Camino del Ebro - while still fresh

[Gypsea Moon]

My Ebro journey if it might help or inspire anyone...

After spending few days wandering around the area of the Ebro Delta (Cava, San Jaune d'Enveja, San Carlos de la Rapita and Amposta), I started to walk from Tortosa

Tortosa - Benifallet 23 km
(Chose to walk further than Xerta at 14km for first day to have more equal distance day after)

Departure from the Porta del Romeu, near the Cathedral, on a Sunday morning. No one in the streets at around 8.30 am, bells ringing, good omen : ) The day before, the Tortosa tourism office gave me few flyers of different stages of the Camino, and first stamp. Helpful and kind, the man working there was the president of the Jacobeo association for the Ebro Camino. He said they arrange accomodation at the Seminar for pilgrims if asked. (Seminario Diocesano 977 440 200)

Really easy to find my way, just need to follow the Via Verde signs (more than yellow arrow). Quite flat, walking in nature, nice landscapes. Several water fountains on the way, as well as in Xerta where I got my passport stamped by priest.. after mass.

Few kilometers after Xerta, there is a supposedly less dangerous crossing to start walking on the left side of national road.. just follow signs (instead of old camino)

After Xerta, you start to have the tunnels where a torch is necessary, unless you fancy walking in the dark. There are solar lights inside, activated automatically when you walk, they just dont always last until you have finish to walk. Some switches inside tunnel as well, they dont all work.

Regarding Benifallet, the village itself is on the other side of the Ebro, and going there woul add approximately 10 kilometers in total with day after to join Camino again. But there is a little accomodation in Benifallet old station, on same left side of Ebro, where the Camino (Via Verde) arrives directly. Very convenient with restaurant. (I paid 28E for individual room with evening meal). Room was modern, comfortable. Blessed heater. Nights are quite cold in Mars.
(Estacio de Benifallet 652 940 703)

 

[Gypsea Moon]

Benifallet - Gandesa 20 km

Left early morning from old train station, walked all day under heavy rain. Beautiful scenery, lots of tunnels for the first third of the way, again torch necessary. Nature, mountains, didn't see a single soul, pilgrim or not. Amazing feeling. Meditative. Lots of beautifuls dark red, white and pink rocks on the side. Many turns of the Ebro, drastic cliffs, stunning photography.

Arrived in Fontcalda. Hot spring station, with 25 degrees water flowing. Absolutely gorgeous. Because of the rain, and the comlplete solitude, and the still winter season, I didn't experienced the 'balnear' feeling. Every single building closed, church, restaurant... not just closed... ghost village. So if you come before Semana Santa (Easter, and intend to sleep there, may be check and making reservation before, instead of just assuming Under pouring rain, found the only shelter to rest and eat something under a little roof of children playground, before starting the climb to the Coll d'en Canar. Signage was confusing. Two possibilities to join Gandesa. One on left after crossing little river bridge to left. Other one, to go to Gandesa as well, to left, passing the church and few house - 2 or 3 km longer if I remember well. Chose this one as there were many slippering rocks in other direction.

After reaching top of mountain, climbing lasted a little bit less than one hour, quite stiff but ok, again, amazing views, when clouds and fog dissipated a little bit. One of my preferred stretch of the all Camino I would say, even though by that time I was completely wet and dripping

Note that I didn't see any fountain for water the whole day. And no phone or internet connection in the area.

If I had had more energy, might have visited La Pau and Ermitage of Santa Magdalena on the way down - little road going to the right.

Rest of the way quite flat until Gandesa, in nature, enjoyable.

There is a municipal Albergue there, you have to arrange with tourisme office ph : 977 420 022. The woman was amazing - went on her day off to give me the key and her husband drove me there by car. Its approximately 30 minutes walk outside centre, so a good idea to buy food before if needed so you don't add 1 hour to your day. You can cook there. Cost 10 E. There is also a crapy Chinese hotel above the bazar in the centre, room with bath 20E if I remember. Noisy and onion smell. Few nice restaurants to eat, and supermarket.

