Levante, Lana or Ebro?

[AlanSykes]

I'm trying to decide on my next camino, and all of the above seem to have advantages and disadvantages. A couple of weeks ago I was working in Barca and managed to skive off for a day and walk up the first stage of the Ebro from Tortosa, and I very much like the idea of following the river that gave the peninsula its name for a few hundred miles, but there don't seem to be many albergues. The Lana also seems to have a lot going for it, but, again, a slight lack of pilgrim infrastructure. Also, I have unfinished business with the Levante, and it would be good to visit Toledo for the first time in el Greco's quatercentenary year.

Any thoughts?

 

[freescot]

I don't know the Ebro but walked the Lana last year and the infrastructure is good with superb help from many very committed amigos del Camino. There are one or two longer stages of 30+km. I prefer less than 25km. There are many surprises and, if you are seeking solitude, it is guaranteed.
I loved crossing the mountains North of Toledo into Avila on the Camino de Levante.
However, as you know, each will bring its own joys and revelations. Buen Camino

 

[LTfit]

Sorry Alan, can't help you out with your dilemma but am interested in reading what others say.

Just back from Sevilla-Salamanca for a second time and now have my eye on the Levante for the summer. The fact that Toledo and Ávila are along the Camino is a real plus, as well as all the castillos that Laurie has told us about.

 

[peregrina2000]

Hi, Alan,
How far did you walk on the Levante? I know you visited Arévalo and Medina del Campo, but if that's about the extent of it, I'd push you back to the Levante. A couple of days of beautiful mountain walking, as LT says tons of castles, lots of towns with amazing architecture and plazas mayores, and Avila, Toledo and Toro are just show stoppers of course. And don´t forget you also walk through Don Quijote's windmill territory. Every time I start to write about the Levante, I want to go back!

I haven't walked either the Lana or the Ebro, but walking from Alicante to Burgos on the Lana is very appealing. There´s a list of the towns it passes here http://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Camino_de_Santiago_de_la_Lana

Don´t you love these agonizing choices? Buen camino, Laurie

 

[SabsP]

From what I saw of the Ebro, from Zaragoza and only for two etapas because of the flooding last year I would say it has beautiful parts. But, lots of albergues only open for groups of at least ten people.

 

[AlanSykes]

Thanks for the thoughts. As Laurie says, it's a nice "agonizing choice" to have to ponder, and I won't be going until October-November anyway. As I only picked up the Levante in Arévalo (and spent it from Medina del Campo to the outskirts of Zamora in freezing fog varying from visibility of about a km down to under 30m, so can't really say I saw that much of its landscape, other than a breathtaking view from Ataquines of the snow-capped peaks of the Sierra de Guardarrama fringing the southern sky) I think I'd probably better start from Valencia, especially if it means paying my respects in El Toboso, as well as seeing some el Grecos in Toledo.

But the Lana does sound wonderful as well. And if I took the Ebro I could turn left onto the Castellano-Aragonés at Gallur and join the Lana at Santo Domingo de Silos, which is high on my list of places to visit.

Decisions, decisions.

 

[SabsP]

I heard from another Belgian pilgrim that the Castellano-Aragones from Gallur is very beautiful ( lesser industrial outskirts of town too ).

 

[AlanSykes]

I heard from another Belgian pilgrim that the Castellano-Aragones from Gallur is very beautiful ( lesser industrial outskirts of town too ).

It does look VERY tempting on mundicamino - interesting towns, lovely landscapes.

 

[Stephen Nicholls]

I wonder if there are any updates on this forum? I am making plans for May 2015, and have chosen the Ruta del Ebro this time!
Buen camino, amigos!

 

[peregrina2000]

Hmm, this is a thought. I had hoped to walked the Cami Catala this year from St. Pere de Rodas, but I just don't think I have enough time. Maybe the Camino del Ebro is the one for me! Stephen are you planning to walk into Logrono or turn left at Gallur to go to Santo Domingo de Silos? And are you then going to continue on the Frances? I can't walk till June this year, so I could just sit and wait for your reports before I head off. Let you do all the work.

Buen camino, Laurie