Reset search
Caminos Aragonés and ViejoCaminos Aragonés and Viejo
Edit route

Caminos Aragonés and Viejo

May - July 2025
Current
A 44-day adventure by Laurie Read more
Currently traveling

List of countries

  • Spain
  • United States
Categories
None
  • 7.9kkilometers traveled
Means of transport
  • Flight-kilometers
  • Walking-kilometers
  • Hiking-kilometers
  • Bicycle-kilometers
  • Motorbike-kilometers
  • Tuk Tuk-kilometers
  • Car-kilometers
  • Train-kilometers
  • Bus-kilometers
  • Camper-kilometers
  • Caravan-kilometers
  • 4x4-kilometers
  • Swimming-kilometers
  • Paddling/Rowing-kilometers
  • Motorboat-kilometers
  • Sailing-kilometers
  • Houseboat-kilometers
  • Ferry-kilometers
  • Cruise ship-kilometers
  • Horse-kilometers
  • Skiing-kilometers
  • Hitchhiking-kilometers
  • Cable car-kilometers
  • Helicopter-kilometers
  • Barefoot-kilometers
  • 27footprints
  • 33days
  • 360photos
  • 717likes
FollowCalendarShareBucket list
Oldest first
  • Laurie ReynoldsCaminos Aragonés and Viejo
    3131221

    Puente la Reina to Pamplona

    June 6 in Spain ⋅ 🌙 20 °C

    This was a walk against the flow or “backwards.” Not terribly long, but the ascent to the Alta de Perdón from this side is much worse.

    The walk was very pleasant, through a few little Basque towns, lots of spots with beautiful wide open views, and one rocky climb up to the famous Pilgrim cut-outs at the Alto de perdón. The Navarran government has put a Civil War memorial up near the top, another sober reminder of how many innocent people were killed.

    Since we were walking in the “wrong direction,” we had a few fun exchanges about who was going the wrong way, and at one point, we met a guy carrying a guitar. Alun asked him if he would play something, and he just sat down and took out his guitar and played us a Joni Mitchell tune.

    At that point, we were very close to the spot where Dana and I had met our first flasher. It was our first Camino, in the year 2000, and coming down from the Alto de Perdón, a guy popped out of the bushes. I remember that we screamed and ran down the rocky path, which gave us terrible blisters only four days out of our starting point. Since then, I’ve had a number of other incidents, but this one remains very clear in my memory.

    We got to Pamplona around 1:30, so I had time to wash my clothes, take a shower, have an agua con gás in the plaza, and buy some yogurt and fruit for the next day or two.

    I learned about a Basque sweet that was made famous by the Dolores Redondo trilogy, in which a bakery plays a prominent part. The Txantxigorri is a pastry made with pork fat. Olga bought one when she met us at a coffee stop, and I have to say it was quite delicious.

    I had really wanted to go back to the Museo de Navarra, and luckily, it was open in the afternoon. Promptly at 5 o’clock, I was there to revisit some of my favorite exhibits. Unfortunately, the museum was undergoing renovations, so my very favorite room was off-limits. I was quite impressed, however, by the Iron Age estela from the 4th century BC. But I didn’t want to spend too long there anyway, because this was goodbye to Alun and Olga.

    We walked around the center, which was unbelievably crowded and filled with people enjoying themselves. After a couple of really good pintxos, they walked me back to the hotel, and we said goodbye.

    I am very sad to see them go, but excited that tomorrow I will start the Camino Viejo.    Read more

  • Laurie ReynoldsCaminos Aragonés and Viejo
    21154

    Monreal to Puente la Reina

    June 6 in Spain ⋅ ☀️ 27 °C

    Yes, I can tell that the years are taking a toll. Today’s walk was about 34 km, but with not more than 300 m elevation. I won’t say I was wiped out, but I was tired.

    This was the first day on this camino that I actually walked with someone almost all the way. Alun and I had not seen each other in two years, so there was a lot of catching up to do. And I’m sure many of my Peregrino friends have had the experience of blab blab blabbing along, and then realizing that you missed a perfectly well marked turn.

