Alt Route out of Sanguesa

[Jeff Mayor]

At Sanguesa, there is an alt. route heading toward Lumbier through the Foz Lumbier. It is longer than the direct route out of Sanguesa to Monreal which Gronze recommends taking, but I'm interested in hearing from anyone who has gone this alt. route. Is there somewhere to stay in Lumbier? Is the route from Sanguesa to Foz Lumbier busy with cars? I also see an alt route before Sanguesa toward Javier and Yesa. What is that like? It looks as though it bypasses Sanguesa. I guess it will be very hot and dry in the coming week when my wife and I are passing through there so that is a consideration as well. Any insight would be greatly appreciated. Buen Camino.

 

[trecile]

Walking through Foz de Lumbier was one of the highlights of the Camino Aragonés for me. Yes, you have quite a bit of walking along a road, but it was so worth it. The gorge was amazing!

I stayed at Hotel Iru-Bide. There was no availability on booking.com, and they didn't answer the email I sent, so I called and was able to reserve a room. I had a huge room with terrace for €50.

Hotel Iru-Bide - Lumbier | Hotel | Gronze.com

Información del Hotel Hotel Iru-Bide, en Lumbier: precio, plazas, características, etc...

www.gronze.com

 

[Joe.Iozzi]

I walked there in May. It is about 4.8 km (3 miles) from Sanguesa to Liedena, about half of which is along a busy road. There wasn't much traffic on the road that morning. The rest of the way to Lumbier is on a pedestrian path. The canyon is beautiful, and there is a hotel restaurant in Liedena where you can get very good, inexpensive breakfast (I think the name is Hotel Complejo Latorre). Note: the trail along the river from Sanguesa to Liedena was poorly way-marked, I didn't see any arrows or signs. We used GPS. From Liedena to Lumbier the way was well-marked.

 

[Jeff Mayor]

I walked there in May. It is about 4.8 km (3 miles) from Sanguesa to Liedena, about half of which is along a busy road. There wasn't much traffic on the road that morning. The rest of the way to Lumbier is on a pedestrian path. The canyon is beautiful, and there is a hotel restaurant in Liedena where you can get very good, inexpensive breakfast (I think the name is Hotel Complejo Latorre). Note: the trail along the river from Sanguesa to Liedena was poorly way-marked, I didn't see any arrows or signs. We used GPS. From Liedena to Lumbier the way was well-marked.

Did you stay the night in Lumbier? Did you walk from Lumbier to Montreal?

 

[Joe.Iozzi]

Did you stay the night in Lumbier? Did you walk from Lumbier to Montreal?

 

[Joe.Iozzi]

No. We ended in Lumbier because my sons had to get to Pamplona and fly home for work.

 

[trecile]

Did you stay the night in Lumbier? Did you walk from Lumbier to Montreal?

I stayed in Lumbier and Monreal. I can recommend Casa Rural Etxartenea in Monreal.

 

[Juspassinthru]

I stayed in Lumbier and Monreal. I can recommend Casa Rural Etxartenea in Monreal.

The albergue de peregrinos in Monreal is clean and comfortable, no bunk beds and they have a washing machine if you need it. Plenty of places to eat although they have a nice kitchen. Hospitalera was very nice, call the number on the door.

The Foz is a worthwhile detour. Ours was cut short by a front that came through, blizzard like conditions at higher elevations, driving rain and cold in the valley. There were a couple Forum readers behind us who were crossing the Col du Samport on April 9th. I digress, beautiful area.

 

[Juspassinthru]

The albergue de peregrinos in Monreal is clean and comfortable, no bunk beds and they have a washing machine if you need it. Plenty of places to eat although they have a nice kitchen. Hospitalera was very nice, call the number on the door.

The Foz is a worthwhile detour. Ours was cut short by a front that came through, blizzard like conditions at higher elevations, driving rain and cold in the valley. There were a couple Forum readers behind us who were crossing the Col du Samport on April 9th. I digress, beautiful area.

My mistake, when I said no bunk beds, thinking of Sangüesa.

