyo de Fañanás. So we faced the prospect of a day/night of fasting.
I had the first view of the sunrise this morning from my lofty position, and very nice it was too.
I failed to turn on my Wikiloc app at the beginning of the walk for around 2 km. I realised this at the point where I looked at my phone to check out the trail because the signposts tell us to take a right turn on the track whereas the track I downloaded seems very sensibly to tell us to continue straight which will take us on track directly to the first village, whereas if we followed the signs and took the right turn, it would take us to the road which we would have to walk along all the way. The signs are very clear but it doesn’t make any sense – yet.
I downloaded the track from Wikiloc from someone called Rocjumper. It’s very useful to have a track to refer to if you’re unsure about your direction. Of course they are only as reliable as the person who recorded them and can’t be trusted 100%. But the screen will show the track and your position in relation to it. Although I record my tracks on Wikiloc I download tracks I want to follow onto maps.me.
The landscape continues to be crops mostly barley today golden beige for field after field. Except there’s a pop of green alongside the path which turns out to be a crop of peas. I admit to picking a few pods – they were delicious
.
Several peaks of the distant mountains to our right appear to have a good covering of snow.
The track suddenly becomes overgrown and we find ourselves picking our way through knee-high weeds and poppies albeit between clearly demarcated wheat fields. I guess that this is a public right of way and the farmer is obliged to keep it clear but isn’t very proactive about it. This could be the reason why we were advised earlier to walk on the road, although I have to say even if my legs are getting a bit whipped by the weeds, I would prefer this to road walking any day
And a bit further on when we pass through the tiny village of Lacuadrada arrows suddenly appear on the route that we were directed away from. Generally speaking the markings have been exceptional on this camino but these contradictions are a bit confusing.
We’re back on the road to the next village Pertusa at 12.7 km. There’s a social club bar by the children’s playground but sadly it wasn’t open for us at 10:30.
Back on the road most of the way to Antillón at around 18 km. as usual Paul arrived first and found the social bar and waved me in, but Marilyn didn’t turn up for a long while. Yesterday she had what we think was a bite on her lower shin. The ladies in the farmacia at Berbegal took a good look and suggested a cream, but this morning it was a bit swollen and painful. Now Marilyn is a real trooper but she was struggling a bit, so when she finally arrived Paul and I persuaded her to give it a rest. I had asked some guys outside the bar if we could get a taxi and one of them told me he could collect us in half an hour and take us to our stage end at Pueyo de Fañanás 10 km further on.
Meanwhile we discussed the situation of the lack of food options and thought it made more sense to go directly to the next stop at the beautiful city of Huesca. When the guy returned he seemed more than happy to take us all the way, and actually dropped us right outside the albergue. His name is Daniel and he is an absolute star. We tried hard to give him some money but he downright refused. I think he was coming here anyway but nevertheless he was exceptionally kind.
There is a long list of telephone numbers on the Albergue door with instructions to call them in the order listed until you get a reply. We were lucky on our second attempt and only had to wait twenty minutes for the hospitalero to arrive. The albergue is very nice with an excellent equipped kitchen. We are the only ones here, but if any one else turned up there were very clear instructions to be followed:
Pilgrim, if you are spending the night in this hostel and another pilgrim arrives, PLEASE, do not give them shelter. Indicate what your steps have been so that he does the same thing that you have done. No pilgrim can stay in this hostel without having been previously received by the Hospitalero. THANK YOU
We mooched around the old quarter of the town. It’s good to be in a place with plenty of shops once in a while and we bought food and a few other bits and pieces and enjoyed a couple of drinks in the sunshine
As we walk out of town we realise how big Monzón is with lots of low rise apartment buildings, all looking very clean and well-maintained.
After exiting the town, we are directed onto the N240 for a while. Very busy and very fast but luckily there’s a narrow track behind the crash barrier.
After a while we are directed off the road through a woodland picnic area and come across a cafe and stop for a morning drink. We then pass under the busy road into the countryside.
The way is still very flat and still with cereal crops, but the track is lined with more vegetation in the form of brambles , thistles and wild flowers.
But we are still plod plod plodding along flat flat tracks which isn’t good for your muscles because there is no variation of use.
We reach the very pretty little village of Selgua at 7.5 km and just sit in the beautiful church square admiring the storks on the church tower. There is a bar here but we don’t feel the need. There’s also a restaurant/hostal which looks very nice. This would maybe be a good place to stay rather than Monzón
We have a mixture of tracks today, nice soft sand, chunky stone gravel, a little bit of tarmac. The greater proportion of crops we see today are alfalfa and corn, with some barley thrown in for good measure. Some of the way we are walking alongside an irrigation channel but not the pristine concrete lined ones that we have known thus far, but much more natural with reeds, grasses and wildflowers lining its path
Shade has been in very short measure on this camino and today isn’t an exception. It’s very difficult to find a place out of the sun for a rest break. We finally find a well placed tamarisk shrub that gives some shelter and stop for a brief munch break at 14 km.
Our stage end has been in sight atop a massive hill since we left the last village . It’s threatening to be a bit of a challenge at the end of the day.
At 17 km, we leave the irrigation channel behind and start the long climb up to Berbegal. And the last bit really is as steep as we had imagined.
We found our way to the bar in front of the huge church and met up with Nela who runs the albergue and an apartment for rent. We ended up in the apartment because the albergue was having some work done to it. It’s very dated but large and comfortable and the charge was €10 each. We have use of a washing machine for €5 which is always a treat on camino.
Nela is an absolute delight.
