How to get to the beginning? Where does it begin?

[peregrina2000]

I'm wondering about the best way to get to the start of the Ruta del Ebro and wondering where people suggest that one start -- some sources say Tortosa, some say Sant Carles d'Rapita, some say Sant Jaume d'Enveja, and some say you should go to a dune where the Ebro ends in the Mediterranean. The last alternative sounds like the most delightful option to me, but are there ways to get there?

 

[KinkyOne]

I'm wondering about the best way to get to the start of the Ruta del Ebro and wondering where people suggest that one start -- some sources say Tortosa, some say Sant Carles d'Rapita, some say Sant Jaume d'Enveja, and some say you should go to a dune where the Ebro ends in the Mediterranean. The last alternative sounds like the most delightful option to me, but are there ways to get there?

If I would start the Ruta del Ebro (actually the question is when ) that would be at the estuary for sure. If you look at Peter Robins GPS track: http://maps.peterrobins.co.uk/google/ebro.html that shouldn't be too complicated. There's a village/urbanizacion Riumar with at least one restaurant and camping place.
The closest village is Deltebre and I can find multiple trains daily from Tarragona.

EDIT: Maybe it would be even easier to fly to Barcelona Reus than to El Prat?

 

[Castilian]

Deltebre could be a good starting point. www.hife.es has buses to Deltebre (e.g.: from Tortosa). If you prefer to start on the Muntell de les Verges (the dune you quoted) a good option might be to follow the route showed at: http://parcsnaturals.gencat.cat/ca/delta-ebre (on the right menu, choose itineraries and later Itinerery 2)


www.parcdeltaventur.com/Piragua-en-el-Delta-del-Ebro/La-isla-de-Buda.html offers a piragua tour that includes the Illa de Sant Antoni at the very end of the Ebro (you can't always start a camino making canoeing instead of walking). I don't know if there are other enterprises offering some sort of access to the Illa de Sant Antoni but access to the Illa de Sant Antoni is restricted. You might try to get with the Visitor's center of the Natural Park of the Delta de L'Ebre (www.ebre.com/centre-de-recepcio-i-documentacio) for info about access to the Illa de Sant Antoni.

P.S.: On July and August, there's seasonal bus service from Deltebre to Riumar.

 

[Stephen Nicholls]

Anywhere close should be acceptable, Laurie. I started in Vinaros, then San Carles de la Rapita. The concept is that pilgrims of old would maybe cross the Mediterranean, and land on the Delta, then head northwards along the Ebro course, and join the French Camino in Logrono. That's what I did!


Whichever you choose .... have a wonderful time
S
x

 

[SabsP]

I really want to repeat and finish de Del Ebro in the future. Pity enough the flooding and bad weather in April 2013 made me stop after only two days....

 

[peregrina2000]

Does this route look like the most sensible way to start, or would you go from Deltebre up to Amposta and skip Sant Carles de la Rápita?

http://my.viewranger.com/route/details/NDg3OTA=

p.s. I read somewhere there is a pilgrim monument out on the ocean near Riumar, but maybe I dreamed that I read it because I can't now find it. Anyone have any idea?

 

[peregrina2000]

And by the way, this looks like a good Ruta del Ebro source: http://xacobeoebremontsia.com/

 

[Castilian]

p.s. I read somewhere there is a pilgrim monument out on the ocean near Riumar, but maybe I dreamed that I read it because I can't now find it. Anyone have any idea?

There's a lighthouse out on the ocean near Riumar (the faro de Buda: http://ireneu.blogspot.com/2014/03/el-faro-de-buda-o-la-cronica-de-la.html ). Maybe you read pilgrims used it as a reference for a landing point?

 

[peregrina2000]

Well, Alan's posts have pretty well sold me on this camino, even though I keep telling myself -- no more solitary caminos! So I'm looking at options for getting to the starting point. Would love to get some of your expert eyes on this question.

I would like to start on the water -- Riumar, at the mouth of the Ebro is most appealing, but most complicated. The other water option is Sant Carles de la Rapita, where Stephen started.

