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Length of stages: In a pinch I can do 40+, so I don't think I've got problems with the spacing of stages on either route
So, Laurie, who's the real trooper here?
Kinky has a point, Laurie! I first ran into your posts in this forum when I was researching the Camino Portuguese and I always think of you and Tia Valera as the Queens of shorter stages!
I think it's quite easy to calculate how long the stage was when you know your average speed. Only this year I found out that my average (usually combined flat and up&down parts) is 5kms/hr after years of believing that it is "only" 4kms/hrIt doesn't really matter but sometimes is funny to play a little bit with statistics. Of course you have to subtract resting time from total time to get accurate result. So it's quite possible to get approximate distance even without GPS.
Completely off-topic
I don't ever think it's fun to play with numbers, I am NOT a numbers person, but thanks for the tip.I think I'll be carrying a gps this year, so I'll have all those statistics, won't I, and maybe my friends Susanna and Gunnar will be interested in analyzing them for me.
so, Kinky do you have an opinion on the Lana vs. the Catalan? I know you've had some musings about the Lana.
And don't get the wrong impression about me and my walking pace. I like a nice 25 km day as much as the next guy.
OMG Laurie! Sorry, but I had to chuckle when I read Camino de la Lana. I thought that you were done with solitary Caminos. In Albacete I believe, we ran into 4 Spanish guys from Barcelona that were undertaking the Lana on bike but otherwise...sounds pretty quiet. I know that I am done with walking 2+ weeks alone although I can recommend the Mozárabe to everyone
Sorry, not being of any help to you on this one but will follow your musings.
Can only help with the first few stages of the Lana, having recently done Alicante to Alpera in five days. The heat at the end of October (34+) almost sent me back home, and there were stages with water problems, but not serious ones. The first 32km take you from the sea over a fine hill where a saint lived in a cave, and fortunately even saints need water, so there was a fuente at the top, but goodness it was needed. At Novelda the "albergue" is a posh (free) town flat with kitchen, washing machine etc belonging to lawyer Paco Sera, who is a big expert on the Sureste. At Sax, if when booking into the Hotel Fuente El Cura, you mention that you are a pilgrim, you get a room for €22 (including breakfast) in what feels like and probably is a 3* hotel. Be careful to have plenty of water for the stage from Elda to Caudete. At Elda I got lost looking for the exit, and the tourist office at first denied that they were on a camino (¿aqui? - no). Head across the river towards the hospital and the arrows resume. Despite what mundicamino etc say, Villena has hotels and at least one casa rural. I rather wish I'd stayed there as it looked an interesting place, with a plaza de toros with a new sun hat and other fine buildings. Water from there to Almansa is also scarce. Almansa to Alpera you know.
The pics, if they load, which they usually don't, are before and after views towards and backwards from San Pascual's hill from Alicante into the sunset and then backwards, most of the first day's walk.
Hi domigee, one of the most fun things about being a repeat offender is that you get to read about and dream about all of the many other Caminos that are out there. So does your little list below your picture mean that you just got home from walking to Jerusalem?! From where?
I have walked a bunch of non-traditional caminos and am totally hooked. It is a lot of fun talking with others about it, I feel kind of like I'm an enabler. Have you thought about the Levante from Valencia? Amazing. Buen camino, Laurie
Not having done the Lana route, or the Catalan through Saragossa-- I had taken the variant which heads up through Huesca, and over the Sierra de Loarre to Jaca, I would enthusiastically support the one which I know! The Catalan route is well-marked, and there are albergues or very inexpensive accommodation along the way. I love the small Catalan university and cathedral towns (Cervera, Tarrega) and the people were very warm. Mind you, if I had done the Lana, I might be saying the same thing.
Terrain: more elevation gain on Cami Catala ??
Getting from end of walk to Ponferrada: The second half of my Camino will be from Ponferrada, to Peñalba again (fingers crossed) and then the Invierno, so I will need to get from either Zaragoza or Burgos to Ponferrada in the shortest time possible.
