Camino Aragones in April

[ChrisPB]

I'm restarting the Camino Aragonés from Santa Cilia in early April. I'm 71 and I would prefer not to walk more than 15km in a day to start. Does anyone know if there is anywhere to stay between Arrés and Artieda, and between Sangüesa and Izco?

 

[Vacajoe]

Walked this route three times (last time in 2021) and am sad to report that there were no places to stay on either of those segments. Additionally, there was no place to stay in Izco, so you have to walk all the way from Sanguesa to Monreal is you follow the main route! Additionally, we found zero places for food and water over this segment; thankfully we carried our own supply. You may have better luck depending upon the time of year that you walk, but April/May found the water taps non-functional.

One alternative is to take the variant through the Foz de Lumbier and stay at a hotel in the village of Lumbier, but that still entails a lengthy walk from there to Monreal the next day.

The Aragon route is lively, but it definitely has some gaps in services.

 

[ChrisPB]

Walked this route three times (last time in 2021) and am sad to report that there were no places to stay on either of those segments. Additionally, there was no place to stay in Izco, so you have to walk all the way from Sanguesa to Monreal is you follow the main route! Additionally, we found zero places for food and water over this segment; thankfully we carried our own supply. You may have better luck depending upon the time of year that you walk, but April/May found the water taps non-functional.

One alternative is to take the variant through the Foz de Lumbier and stay at a hotel in the village of Lumbier, but that still entails a lengthy walk from there to Monreal the next day.

The Aragon route is lively, but it definitely has some gaps in services.

Thanks for this, I had better step up my training !

 

[J Willhaus]

You could arrange to stay somewhere 2 nights and then arrange transport or a taxi midpoint to break up your days into shorter walks?

 

[WanderlustingLawyer]

Additionally, we found zero places for food and water over this segment; thankfully we carried our own supply.

There were a few water fountains but agree re: the food. My RX protein bars (brought from the US) saved me on a number of segments on the Aragónés last summer.

 

[Vacajoe]

There were a few water fountains

That must be the difference between summer when you walked versus Spring and Fall when I’ve walked! We found many water spigots that had no flowing water - maybe they turn them on seasonally?

 

[WanderlustingLawyer]

That must be the difference between summer when you walked versus Spring and Fall when I’ve walked! We found many water spigots that had no flowing water - maybe they turn them on seasonally?

Could be! This one somewhere before Monreal was a godsend.

 

[ChrisPB]

You could arrange to stay somewhere 2 nights and then arrange transport or a taxi midpoint to break up your days into shorter walks?

That's what I intend to do given the length of some stages. I'm also investigating local buses.

 

[ChrisPB]

On the Camino Aragonés now. Today we walked from Lumbier to Monreal. It’s very hot and there is no shade until you get past Salinas de Ibargoiti. The water fountain in Abinzano is working but Izco is shut. The albergue in Monreal is almost full.

On the path when we got to the NA2420 road we couldn’t see any trail markings so we followed the road to the right. That way you pass a memorial to 69 people massacred in 1936.

 

[J Willhaus]

Good to know!

 

[Vacajoe]

On the Camino Aragonés now. Today we walked from Lumbier to Monreal. It’s very hot and there is no shade until you get past Salinas de Ibargoiti. The water fountain in Abinzano is working but Izco is shut. The albergue in Monreal is almost full.

Please continue to provide updates as there are so few current reports from this path.

 

[J Willhaus]

On the Camino Aragonés now. Today we walked from Lumbier to Monreal. It’s very hot and there is no shade until you get past Salinas de Ibargoiti. The water fountain in Abinzano is working but Izco is shut. The albergue in Monreal is almost full.

@ChrisPB are you back on the Aragones? I thought you had already walked it earlier in April?

 

[ChrisPB]

Please continue to provide updates as there are so few current reports from this path.

Will do.

 

[ChrisPB]

@ChrisPB are you back on the Aragones? I thought you had already walked it earlier in April?

I had to stop because my partners feet were in a very bad way. We restarted and will go to Logroño. Unfortunately I have commitments at home so I have to dash back and then come back a few days later to get from Logroño to Burgos.

 

[ChrisPB]

On the Camino Aragonés now. Today we walked from Lumbier to Monreal. It’s very hot and there is no shade until you get past Salinas de Ibargoiti. The water fountain in Abinzano is working but Izco is shut. The albergue in Monreal is almost full.

On the path when we got to the NA2420 road we couldn’t see any trail markings so we followed the road to the right. That way you pass a memorial to 69 people massacred in 1936.

Monreal to Tiebas. Don’t be fooled into thinking it’s downhill: there is a lot of going uphill as you going around the mountain.. The Tiebas albergue is run by Lourdes who is super helpful. It’s clean with 2 floors and 14 beds.