 

[Judith from NorCal]

We walked from Sanguesa, through the Foz, and had lunch at the hotel in Lumbier. It was a beautiful day (May Day 2019 and there was quite a crowd) and the gorge is lovely. We ended up taking a taxi (~15-20€) to the albergue in Monreal because the hotel was full for the holiday. Love the Aragones!

 

[Rick of Rick and Peg]

In 2019 the hospitalera in Sangüesa told us about a nearby bus that left in the morning that went part way to Lumbier saving some walking time. That might help you to avoid adding a stage. I didn't walk that way and I can't remember anything more about the bus. Ask when you get to Sangüesa if you are interested.

 

[lt56ny]

The albergue de peregrinos in Monreal is clean and comfortable,

This is an excellent albergue. It was so weird that up until Monreal I only saw two pilgriims the whole time. Got to the albergue and there must have been 10 people there.

 

[trecile]

This is an excellent albergue. It was so weird that up until Monreal I only saw two pilgriims the whole time. Got to the albergue and there must have been 10 people there.

I had a cold and took a day off in Sangüesa, so I was behind the few people that I had met previously on the Aragonés.
Since I was still recovering from the cold I only stayed in private accommodations until I reached the Francés, but I did meet a bunch of new people who were mostly staying at the albergue when I was in Monreal.

 

[lt56ny]

I had a cold and took a day off in Sangüesa, so I was behind the few people that I had met previously on the Aragonés.
Since I was still recovering from the cold I only stayed in private accommodations until I reached the Francés, but I did meet a bunch of new people who were mostly staying at the albergue when I was in Monreal.

I stayed in albergues the whole route. The only other people I met was a German couple when we slept in Canfranc at that new, wonderful albergue. I thin after Canfranc except for the donativo in Arres they slept in pensions. The last I saw of them was in the restaurant in the albergue in Artieda. Never saw them again. I can't wait to get back there in October and do it again. This time get up to San Juan de la Pena. Last time there was a local festival in Jaca and the tourist office said no buses running and to go back to the albergue to see if anyone wanted to split a taxi up there the next morning. She told me it would be at least $50 Euros because of the festival. No other pilgrims in the albergue so it was a pass. 50E for a taxi is out of my budget.

 

[Vacajoe]

Hey Jeff! We stayed twice at the Hotel Iru Bide in Lumbier as walking all the way to Monreal was more than we wanted that day. Lovely place with very good food, plus they give a pilgrim discount if you ask. They put out some delicious breakfast items if you stay around until after 9am. In Montreal, you have a choice of an albergue or a nearby Casa Rural - both are good.

The walk from Sanguesa (nice albergue, no bunks!) to Lumbier is partially along a road, but it’s not so bad that you’d want to work hard to avoid it. While you could loop through Yesa from Sanguesa, that would really be an odd and long detour. The albergue in Yesa is very nice, but serves as group accommodations for youth groups and other non-pilgrim travelers, so it can get quite full.

You should consider detouring through Javier, however, enroute to Sanguesa as it’s the birthplace of Saint Javier/Xavier, an early Jesuit and college roommate (!!!!!) of St Ignatius. The castle is a delight to visit and this alternative path does not add that much to the day.

 

[trecile]

I stayed in albergues the whole route. The only other people I met was a German couple when we slept in Canfranc at that new, wonderful albergue. I thin after Canfranc except for the donativo in Arres they slept in pensions. The last I saw of them was in the restaurant in the albergue in Artieda. Never saw them again. I can't wait to get back there in October and do it again. This time get up to San Juan de la Pena. Last time there was a local festival in Jaca and the tourist office said no buses running and to go back to the albergue to see if anyone wanted to split a taxi up there the next morning. She told me it would be at least $50 Euros because of the festival. No other pilgrims in the albergue so it was a pass. 50E for a taxi is out of my budget.

You can spend two nights at the albergue in Santa Cilia, and spend one day to walk up to San Juan de la Peña. I stayed at a hotel in Santa Cruz de la Serós, left my backpack there and walked up. I ended up getting a ride back to town from a Spanish couple who were former pilgrims.

 

[lt56ny]

You can spend two nights at the albergue in Santa Cilia, and spend one day to walk up to San Juan de la Peña. I stayed at a hotel in Santa Cruz de la Serós, left my backpack there and walked up. I ended up getting a ride back to town from a Spanish couple who were former pilgrims.

