Lleida to Saragossa
End of February I hiked the 160 km from Lleida to Saragossa. Here is some information to solve the logistics of the hike. I used the guide "El Camí Català de Sant Jaume. Des de Montserrat" by Joan Fiol Boada, and for ease of reference, I have kept the stages and the km used in it, although I did break up the days a bit differently.
The route was well marked with yellow arrows, but it also helped to have the guide to point in the direction to look for them! I guess we all have our challenges on the camino, and one of mine is certainly to let go of my need to read maps all the time!
There are two public bus routes, which can be helpful:
Lleida- Saragossa: Agreda runs a route that stops in all the small villages along the camino until Pina de Ebro. Details here:
https://www.agredasa.es/horarios-lineas-autobuses-zaragoza-agreda-automovil/
Pina de Ebro- Saragossa: Bus 310 runs along the camino. Details here:
http://www.consorciozaragoza.es/content/linea-310-zaragoza-pina-de-ebro-por-fuentes
So onto the hike!!
Stage 5 Lleida to Fraga, 32.8 km. I decided to break this into two short days, as I also had to travel into Lleida. Stayed overnight in Alcarràs, the walk to which is mainly along the Segre river. From Alcarràs to Fraga, there is quite a bit of hiking along major infrastructure, but also through fruit orchards. In Fraga I stayed at Hostal Trébol, very close to the bus station and right on the camino. If you stop by the parish office at the church of San Pedro for your stamp, they will give you a voucher for one free night at this hostel (the municipal pays).
Stage 6 Fraga to Candasnos, 26.4 km. The hike has the only slow climb on the way to Saragossa. Once up, you are on the Els Monegres, a high plateau, which stretches all the way to the Ebro river, some 85 km further along. I did not find any lodging in Candasnos, so took the bus back to the hostel in Fraga.
Stage 7 Candasnos to Bujaraloz, 22.2 km. Flat hike through the agricultural landscapes of the Monegres. There is accommodation in Bujaraloz.
Stage 8 Bujaraloz to Fuentes de Ebro, 48 km. This is the longest stage on the Camino Sant Jaume, and too long for me, and probably many others. There are several ways to break it up: First there is accommodation in Pina de Ebro (Alojamiento Los Valles, recommended), 37.2 km into the stage. It is also possible to take the bus from to Hostal El Ciervo (9.2 km from Bujaraloz) or to Venta de Santa Lucia (19 km from Bujaraloz), or walk to Venta de Santa Lucia and then bus back to Bujaraloz, and continue the next day. I chose to bus to Hostal El Ciervo and walk to Pina de Ebro, which should have given me some 28 km to walk. I did a detour at some point (still following the yellow arrows, but obviously not as per the guide book), so ended up with 31 km to Pina de Ebro. The Monegres is a lonesome place, very few arrows to comfort you, there is simply nothing to put them on, no trees, no walls, no pavement, no traffic signs, nothing. The guide books description “after 3.2 km you pass a ruin on your left, continue straight” is kind of descriptive of the route, which nevertheless has its beauty with the endless widths and high skies, shared only with rabbits and birds. It can be windy (it was!), which is draining to walk against.
Stage 9 Fuentes de Ebro to Saragossa, 30.2 km. Since I had stayed overnight in Pina de Ebro, I only hiked to El Burgo de Ebro, some 24 km. I did not find any accommodation here, so bussed onwards to Saragossa. Coming back the next morning to continue the camino, I saw that there was an albergue for the exclusive use of certified pilgrims, you need to call +34678 443 187 to collect the keys from the parish office. Worth a try! Although spending an evening in Saragossa is not bad either, and it happened to be the carnival!
I met no other pilgrims on the route, even though the Ignatian Way is the same, but in opposite direction. After Pina de Ebro, the camino also more or less coincides with the GR99 Ebro route.
Next stage: Saragossa to Logroño…. to be continued
