- Time of past OR future Camino
- Except the Francés
4 years ago I walked from the estuary of the Ebro up to Gallur. This year I've jumped down from the Aragonés to Logroño in order to do the four northern days I missed along the river, once again turning west and heading along the Castellano-Aragonés through lovely Soria to Santo Domingo de Silos.
I arrived in Logroño on a holiday Saturday morning, with a big society wedding about to happen, so there were many elegant and well-dressed (and perhaps a few over-dressed) people in the town centre.
Logroño to Arrúbal
The Ruta del Ebro joins, or in my case (and anybody doing the Ignaciano route) leaves the Francés by the Puente de Piedra. Then through some quite pretty parks and riverside walks until, sadly, you find yourself sandwiched between a motorway and a railway line, eventually reaching Agoncillo, a non-descript town whose truck stop, by serving excellent food, has managed to survive the motorway bypassing the town. A very pleasant menú del día, washed down with a fruity local white, served by charming waitresses, with at least 50 other customers managing to create a wonderful holiday weekend din.
And then only an hour on to Arrúbal. The local church, mostly 17th century and later, has an unusual irregular hexagonal tower, on top of which I saw my first stork's nest of this camino. The alcaldesa, who also has the keys of the albergue, kindly showed me inside. Nothing particularly special except for a gorgeous probably 12th century font, which Nieves assumed came from a previous church on the same site - the village at one time belonged to the monastery of San Juan de la Peña. The albergue is outstanding: 20+ (bunk) beds, an excellent properly equipped kitchen, several showers etc, and a comfortable sitting room. All for 5€.
I arrived in Logroño on a holiday Saturday morning, with a big society wedding about to happen, so there were many elegant and well-dressed (and perhaps a few over-dressed) people in the town centre.
Logroño to Arrúbal
The Ruta del Ebro joins, or in my case (and anybody doing the Ignaciano route) leaves the Francés by the Puente de Piedra. Then through some quite pretty parks and riverside walks until, sadly, you find yourself sandwiched between a motorway and a railway line, eventually reaching Agoncillo, a non-descript town whose truck stop, by serving excellent food, has managed to survive the motorway bypassing the town. A very pleasant menú del día, washed down with a fruity local white, served by charming waitresses, with at least 50 other customers managing to create a wonderful holiday weekend din.
And then only an hour on to Arrúbal. The local church, mostly 17th century and later, has an unusual irregular hexagonal tower, on top of which I saw my first stork's nest of this camino. The alcaldesa, who also has the keys of the albergue, kindly showed me inside. Nothing particularly special except for a gorgeous probably 12th century font, which Nieves assumed came from a previous church on the same site - the village at one time belonged to the monastery of San Juan de la Peña. The albergue is outstanding: 20+ (bunk) beds, an excellent properly equipped kitchen, several showers etc, and a comfortable sitting room. All for 5€.
!!
