Long distances between services on the Aragones

[Steve Mark]

We are walking next September from Jaca to Santa Cilia and Sanguesa to Abinzado where according to Gronze there are several extended parts of 10-15km without services and would like to hear stories and advice if this is true and how best to prepare. How did you find these sections? What would be good for us to know? Thank you if you have something to post.

 

[Anniesantiago]

Yes, it is true. There are long stretches without services.
One option would be to take the bus from Jaca to the Monastery and then walk to Santa Cilia from there.
On the Arres to Ruesta section you can book Artieda on booking dot com and Ruesta online.
On the section from Sanguesa you can walk UP along the river to find lodging at Lumbier if you book in time. Otherwise as I recall, there is nothing.
It's a lovely route though. I've done it a couple of times.

 

[J Willhaus]

The longest stretch without services is between Sanguesa and Monreal.
Jaca to Santa Cilia is only about 10 miles. There is a little hotel near the turn off to the monasteries, but otherwise not much available. I don't know of any water fountains.

The Aragones is not the Camino Frances. There is much less infrastructure and it is not crowded. There are few services. Even the Correos bag transport is only through prior arrangement and does not run on weekends. Some albergues don't support bag transport. It is a wonderful walk and has some great albergues, but it is not supported in the way that the CF would be.

 

[trecile]

There are also a couple of stretches on the Camino Francés that are about 17 km without services. You just need to make sure to have enough water, and maybe some snacks. There were longer stages on the Primitivo without services.

 

[Kiwi-family]

How would you prepare for a three or four hour hike at home that wasn't going to pass any services?
I'm guessing the answer might be to take food and water and be prepared for the weather.
Same same in Spain.

 

[Flog]

I see that it's not your first camino.. While there are some stretches without intermediate services, they're only a few hours walking, hardly a wilderness hike, you'll survive! Personally, I have found the stretch between Arres and Ruesta a bit lonely but you can always detour up the hill to Artieda to break up this stage. Take a couple of snacks and water and you'll be just fine, don't over think it.

 

[Steve Mark]

Yes, it is true. There are long stretches without services.
One option would be to take the bus from Jaca to the Monastery and then walk to Santa Cilia from there.
On the Arres to Ruesta section you can book Artieda on booking dot com and Ruesta online.
On the section from Sanguesa you can walk UP along the river to find lodging at Lumbier if you book in time. Otherwise as I recall, there is nothing.
It's a lovely route though. I've done it a couple of times.

Thank you Anniesantiago. We are mainly concerned about food and water.

 

[Anniesantiago]

Thank you Anniesantiago. We are mainly concerned about food and water.

There are places to eat in all of the villages. And I usually just carry one bottle of water.
If you had a bladder that would certainly be enough.
Are you walking in summer?

 

[Vacajoe]

For every stage on the Camino, plan to carry food and water for the day. If you happen to find a working font or open cafe, you have the option to not eat what you carry, but you’ll never suffer from a lack of services.

 

[J Willhaus]

From Somport to Jaca, several villages with food and water. Then Jaca to Santa Cilia only the hotel I mentioned earlier.

Santa Cilia to Arres: there is a town over the bridge and slightly off route at Puente la Reina de Jaca. Last summer there was a gas station, small grocery, a pharmacy, and a bakery, but very limited places to stay as one of the hotel owners had some kind of accident and was closed. Arres has a traditional albergue with communal meal. We worked there 2 weeks last summer and loved it. There is also a Casa Rural in this village with a bar, but no store. No potable water in the next stretch until Artieda. I had a heat injury hiking this stretch 2 years ago in July when we ran out of water. Be careful when it's hot.

Artieda has an albergue, private rooms and a bar/restaurant, but no store (reserve dinner when you check in) Ruesta past that is only a albergue/hotel with restaurant (must reserve ahead for meals).

An albergue at Undes de Lerde. Don't know if there is a store. You can diverge after and go to Javier before you go on to Sanguesa to see the castle there. It is wonderful and there are a couple of nice but not expensive hotels here.

Sanguesa has all services including an albergue. Two things you may wish to detour to see here include the Montessario de Leyre (maybe take a taxi?). We took a cab and spent the night so we could hear the brothers chanting at Mass in the evening. A nice hospederia there. Also, we went last summer to see Sos del Rey Catolico, which is a wonderful walled city to the south on a hill (again, take a cab). We spent the night in the Paradore in Sos del Rey, but there is also an albergue and hotels.

After Sanguesa, there is the Lumbier gorge as a side trip. From Sanguesa or Lumbier, it is a very long stretch to Monreal with little infrastructure. Then on to Puenta la Reina with a stop at Tiebas albergue and also Eunate to see the famous church.