Option 1. Train from BCN to Ampolla (how wonderful to get off a train in a town named Blister on my way to the Camino!), taxi to Riumar (about 25 km I think), but the problem is finding a place to sleep in Riumar. Bungalows available for around 70 euros. Walk the next day, to Amposta. Easiest and most direct, but expensive. Wondering if there are other options in Riumar.

Option 2. Train to Ampolla, taxi from Ampolla to Deltebre. Spend night in Deltebre, next morning taxi to Riumar and start to walk.

Option 3. Train to Ampolla, then a taxi to Riumar and right then walk the 12 kms to Deltebre, where I would sleep. That might be a pretty long first day starting with an 8:30 am arrival in BCN from overnight flight from New York. But it has a certain appeal, no backtracking.

Option 4. Bus from BCN straight to Sant Carles de Rapita. On the water, but not at the mouth of the Ebro. Clearly the easiest.

And maybe there are options I haven't thought of. Thanks, transportation gurus, Laurie

 

[Stephen Nicholls]

Personally I'd opt for Option 4.
I suppose it depends if you're a purist: but who's to say pilgrims of old didn't boat direct to San Carles?!? "It was founded by Charles III of Spain as a port to serve trade with the Spanish colonies" so who's to say many pilgrims didn't land there in the 18th century?
Whichever you choose, enjoy this VERY remote camino.
[Links to photos and diary on my web]
Buen camino tranquilo, Laurie!

 

[Castilian]

Wondering if there are other options in Riumar.

There's an hostal (www.pacabhr.net) but it isn't cheap either...
If you had a tent, the camping (www.campinglaube.com) might be an option but that's not your case and their bungalows aren't cheap.

Option 2. Train to Ampolla, taxi from Ampolla to Deltebre. Spend night in Deltebre, next morning taxi to Riumar and start to walk

In that case, it might be better to take the train to L'Aldea-Amposta-Tortosa from where Hife (www.hife.es) has buses to Deltebre. As I said previously, there's seasonal bus service from Deltebre to Riumar but it doesn't run on your travel date so you'll have to either take a taxi or walk it.

But it has a certain appeal, no backtracking.

The only Access by road to Riumar is from Deltebre so there's always some backtracking because you have to go back to Deltebre when walking. However, I understand you might feel it isn't backtracking because you don't stop in Deltebre on your way to Riumar and you come back walking when the first time you passed by car...

Another option you might consider would be to arrive to Deltebre on day one and spend the night in Deltebre. On day two, walk from Deltebre to the starting point and back to Deltebre (take a look at the first link I provinded on my first reply on this thread for info about the route -I didn't put the link properly but I have fixed it so it should work properly now-). And on day 3 continue from Deltebre onwards. If you don't want to spend two nights in Deltebre, you could spend your second night in Sant Jaume d'Enveja and contine from there on day 3.

 

[peregrina2000]

I called the Hostal Paca, and a single room would be 40€ including breakfast next May. So that's much better than the 70€ bungalows! Thanks, Castilian. The woman I spoke with, though, told me that Ampolla, and not Amposta, was the best place to get off the train. It looks like Ampolla is about 25 km from Riumar, while Amposta is only 15, and if I'm going to taxi either way, not sure why she was so insistent about Ampolla. So it looks like I will be able to get to Riumar on the first day, which would be wonderful. Buen camino, Laurie

 

[Castilian]

The woman I spoke with, though, told me that Ampolla, and not Amposta, was the best place to get off the train. It looks like Ampolla is about 25 km from Riumar, while Amposta is only 15, and if I'm going to taxi either way, not sure why she was so insistent about Ampolla.

Some data:

Amposta is a bit more far away from Riumar the L'Ampolla. However, there's no train station in Amposta itself. The train station serving Amposta is at L'Aldea and L'Aldea is something like a kilometer (or a km and a half) closer to Riumar than L'Ampolla.

There's taxi service available in both L'Ampolla and L'Aldea.

There are more trains from Barcelona to L'Aldea than from Barcelona to L'Ampolla.

