Which route after Tàrrega?

[Robi]

I'm taking a long overdue sabbatical and will make the long walk to Santiago from Montserrat in the fall of 2022. I'll be traveling by myself. I'm planning out routes, and I'm struggling with a decision after Tàrrega: Do I head northwest towards Huesca, San Juan de la Peña, Santa Cilia, and join the Camino Francés at Puente la Reina; or, do I head west towards Lleida, Zaragoza, and on up to join the Camino Francés at Logroño?

I'm thinking the walk would be less strenuous along the Ebro, I don't know Lleida so it would be fun to visit, and I absolutely love Zaragoza, so I'm very tempted by that route, but I'm wondering how interesting the geography is. I know the route from Huesca through to San Juan de la Pena will push me physically heading into the mountains, the scenery is just spectacular, and I suspect there will be fewer people and services along the way.

I speak both Spanish and Catalan very well, so I'm not concerned at all about language issues.

Do you have opinions or can you share any insights?

Many thanks, muchas gracias, moltes gràcies.

 

[SabsP]

Hi @Robi : take a look at this thread.

https://www.caminodesantiago.me/community/threads/west-from-montserrat.71787/#post-962310

@alansykes has a wealth of information.

Happy preparations!

PS : I see this is your first post. Welcome here !

 

[Robi]

Hi @Robi : take a look at this thread.

https://www.caminodesantiago.me/community/threads/west-from-montserrat.71787/#post-962310

@alansykes has a wealth of information.

Happy preparations!

PS : I see this is your first post. Welcome here !

Fantastic! Thank you, @SabineP

 

[peregrina2000]

Do I head northwest towards Huesca, San Juan de la Peña, Santa Cilia, and join the Camino Francés at Puente la Reina; or, do I head west towards Lleida, Zaragoza, and on up to join the Camino Francés at Logroño?

I have walked from Montserrat via Huesca and San Juan de la Peña. I have also walked the Ebro from the delta to a few days beyond Zaragoza, where I left the Ebro to join the Castellano-Aragonés (one of my very favorite caminos to Burgos, so keep that in mind for a future walk!).

When I walked with a forum member, we took the consensus forum opinion to go via Huesca. Several thought the route via Zaragoza to Logroño was much duller. The Huesca variant is beautiful, longer, and more mountainous. And the Aragonés is wonderful. I also have a thread describing my walk with @LTfit

https://www.caminodesantiago.me/community/threads/camino-catalán-from-montserrat-through-huesca.36443/

Depending on how much time you have, starting in Llançà or Port de la Selva adds a glorious bit of walking!

 

[Rick of Rick and Peg]

Robi, between October 19th and November 10th I walked from Barcelona to Pamplona via San Juan de la Peña, the reason I chose that route. It took me seven days to get to Tárrega. In the spring the route could be beautiful with green fields and flowering orchards but things were a bit drab and dreary for me with the fields already plowed up. After Huesca things got a bit more colorful with some autumn color in the foothills of the Pyrenees. The scenery along the Aragonese was nicer, more green.

I've hiked a lot in New Hampshire's White Mountains so the few days in the Pyrenees was no problem. So if you hike up there you shouldn't have any concern with that stretch.

On the Catalan, after the stretch coinciding with the eastbound Camino Ignatius, I met only one pilgrim for one night and one hiker using an albergue as a base camp. From guest books it looked like the previous walker was three days ahead. On the Aragonese most nights were spent with the previously mentioned pilgrim and one other. I suspect the trip along the Ebro will also have few walkers in autumn too though.

From the base of Monserrat you could walk up (though it is steep) or take a cable car. There is an exceptional art museum up there.

And here is how to get in touch with the Boston chapter of the American Pilgrims on the Camino.

Boston Chapter - American Pilgrims on the Camino

The Boston Chapter of American Pilgrims covers the general area of eastern Massachusetts, but also welcomes pilgrims from greater New England. Formally accepted as a chapter in Spring 2012, the Boston Pilgrims have the distinction as being the first chapter east of the Mississippi.

americanpilgrims.org

They were going to have a hike in the Blue Hills today but postponed it until March 13th due to today's snow.

Enough for now. Welcome aboard.

 

[oursonpolaire]

The stretch between Lleida/Lerida and Zaragoza/Sargossa is horrifically flat and boring, perhaps the least enjoyable of any of my 11 caminos--- take it only if your confessor feels that you will benefit by it. Heading up to Cervera, Balaguer, etc, to Huesca is excellent, expecially in springtime, and the traverse of the sierra to Huesca is not without challenges, but the scenery and the history is magnificent-- it makes Game of Thrones look like Disneyland. The Aragones is tremendous and San Juan de la Pena is perhaps among my top ten travel experiences. I have done it a few times and have enjoyed it every time. If you have the languages, you will have twice as much fun as I did.

I would confirm Laurie's comments on the Castellano-Aragonese, but it is a toughie of a Camino, and you should not expect to see any other pilgrims until Soria.