Thanks, Castilian, and by the way, welcome to the forum! You'll see we are quite the active bunch and rely on each other so much for all things Camino.I don't think you'll reach an altitude over 1000 meters on the Camí Catalá to Zaragoza while you'll make it on la Lana.
I love ups and downs, so I was wondering more about which of the routes gave more opportunity for non-flat days. I did love the Levante, though, and it was mostly flat or rolling, with a few days in the mountains before Avila, so it's just one of the things I'm trying to weigh.
If you loved the Levante, I'm pretty sure you'll love la Lana too (probably even more). Català/St. Jaume has a first part with ups and downs that you would love (except for the parts on asphalt; specially those next to the N-II road) but from, more or less, Tárrega onwards is mostly plain and the area between Lleida and Zaragoza is well-know to be frequently windy what will surely make it less attractive for you than just a plain. La Lana doesn't have two so clearly differenciated parts but it isn't free of plain stages. Personally, I would go for la Lana but you are not me... To make the Català/St. Jaume but just till Lleida (where you could take the overnight train to Ponferrada) could be an option to consider for you...
Do you happen to know anything about guides? The Generalitat has a nice online guide to the St.Jaume, but for the Ebro it looks like I'll have to piece things together from a variety of different online sites.
If I hold off for a year or so for the Lana, there will be a guide, which will hopefully bring more pilgrims.QUOTE]
So, Laurie, do we see each other on that trail next year???
I have contacted editorial Buen Camino, and they only have a guide to the Sureste from Alicante, not the Lana. And they told me that they are unaware of any guidebook
Umphstrgfv......, don't know what happened with my post to be enclosed into Laurie's post...
Well, here it is:
"So, Laurie, do we see each other on that trail next year???"
Just for the record and just in case it could be someway useful for someone, there's an old guide to La Lana (from Monteagudo de las Salinas to Burgos) that you can find/get here (once again I don't have any idea about its quality or lack of it):
www.aache.com/alfonsopolis/ruta_lana.htm[/QUOTE]
Thanks so much, Castilian, but the guide is out of print, as far as I can tell. http://www.libreriadesnivel.com/libros/la-ruta-de-la-lana/9788493070601/
It was written in 1999. I will let people know when I hear about the printing of the new guide, though, or even any more details.
I guess it would have to be 2016, because if I'll have a chance (money, argh...) I'd go Levante 2015 and I already have walking companion for approx.3 weeks from Valencia...Lana 2016? I think that sounds like a great idea. Buen camino, Laurie
gps tracks seem to be much better for the St. Jaume/Catala
Thanks, guys.
I have contacted editorial Buen Camino, and they only have a guide to the Sureste from Alicante, not the Lana. And they told me that they are unaware of any guidebook. So, it I go with this one, looks like I'll have to piece something together from the extensive notes and walking directions on a couple of websites, mainly the associations in Albacete and Cuenca.
Oursonpolaire, the reason I would go to Zaragoza rather than Huesca is because I definitely want to walk from Montserrat to Puente la Reina via San Juan de la Pena and the Camino Aragones (I just don't have time this year), so heading more southwesterly to Zaragoza seemed like a good alternative. Though I suppose I cou always start my San Juan camino from Huesca so as not to be covering old ground. Did you walk from Montserrat to Huesca? Maybe that would be a nicer walk than Montserrat to Zaragoza?
Buen camino and gracias, Laurie
I have read since that there is an albergue in Ena, but I am still not clear if there be anywhere to eat there
When do you go KinkyOne? I'm almost booked for March.I guess it would have to be 2016, because if I'll have a chance (money, argh...) I'd go Levante 2015 and I already have walking companion for approx.3 weeks from Valencia...
... the walk up to San Juan de la Pena is fantastic.