 

[Gypsea Moon]

Gandesa - Batea 13 km

Short etapa, for another full day under full rain. Leaving Gandesa pueblo, take little road going down to dirt road on the right, just before bridge. (Thought for a while to hitch hike, a bit disheartened to have to walk all wet again, don't think would have been very lucky with my hood, and my dripping poncho covering my backpack)

Shortly after leaving little town, amazing feeling of peace and silence. Going through fields, vines, olive and almond trees, solitary nature walking again, not a single other human being all day. Loved it. Straight camino most of the way, wind pipes, quite flat, no fountains. Following Via Verde signs, very easy.

Went to Ayuntamiento building for municipal Albergue. (Ayuntamiento are these official public service offices in quite every city-village of Spain, sometimes joined with police and in the area often they are helping with pilgrim accomodation) Shared the place with seasonal workers, nice shared dinner with them. Most of them from south Amercia, helping to build the pool of Batea. 10 E, room with 6 beds and bathroom for myself.

Batea is a lovely medieval village, with narrow streets, stone buildings. Worth the visit, wandering at the end of the day around. When asked for a stamp, the priest of the church drove me to his office... parish? by car after mass. Everyone has been so kind and so helpful every where, every time... might be raining, but I see sunshine all the time.

Realising that speaking Spanish, even if not perfectly, is definitively an asset while walking the Camino.

 

[Gypsea Moon]

Batea - Escatron 67km by bus
(for schedule reason, needing to be on specific day in Logrono to connect to Camino Frances)

Spent few hours in Caspe. Nice town with church. Luck to assist to organ and trumpet morning concert. Storksbusy with nests on bell towers. Fiore de Luna Cafe nearby with wifi perfect to wait for bus connection to Escatron.

Escatron to Sastago 10 km

Met by chance with a man in charge of the church on arrival. Possibility to stay in wonderful Monastery de la Rueda here, but closed when I was there. Showed me around, explained about the monastery, especially the antic water wheel (rueda) brought here during arabic invasion, so helpful for water supply and fields irrigation, the biggest in all Europe he said...

Then started my walk to Sastago. Again, amazing landscape and nature. Quite desertic. Finally some sun, end of the day lights through high rock dunes, buzzard flying in the sky, my most preferred stretch... yes, I know, already said that

Caution is needed, whe going down the last bit to Sastago, before crossing the Ebro. Not a way, a goat pass Iwould say, but highly enjoyable again.

Easy and short walk, easy day.

No albergue here. Stayed at the Hostal del Monastery de la Rueda (not the Monastery itself). 20 E for a room with bath above a restaurant. ph 976 172 074

 

[Gypsea Moon]

Sastago - Quinto 28 km

Very enjoyable start of the day walking along the Ebro in early morning. Navigation is actually quite obvious in this Camino most of the time... as long as you see it, and go against the current Amazing sites of pinkish, white or light greenish clusters of Aragonite... some big ones! Wish i could... mm, don't even think about it, just a little tiny one.

Alforque and Alborgue, walking through lands and fields. Cure of wheat grass along the way, chewing like a cow (in Australia a shot of this nutrious superfood is like 5 dollars a tiny shot glass... making reserve of it )

The Camino becomes quite monotonous after Velilla del Ebro until arrival in Quinto. The Guardia civil kicks me out seriously when asked for a stamp. Owner of the Rioja comes to pick me up kindly to drive me to hotel. Hotel that is actually staff accomodation underground. Not nice at all, just convenient with restaurant above for 20E with bath, at the end of village, ready to start close to Camino the day after. Again, lovely and helpful people. A woman of the place even offers to do my washing which I accept with gratitude, men offering vino tinto around... gracias

 

[KinkyOne]

Thanks for this report @Gipsy Moon !!!

 

[peregrina2000]

Double, triple, quadruple, quintuple like! Gipsy moon, thank you so much. I hope to be following the same route in less than two months. I will read and digest each word you wrote carefully before my departure. So appreciated. Buen camino, Laurie

 

[Stephen Nicholls]

So many happy memories brought back from last year's camino.
Thanks, Gypsy Moon!

 

[NualaOC]

So many Caminos ........

 

[peregrina2000]

So many Caminos ........

I hope to start it on May 19, if you're interested.....

 

[Gypsea Moon]

Quinto - Fuentes del Ebro 20 km
(30 km with back and forth)

Again, flat quite monotonous landscape, or not able to appreciate the walk with two very sour feets, and blisters - some underneath nails. Strange but true... shoes have shrunk two sizes since i brought them back from the shop. Some stretches too near the road and ferrocaril (train).

