Piedmont - Aragones - Ignaciano

[eli]

Starting to think about another Camino. Lourdes and st Ignacio have caught my attention over the past year, and so... Planning at this stage on starting in mid April (2019 - so soon!) in Narbonne, walking the Piedmont route to Lourdes and then Somport, down on the Aragone to Logrona, then turn onto the ignaciano to Montserrat and manresa. I’m giving myself 2 months, hoping to finish mid June. Does anyone have any recent experiences with these routes?
Not sure where to post this topic since it covers a few caminos. Please feel free to relocate.

 

[Vacajoe]

Congrats on choosing such a great path to walk!!! In April/May of 2018, we walked portions of your planned walk: Montserrat to Manressa, then from Jaca through the Aragon valley to the CF. In three weeks we leave to walk from Biarritz to Pamplona, then reverse up the Aragon to Somport and then onto Lourdes. It’s likely we will cross paths at some point!

I can tell you that I highly recommend the parts I walked, though it’s far different than the CF. Please PM me for more info and tips — I’d love to discuss your plans!

 

[jl]

Hi Eli, I, with a couple of friends, walked the Camino Ignaciano in 2016. There was a stretch where we caught the train due to the long gaps between possible accommodation (and the heat!). I did a blog if you are interested.

https://offwanderingagain.blogspot.com/2016/09/another-journey-begins.html

I note that you are from Australia, though not sure which state. I will PM you with my number if you want to chat. I can also be contacted through the contact form on the Australian Friends of the Camino website
https://www.afotc.org/contact/

Your plans sound great. Buen Camino, Janet

 

[eli]

Hi Vacajoe, yes with only 3 weeks to go too, am starting to get excited but also a tad anxious - but that’s mainly because boots still need to be bought, since my current pair won’t cut it!! I only decided on this Camino last week and my route too is still being sorted. I’ll be relying heavily on any advise from this forum and the Netherlands maps.me download. So thanks I’ll message you over the weekend when I have a computer rather then an iPhone to tap at.

 

[eli]

Hi Janet, your comments and blog have me thinking about walking into Pamplona instead and taking public transport up to San Sebastián to walk the full St Ignaciano. That would achieve 2 things. Less time on the CF, and sort out the messy transfer around logrono. Someone had commented that after Sanguesa there is not much until Pamplona. And id love more time in the basque region! I’ll call you over the weekend after I’ve had a chance to read through your blog. Thanks!

 

[Vacajoe]

Maps.me is perfect for these lesser-traveled routes, though after reading Janet’s blog you’re likely to take her route (the stage with the train tunnels looks spectacular!)

You mentioned going from Sanguesa to Pamplona - that’s a four day walk if you take the CA to the CF, but only a two day jaunt if you head through Foz de Lumbier and follow an old railway through the countryside. Also, you COULD leave the CA at San Juan de la Pena and follow the Camino Catalan to Montserrat (a route that parallels the Camino Ignaciano).

In short, you have plenty of opportunities for a great walk!

 

[Vacajoe]

Eli - how did your trip turn out?