Walking the Aragones in February

[MJP]

Hi, I wanted to visit a religious site before setting of on my camino , Lourdes seemed ideal so I decided thats were I was going to start from .... Im going to catch trains to Pau then Oloron st marie were i will start walking. Ive read alot on the forum about the Aragones way ... im expecting a solitary scenic walk. Im also starting on the 9th feb ... out of season as its still a winter month but due to commitments that was the only time i could. Is there any advice anyone would like to offer specific to the Aragones ?

 

[peregrina2000]

Hi, I wanted to visit a religious site before setting of on my camino , Lourdes seemed ideal so I decided thats were I was going to start from .... Im going to catch trains to Pau then Oloron st marie were i will start walking. Ive read alot on the forum about the Aragones way ... im expecting a solitary scenic walk. Im also starting on the 9th feb ... out of season as its still a winter month but due to commitments that was the only time i could. Is there any advice anyone would like to offer specific to the Aragones ?

Hi, MJP, welcome to the forum. I think you are likely to encounter a lot of snow in February. Canfranc, which is in between Somport and Jaca, is a winter ski resort place, so my bet is that many of the trails will be under snow. You'll be able to walk alongside the main road down into Jaca (where you will hopefully find less snow) but that wouldn't be my choice of walking trail. It's a national road, I think, and a pretty busy place to be walking. I've walked this route, but it was in summer and glorious. The trails are off-road and generally beautiful. Not sure I would do it in winter. From Jaca forward, I think there is much less of an issue with snow. Hope you get some first hand experience from winter walkers on the Aragones! Buen camino, Laurie

 

[SYates]

Also a lot of the albergues might be closed. I would recommend calling ahead to make sure there is a bed for you at the end of the day. There are not as many albergues/kilometer as on the Francés and as this route is far less walked some of them might close for winter. Buen Camino! SY

 

[Alan Pearce]

Great advice from Laurie and SY. The albergue in Somport [ the "Aysa"] is really a snow lodge and may be booked out at that time of year. I walked through Somport in early April 2008 and there was a lot of snow still around. Somport is actually higher than the peak between St Jean and Roncesvalles, so walking on the road rather than on the signed trail will most likely be the only option on the climb from Borse to Somport, and from there on to Jaca.

Alan

Be brave. Life is joyous.

 

[LTfit]

The Aragonés would definitely NOT be on my list for a winter Camino for all the reasons already mentioned unless you are an experienced winter hiker or like walking on roads. There will for sure be lots of snow and who knows how the visibility will be.

I've walked a Camino beginning in February but I was way to the south, starting in Sevilla. Maybe an idea to look at a few other options and save that Camino for another season.

Cheers
LT

 

[naplesdon]

I would like to echo the advice you have received above. I walked from Oloron to Logrono in May and June 2015. I stayed in the monastery in Sarrance because the hotel was closed, I walked on to Borce and stayed at the muni, the only other hotel in town is small and looks like it caters to snow lovers. I took a bus from Borce to Canfranc through the tunnel because I was warned there was still snow pack across the pass and it was still very cold, I was outfitted for summer hiking.
Last winter there was so much snow in Somport during February all the roads were closed and traveler and skiers were stranded for a week.
I would ask in Oloron about the conditions in Somport. Taking the bus to Spain is a short trip.
Once you are in Canfranc finding accommodations could be a big issue, you will be competing with skiers, Peptito Grillo was full the night I was there and it only included 2 pilgrims.

 

[Anniesantiago]

We walked that route in April and encountered snow and freezing weather over the pass.
I got sick, because although the albergue was open, they refused to turn on heat, and I was already chilled from walking in the snow and had no way to warm up.
I would not walk it in February, personally.
I'd be more likely to walk from the south in February.
Perhaps from Barcelona and Montserrat...or from Sevilla.

 

[zzotte]

I walked from Lourdes to Santiago in the fall, I don't think I would adventure walking the same route in mid-winter unless off course you are an experience winter hiker imho

Zzotte