We did not walk past Artieda after I had my heat injury 2 years ago, but explored the area by cab and rental car over the next two summers when we were volunteers. It is a beautiful area and easy to see why it is popular with French and Spanish tourists.

 

[Rick of Rick and Peg]

If you want to go to Lumbier I was told four years ago that there was an early morning bus leaving from a station not far from the Sangüesa albergue that went part way. If you walk you cross a bridge leaving town and take a right. Just a bit on there is a supermercado.

 

[lt56ny]

We are walking next September from Jaca to Santa Cilia and Sanguesa to Abinzado where according to Gronze there are several extended parts of 10-15km without services and would like to hear stories and advice if this is true and how best to prepare. How did you find these sections? What would be good for us to know? Thank you if you have something to post.

One option would be to take the bus from Jaca to the Monastery and then walk to Santa Cilia from there.

Ruesta past that is only a albergue/hotel with restaurant (must reserve ahead for meals).

Before I address what @Steve Mark asked I have a questionn for @J Willhaus.
Ruesta is the albergue in the deserted town that was flooded over to make a reservoir correct? It was a reservoir right? Has their dinner policy changed? I was there 2 years ago in late October. I had some food but not much and I ended up eating dinner and breakfast. I never called ahead and it was no problem. When I paid the young man that checked me in asked if I wanted dinner and breakfast. Dinner was really good. Breakfast, not so much. But no reservation was needed. Has that changed? because if you have no food and you need a reservation you don't eat!
iI will walk the Aragones to start my next camino. I walked it 2 years ago and I loved it. Quiet and pretty and some of the best albergues and donativos of any camino. I had planned on taking the bus up tp the Monastery. (Jaca is a really nice and interesting city. The first day I walked only to Canfranc, so I would have time to walk around Jaca. The albergue in Canfranc is wonderful, 4 stars). Went to the tourist office to find out where the bus left from and where it was. They told me that the next day was a local festival day and the buses were not running. She suggested I split a cab with other pilgrims to go up there. She said because of the festival drivers would be charging at least 50 Euros. Unfortunately, that was not an option as I was the only pilgrim in the albergue. In fact I only saw 2 other pilgrims until the day before I got to Puente La Reina. I will make sure this year I can get up to the Monastery. I have read that people are better off taking the road down to Santa Cilia instead of the trail as it is pretty rough. Not alot of traffic. I do not know how accurate this is but I will probably take the road.
As for planning. I always have some provisions when I walk less traveled routes. It can be sketchy finding a market or a bar serving food sometimes. Do a little planning and ask the advice of the hospitaleros. They are alway chock full of useful information. You will find fantastic people running the albergues and donativos. It is a wonderful little camino.
Make sure you take notes from what @J Willhaus wrote. This couple is a wealth of Argaones information.

 

[Flog]

When I paid the young man that checked me in asked if I wanted dinner and breakfast. Dinner was really good. Breakfast, not so much. But no reservation was needed. Has that changed?

Both times I stayed there, that was the case. You just reserve dinner when you check in, so they know how much stuff to throw in the pot. I'm assuming, I think.. that's what J Willhaus meant?

I have read that people are better off taking the road down to Santa Cilia instead of the trail as it is pretty rough. Not alot of traffic. I do not know how accurate this is but I will probably take the road.

I walked from Jaca up to the monasteries and down to Santa Cilia twice by the path and didn't find the way down too bad, though both times I was glad of the relatively short walk to Arres next day! I really didn't think the descent was any worse than the way down from Alto del Perdon.

I'll fly to Lourdes next month and walk by the Arles/Aragonês, perhaps as far as Logroño, before volunteering up in Güemes on the Norte, and I'll probably do a bit of it in October when I serve in Canfanc again.
I don't know if I'll push myself up to the monasteries this time, and I might stop in different places, but there is definitely something special and atmospheric about this route..

 

[Kiwi-family]

What helpful posts, thank you. I already have this route earmarked as part of a loop in the region - need to add the detours to my map and notes!
How early in the year can you safely walk this route?

 

[Suzanne A]

Hi We walked the Aragones in June '23.
From Somport, walked to CanFranc Pueblo, then to Jaca. From Jaca took a bus to the Junction which goes to Santa Cruz. Its a short walk to the town of Santa Cruz where we spent the night and walked up to San Juan de Peña the day we arrived and back down again.
The next day walked to Arres , next day walked to Artieda and next day to Urdues de Lerna. Next day walked to Sanguësa and took a taxi to Monreal and then walked to Tiebas. Always a good idea to bring extra food and snacks for those days where it turns out to be a holiday or a Thursday or any other day where things are closed. Always have 2 liters of water as well. Not many people on the route- which is appealing to many.