Short before arriving to Fuentes del Ebro, signs indicate to go to the woods instead of following the dirt path. When I see how much water and mud there is, I go back to the path.. but the path stops avec few hundred meters with no possible way ahead. Back to the flooded path through the trees, I try to walk on the side, bending up and down with branches until landscape looks more like a swamp... at least no crocodiles here, but have to give up as well. Only alternative left in the end is to walk through fields, fingers crossed to no disturb farmers or dogs. Or swim.

There seems to be a cool place to stay in Fuentes del Ebro, I stopped there for a tea, the Texas Hotel 976 161 073, friendly owners and rooms with bath for appx 20E, funky decoration. But decide in the end to take the bus straight to Zaragoza. (30 more km)

Great city with Lovely Incredible Basilic... wow!

Lucky to find a very central place to stay, no fancying to share crowded noisy room in Youth Hostel (16 E dormitory of 8, no bath). Download my backpack in Central Hostal, less than 10 minutes walk to the basilic - 72 avenida Cesar Augusto - ph 976395 978 7 . Cost 25E with sink in room, shared bath. (I think 30E ensuite)

What a better time to discover Zaraza during the Semana Santa, with several processions during the whole Holy Week, bells ringing, music in street loudspeakers. Had no idea first that it was Santiago himself who initiated the construction of the Basilic - starting with a humble little temple at the time. Quite disheartened by the very little success he had in converting Christians, he had the apparition of the Virgin del Pillar while meditating praying. She asked him to build her a 'home' right here. He did so, before leaving to Jerusalem - from the delta of the Ebro - the start of the Camino del Ebro. Today, people honour the Virgen del Pillar and kiss The Jade Pillar in the Basilic. A strange coincidence - called miracle by many, is that three bombs landed on the cathedral during the civil Spanish war, but didn't explode. Two of them are now exposed on one of the wall of the Basilic.

Another very aesthetic place to visit is the Palacia Aljaferia, fortified medieval islamic palace, build during the 6e century. Amazing inside architecture and decoration.

 

[Gypsea Moon]

Zaragoza - Torres del Berrellen 26 km

Nice and flat walk nest to the Ebro, quite a lot of wind. This area of the Camino is like a funnel where the Ebro is flowing, between two mountains, and most of the time it is blowing.

Atmosphere is suddenly changing from walking miles and not seeing a single living soul, to having several men stopping me to ask if I am walking the Camino, sharing their own plans. As much as being a pilgrim was like being from the moon most of the time until then, and having to follow mostly the GR 99 or else path, yellow arrow and shelves become very commom now. Not as much nature and fields until arriving.

There is a Municipal Albergue in Torres del Berrellen, keys are taken care of at the Aroa Cafe. 12 E if I remember well. This albergue is like a flat, with two very spacy rooms of 4 (2 bunks bed), with heater, kitchen, two shower... luxury in sleeping with good smelling blankets. Antonio the owner of the cafe is a nice man, and if sharing time with in the evening will show you his photos of the area. Everybody is quite open and outgoing with pilgrims in this village, coming forward to talk, the pharmacist, the supermarket lady, even the baker very proud of his onion bread.

 

[Gypsea Moon]

Torres de Berrellen - Gallur 28 km

All day to walk with wind coming straight in the face, 70 km/h, not unusual in the area. Must say I am glad to be walking for the first time with another pilgrim I met the evening before at yesterday albergue. Quite hard day, we are flying! Landscape still flat, similar, encouraging inner journey. The camino also often close , to very close to the road.

Happy to arrive to the Albergue of Gallur, right next to train station, looked after by two women. Dormitory for 10 E or single 7 double room with bath for 20E per person. Possibility to eat there too, small cafe where locals come two. To go to town, supermarket, etc... you have to use a blue modern metallic bridge, leading to a lift to go down - but only local elderly person have a magnetic card to use it. We walk and climb.

A nice restaurant to eat is El rincon del Gallo. They are thinking of re-starting an albergue there.

 

[NualaOC]

I hope to start it on May 19, if you're interested.....