Sue
Hi, Sue!It is true there is nowhere to eat in Ena but the albergue has a kitchen, and the walk up to San Juan de la Pena is fantastic. I walked Ena to Santa Cilla de Jaca but I wouldn't do that again out of season, there was nowhere to eat in Santa Cilla, I would have been better walking to Jaca, but then I wouldn't have seen Santa Cruz de los Seros, nothing is ever ideal is it? Just more reasons for doing different caminos
When do you go KinkyOne? I'm almost booked for March.
Sue
AFAIK, no place to eat in Ena and there isn't either a food store. In La Peña Estación there's a bar where it could be possible to eat something (but verify it) and there's also a bakery where you could purchase something for next day's breakfast. Verify beforehand the closing dates of both the bar and the bakery though. Just in case it could be useful, the bakery has a blog:
http://www.nuestrapanaderia.blogspot.com
and can be found on Facebook too. It seems there's also a casa rural in La Peña Estación. Details can be found here:
http://www.redaragon.com/turismo/alojamientos/default.asp?accion=pagina&Alojamiento_ID=2676
Hi LaurieDo you think a reasonable time frame for Port de la Selva to Puente la Reina is 29 days?
Hi Laurie
I'm sure you could do Port de la Selva to Puente de la Reina in 29 days, or less. I did it in 30, I know I bussed Vic to Manresa so you would need another day there but, with hind sight I would have done Tamarite to Huesca differently. I would have stopped in Selgua and not in Monzon and then rejigged the following days. I would do Huesca to Sarsamacuello 35k, and not split it into a 15 and a 20, I did that because of the weather. I walked down to Santa Cilla and then walked back to Jaca the next day, this was partially because I needed an ATM and I hadn't realised I wouldn't find one in Santa Cilla, but also because I wanted to visit the Cathedral in Jaca, also I had intended walking from Sanguesa to Tiebas but gave up at Izco but I really didn't like the albergue there and should have done as I planned. So I reckon 27 is easily possible, even for me and I think you are a much stronger walker than I amGo on, go for it Laurie, it is a beautiful walk, the walk of the 3 monasteries.
Buen camino! Sue
I agree that Catalunya is more expensive than other parts of Spain, for me that was made worse by the fact that even the albergues did not have kitchens and I usually cook for myself. A 'menu del dia' was usually about €10, a cup of coffee about €1.30 I think, accommodation €15 to €20 usually. I have a list somewhere I will try and find it and post it but yes Laurie, I will certainly look at your planned stages.So, Sue (and anyone else who has walked the first part from Port de la Selva), for some reason I'm getting the feeling that this initial part doesn't have much in the way of that elusive "Camino feeling." Do you think I'm right about that? Do you have a sense on how expensive that stretch was for you? No albergues + being in Catalunya = muy caro, I will bet.
If I try to map out some stages from Port de la Selva, using your blog and the Catalunya tourism board online guide, would you take a look? Thanks, buen camino, Laurie
I overlooked this question. I don't have the guide yet, I have cobbled up a guide from Mundicamino and the Veirigrino web sites. I am waiting till the Christmas postal rush is over to order the new guide. I'll be in the Pilgrim's Office again in January but when I come home I will get really organised.You´ve committed to the Levante for 2015? Do you have the guide or are you going to go without?
I agree that Catalunya is more expensive than other parts of Spain, for me that was made worse by the fact that even the albergues did not have kitchens and I usually cook for myself. A 'menu del dia' was usually about €10, a cup of coffee about €1.30 I think, accommodation €15 to €20 usually. I have a list somewhere I will try and find it and post it but yes Laurie, I will certainly look at your planned stages.
I overlooked this question. I don't have the guide yet, I have cobbled up a guide from Mundicamino and the Veirigrino web sites. I am waiting till the Christmas postal rush is over to order the new guide. I'll be in the Pilgrim's Office again in January but when I come home I will get really organised.
