As you plan caminos, don't forget this one!

[peregrina2000]

Just came across an article describing the Camino Castellano-Aragonés, which is really a gem, especially if you like small towns with lots of things to see, solitude, stunning scenery, and Romanesque (I'm thinking of you @VNwalking )

http://www.heraldo.es/noticias/arag...ago-que-pasa-por-moncayo-1210682-2261087.html

I walked this route in 2016, and I have to say it is really one of my favorites. The detour through the Cañon de Río Lobos to enjoy the gorge as well as the romanesque church was a high point, as was a day in the city of Soria. Soria is a town no one knows about but has a lot to see and do and a fabulous ambiente.

It's 300 km from Gallur to where it merges with the Francés in Burgos (actually you need a little dip on the Lana and/or San Olav) but you could easily start in Zaragoza (would add two days). Or if you like starting on the coast, you could do what Annie and I did and walk the Ruta del Ebro till Zaragoza and then on to the Castellano-Aragonés.

https://www.caminodesantiago.me/community/threads/my-camino-castellano-aragonés-2016.42195/

Don't take my word for it, @alansykes raves about it too! Buen camino, Laurie

p.s. This is one camino for which a GPS is, IMO, necessary.

 

[Kiwi-family]

Under your name is written Moderator, Staff Member and Donating Member. Is there some way of adding “Chief Inspirer”? (“Temptress” sounds more poetic but I don’t like the negative connotations)

 

[Rick of Rick and Peg]

Thanks Laurie. I wanted to see a map so I did some searching. I came upon this site:

https://www.caminosantiagosoria.com/​

The site is mostly in Spanish but it does have this:

https://www.caminosantiagosoria.com/the-way-of-st-james-in-soria/​

Also found was this other webpage in Spanish:

http://www.editorialbuencamino.com/caminodesantiago/19/camino-castellano-aragones​

 

[Rick of Rick and Peg]

I used waypoint data from a GPS file available on one of the sites I listed above to create this list of links where each link is to photographs on Flickr.com that were taken nearby each of the waypoints. It didn't turn out as well as I expected but now you should be able to identify the wildflowers along the way.

• GALLUR
• MAGALLON
• BORJA
• SANTUARIO DE LA MISERICORDIA
• EL BUSTE
• TARAZONA
• LOS FAYOS
• �GREDA
• MURO DE �GREDA
• POZALMURO
• MASEGOSO
• LA PICA
• OME�ACA
• TOZALMORO
• FUENTETECHA
• FUENSA�CO
• ONTALVILLA DE VALCORBA
• SORIA
• VALONSADERO (CASA DEL GUARDA)
• PEDRAJAS
• CIDONES
• VILLAVERDE DEL MONTE
• ABEJAR
• CABREJAS DEL PINAR
• ERMITA DE LA BLANCA
• CRUCE N-234
• NAVALENO
• SAN LEONARDO DE YAG�E
• ALDEA DEL PINAR
• LA GALLEGA
• MAMOLAR
• PE�ACOBA
• SANTO DOMINGO DE SILOS
• PINAR GRANDE (ESTACION)

 

[Stivandrer]

Under your name is written Moderator, Staff Member and Donating Member. Is there some way of adding “Chief Inspirer”? (“Temptress” sounds more poetic but I don’t like the negative connotations)

" Master Planner!" !?

 

[pelerine]

Thank you, peregrina! And thank you, rick! I am copying all your info into my invierno planning doc for maybe 2020 (will be 80 by then and still be able to do it??? Se Deus quiser!)

As to an addition to your titles, peregrina, “Inspirer” as suggested by the kiwi family, but without the “chief” is fine; I like it better than Stivandrer’s Master Planner, since we do the actual planning of our caminos ourselves....

 

[Dan the Man]

Just came across an article describing the Camino Castellano-Aragonés, which is really a gem, especially if you like small towns with lots of things to see, solitude, stunning scenery, and Romanesque (I'm thinking of you @VNwalking )

http://www.heraldo.es/noticias/arag...ago-que-pasa-por-moncayo-1210682-2261087.html

I walked this route in 2016, and I have to say it is really one of my favorites. The detour through the Cañon de Río Lobos to enjoy the gorge as well as the romanesque church was a high point, as was a day in the city of Soria. Soria is a town no one knows about but has a lot to see and do and a fabulous ambiente.