 

[Robi]

I have walked from Montserrat via Huesca and San Juan de la Peña. I have also walked the Ebro from the delta to a few days beyond Zaragoza, where I left the Ebro to join the Castellano-Aragonés (one of my very favorite caminos to Burgos, so keep that in mind for a future walk!).

When I walked with a forum member, we took the consensus forum opinion to go via Huesca. Several thought the route via Zaragoza to Logroño was much duller. The Huesca variant is beautiful, longer, and more mountainous. And the Aragonés is wonderful. I also have a thread describing my walk with @LTfit

https://www.caminodesantiago.me/community/threads/camino-catalán-from-montserrat-through-huesca.36443/

Depending on how much time you have, starting in Llançà or Port de la Selva adds a glorious bit of walking!

Thank you! The Huesca route will be the one I take. I've got enough time and I love that part of Aragón, which I've explored by car, but walking it will be a whole different kettle of fish—one that I'm really looking forward to.

 

[Robi]

The stretch between Lleida/Lerida and Zaragoza/Sargossa is horrifically flat and boring, perhaps the least enjoyable of any of my 11 caminos--- take it only if your confessor feels that you will benefit by it. Heading up to Cervera, Balaguer, etc, to Huesca is excellent, expecially in springtime, and the traverse of the sierra to Huesca is not without challenges, but the scenery and the history is magnificent-- it makes Game of Thrones look like Disneyland. The Aragones is tremendous and San Juan de la Pena is perhaps among my top ten travel experiences. I have done it a few times and have enjoyed it every time. If you have the languages, you will have twice as much fun as I did.

I would confirm Laurie's comments on the Castellano-Aragonese, but it is a toughie of a Camino, and you should not expect to see any other pilgrims until Soria.

It's funny you mention Game of Thrones. The first time I saw the castle at Loarre, I was driving up from Bolea and seeing the castle rising up in the distance perched up high, I was sure it was the inspiration for the Eyrie!

 

[Robi]

Robi, between October 19th and November 10th I walked from Barcelona to Pamplona via San Juan de la Peña, the reason I chose that route. It took me seven days to get to Tárrega. In the spring the route could be beautiful with green fields and flowering orchards but things were a bit drab and dreary for me with the fields already plowed up. After Huesca things got a bit more colorful with some autumn color in the foothills of the Pyrenees. The scenery along the Aragonese was nicer, more green.

I've hiked a lot in New Hampshire's White Mountains so the few days in the Pyrenees was no problem. So if you hike up there you shouldn't have any concern with that stretch.

On the Catalan, after the stretch coinciding with the eastbound Camino Ignatius, I met only one pilgrim for one night and one hiker using an albergue as a base camp. From guest books it looked like the previous walker was three days ahead. On the Aragonese most nights were spent with the previously mentioned pilgrim and one other. I suspect the trip along the Ebro will also have few walkers in autumn too though.

From the base of Monserrat you could walk up (though it is steep) or take a cable car. There is an exceptional art museum up there.

And here is how to get in touch with the Boston chapter of the American Pilgrims on the Camino.

Boston Chapter - American Pilgrims on the Camino

The Boston Chapter of American Pilgrims covers the general area of eastern Massachusetts, but also welcomes pilgrims from greater New England. Formally accepted as a chapter in Spring 2012, the Boston Pilgrims have the distinction as being the first chapter east of the Mississippi.

americanpilgrims.org

They were going to have a hike in the Blue Hills today but postponed it until March 13th due to today's snow.

Enough for now. Welcome aboard.

I've been up in the White Mountains for the past week! I've got a cabin on the Saco, and the area has some really incredible hikes in the hills. I just got back to Massachusetts tonight... tough drive in the snow.

Thanks so much for the link to the Boston chapter of the Pilgrims. I'll definitely check it out.

Montserrat's a pretty magical place. The cable car is a perfect idea.

Thanks so much for the advice, and maybe I'll bump into you on one of the local hikes.

 

[Rick of Rick and Peg]

If you want a preview of your walk the LZFILM channel on YouTube has a series of videos of the Caminos Catalan and Aragonese each being about 20 minutes long.

https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PL9_6MA13q6k5_lAesUNJwYYG2wXZEbVFF

See this forum thread too.

https://www.caminodesantiago.me/community/threads/virtual-planning-thread-caminos-girona-catal%C3%A1n-and-aragon%C3%A9s-part-2-montserrat-santa-cilia.71223/

 

[LTfit]

Thank you! The Huesca route will be the one I take. I've got enough time and I love that part of Aragón, which I've explored by car, but walking it will be a whole different kettle of fish—one that I'm really looking forward to.

As @peregrina2000 mentioned, we walked via Huesca and San Juan de la Pena. I didn't find it too strenuous except for the climb up to Monserrat which was tough on day 2 and the climb down San Juan de la Pena after our visit which was quite rocky and steep.

After arriving at the intersection with the Aragónes at Santa Cilia (last stage on the Camí Sant Jaume) we immediately hitch-hiked up to Somport and continued down to Canfranc on the same day. We then continued on the Aragónes.

I haven't walked the other way but I lived in Tarrazona for a few months and the times I drove to Zaragoza I found the landscape to be let's just say uninteresting.