    We unintentionally started our walk along the Canal of Navarra. It was flatter than going up and down through the little towns, but much less interesting and sunnier. So we corrected course and headed up for the hills, and the route took us through a few small villages, narrow forest paths, and some wide open fields. The temperature was a little warm, but it was a great walking day.

    Olga met us for cold drinks in Tiebas, and again at Eunate. The last time I had been to Eunate, it had been closed. So I was very happy to get a visit inside.

    Olga and Alun are staying in Puente La Reina, and I am in the town of Obanos, about 3 km closer to Pamplona, which is where we will walk against the flow tomorrow.

    But I couldn’t imagine walking the Aragonés without going to Puente La Reina, so I dropped my pack, took a shower, and washed my clothes in my little casa rural in Obanos. Then I took the 40 minute walk into Puente La Reina, both to see my buddies and also to enjoy the little town, aka Pilgrim Central.

    The number of pilgrims is about half of what it was last month.

    I have walked back to Obanos, adding a few more kms to my total, but tomorrow there will be fewer into Pamplona.    Read more

  • Laurie ReynoldsCaminos Aragonés and Viejo
    1
    221

    Short day to Monreal

    June 5 in Spain ⋅ ☀️ 23 °C

    Today’s walk from Lumbier was only 3 km shorter and had only 200 m less elevation than yesterday‘s, but it was a walk in the park in comparison. I left more than an hour later than yesterday, sat on a bench outside a church for about a half an hour, and I still arrived three hours earlier than I did yesterday.

    About 7 km after starting, I came to a marker “Fosa de Loiti”, the site of a pit where approximately 70 bodies had been thrown during the Spanish Civil War. All were people living in the area who had been rounded up because of their political or labor activities. A sign said: “Loiti, clandestine cemetery .” While I sat in front of a very plain, somber marker, I read online that this is one of approximately 300 similar sites, just in this region of Spain alone —Navarra.

    The walk was mainly off-road with some stretches along the side of untraveled roads. Several small villages along the way, each with its little church. Lots of grain fields, a surprising number of medieval bridges, and occasional flocks of sheep.

    I am in a small town tonight, Monreal. My very dear Camino, buddy Alun and his pareja Olga, have driven up from Madrid, and we just had a very long pizza dinner in the only place in town.

    Alun and I will walk for two days, and Olga (the one with the car) will join us in the evening. She offered to take my backpack, and I thought about it, but ultimately decided to just keep on lugging my own stuff.    Read more

  • Laurie ReynoldsCaminos Aragonés and Viejo
    1711

    Monastery to Lumbier- hard but wow!

    June 4 in Spain ⋅ ☁️ 22 °C

    25 km and 550 m elevation, what could be so hard about that? I left the monastery at 7:15 in the morning and arrived at my hotel around 4:30. I think this is the hardest day I have ever walked. But so worth it.

    Padre Ramón sent me off with a blessing and told me to come back. The first 7 or 8 km were great – wide tracks, great views, gentle ascents. And then it changed. I knew that I was going to be walking up on the cliffs. I knew it was going to be hard. It was harder than I expected, that’s for sure.

    There were so many steep rocky ups and downs that I lost track. I must’ve shortened and lengthened my polls at least 30 times today. There were three or four spots where I had to take off my pack and hoist it up onto a rock above me and then figure out how to get my body up there. Clare, I needed you! Then there was a short stretch with a chain that I had to pull myself up with. After the first step, I just stood there and couldn’t figure out what to do. But then I studied the rocks, readjusted my feet, and up I went. Very slowly, but with continuous movement.

    This route took me on the cliffs where there were raptors aplenty. Two “ojos” (eroded holes in the rocks) were highlights. I had a good rest at one of them, chatting with a bunch of Spaniards who were going in the opposite direction.

    After successfully navigating the chain, I somehow lost the trail. My wikiloc tracks will give you a chuckle. My strategy when this happens is to go back to the point where I knew I was right and try again. Three or four attempts, and I was finally on the right path. The long descent down to the river was hard, but the real challenges were over.

