El Port De La Selva.. Does this have a thread?

[vanjohn]

Hi folks,
I returned recently from Camino where I started in El Port De La Selva and walked Cami Catalan then took up the Cami de San Jaume in Montserrat before heading up to Santa Cilla de Jaca and on to meet the Camino Francaise in Punete La Reina. I had hoped to continue and walk the Inverno to arrive in Santiago before finishing in Finnisterra.

Sadly I had to abandon the way there as other things diverted my attention, I am still so so sorry not to have been able to complete it.

But I have a vast array of photos and a little information that I can share should anybody wish to walk this beautiful quite way where you are still very welcome as thare are so few others walking.
In over three weeks I did not meet another walking Peregrino. I was only number 300 to sign the Register in San Pere de Rodes since 2009 I think.
Where I used the Albergues they were delightfull but very solitary like all of the way.
Where I experienced kindness it was a privelege just to be on the camino. The couple who offered coffee, cakes and Comida along with shelter from the torrential rain. He even offered a lift to the next albergue in Pertusa.
In Pertusa I was presented with a beautiful albergue with even more modern conveniences than the one Ena with its beatuifull fireplace.

The memories are so different from this way.
To this day I am not certain what is the definitive name of this Camino, perhaps somebody might be so kind as to contibute their opinions? The two guide books that I used for information lend to the use of slightly different names for the way.

 

[sillydoll]

It sounds like a beautiful route!
If you visit this website - http://www.gronze.com/camino-de-santiag ... a-jaca.htm
you might find your route on the maps.
One of the guide books for this route is 'La guía del Camino Catalán'
The Camini de SantJaume is a variant - Huesca and San Juan de la Peña

 

[KatyE]

Hi folks,
I returned recently from Camino where I started in El Port De La Selva and walked Cami Catalan then took up the Cami de San Jaume in Montserrat before heading up to Santa Cilla de Jaca and on to meet the Camino Francaise in Punete La Reina. I had hoped to continue and walk the Inverno to arrive in Santiago before finishing in Finnisterra.

Sadly I had to abandon the way there as other things diverted my attention, I am still so so sorry not to have been able to complete it.

But I have a vast array of photos and a little information that I can share should anybody wish to walk this beautiful quite way where you are still very welcome as thare are so few others walking.
In over three weeks I did not meet another walking Peregrino. I was only number 300 to sign the Register in San Pere de Rodes since 2009 I think.
Where I used the Albergues they were delightfull but very solitary like all of the way.
Where I experienced kindness it was a privelege just to be on the camino. The couple who offered coffee, cakes and Comida along with shelter from the torrential rain. He even offered a lift to the next albergue in Pertusa.
In Pertusa I was presented with a beautiful albergue with even more modern conveniences than the one Ena with its beatuifull fireplace.

The memories are so different from this way.
To this day I am not certain what is the definitive name of this Camino, perhaps somebody might be so kind as to contibute their opinions? The two guide books that I used for information lend to the use of slightly different names for the way.

Hi vanjohn! I would love to hear more about your journey. I am planning to walk this route (port de selva to Monserrat) in just a few short weeks with a couple friends, before continuing onto the Camino Frances by myself. I have been apprehensive reading other posts/articles...many have said the route is not very well marked, expensive, and alberques are limited. Do you have any recommendations? It sounds like you had a very enjoyable time, but would you recommend this route to a small group of adventurous/active people? I would love to hear more.

Thanks!

 

[KinkyOne]

Hola @KatyE
OP posted this almost 4 years ago and much might have changed on the route, especially regarding markings and maybe even albergues. Try to follow @peregrina2000 & @LTfit posts because they will be walking from Montserrat together in about a week or so.
Also I remember last year @sulu walked from Port de la Selva (or was it San Pere de Rodes?) and posted her journal on this forum.

Ultreia!

 

[vanjohn]

Hola @KatyE
OP posted this almost 4 years ago and much might have changed on the route, especially regarding markings and maybe even albergues. Try to follow @peregrina2000 & @LTfit posts because they will be walking from Montserrat together in about a week or so.
Also I remember last year @sulu walked from Port de la Selva (or was it San Pere de Rodes?) and posted her journal on this forum.

Ultreia!

Yes it is four years ago and I am sure that each year brings a change let alone four years.
A small group will have the benefit of somebody to chat to when you need somebody. Somebody to share when you need sharing.... I was on my own and very fit at the time but there was times and I had to dig deep, for one month I had nobody to share with as my Spanish is poor at the very best and there was nobody else on the way.
Still it is very memorable. Such as the man in Huesca who invited me to taste a bottle of Somontano wine aged (10 or 15 years) in cherry wood! Then he wanted me to take the rest with me!
Or the couple who gave me coffee and shelter from a very heavy storm in a deserted village near Pertusa. To this day I regret that I lost my diary on the last day as it had many addresses and names in it.
Also I used pensions a little on a single basis so it was difficult to keep the costs down. But I later used albergues that I had all to my self.
Lots of the days were 40km days, often it was alternate days with a short day 25 -30 km for a washing clothes day.