It's 300 km from Gallur to where it merges with the Francés in Burgos (actually you need a little dip on the Lana and/or San Olav) but you could easily start in Zaragoza (would add two days). Or if you like starting on the coast, you could do what Annie and I did and walk the Ruta del Ebro till Zaragoza and then on to the Castellano-Aragonés.

https://www.caminodesantiago.me/community/threads/my-camino-castellano-aragonés-2016.42195/

Don't take my word for it, @alansykes raves about it too! Buen camino, Laurie

p.s. This is one camino for which a GPS is, IMO, necessary.

I am VERY VERY interested in doing this route
Does it start in Burgos?
Is there a map of it?

I have done the Francés twice and this part looks AMAZING!!!!!!

 

[IngridF]

Just came across an article describing the Camino Castellano-Aragonés, which is really a gem, especially if you like small towns with lots of things to see, solitude, stunning scenery, and Romanesque (I'm thinking of you @VNwalking )

http://www.heraldo.es/noticias/arag...ago-que-pasa-por-moncayo-1210682-2261087.html

I walked this route in 2016, and I have to say it is really one of my favorites. The detour through the Cañon de Río Lobos to enjoy the gorge as well as the romanesque church was a high point, as was a day in the city of Soria. Soria is a town no one knows about but has a lot to see and do and a fabulous ambiente.

It's 300 km from Gallur to where it merges with the Francés in Burgos (actually you need a little dip on the Lana and/or San Olav) but you could easily start in Zaragoza (would add two days). Or if you like starting on the coast, you could do what Annie and I did and walk the Ruta del Ebro till Zaragoza and then on to the Castellano-Aragonés.

https://www.caminodesantiago.me/community/threads/my-camino-castellano-aragonés-2016.42195/

Don't take my word for it, @alansykes raves about it too! Buen camino, Laurie

p.s. This is one camino for which a GPS is, IMO, necessary.

Oh my goodness Laurie, what are you doing to me... darn, I really must learn how to speak Spanish... not just caminolingo... yikes...Hugs Ingrid

 

[VNwalking]

(I'm thinking of you @VNwalking )

I hear you and appreciate the kind thought! If the little jaunt from Santo Domingo de Silos to Burgos is anything to go on..........

But, gee Laurie...as if I need more places to want to walk??
I just went back and read your posts, and Alan's, and it sure does look zipideedooda gorgeous! Look at all those amazing cloisters, and a canyon with a church in the middle of it thrown in for good measure.

So I now have 2 dream ideas:
A Vasco Interior/Olvidado/Invierno combo,
And a Castellano-Aragonés(starting from Soria)/Frances/Salvador/Primitivo combo.

 

[LTfit]

The Cañón de Río Lobos is indeed lovely, I walked it several times last year when I was staying in the small town of San Leonardo It is actually on this Camino.
But don't go in the winter! The province of Soria is known to be the coldest province of Spain. A trivia tidbit: the film Dr Zivago was filmed near Moncayo and not in Russia.

 

[Rick of Rick and Peg]

I am VERY VERY interested in doing this route
Does it start in Burgos?
Is there a map of it?

This webpage has a bunch of links to GPX files for the Camino Castellano-Aragonés (at least for the part in Soria province):

https://www.caminosantiagosoria.com/gps-camino-jacobeo-castellano-aragonés-en-soria/​

One of them is this one:

https://s0e211ec1d9bd772a.jimconten...odule/4946839311/name/TRAZADO_COMPLETO[1].gpx​

I mapped that using gpsvisualizer.com and the results can be viewed for a short time at:

http://www.gpsvisualizer.com/display/20171203080236-12207-map.html​

If the map cannot be found it can be recreated by entering the URL of the gpx file into the box titled "Or provide the URL of static data on the Web:"at the webpage http://www.gpsvisualizer.com/map_input and then clicking the "Draw the map" button. Note that gpsvisualizer.com gives you an awful lot of ways at looking at the map.