 

[Simperegrina]

From Somport to Jaca, several villages with food and water. Then Jaca to Santa Cilia only the hotel I mentioned earlier.

Santa Cilia to Arres: there is a town over the bridge and slightly off route at Puente la Reina de Jaca. Last summer there was a gas station, small grocery, a pharmacy, and a bakery, but very limited places to stay as one of the hotel owners had some kind of accident and was closed. Arres has a traditional albergue with communal meal. We worked there 2 weeks last summer and loved it. There is also a Casa Rural in this village with a bar, but no store. No potable water in the next stretch until Artieda. I had a heat injury hiking this stretch 2 years ago in July when we ran out of water. Be careful when it's hot.

Artieda has an albergue, private rooms and a bar/restaurant, but no store (reserve dinner when you check in) Ruesta past that is only a albergue/hotel with restaurant (must reserve ahead for meals).

An albergue at Undes de Lerde. Don't know if there is a store. You can diverge after and go to Javier before you go on to Sanguesa to see the castle there. It is wonderful and there are a couple of nice but not expensive hotels here.

Sanguesa has all services including an albergue. Two things you may wish to detour to see here include the Montessario de Leyre (maybe take a taxi?). We took a cab and spent the night so we could hear the brothers chanting at Mass in the evening. A nice hospederia there. Also, we went last summer to see Sos del Rey Catolico, which is a wonderful walled city to the south on a hill (again, take a cab). We spent the night in the Paradore in Sos del Rey, but there is also an albergue and hotels.

After Sanguesa, there is the Lumbier gorge as a side trip. From Sanguesa or Lumbier, it is a very long stretch to Monreal with little infrastructure. Then on to Puenta la Reina with a stop at Tiebas albergue and also Eunate to see the famous church.

We did not walk past Artieda after I had my heat injury 2 years ago, but explored the area by cab and rental car over the next two summers when we were volunteers. It is a beautiful area and easy to see why it is popular with French and Spanish tourists.

This is a fantastically informative post. Thank you - I may walk the Aragonés in the future so this is really helpful.

 

[J Willhaus]

Ruesta is the albergue in the deserted town that was flooded over to make a reservoir correct? It was a reservoir right? Has their dinner policy changed? I was there 2 years ago in late October. I had some food but not much and I ended up eating dinner and breakfast. I never called ahead and it was no problem. When I paid the young man that checked me in asked if I wanted dinner and breakfast. Dinner was really good. Breakfast, not so much.

Yes, you need to tell them when you check in at both Ruesta and Artieda. Otherwise, you may not get to eat. At both places last summer when we were hospitaleros at Arres we got word on the two weekends that we were there that one or both of them both "full" with holiday-makers and that pilgrims would have to walk on to Undues de Lerda. At least they called us so we could alert pilgrims. I'm sure that doesn't happen every weekend, but since they are essentially private albergues in a tourism area it would be good to check ahead. I am not sure how busy they are in October though.

Yes it is a reservoir and yes, Ruesta is the abandoned town with only the albergue/hotel there now.

 

[Anniesantiago]

I don't think it would hurt to email Ruesta and book your bed and meals.

 

[Beeman]

Tha k you J. We are mainly concerned about food and water.

The stretch to ruesta is pretty dry. I drank out of the stock tank on the top of an endless uphill.

 

[Vacajoe]

What helpful posts, thank you. I already have this route earmarked as part of a loop in the region - need to add the detours to my map and notes!
How early in the year can you safely walk this route?

Somport Pass and San Juan de la Peña are regularly subject to snowstorms in early April, but the rest of the route would be walkable. You may get lucky and have a dry March/April and the pass is completely clear. If there is a storm, walking down from Canfranc Estacion or lower is always an alternative.

Most of the albergues do not open until April, too, so that’s pretty much your start.

 

[lt56ny]

Yes, you need to tell them when you check in at both Ruesta and Artieda. Otherwise, you may not get to eat. At both places last summer when we were hospitaleros at Arres we got word on the two weekends that we were there that one or both of them both "full" with holiday-makers and that pilgrims would have to walk on to Undues de Lerda. At least they called us so we could alert pilgrims. I'm sure that doesn't happen every weekend, but since they are essentially private albergues in a tourism area it would be good to check ahead. I am not sure how busy they are in October though.

Yes it is a reservoir and yes, Ruesta is the abandoned town with only the albergue/hotel there now.