Wish I could! Alas, there's that annoying thing called work for most of May.
Mind you, I shouldn't complain as I'll be starting the Baztan on May 26

 

[Gypsea Moon]

Gallur - Tudela 36 km

Another train trip, only two days left before Ihave to be in Logrono.

Another nice town with a hill - el Corazon de Jesus - with a huge statue, where you can see the whole city and very old center (I think 10th century) where there is also a incredibly rich cathedral with mixed roman, gothic and muslim style. Several stork nests on bell towers, very busy spring activity and flying. Amazing feeling to have these big birds flying just above. Very narrow streets. Unusaul chance to participate to procession of Holy Friday with unhabitants, climbing with cross to the top of the hill, stopping 12 times... with same prayer everytime. Iam not religious, but the feeling in the heart cannot be ignored.

David in charge of the Youth Albergue is another incredibly warm and friendly man, who came to open the Albergue when he wasnt working. Two parts, one more modern than the other. Common kitchen. Very relax. 15 E per night, free wifi... allowing me to finally write down and share my Camino on this forum.

Mixture of pilgrimage and tourism, preparing to start the Camino Frances from Logrono beginnig of April after meeting with a friend there.

So will walk tomorrow to Alfarro, one more time, next etapa, appx 24 km, before taking the train again from there to Logrono.

Personnally, my Camino could have been Tortosa - Zaragossa. I love nature, climbs and changing landscapes. I take heaps of pictures. Can't compare landscapes of this Camino with El Norte for example, except for few etapas in the mountains at the beginning, first days, or in desert like landscape after the Monastery de la Rueda in Escatron. Still very worthwhile. Different kind of journey. Walking inside. Getting to know own personal limits and scenery.

Lots of Joy and Gratitude for this very special Camino, as well as the people from this forum who helped me, conversing with me privately, answering questions and giving me few tips while walking.

Please feel free to send me a message directly if I can be of any help and give you more specific info.

Not sure yet how to post pictures without URL link, and profile map that I have for this Camino.

If you speak a little bit spanish, a very useful website is Mundicamino - not only for Camino del Ebro but all of them I believe. You might not understand spanish. But will still be able to get the Etapas with kilometers if clicking on 'Tramos', the profiles if clicking on 'Trazado/Perfil, and Albergues or Hostal in every town or village with 'Hospedajes'

Buen Camino

 

[Gypsea Moon]

Double, triple, quadruple, quintuple like! Gipsy moon, thank you so much. I hope to be following the same route in less than two months. I will read and digest each word you wrote carefully before my departure. So appreciated. Buen camino, Laurie

Thank you Laurie actually wrote this posts with you in mind as I remembered from previous post in other conversation that you were going to walk this Camino as well. Feel free to contact me directly if I can be of any help Enjoy, it is a great journey ! Buen Camino

 

[Stephen Nicholls]

Torres de Berrellen - Gallur 28 km Must say I am glad to be walking for the first time with another pilgrim

Very surprised you met another pilgrim in March, Gipsy Moon! Mind you, I did meet one .... ONE on the whole camino from San Carles to Logrono !!
I stayed in the Hotel Moderno in Alfaro. Be aware that there is NO hotel now in Rincon - it closed a few years ago.
Am enjoying your account immensely....

 

[Gypsea Moon]

Very surprised you met another pilgrim in March, Gipsy Moon! Mind you, I did meet one .... ONE on the whole camino from San Carles to Logrono !!
I stayed in the Hotel Moderno in Alfaro. Be aware that there is NO hotel now in Rincon - it closed a few years ago.
Am enjoying your account immensely....

Thank you Stephen

 

[Gypsea Moon]

Tudela - Alfaro - 25 km
Quite pleasant flat walk on dirt road along train line... can't loose direction.
Just be aware of some yellow arrow and sticker looking official like sending you to the right, to nowhere in the horizon, few kilometers after Tudela. Adorable wild rabbits running around.

Few water fountains. One just after highway bridge, appx 4 km before Castejon del Ebro.

Castejon has a supermarket, bakery and several cafés, as well as hostal close to railway station.

Exiting the pueblo use caution, round abouts and walking on road until Alfaro. Very little space most of the time.

Alfaro has an Albergue.

Last etapa of the Camino del Ebro and post for this pilgrim

 

[NualaOC]

Thank you so much @Gipsy Moon for all this information!