Logrono and Rioja Region

[katej39]

6 weeks to go and I’m back to Spain for another walk! A friend and I are starting in Logrono for 2 days, walking a few days to Santo Domingo de la Calzada, and then walking off the Camino route and walking a few days through the Rioja Region - to Ezcaray and San Millan de la Cogolla, then back to Najera, rejoining the Camino route just for another short walk - but basically ending there.
A couple of questions - has anyone done the walk off the Camino route and in/onto the Rioja routes? And what is the walking from Logrono like as far as terrain etc (in comparison to Sarria to Santiago, which is the leg I walked last year)?
The Camino bug is definitely alive and well in my head and heart...
Cheers, Kate

 

[RJM]

https://www.caminodesantiago.me/community/resources/profile-maps-of-all-34-stages-of-the-camino-frances.12/download

 

[katej39]

Thanks for the link - very appreciated

 

[Prentiss Riddle]

Kate, very interesting! Europe is criss-crossed with trails of all sorts, and we pilgrims tend to know about only a few of them.

The walk out of Logroño is very nice, with not much to tax even old knees and lungs like mine until you get to Cirueña, on the way into Santo Domingo de la Calzada. That climb up to Cirueña doesn’t look like much on the profiles but it was a memorable one to me.

However, on your detour to Ezcaray and San Millán de la Cogolla it looks like you’ll be climbing up into the foothills of Mount San Lorenzo. Ezcaray is 430 meters above Santo Domingo. I’m sure it’s beautiful!

 

[Kanga]

Yes, I did some off-camino walking in the Rioja. From Haro to Najera I remember being very pleasant on a well signposted track. I don't think it is possible to generalise too much about terrain - it depends on where you are walking and I'd look at some topographical maps. Have a look here for maps supplied by the Spanish National Geographic Insitute.

 

[katej39]

Yes, I did some off-camino walking in the Rioja. From Haro to Najera I remember being very pleasant on a well signposted track. I don't think it is possible to generalise too much about terrain - it depends on where you are walking and I'd look at some topographical maps. Have a look here for maps supplied by the Spanish National Geographic Insitute.

Thanks so much for this info, I'll check out the maps for sure. I'm thinking this leg is going to be tougher than last year's leg of Sarria to Santiago...

 

[katej39]

Kate, very interesting! Europe is criss-crossed with trails of all sorts, and we pilgrims tend to know about only a few of them.

The walk out of Logroño is very nice, with not much to tax even old knees and lungs like mine until you get to Cirueña, on the way into Santo Domingo de la Calzada. That climb up to Cirueña doesn’t look like much on the profiles but it was a memorable one to me.

However, on your detour to Ezcaray and San Millán de la Cogolla it looks like you’ll be climbing up into the foothills of Mount San Lorenzo. Ezcaray is 430 meters above Santo Domingo. I’m sure it’s beautiful!

Thank you Good to know re the climb up to Ciruena. And the foothills of Mount San Lorenzo sound great, albeit probably a little taxing on the knees and back!!

 

[Healing Pilgrim]

The walk up to Cirueña was indeed memorable.. and rather steep!

 

[katej39]

The walk up to Cirueña was indeed memorable.. and rather steep!

mmmmm... it's starting to sound rather steep too!! It's good to know. And as weird as this question sounds - do you come down again on just as steep decline? I absolutely dread massive down hills due to my lower back and knees!

 

[Trude]

San Milan definitely worth a visit. Yuso and suso one of the highlights of my 2014 Camino

 

[katej39]

Yes - San Milan is very definitely on our list! Thank you.