    When I got to the bottom, I was in the town where I plan to spend the night, but I had not yet walked through the Foz (gorge?) that extends for about one and a half kilometers. So I got to see it twice, once in each direction. I have walked through a fair number of gorges on different Caminos, but I can’t think of any that was more spectacular than this one. Lots of raptors flying around, imposing, multicolored cliffs, really awesome.

    When I emerged at the parking lot, I was delighted to see that my hotel was only about 2 km away. I was dragging by the time I got here, but after a good shower and washing my clothes, I felt re-energized. A short trip up to the center of town to get some fruit and nuts, and now I am sitting outside and have just ordered stuffed eggplant, sea bass, and chocolate soufflé with cherry ice cream. I need the calories, don’t I?!    Read more

  • Laurie ReynoldsCaminos Aragonés and Viejo
    11113

    To the Monasterio de Leyre

    Jun 3–8 in Spain ⋅ ☁️ 20 °C

    Great day, except for the livestock blocking the narrow path I was walking on my way to the Paso Del Oso, which I never got to. But oh well.

    I left Javier at around seven in the morning and by 10 I was up at the monastery. It was a very pretty off-road walk, turning a 8 km drive into a 12 km walk. But I was very happy to be off the roads and in the forest. When I arrived at the monastery, I decided I still had plenty of energy and could follow the tracks to the Paso Del Oso, a high point about 4 km straight up from the monastery. It was rocky and steep, but I was feeling fine. Unfortunately, about halfway up, a bunch of livestock appeared in front of me. There were a lot of of them, and I just couldn’t figure out how to get around them. Not only that, if I got around them on the way up, I would have to get around them again on the way down. So I turned around, a bit disappointed, but I had enjoyed great views of the aquamarine reservoir below.

    When I was about a kilometer away from the monastery, there was a short intense rain. Just enough to soak my shoes. When I got back down, at around 1 o’clock, I decided to visit the crypt and the church. I had been there before, but not since 1995. I still had a very clear memory of both places. I especially remember hearing Vespers chanted in the 11th century Romanesque Church, and noticing how the barrel vault arches were uneven and not symmetrical. But as imperfect as they were, I thought they were beautiful — not over the top or gaudily decorated, just simple barrel vaults, hanging high up there in tact after all these centuries. And today they look just as they did all those years ago.

    I had lunch in the cafetería, and then took another shorter walk up to the site of the miraculous fountain of San Virila. He was the abbott of the monastery in the 900s and was having a crisis of faith. One hot summer afternoon, he fell asleep by the fountain. When he woke and went back to the monastery, no one knew who he was. 300 years had passed. A dove appeared with the Abbott’s ring and put it on Virila’s finger. Records of the monastery confirmed that he had been the Abbott in the 900s. Crisis of faith averted, and he was canonized.

    At 4:00, I went to the reception desk of the monastery (Benedictine). Padre Ramón was expecting me, and took me around to a non-cloistered room. Bunkbed, bathroom, showers, table, outlet for charging phone, no more necessary. The padre will leave me dinner and breakfast. All for a donativo.

    Vespers tonight. I remember going with my kids in 1995. They were gobsmacked and my 11 yo son wanted to go back for compline. I don’t think he’s ever asked to go to the church before or since.    Read more

  • Laurie ReynoldsCaminos Aragonés and Viejo
    112121

    Plan B for the day

    June 2 in Spain ⋅ ☁️ 22 °C

    Lots of rain, thunder, and lightning, from late afternoon yesterday in Ruesta and almost nonstop until I arrived in Javier/Xavier after 18 km (and about 400 m) of either walking in mud or in streams of water. But once you are totally wet, you don’t get any wetter.

    I slept really well, and didn’t even hear the French woman who gets up to walk every morning at four. Don’t ask me why. At 6, someone’s alarm went off, and after coffee in the common area, three of us set out together at 7. It was nice having company for the first 11 km, where the Camino split off from the road to the Javier castle. My hotel is right across from the castle, and the people are so nice. Family owned and family run. Even though it was only 1130, I was up in my room in no time.

    Everything was soaked, and I rejoiced in my private room with bath. Albergues on rainy days are quite the challenge. When I went to charge my phone, a notice popped up, saying that the connection was wet. And that it couldn’t be charged. That freaked me out, but within a couple of hours it was fine and has recharged.