 

[peregrina2000]

The Cañón de Río Lobos is indeed lovely, I walked it several times last year when I was staying in the small town of San Leonardo It is actually on this Camino.

You probably know this, Lee, but just for anyone who might want to walk this route and who would like to walk through the canyon -- only the second half of the walk through the gorge is on the Camino. If you take the camino leaving San Leonardo, you will not see the most beautiful part of the canyon nor the romanesque church nestled against some huge cliffs.

Compare my wikiloc tracks with Alan's

https://www.wikiloc.com/wikiloc/view.do?id=14144925

https://www.wikiloc.com/wikiloc/view.do?id=11249311

The two paths meet up at the Bridge of Siete Ojos, but at that point I had already gone through the real canyon beauty.

So that means that a little creativity is required. I was lucky and got a ride to the trailhead with the friend of your friend! The taxi driver I had spoken with ahead of time had a family emergency and was unable to take me. I had really good luck!

You could walk and avoid the car/taxi by spending a day to walk from San Leonardo to Ucero but Ucero is still 5 or 6 km from the trailhead and its accommodations are very seasonal.

But I would definitely recommend that if you are going to walk this remote solitary camino, do not miss the Cañon!

 

[peregrina2000]

I am VERY VERY interested in doing this route
Does it start in Burgos?
Is there a map of it?

I have done the Francés twice and this part looks AMAZING!!!!!!

Hi, Dan,
I posted my GPS tracks on wikiloc.com. If you go to the site and search using the "users" search function, and put in my name, peregrina2000, you will find all the tracks I recorded.

This camino actually ends in Burgos. A convenient starting place would be Zaragoza. That would involve two days walking on the Ruta del Ebro, and then going off onto the Castellano-Aragonés at Gallur. Technically, this camino ends at Santo Domingo de Silos, where it merges with the Ruta de la Lana and then takes you into Burgos with two days walking. So it is a bit of a patched together route, but all very seamless.

Mundicamino has a decent schematic map of many of Spain's caminos, and you can click on the route you want to see to have it highlighted.

Good luck planning, you will need to be prepared to stay in private accommodations because there are only a few albergues. But there are lots of clean, cheap accommodation options. Buen camino, Laurie

 

[jprogers]

Thank you for posting about this walk. In late sep 2018 I will have 10 days to spend in Spain and I was thinking of either doing a short Camino or spending some time in Zaragoza. Now I can plan to combine both.

 

[PEI_Heather]

Under your name is written Moderator, Staff Member and Donating Member. Is there some way of adding “Chief Inspirer”? (“Temptress” sounds more poetic but I don’t like the negative connotations)

'Tempta Extraordinare'?!

 

[Rick of Rick and Peg]

Under your name is written Moderator, Staff Member and Donating Member. Is there some way of adding “Chief Inspirer”?

Dream weaver?

 

[VNwalking]

Dream weaver?

Rick wins. Perfect.

 

[PEI_Heather]

Rick wins. Perfect.

Yup, I think so!

But now I have an earworm....

 

[Tamsin Grainger]

Just came across an article describing the Camino Castellano-Aragonés, which is really a gem, especially if you like small towns with lots of things to see, solitude, stunning scenery, and Romanesque (I'm thinking of you @VNwalking )

http://www.heraldo.es/noticias/arag...ago-que-pasa-por-moncayo-1210682-2261087.html

I walked this route in 2016, and I have to say it is really one of my favorites. The detour through the Cañon de Río Lobos to enjoy the gorge as well as the romanesque church was a high point, as was a day in the city of Soria. Soria is a town no one knows about but has a lot to see and do and a fabulous ambiente.

It's 300 km from Gallur to where it merges with the Francés in Burgos (actually you need a little dip on the Lana and/or San Olav) but you could easily start in Zaragoza (would add two days). Or if you like starting on the coast, you could do what Annie and I did and walk the Ruta del Ebro till Zaragoza and then on to the Castellano-Aragonés.

https://www.caminodesantiago.me/community/threads/my-camino-castellano-aragonés-2016.42195/

Don't take my word for it, @alansykes raves about it too! Buen camino, Laurie

p.s. This is one camino for which a GPS is, IMO, necessary.