Thanks. I think I misunderstood what you wrote. I thought you needed to call ahead to let them know you wanted dinner. Yes, when I checked in I was asked about dinner and breakfast. The dinner was real good like I said. Breakfast was mediocre, but as we say Pilgrims are thankful and even a mediocre breakfast is alot better than no food at all to start my day. I had a really nice night at that albergue. The people were really great. I remember now that an Italian couple that was touring on their motorcycle checked in later in the afternoon. No pilgrims but they were really nice and we had good conversation at dinner.

 

[lt56ny]

Somport Pass and San Juan de la Peña are regularly subject to snowstorms in early April, but the rest of the route would be walkable. You may get lucky and have a dry March/April and the pass is completely clear. If there is a storm, walking down from Canfranc Estacion or lower is always an alternative.

Most of the albergues do not open until April, too, so that’s pretty much your start.

To dovetail what you said. When I walked in late October I learned from the hospitaleros that in many cases they were going to close for the winter at the end of the month.

 

[lt56ny]

Both times I stayed there, that was the case. You just reserve dinner when you check in, so they know how much stuff to throw in the pot. I'm assuming, I think.. that's what J Willhaus meant?


I walked from Jaca up to the monasteries and down to Santa Cilia twice by the path and didn't find the way down too bad, though both times I was glad of the relatively short walk to Arres next day! I really didn't think the descent was any worse than the way down from Alto del Perdon.

I'll fly to Lourdes next month and walk by the Arles/Aragonês, perhaps as far as Logroño, before volunteering up in Güemes on the Norte, and I'll probably do a bit of it in October when I serve in Canfanc again.
I don't know if I'll push myself up to the monasteries this time, and I might stop in different places, but there is definitely something special and atmospheric about this route..

That walk down from Alto del Perdon is long and I zigzag all the way to put less pressure on my leg joints. As I said to @J Willhaus I misunderstood what he wrote and thought you needed to call ahead. They did ask me about dinner when I checked in. Which as I said in other posts was good.
I remember watching a few videos before I left just to see the beauty of the Aragones. I think it was by a woman whose does a little of Camino videos, "Nadine Walks".
She said that the walk up to the Monastery was really hard and tricky and you really needed to take extra precaution as you walked. Did you find this to be true also? No matter as I intend to take the bus, but just wondering.
I will be doing my second Aragones starting sometime in early October. Probably around the 10th. Love that albergue in Canfranc. The hospitaleros werre wonderful and the new albergue is beautiful. Got my credential there also. Maybe you will be the one to greet me when I arrive. That would be nice.

 

[Flog]

I will be doing my second Aragones starting sometime in early October. Probably around the 10th. Love that albergue in Canfranc. The hospitaleros werre wonderful and the new albergue is beautiful. Got my credential there also. Maybe you will be the one to greet me when I arrive. That would be nice.

It was me who greeted you with your credential last time, in October 22, don't you remember?!! I'll be back as hospi in Canfranc again in mid Oct, all going well, but you'll probably have passed through by then.

She said that the walk up to the Monastery was really hard and tricky and you really needed to take extra precaution as you walked. Did you find this to be true also? No matter as I intend to take the bus, but just wondering.

It's tough enough, but the views are fantastic.. first time, was in springtime walking with a friend and we lost our way a couple of times. It was a very warm day and we were exhausted and both agreed, never again... as you do! Second time was in October in cooler weather and I walked it alone and didn't find it too bad, but it was muddy and slippery in places, after Atares, I think. When I walk next month, I think I'll just take the road and maybe stop in Santa Cilia..

 

[lt56ny]

It was me who greeted you with your credential last time, in October 22, don't you remember?!! I'll be back as hospi in Canfranc again in mid Oct, all going well, but you'll probably have passed through by then.


It's tough enough, but the views are fantastic.. first time, was in springtime walking with a friend and we lost our way a couple of times. It was a very warm day and we were exhausted and both agreed, never again... as you do! Second time was in October in cooler weather and I walked it alone and didn't find it too bad, but it was muddy and slippery in places, after Atares, I think. When I walk next month, I think I'll just take the road and maybe stop in Santa Cilia..

Oh yeaaaaaa you are right so sorry. My memory isn't what it used to be. I wont forget this time I promise!!!!

 

[Karl Oz]

I walked it in 2018 and used the by then out-of-date CSJ guide. There were definitely stretches where lack of water was a problem, such as the Jaca-monastery route (although there is a village half-way. There is another section (and I have forgotten which) of about 20km where there was supposed to be a fountain halfway. There was indeed a fountain but it was dry. Make sure you take plenty of water every day as a contingency.