Albergue in El Pontarron

[Beate]

Hi everybody!

Has anyone stayed recently in the albergue in El Pontarron? And is it as bad as the reviews on gronze say? We are planning our route from Castro Urdiales tomorrow, and due to some asphalt related blisters and ditto bad knee, we would rather not walk all the way to Laredo in one day. Thanks

 

[Anemone del Camino]

Another option is to take the short cut (9km less, grey line on the Eroski map) and stay in Hazas/Liendo at albergue Sarurnino. Just follow the road to the left before entering the village of Guriezo.

Also, in town, there is a wonderful restaurant for a menu del dia. Home cooked food by the mother, it's around the corner of the church, ask for it. It's not the white bar by the parc but a large stand alone house in the middle of roads.

Albergue is impecable, I was there on the hospy's day off bit her replacement was stellar. You can wash your clothes in the washing machine for free. And they can show you a beautiful way out of town.

 

[Beate]

Another option is to take the short cut (9km less, grey line on the Eroski map) and stay in Hazas/Liendo at albergue Sarurnino. Just follow the road to the left before entering the village of Guriezo.

Also, in town, there is a wonderful restaurant for a menu del dia. Home cooked food by the mother, it's around the corner of the church, ask for it. It's not the white bar by the parc but a large stand alone house in the middle of roads.

Albergue is impecable, I was there on the hospy's day off bit her replacement was stellar. You can wash your clothes in the washing machine for free. And they can show you a beautiful way out of town.

Thank you I cant find any map in the eroski app, or online. Is it paper map?

 

[Anemone del Camino]

Thank you I cant find any map in the eroski app, or online. Is it paper map?

Take a look here: https://www.gronze.com/etapa/castro-urdiales/laredo

That's the Gronze map (for some reason with Eroski I sometimes see one versionof its pages, with map, others just the elevation, and today I no longer see the map...). Gronze shows the short cut as being the main way for some reason. Basically, on this map, you would follow the full red line at Pontarron rather than to go further inland. This shaves off a good 7km.

 

[Beate]

Thank you, I figured out in the end that was what you meant. In the end we only went as far as Islares, by then we were soaked through everything. But the route was amazing. We took the bus to Laredo together with quite a few other pilgrims, and got a mattress in the beautiful convent here. I think they have crammed around 70 people in here. In Pobena we slept outside on the lawn

 

[oursonpolaire]

I will second Anemone's recommendation of the albergue in Liendo, as well as the restaurant, where I had a very pleasant late lunch in June. The albergue is well-kept and the hospitalera very pleasant-- I had the impression that the villagers were proud of it and the service provided to pilgrims. I have no comment on the albergue at Puentarron, as I simply walked through that pueblo.

 

[wisepilgrim]

I have a pretty open mind when it comes to sleeping on the camino, and I can say that the albergue in Pontarron is on my list of places that should rather be walked past. Many of the municipal albergues on the Norte were in a similar state, particularly a few in Galicia.

 

[AJGuillaume]

Thank you for the advice. We were planning to stay at El Pontarron. Instead, we're now thinking of going to Rioseco and stay at the Fernanda Inn. Any comments about this? I know it is more expensive than an albergue, but at least I'll get a good night's sleep (I am a light sleeper).
Thank you
Cheers
Andrew

 

[omicko]

Hi everybody!

Has anyone stayed recently in the albergue in El Pontarron? And is it as bad as the reviews on gronze say? We are planning our route from Castro Urdiales tomorrow, and due to some asphalt related blisters and ditto bad knee, we would rather not walk all the way to Laredo in one day. Thanks

Hola todos, I stayed in the Albergue in Pontarron a few days ago due to the Albergue in Islares being CLOSED. The Albergue in Pontarron was ok for me but the bunks are packed like sardines.Cheers,Mick..