Camino de Santiago de Compostela

[Josefine]

Hi everybody, back in Sweden now after walking the Aragonés and then, from Puente la Reina, the Francés to Santiago.
I wwant to encourage everybody to walk the aragonés as it is absolutely lovely. Despite being a "mountaincamino" it is not hard at all, nothing like the Primitivo, the surroundings are amazing, I just felt happy to be there. The albergues are good, especially Arres, donativo, and Ruestas, private, located high up in the mountains surrounded by ruins, should not be missed. You can do the walk in 6 days but there are enough albergues to stop by if you want to make shorter stages and take some more days.
In the beginning of June we were 10-15 pilgrims staying at the same albergues every night, we became like a family The weather was vey hot, +30 something, I not sure, and that was the only problem since you will have long streches without any possibilities to get water or eat. The weather seems to be vey unpredictable, met a Spanish pilgrim who walked last year, starting June 1 and it was snowing when he set out from Somport, I started only with my t-shirt at 7 in the morning.
This is a Camino I would love to walk again!
Josefine

[SabineP]

Thanks Josefine for your post! Can the Aragones be done by someone ( like me ) with vertigo issues? I don't have problems with steep descents, it's just the sight of a ravine that makes me really nervous.

[Josefine]

Sabine, I don't think it would be a problem, you do walk up some hills, consequently you will look down, but I never got the feeling of of a scary ravine or walking close to one. If you're on FB you're welcome to add me and then you can have a look at my photos.
Josefine

[SabineP]

Cheers Josefine for the thumbs up. Will look you up on FB.
A big relief about the ravines ..

[sulu]

Thanks for this encouraging message!

Despite being a "mountaincamino" it is not hard at all

I hope/plan/will attempt this route in October. I hold you to that comment, I will keep it in my mind to give me confidence
Sue

[Josefine]

Sue, I don't think you'll be disappointed and the autumncolours will turn this camino into a picture, like a work by a great artist
Josefine

[sulu]

Sue, I don't think you'll be disappointed and the autumncolours will turn this camino into a picture, like a work by a great artist

As long as it doesn't snow But thanks I will keep being confident and post when I finish.
Sue

[falcon269]

In October, I met only two fellow pilgrims. The weather was very good for walking; some rain, but not terribly hot.

There is a fair amount of traversing steep hillsides, but no cliffs.

I liked the Camino Aragones better than the walk from St. Jean Pied de Port. The entry toward Puente la Reina from the backside of the Eunate church is one of the best views in Spain!

[sulu]

Thanks Falcon, I continue to anticipate a beautiful camino. I'm keen to see Eunate, in fact I'm keen to see everything from wherever I start through to Puente de la Reina.

[jennysa]

Hi everybody, back in Sweden now after walking the Aragonés and then, from Puente la Reina, the Francés to Santiago.
I wwant to encourage everybody to walk the aragonés as it is absolutely lovely. Despite being a "mountaincamino" it is not hard at all, nothing like the Primitivo, the surroundings are amazing, I just felt happy to be there. The albergues are good, especially Arres, donativo, and Ruestas, private, located high up in the mountains surrounded by ruins, should not be missed. You can do the walk in 6 days but there are enough albergues to stop by if you want to make shorter stages and take some more days.
In the beginning of June we were 10-15 pilgrims staying at the same albergues every night, we became like a family The weather was vey hot, +30 something, I not sure, and that was the only problem since you will have long streches without any possibilities to get water or eat. The weather seems to be vey unpredictable, met a Spanish pilgrim who walked last year, starting June 1 and it was snowing when he set out from Somport, I started only with my t-shirt at 7 in the morning.
This is a Camino I would love to walk again!
Josefine

Hi Josefine - I am avidly following anything written about the Camino Aragones as I start it on 18 September, so was delighted to read what you had to say about it. Did you start from Somport or Jaca?

[Josefine]

Hi Jenny, sorry to have kept you waiting for my answer. I started in Somport, slept in the albergue, the Camino starts just a few meter outside of it. The first day is beautiful so I wouldn't miss it, my second night was in Jaca so the first day was a bit hard, 32 km, since you're not yet used to walking. You have to possibility to do Somport-Canfranc if you have enough days and then to Jaca. But as to you question, my advice is to start in Somport.
I think you will love this Camino, I did.
Josefine

[peregrina2000]

I am resolved not to start planning my 2013 camino quite yet, but you guys are making it hard with the raves about the Camino Aragones. It's definitely high on my list, so Jenny, I hope you will regale us with stories. Buen camino, Laurie

[Josefine]

Laurie, when I arrived in Santiago finishing this years camino I decided not to start planning for next year, that was in the beginning of July. Well, now it turns out I spent all Sunday morning reading about the "coastal-coastal" route in Portugal, the one that goes right by the coast.......what can a pilgrim do but plan and dream?

[LTfit]

I must agree with Laurie that the Aragónes sounds VERY tempting but I also want to finish the VdlP from Zamora to Santiago via Orense...humm...only back 1 week and my mind is wondering already:)!