The view from the terrace is incredible – overlooking the flat land down below for untold kilometres.
We’re told by Nela that the Greenwich Meridian line runs through Berbegal – there’s a thing! See here
Important to phone during the morning to advise arrival. Albergue de Peregrinos, C. del Parque 3, central, 673 680 647, albergueberbegal@gmail.com. €10. Open all year, only 4 beds in one room, equipped kitchen, can reserve, shop open until 14:00
Casa Rural Bergallo, C. Jaime Callén, 13, central, 673 680 647, berbegal.org, no reviews, kitchen, €14 single room, €21 double, €36 apartment
The above info, gleaned from various sources, is a bit confusing as the apartment we are staying in is at the same address as the albergue. Just be sure to ring in the morning.
Another bright and fresh morning, blue sky, fluffy clouds, bright sun and a brisk breeze, which has prompted me to put my fleece on for the first time. Thus far I have used arm warmers and a scarf over my shoulders which can be whipped off whilst walking along rather than having to remove my pack in order take off a jacket.
There are no villages or facilities during this stage and Paul can’t face all day without a hot drink so while he goes off in search of caffeine Marilyn and I set off.
The way out of town is via a small industrial estate and then onto track.
The landscape today is much the same as the last stages. Largely cereal crops, not many orchards, a bit more undulation. But we are also seeing different crops – newly planted corn and alfalfa.
A very wide irrigation channel is much in evidence today. We have to cross it several times which puzzles me – but when I look at my route on the map I can see that it takes a bit of a wiggle through the countryside. Presumably to service as many farmers as possible.
We pass a pomegranate orchard – I’ve not seen one of those before !
For a while the landscape is almost entirely golden which is beautiful, but I do miss the variety of green that we are used to.
We finally spot some animals roaming free – a few sheep and goats – the first in the week that we have been walking.
Although we didn’t pass through any villages today there were a few farmsteads alongside the track and some houses.
There hasn’t really been any shade on this camino and it gets quite hot as the day progresses. The sun is shining on our backs most of the day and the backs of my legs are a bit pink and sore (despite applying 50 factor protection).
Today’s accommodation is at the polideportivo (sports centre). I’ve slept in one before where we used the gymnastic landing mats for a bed. But this is a rather different experience. The town has a huge apartment building, presumably to accommodate visiting sports teams. There is a massive lounging area, an industrial kitchen and countless rooms. We have two rooms between us with a shared bathroom. Marilyn and I are especially grateful for the soft cotton sheets.
It is advisable to call ahead to check there is space for pilgrims and arrive at the sports centre to register before 13:30 or after 16:00.
Acogida en la Residencia de Deportistas
Pabellón Olimpicos, Calle Deportes 6, tel 974 404 894, email deportes@monzon.es. Recommended to email in advance to check availability. Highly reviewed. €10. Excellent facilities but a bit distant from town centre (1km) but there is a bar/restaurant near by.
The day starts bright and sunny with various shades of cloud, but nothing threatening. The forecast is for sun all day. After a quick coffee stop at the café by the petrol station on the way out of town, there is something less than a kilometre of walking on a busy road with no shoulder at all. I’m finding it quite stressful this year having traffic hurtling past so close They don’t seem to slow down for you, but they do pull out if they can when there’s no oncoming traffic. Soon enough though we transfer onto a nice soft track.
It may be a bit premature to share (and let’s hope the words “don’t speak too soon” aren’t relevant here), but my body seems to be coping well. My problems with my pack are sorted now and the bruises that I always get in the first few days on my collarbones and hip bones are subsiding. My knees give an occasional twinge, but nothing too onerous. But annoyingly I’ve developed an elbow strain which can be painful – but at least it doesn’t affect my walking.
The track is between wheat fields to begin with and then the orchards appear again, but now there are peaches, doughnut peaches, nectarines and apricots.
There’s more hair-raising road walking into Alfarrás at 7km. We’ve come across these blue lines painted along the shoulder on this Camino. I’ve never seen them before. Does anyone know their purpose?
At just over 10 km, we pass under the aqueduct which is the dividing line between Cataluña and Aragón.
And soon after we are finally off that awful road and onto a track. We had a long conversation with a farmer tending his nectarine trees. He showed us how many fruits were damaged and dead due to severe cold weather last week. He is planting new almond trees between the existing nectarines and next year he will cut down the nectarines as they are too much work, and he will grow almonds instead, which are a lot less trouble. We also engaged with a few other farmers who were all happy to answer the nosy peregrinas’ questions.
We have seen (and smelt) dozens of pig factories today and I’ve also seen a couple of livestock transporters filled with the poor creatures.
We arrived at Tamorite de Litera after 24 km and found our way to the town hall which is on the main road into town. A very charming Policia Local registered and walked us to the albergue. There are three rooms of bunks and three bathrooms with showers, but no other facilities at all. The building is also used by others – there was a yoga class taking place this evening.
There’s a Spanish pilgrim from Barcelona here who is 84. He’s walking half stages and taxiing to and fro. A lovely chap.
I am now including the accommodation information I have gathered from gronze.com and other sources. I will eventually edit previous posts to include this info.
Albergue de peregrinos , C. Residencia, s/n, 18 places, donative. Call ahead to ensure availability. Accommodation also used occasionally for visiting entertainers. From Monday to Friday, pick up the keys at town Hall (974 420 075). If closed ring Policia Local on 974 421 703. Holidays, weekends and/or emergencies: 672 575 075. No kitchen. Good-ish reviews.
Trepidatious traveller - camino blog 