The Regional Express fare from Barcelona to L'Ampolla is the same than from Barcelona to L'Aldea.

Comming from Barcelona, L'Aldea is more far away (7-8 minutes by train) than L'Ampolla.

 

[peregrina2000]

Castilian, you are amazing, thank you so much. So, I think I have my first day worked out. I will arrive in BCN around 8 am, get into Sants and hop on a train to whichever destination the first train will be going to. I love having a train ride soon after my arrival in Spain, since that means I can sleep on the train and then be ready to explore the delta a little when I arrive in Riumar! I'm excited, anyone else want to do this Camino?

 

[alansykes]

Don't want to complicate matters, but I stayed in Sant Jaume because of the Santiago connection, then took a taxi to San Carles because I liked the idea of starting my camino by swimming out of the sea, which would also be perfectly possible at Riumar. San Carles looked a very nice place with lots of fish restaurants, and would probably be a good place to stay the night. San Carles to Tortosa is an easy, flat and dull day up the canal, broken by Amposta, a friendly, pleasant town with plenty of places for lunch, snacks or whatever. There's no real reason I can think of not to start in Tortosa. At some point I plan to post my stages and beds here.

 

[peregrina2000]

Don't want to complicate matters, but I stayed in Sant Jaume because of the Santiago connection, then took a taxi to San Carles because I liked the idea of starting my camino by swimming out of the sea, which would also be perfectly possible at Riumar. San Carles looked a very nice place with lots of fish restaurants, and would probably be a good place to stay the night. San Carles to Tortosa is an easy, flat and dull day up the canal, broken by Amposta, a friendly, pleasant town with plenty of places for lunch, snacks or whatever. There's no real reason I can think of not to start in Tortosa. At some point I plan to post my stages and beds here.

Hi, Alan, I know you are on the camino now, so I am not at all expecting that you will pay any attention to my planning at this point. But I do have a question for you -- where are you now? Moving on from Burgos? I am so very much enjoying your posts, and it's because of you and Stephen that I am now pretty firmly in the Ebro/Castellano/Lana planning mode. Bun camino, Laurie

and p.s, as I look at your tracks for the route, "flat" seems to be an understatement. I think I'm up to Quinto and the only elevation gain I've seen is before Gandesa. Looks like we can call this the Pancake Camino.

 

[Castilian]

hop on a train to whichever destination the first train will be going to.

Regional Express trains stop both at L'Ampolla and at L'Aldea. Talgo trains just at L'Aldea but be aware Talgo trains are more expensive (much more expensive if you don't get a discounted fare) so, depending on your budget, if you are offered a Talgo, it might be a good idea to ask when departs the next Regional Express train with available seats, compare fares on the spot and decide which train is best for you.

 

[peregrina2000]

Well, I think I've got the beginning figured out. Train from Barcelona to L'Ampolla or L'Aldea, taxi to Ríumar, night in Hostal Paca. Some of the google street views of the area look very nice, and I should have most of an afternoon to walk around on the trails and dunes. Next day, I will walk to Sant Carles de la Rápita, so I will get to see both places! From there I hope to follow in Alan's footsteps, though I'm not sure about a 49 km day to a bus stop. Luckily, I have lots of time to figure this out, since I'm not leaving till mid May. But I think that when I get to Burgos, after 25 or so days of solitude, I'll be ready for people, so maybe I'll hop ahead to León and combine this with the Salvador-Primitivo. That would also be a nice change -- from flat to up and down. Thanks for the help. Laurie

 

[peregrina2000]

Anywhere close should be acceptable, Laurie. I started in Vinaros, then San Carles de la Rapita. The concept is that pilgrims of old would maybe cross the Mediterranean, and land on the Delta, then head northwards along the Ebro course, and join the French Camino in Logrono. That's what I did!
View attachment 22195

Whichever you choose .... have a wonderful time
S
x

Stephen, where did you stay in Sant Carles? I'm happy to be able to add a couple of days and walk to both, si Dios quiere. Thanks, Laurie

 

[Stephen Nicholls]

Stephen, where did you stay in Sant Carles? I'm happy to be able to add a couple of days and walk to both, si Dios quiere. Thanks, Laurie

Hotel Place Vella - perfectly adequate. 35 Euros en suite. Close to centre and sea front .