Did you walk on the road or on the camino itself back up? I was wondering because I have heard mixed reports about which way to head down from the monastery. I have read that some think the camino route is really rough and can cause problems, where the road is of course smoother and there is very little traffic.

 

[trecile]

Did you walk on the road or on the camino itself back up? I was wondering because I have heard mixed reports about which way to head down from the monastery. I have read that some think the camino route is really rough and can cause problems, where the road is of course smoother and there is very little traffic.

To get to Santa Cruz I walked up the road that I've highlighted on the map.



Then I walked up the trail to the monastery from the hotel, and it was a bitch of a walk even without my backpack! I wasn't looking forward to walking back down to the hotel, so I asked if there was a taxi or bus and struck out. However, a Spanish couple overheard me, and offered to drive me back to Santa Cruz.

I walked on the trail the next day to Santa Cilia, and it was really rocky like the trail up to the monastery, then made worse by a heavy thunderstorm. It would have been much easier to walk down the road I had come up on, even though it was backtracking a bit.

 

[Rick of Rick and Peg]

... I have heard mixed reports about which way to head down from the monastery. I have read that some think the camino route is really rough and can cause problems, where the road is of course smoother and there is very little traffic.

I recently checked out the steepness of the walks between San Juan de la Peña and Santa Cruz de la Serós. If you walk down the road the average grade is 5.5% over the 7 kilometers (4.3 miles). The trail distance is 3.3 km (2 miles) with an average slope of 10% but the steepest section is 17% over 2 km.

 

[trecile]

I recently checked out the steepness of the walks between San Juan de la Peña and Santa Cruz de la Serós. If you walk down the road the average grade is 5.5% over the 7 kilometers (4.3 miles). The trail distance is 3.3 km (2 miles) with an average slope of 10% but the steepest section is 17% over 2 km.

It's not just the steepness that makes it difficult - the trail is super rocky!

 

[Rick of Rick and Peg]

It's not just the steepness that makes it difficult - the trail is super rocky!

Well, it didn't bother me but then I'm used to rough trails. Here are three different ones we hiked about two weeks ago.

 

[lt56ny]

I recently checked out the steepness of the walks between San Juan de la Peña and Santa Cruz de la Serós. If you walk down the road the average grade is 5.5% over the 7 kilometers (4.3 miles). The trail distance is 3.3 km (2 miles) with an average slope of 10% but the steepest section is 17% over 2 km.

It's not just the steepness that makes it difficult - the trail is super rocky!

Well, it didn't bother me but then I'm used to rough trails. Here are three different ones we hiked about two weeks ago.

Thanks to both of you for your input. I think as I age ungraciously I will take the road. I am not as nimble as the mountain goat of years gone by. I am sure we have all walked lots of stretches like Rick showed us. I know they are difficult and the concentration that I need to make sure I do not injure myself is alot more tiring than the extra kilometers. If it is wet even worse.
The road it is!

 

[Glenshiro]

I stayed in Lumbier and Monreal. I can recommend Casa Rural Etxartenea in Monreal.

Hi, I'm looking at doing the Aragones next year. Can I ask where did you get a meal in Monreal? I see there's a bar across the road from the Casa Rural - do you know if it serves evening meals? Thanks in advance.

 

[trecile]

Hi, I'm looking at doing the Aragones next year. Can I ask where did you get a meal in Monreal? I see there's a bar across the road from the Casa Rural - do you know if it serves evening meals? Thanks in advance.

I had lunch at that bar, but I'm not sure if they serve dinner. I went to Cafeteria Cipri for pizza with a group of pilgrims.

Cafetería Cipri · Monreal, Navarre

maps.app.goo.gl

 

[Juspassinthru]

I had lunch at that bar, but I'm not sure if they serve dinner. I went to Cafeteria Cipri for pizza with a group of pilgrims.

Cafetería Cipri · Monreal, Navarre

maps.app.goo.gl

We were there in early April, the hospitalera told us that if there were Pilgrims at the albergue, the bar was USUALLY open. It was open for us and had a reasonable number of locals as well.