Thanks it sounds great. IMO?

 

[oursonpolaire]

As one of the relatively small fraternity which has done this Camino, I would underline the usefulness of a GPS-- I did not have one and two very long and miserable days could have been made merry with a GPS. Places I had never really heard of (Soria and Tarazona) were absolute gems. I would also suggest that a pilgrim on this route have passable Spanish. Hopefully one of you will be able to update the CSJ profile on this route (https://www.csj.org.uk/planning-you...o/routes-in-spain/castellano-aragones-camino/).

 

[peregrina2000]

Since many forum members are in camino dreaming/planning mode, I thought I would entice you to think about the Camino Castellano Aragonés with a BBC video about San Bartolomé de Ucero, in the Cañon de Río Lobos. I was not able to get inside, and when I walked by I did not know much of what I learned in the video — for example, that the church is equidistant between the two most extreme points of the Iberian peninsula; that on winter solstice the light through the rosetta window illuminates the “telluric slab” inside the church; that the Romans had festivals here; that a nearby cave was used during the Bronze age for cults. So many mysteries, such beauty.

Why did the Templars mark this mysterious spot on the map? - BBC Reel

The hermitage of San Bartolomé, a 12th-century chapel in the Rio dos Lobos Canyon, was built by the Templars in a very specific spot. By connecting the main Templar strongholds in the Iberian Peninsula, you can draw a cross on the map with the San Bartolomé hermitage right in the centre, at...

www.bbc.com

 

[VNwalking]

Fascinating. And the video is very well done — my only gripe being how fast the Spanish was going by! I had to look up telluric, and thought it might be some new age thing. But it's not.

Telluric current - Wikipedia

en.m.wikipedia.org

What an amazing place! This Camino is definitely on my list, after the Viejo.

 

[IngridF]

I spend an afternoon exploring the cave and the church. We were a group from a seminar that was concluding that day. 1 week of exploring the Templar Rose and Morning Star, at Flores del Camino. This was the last of 3 places we visited to see what we had been exploring throughout the seminar. This is a fascinating place, the cave itself is awe inspiring.

 

[peregrina2000]

I spend an afternoon exploring the cave and the church. We were a group from a seminar that was concluding that day. 1 week of exploring the Templar Rose and Morning Star, at Flores del Camino. This was the last of 3 places we visited to see what we had been exploring throughout the seminar. This is a fascinating place, the cave itself is awe inspiring.

Wow, Ingrid, that is amazing. I had never heard of this place, but with a little googling was able to find it.
Looks like they have a changing series of seminars and retreats, can you tell us a little more about how it went?

 

[ranthr]

@peregrina2000, Chief Inspirer, Since I guess it will be at least one or two years until I will be allowed to go to Spain for a camino, and I will be 74, and not able to walk your distances, can you disign a camino for me about 20 km each day, where I can reach many of your excellent caminos, including the Vladience which I had to drop twice. Perhaps my last camino if I ever get there, walking caminos since 2005.

 

[peregrina2000]

@peregrina2000, Chief Inspirer, Since I guess it will be at least one or two years until I will be allowed to go to Spain for a camino, and I will be 74, and not able to walk your distances, can you disign a camino for me about 20 km each day, where I can reach many of your excellent caminos, including the Vladience which I had to drop twice. Perhaps my last camino if I ever get there, walking caminos since 2005.

Hi, @ranthr,

You should check out AJ’s Virtual Camino de Levante. He is planning 15-20 km stages and getting lots of advice and suggestions about the route, and he has made it as far as Chinchilla. He posts a new stage every other day. You know, @ranthr, if I only had a few more caminos in me I would probably not make it the Vadiniense. Once you get through the Picos and the Senda da Remoña, it is essentially all asphalt. And it doesn’t hold a candle to this one, the Castellano-Aragonés. But I will have to take a look at distances, I’m not sure about whether it’s doable in 20 km stages.