I had difficulty when I was approaching Eunate! I could not comprehend where all the people had come from! I had forgotten about the Camino Francaise .
The way was marked ok I only got lost once. Just keep your eyes open and all will be ok.
Have a great trip!

 

[peregrina2000]

Hola @KatyE
OP posted this almost 4 years ago and much might have changed on the route, especially regarding markings and maybe even albergues. Try to follow @peregrina2000 & @LTfit posts because they will be walking from Montserrat together in about a week or so.
Also I remember last year @sulu walked from Port de la Selva (or was it San Pere de Rodes?) and posted her journal on this forum.

Ultreia!

As Kinky says, I walked from Llanca (a few km from Port de la Selva) to Montserrat, where I met LTfit. We walked together through Huesca and San Juan de la Pena, to Santa Cilia de Jaca where the Camino Catalan merges with the Aragones. From there we "backtracked" to Somport, walked the Aragones to Puente la Reina. Then a train ride to hop ahead to Ponferrada and the Invierno.

I have every intention of posting some detailed notes, opinions, suggestions, etc, but I am having trouble finding a big chunk of time to do it. I think maybe I will copy Kinky's approach, which is to do a day by day report, since it seems much easier to post about a day than about 6 weeks!

But if anyone is heading soon to the Camino Catalan (or to a section of the St. Jaume before Montserrat) I can certainly answer specific questions. Buen camino, Laurie

 

[Thomas1962]

I just finished my camino from home to SdC and am so lucky to have time for another one, now together with my wife and... our dog, starting the day after tomorrow ;-) . After weighting all the pro's and contra's, also because of the weatherforecast (no temperatures above 30° with our dog) we choosed to start in Barcelona, via Pamplona to Puenta de la Reina.
I do have all the gps tracks, together with maps.me on my smartfoon. So I will be able to find our way also without dataconnection. The most important thing for me is to have a list of albergues/hostels, if possible in english. Does anyone has this list or know where to find it? Any other suggestions?

 

[peregrina2000]

Hi, Thomas,

Wow, lucky you!!!

LTfit and I just walked this route. We used the Eroski site for albergues and accommodations. We were in albergues every night between Montserrat and Puente la Reina, amazing as that may seem. I just don't have the time now to put up a detailed "report" but here are our stages.

Jorba (36)
Cervera (35)
Linyola (36)
Algerri (30)
Tamarite (21)
Berbegal (40-42)
Pueyo (30)
Huesca (17)
Sarsamarcuello (40)
Botaya (30)
At this point we walked to Santa Cilia de Jaca, got a ride from a friendly man who took us to Somport, and started the ARagones in Somport. So that day we walked to Santa Cilia (about 14 I think from Botaya) and then Somport to Canfranc Estacion (about 10 more). Then our stages on the ARagones were the standard ones:
Jaca, Arres, Ruesta, Sanguesa, Monreal, Puente la REina.

Happy to answer questions. Also, we found a good way to visit the monastery of San Juan de la Pena, which I will fill you in on if you are planning on doing that. We arrived in the albergue turistico in Botaya in mid afternoon, ate lunch, showerred, etc, and then the hospitalera drove us up to the monastery. We visited it leisurely, walked all over, and then walked back to Botaya. The next morning, we arrived at San Juan very early, it was still closed, so we were glad we didn't have to sit around and wait for it to open before visiting. It's so amazing, well worth a visit.

p.s. If you are planning to walk BArcelona to Montserrat, look at LT's description. It was really rough. I think there are several alternatives. I came into Montserrat from Manresa, and my route was not bad at all. It's a very do-able one day walk from Manresa, but a hard two day walk from Barcelona. Buen camino, Laurie

 

[Thomas1962]

Yes, I do feel like a lucky .... ;-) A long time of longing has been before this period, I'm afraid a long time of longing will follow too...
Thank you again for your information. Good to see that there are albergues now. The monastery is interesting, maybe we use the same option.

 

[peregrina2000]

Yes, I do feel like a lucky .... ;-) A long time of longing has been before this period, I'm afraid a long time of longing will follow too...
Thank you again for your information. Good to see that there are albergues now. The monastery is interesting, maybe we use the same option.

So, Thomas, did you walk the Catalan? Would love to hear how it went for you. Laurie