somport-jaca

[Robert E. Spenger]

In my own case, I got there by walking. As far as I could tell, there is
nothing at Somport, but a closed up border station. I walked on past and
down the hill four or five kilometers to Confranc Estacion, where I
spent the night in an inexpensive hotel. I believe that there is also a
refugio there and I got the impression that many Spanish pilgrims take
the daily train from Jaca to Canfranc Estacion and then start their
pilgrimages from there. Perhaps some of them do a round trip up to the
pass, just to start the pilgrimage from the border itself. It is an easy
20 km downhill from Canfranc Estacion to Jaca. (Note that there is also
a Canfranc, a hamlet a few kilometers down the road - it should not be
confused with Canfranc Estacion, which has the large railway station
with the cavernous, unused custom rooms.)

After Jaca, my stops were Puenta de la Reina de Jaca, Artrieda, Yesa,
Monreal, and Pamplona. The regular route goes directly west from Monreal
to Puenta de la Reina (NOT de Jaca), bypassing Pamplona. I needed to go
through Pamplona for logistical reasons, shoe repair, mailing, and
avoiding a 30 km day. I did the two 20 km legs of the Monreal, Pamplona,
Puenta de la Reina triangle.

As I remember, the pass at Somport was about 1600 m. I heeded the
warnings in the confraternity guide and stuck to the main road, so the
climb was gradual and steady and the same with the descent on the
Spanish side.



Donald Schell wrote:

> Dear pilgrims,
>
> Next month my wife and I are planning to walk two weeks toward
> Santiago, beginning either at St. Jean or at Somport.   My wife has
> not walked the Camino before, though we've traveled together in
> Spain.  I know how to get to St. Jean and can plan that route from
> previous experience, but I think I'd like us to begin Somport and walk
> through the Somport Pass.  I'm interested in hearing from anyone who
> has gone that way.
>
> I have our 1998 copy of Lozano's A Practical Guide for Pilgrims.  The
> photos of the pass look beautiful, but A Practical Guide doesn't give
> altitude maps for this branch of the Camino.  How much altitude change
> is there over Somport Pass?  I'd also welcome suggestions from
> experience of how to break those opening days
> (Somport-Jaca-Sanguesa).  We were not planning to carry camping
> equipment.  Also helpful would be experience of the alternate route
> from Jaca via Monasterio de S. Juan de la Pena, and of either of the
> two routes from Puenta la Reina de Jaca to Sanguesa.
>
> If we start in Somport, I'd also welcome recommendations for (or
> against) ways of getting there.  We're flying to London and were
> thinking to take either train to France and through France to the
> border or boat from England to Spain (Santander) and then. . ?  What
> are practical combinations of train (or bus?) to Somport?  Thank you.
>
> Donald Schell
> Saint Gregory of Nyssa Episcopal Church
> San Francisco, California
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