I'm sorry I'm causing confusion, I guess I decide which camino by some kind of osmosis of info or gut feeling
Good luck making the right decision.
Sue
I've been trying to upload my list but it won't work so here's a rough list:Thanks so much, Sulu, I'm going over your blog and I think you've got 10 days
Port de la Selva-Vilabertan -- hotel
Bascara -- Pension
Girona -- Youth hostel
Amer -- pension
St. Esteve --albergue (peregrinos or juvenil?)
Cantonigos or L'Esquirol -- hotel
Vic -- albergue (university)
L'Estany or Calders -- bussed through, but supposedly there's a pilgrim accommodataion in L'Estany monastery
Manresa -- Youth hostel, used by students and teachers €18.60
Montserrat -free
Igualada - pilgrim albergue €15
Col de Panadella - hotel, pilgrim prices €21
Cervera - convent €10
Tarrega - albergue €10
Linyola - refugio, free but rough.
Algerri - pilgrim albergue €5
Tamarite - pilgrim albergue -don
Monzon - hotel
Berbegal - albergue, don
Pueo de Fananas - don
Huesca €10
Bolea - don
Sarsamacuello - don
Ena - don
From Algerri they are all proper pilgrim places.
The part that didn't seem to be really a camino was from Girona to St Esteve, this was a 'green path' on an old railway track, the rest was camino but the infrastructure is better after Montserrat.
So, Laurie and LTFit, I hope this is some help.
Buen camino
Sue
Montserrat -- albergue
That might mean that as many of 6 of the 11 nights (including a night in Port de la Selva) would be in some kind of albergue. Susanna and I passed a number of albergues juveniles on the Olvidado, but they were either closed or not taking pilgrims because of youth groups. I assume that in March you had no youth groups, but do you have a sense for how hard it might be for me/us to stay in albergues during summer (well, low summer, because the start is early June).
Thanks much, I'm hoping for that gut feeling to kick in but right now I think I'm fine with either Lana/Invierno or Catalan, I've made my peace with the fact that if I walk the Catalan I probably won't get to Santiago this year.
Working towards an answer.... buen camino, Laurie
These albergues are youth hostels with a certain number of beds reserved for pilgrims.
They seemed to have one room reserved for pilgrims, the number of beds varied. I think all were reservable, Vic and Manresa included breakfast in the price, in Vic they give a packed breakfast if you want to leave early, it was so big it did for lunch as well.That's good to know, because that's not what we found on the Olvidado. I guess a call ahead wouldn't hurt in summer.
Hi Laurie
I would have stopped in Selgua and not in Monzon and then rejigged the following days. I would do Huesca to Sarsamacuello 35k, and not split it into a 15 and a 20, I did that because of the weather.
There is. I didn't know about it either. It is a Casa Rural I think but it is also the local bar and restaurant and well used by locals. I only had a coffee there but it seemed really nice and the bar prices were normal. I didn't ask about accommodation prices but I would have paid an extra few euros to stay there rather than Monzon.So, Sulu, I've started looking at these stages, and would like to walk beyond Monzon. But is there lodging in Selgua? I don't see anything on the Eroski site, but I know they only list albergues. Thanks, Laurie
Oh, I used to have the username "alipilgrim", don't know how or why it changed. I walked the Madrid within a few days of you a couple of years ago...
Laurie, there's supposed to be a Hostal Casa Fornies, c/Medio 2, in Selgua I don't think this is the one I saw but the telephone is +34 974 417168 and email; portalarmentera@terra.esSo, Sulu, I've started looking at these stages, and would like to walk beyond Monzon. But is there lodging in Selgua? I don't see anything on the Eroski site, but I know they only list albergues. Thanks, Laurie
Laurie, there's supposed to be a Hostal Casa Fornies, c/Medio 2, in Selgua I don't think this is the one I saw but the telephone is +34 974 417168 and email; portalarmentera@terra.es
Good luck with whatever you plan,
Sue
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