[grey]

Josefine
Thank you for sharing your Camino. I and a friend start out 31 August from Orloron Saint Marie and will walk up to Somport. Do you have any experience with that stretch of the Via Tolosana? I really appreciate the observation that the Aragonese is mountainous but not overwhelmingly rugged!
I expect to make Somport around 3 September. It sounds like a reasonable hike and well worth taking our time to enjoy the beauty. Thanks again. Buen Camino. GreyShepherd

[ranthr]

Grey.
Hope you get a beautiful weather up Valle de Aspe. I walked there in middle of May in heavy rain and had to stick to the road most of the time. Ended up with some short stretches by bus too. The turistoffice said either the road or bus because the paths were so bad in the rain. But at Somport i got a beautiful weather and could enjoy the view of the mountains. The road through Aragon was gorgeous.
Bonne route!
Randi

[Josefine]

Hi Grey,
I considered doing the part from Orloron Saint Marie but decided against it as I was afraid I would have to hurry to reach Santiago in time. In the end I was sorry I didn't because I had 4 days left when I finally reched Santiago. So I can't tell you anything about that part but the rest is lovely, try to stay at the albergues in Ruesta and Arres, you will like them. Take water and something to eat every day, this is not the francés, you'll have many km with no villages and no bars and very few pilgrims.
Wishing you a beautiful Camino, there is peace in those mountains!
Josefine

[jennysa]

I am resolved not to start planning my 2013 camino quite yet, but you guys are making it hard with the raves about the Camino Aragones. It's definitely high on my list, so Jenny, I hope you will regale us with stories. Buen camino, Laurie

Hi Laurie, I will keep you posted as I go along, but Anne is also starting from Jaca on the same date. Less than 2 weeks to go now. Jenny

[fraluchi]

Anne is also starting from Jaca on the same date. Less than 2 weeks to go now. Jenny

Arriving in Jaca Sept. 18 if all goes well Hope to meet along the way
Ultreya

[jennysa]

Hi everybody, back in Sweden now after walking the Aragonés and then, from Puente la Reina, the Francés to Santiago.
I wwant to encourage everybody to walk the aragonés as it is absolutely lovely. Despite being a "mountaincamino" it is not hard at all, nothing like the Primitivo, the surroundings are amazing, I just felt happy to be there. The albergues are good, especially Arres, donativo, and Ruestas, private, located high up in the mountains surrounded by ruins, should not be missed. You can do the walk in 6 days but there are enough albergues to stop by if you want to make shorter stages and take some more days.
In the beginning of June we were 10-15 pilgrims staying at the same albergues every night, we became like a family The weather was vey hot, +30 something, I not sure, and that was the only problem since you will have long streches without any possibilities to get water or eat. The weather seems to be vey unpredictable, met a Spanish pilgrim who walked last year, starting June 1 and it was snowing when he set out from Somport, I started only with my t-shirt at 7 in the morning.
This is a Camino I would love to walk again!
Josefine

Hi Josefine -I have just finished walking it, and found it very hard and very hot. While the scenery is stunning, and I loved Ruesta, Saguesa and Mnreal, I found the recommended stages are far too long, particularly when walking in temperatures reaching over 35 degrees. I walked the 6 days on my own as everyone else was much younger than me and left me for dust. I ran out of water on the Arres-Ruesta stretch and had no food, and towards the end was in a state of semi-dehydration. I would not recommed any woman to walk it on her own, unless she is able to keep up with the younger guys (there were only 6 of us in the albergues after Arres). If anything had happened to me, such as a twisted ankle or dehydration or losing my way, I would have been in serious trouble as there was no one behind me. If there had been anyone else to walk with, it would have been less stressful. Twice I lost my way with no waymarks, and had to retrace my steps. I even landed up at the wrong village towards the end. I am relieved to be back on the Camino Frances and my stay at Eunate at the end was manna to the soul.

[Josefine]

Hi Jenny and Wow! I am glad it all ended well for you. Sorry to hear you didn't enjoy the walk, (or may be just the scenery?), I guess this is a lesson to all of us, to learn that we don't experience things in the same way. As mentioned in my previous post, I also had over 30 C when I walked in June, and also walked on my own during the days carrying a lot of water, always the last one to reach the albergue.
I loved this Camino, I felt perfectly safe walking on my own, but yes, you have to bring water and some food supplies. Or maybe, as suggest in my previous post, make shorter stages, which is prefectly possible.
Again, Jenny, I am glad it all ended well for you. Our different experiences is a lesson to be learnt from.
Josefine

[fraluchi]

...I loved this Camino, I felt perfectly safe walking on my own, but yes, you have to bring water and some food supplies. Or maybe, as suggest in my previous post, make shorter stages, which is perfectly possible....

Both advices are worth repeating. The stretch between Ruesta and Undués de Lerda is particularly nasty for 6.5 km up and up and up (when you see the next bend of the track you'll think that you reached the top - which of course has fooled you!) and you'll need a lot of water (not less than 1 liter, which adds 1 kg to your pack).
In Sanguësa the albergue Municipal is not to write home about. You may want to find other available pilgrims' accommodation. The track after Sanguësa, for a few kilometers depending upon the wind, is a nauseating smell experience, due to a paper factory.
You may want to read some of our Aragonés experiences in September 2012 on http://www.gumbotropical.blogspot.com