    The rain stopped while I went to visit the castle, which is the birthplace of Saint Francis Xavier, founder of the Jesuits. Supposedly born inside the castle. There is now a basilica built into the wall of the castle, and every year there is a pilgrimage (the Javierada) with 5-7,000 people arriving on foot. I didn’t know that St. Francis spent the last 11 years of his life as a missionary in Japan, China, and India. He died and is buried in Goa. While I was visiting the castle, a group of Japanese tourists came through and they explained that this was a very important visit for Japanese Catholics.

    After my castle visit, I pivoted to Plan B. I had hoped to walk a 12 km loop to a spot called Peña del Adiós. But the rain started and stopped several times while I was getting my wikiloc tracks downloaded on my phone. The forecast is for rain all afternoon, though I’m sure it won’t be continuous. The woman in the hotel knows the trail and says it will be pure mud and flooded in many spots. She suggested I walk down to the pueblo, where there is a canal walk with a gravel path that extends for several kilometers out into the forest.

    I had a great goat cheese salad in the hotel restaurant, took a long walk on the canal and around town, and I have just stuffed my shoes with newspaper on the hope that they will be a little drier in the morning. I’m not going to look at the weather forecast, but I will send lots of strong cyber hopes for decent weather.    Read more

  • Laurie ReynoldsCaminos Aragonés and Viejo
    2
    1112121112

    Anarchism is alive and well

    June 1 in Spain ⋅ ☁️ 16 °C

    I woke up this morning to see that one weather app predicted 90% chance of rain in the morning, and the other had a low prediction of rain starting at 8 PM. And in the distance, I heard thunder.

    But the rain held off. It was a pretty flat walk, with no more than 300 m elevation spread over 28 km. Just one stiff up and down to a Hill town in the middle of the stage. It was very humid, but thankfully the sun was behind a lot of cloud cover, because there was very little shade.

    I’m in an albergue in the town of Ruesta. Or better said, the ruins of a town. When the Río Aragón was dammed to make a big reservoir, this was one of the several towns expropriated. But after all the residents had been relocated, the plans apparently changed, because the water does not reach up this far.

    The Camino had to be rerouted when the reservoir was built, and this empty town became the perfect spot for an albergue. The government turned it over to the.CGT, an anarchist workers’ union. They reformed a few of the houses for the albergue and restaurant, but the rest is just falling down. I walked up to the 11th century tower, where the Moors were beaten back.There’s a nice view of the reservoir from that spot, and a good vantage point to see all the ruins of what used to be a lively village.

    The albergue is the only game in town, so here I am. I’m in a room with one French woman, two Spanish men, and a French man. Two of the three men tell me they snore a lot. I guess I will try the earplugs, but I am resigned to a long night of little sleep.

    The food is surprisingly good in the restaurant, and I have had a big three course meal.

    There are three other rooms filled with pilgrims, but I am the only English speaker. Lots of French and Spanish, and one Argentine guy who works in Spain.    Read more

  • Laurie ReynoldsCaminos Aragonés and Viejo
    1
    112221

    Short day to Arres

    May 31 in Spain ⋅ ☀️ 17 °C

    The typical Spanish breakfast underwent a sea change about 15 years ago. Tostada, toasted bread, is still the most common food item. They still serve it with butter and jam, but olive oil and chopped tomatoes is almost always on offer. The puréed sauce I had this morning was delicious. For years, pan con tomate has been a staple Catalán breakfast, but it has spread nationwide and is very delicious. It is even more delicious when there’s a piece of good jamón serrano on top.

    It was hot today, but there were a couple of bars open for cold drinks. The bars had lots of people this morning because there was a cyclist ride through the mountains — 3000 cyclists riding 150 km from Huesca and back. Some of the guests at my little hotel last night were put off, because they would not be able to get on the road for several hours in the morning. But it didn’t affect the two walking pilgrims. We didn’t walk on the road where the race took place, but we frequently crossed it and sometimes could see it from above. They shouted Buen Camino to me when we coincided, and I shouted “ánimo” back to them.