 

[Ramblanista]

I really want to repeat and finish de Del Ebro in the future. Pity enough the flooding and bad weather in April 2013 made me stop after only two days....

I, too, would love to go back and give the Ruta del Ebro another go, with the benefit of what I know now but didn't know last summer when I started at Tortosa and threw in the towel in Sastago. It would make a great first leg of a Mediterranean-Atlantic camino but so would the Camino Catalan!

 

[KinkyOne]

Well, I think I've got the beginning figured out. Train from Barcelona to L'Ampolla or L'Aldea, taxi to Ríumar, night in Hostal Paca. Some of the google street views of the area look very nice, and I should have most of an afternoon to walk around on the trails and dunes. Next day, I will walk to Sant Carles de la Rápita, so I will get to see both places! From there I hope to follow in Alan's footsteps, though I'm not sure about a 49 km day to a bus stop. Luckily, I have lots of time to figure this out, since I'm not leaving till mid May. But I think that when I get to Burgos, after 25 or so days of solitude, I'll be ready for people, so maybe I'll hop ahead to León and combine this with the Salvador-Primitivo. That would also be a nice change -- from flat to up and down. Thanks for the help. Laurie

Hola, Laurie,

in another thread I saw your plan is to start on May 19th. IF I'll be able to go walking this year it'll be on May 16/17th from Bayonne (Via de Bayona) and continuing on CF, Salvador, Primitivo to SdC and Fisterra. So maybe we'll be able to meet. Do you already have your dates starting Salvador/Primitivo or arriving to SdC?
Mine are roughly: Burgos - May 31st, Leon - June 9th, Oviedo - June 16/18th (start Primitivo), SdC - July - 3rd/9th (return from Fisterra). Of course I'll have few days more just in case and taking it easy

 

[peregrina2000]

Hola, Laurie,

in another thread I saw your plan is to start on May 19th. IF I'll be able to go walking this year it'll be on May 16/17th from Bayonne (Via de Bayona) and continuing on CF, Salvador, Primitivo to SdC and Fisterra. So maybe we'll be able to meet. Do you already have your dates starting Salvador/Primitivo or arriving to SdC?
Mine are roughly: Burgos - May 31st, Leon - June 9th, Oviedo - June 16/18th (start Primitivo), SdC - July - 3rd/9th (return from Fisterra). Of course I'll have few days more just in case and taking it easy

I'll pm you kinky.

 

[Goodnewt]

I, too, would love to go back and give the Ruta del Ebro another go, with the benefit of what I know now but didn't know last summer when I started at Tortosa and threw in the towel in Sastago. It would make a great first leg of a Mediterranean-Atlantic camino but so would the Camino Catalan!

Hi Sian,
I found your thread on this forum and mention of a blog. Did you walk the Camino del Ebro? I love the Ebro and was there last month but saw that logistics along the route might be tricky. All info and experience would be delightfully received.
Also interested to hear about your PhD.

 

[trecile]

Hi Sian,
I found your thread on this forum and mention of a blog. Did you walk the Camino del Ebro? I love the Ebro and was there last month but saw that logistics along the route might be tricky. All info and experience would be delightfully received.
Also interested to hear about your PhD.

Unfortunately @Ramblanista hasn't been on the forum for over four years.

 

[peregrina2000]

Hi Sian,
I found your thread on this forum and mention of a blog. Did you walk the Camino del Ebro? I love the Ebro and was there last month but saw that logistics along the route might be tricky. All info and experience would be delightfully received.
Also interested to hear about your PhD.

Hi, @Goodnewt, I’m not Sian, but I walked the Ebro from Riumar until a day or two after Zaragoza, where I switched to the Castellano-Aragonés.

I posted a thread detailing stages and accommodations which may be a good starting point for you. Surely lots will have changed, though, since I walked it about 7 years ago.