    No matter how short the day, if it’s hot at the end and there’s a climb, I’m going to feel it. Walking into the little bar in this cute hillside town felt almost as good as walking into the restaurant yesterday after one of the hardest walks I’ve ever done!

    There is a very iconic albergue in this town, and I got my sello. This was changeover day so there were 4 hospitaleros and 4 people sleeping there. I joined in for the tour of the church, which has a very rare 16C baptismal font — square!

    I slept in the albergue about eight years ago and very much enjoyed the hospitality and the camaraderie, but when I hit 70, I decided it was time to leave the albergues to the next generation. But all of us who walk owe a great debt to the organization that runs this albergue, HOSVOL. They are dedicated volunteers who fight to preserve the best of the camino. If I can stay awake for two more hours, I will go to watch the sunset with all of them.

    Tomorrow’s forecast says rain, but not till noon. I’ll have to walk early.    Read more

  • Laurie ReynoldsCaminos Aragonés and Viejo
    1111

    Jaca to Santa Cruz through Atarés

    May 30 in Spain ⋅ ☁️ 29 °C

    One of my hardest walking days ever. I left Jaca at 6:30 and got to my little hotel in Santa Cruz at about 3:30. I spent a good two hours at the monastery, getting an ice cold Aquarius in the new monastery, and then gawking and admiring the old monastery. When I picked up my backpack at the ticket office to start walking again, the two staff wanted to ask me what life under Trump was like. That led to a half hour of animated discussion, disbelief, and commiseration.

    I did finally leave the monastery at about two. It took me an hour and a half to walk 4 km. It was steep, and Rocky, though not dangerous. I just went slowly. But I was wiped out when I got here. The restaurant was closing and they would squeeze me in, but the thought of eating a meal in my stinky sweaty clothes without a shower was more than I could bear.

    But in addition to being one of the hardest days, it was also one of the most beautiful. Views of what’s left of snow in the Pyrenees, lots of shade in the forests, lots of babbling streams, but the trail was very tough. Not so much for its steepness, though it was steep, as for all the rocks and the erosion made by torrential rains this winter. Lots of “ hopping“ across streams on slippery rocks, which more often than not wound up with me getting one or both feet in the water. But I am not complaining, it was glorious.

    In Atarés, more or less the halfway point, as I was checking my phone to see what a Forum friend had recommended I do when I got to a river crossing, all of a sudden my phone went berserk. My wikiloc tracks disappeared, and somehow I called the facility where Joe is living. I had a moment of panic until I realized that I was the one who had made the call, and they were not calling me. I had a nice little chat with the nurse who said all is well, and on I went.

    I was really dreading the rocky descents, but yesterday in a WhatsApp with a forum member who is a few days ahead of me, he mentioned how he uses a patella strap under his kneecap. The last time I had bad knee troubles, I used a compression knee brace, but it didn’t help and I think made things worse. So last night I ran to the pharmacy and bought one, and Eureka! My wonky knee is in good shape even after so many rocky and steeply descending kilometers.

    Tomorrow I have a very short day, about 16 or 17 km, so I am going to stay and have breakfast in the hotel at eight, and start walking around nine. Unheard of for me. The temperatures are supposed to be in the high 30s/low 90s, so a late start might not make much sense. But the idea of sleeping in and having a real breakfast is too good to pass up right now!

    The little town that I’m in, Santa Cruz de la Serós, is the site of a convent that was affiliated with the monastery up in the mountains. Since it’s a horribly rocky four kilometer path between these two places, I’m not sure how much contact they actually had. But Santa Cruz has its own beauty of a Roman church and is perfectly situated with mountains on several sides.

    I am soaking my feet in the river, and will stay up past my usual bedtime, because the restaurant in the hotel doesn’t open until 8:30.

    My wikiloc tracks are in two separate pieces, but the total is about 25 km with 1000 m up and 1000 m down.

    https://www.wikiloc.com/hiking-trails/catedral-…

    https://www.wikiloc.com/hiking-trails/atares-mo…    Read more

  • 2025© FindPenguins
  • Home
  • About us
  • Group Tracking
  • Press
  • Terms
  • Privacy Policy & Cookies
  • Help Center
  • Legal notice