Le Puy to Santiago via the Col Du Somport

[Bruce McLean]

Thank you very much for the reply. I have the  "updated" CSJ Guide, it is
quite disappointing.  I will certainly send them  update info I hope others do
to.

Bob Spenger wrote:

>

> From Urdos on, the GR 653 is described as an "extremely
> beautiful walk, much of it through beechwoods.

I found a route 0n the 1:25000 maps, unfortunately it appears it was made for
"mountain goats" not "old goats" like me.


>  By comparison, I felt that
> Hounnto to Roncevaux was nowhere near as inspiring.

The weather when I walked the Hunto Roncesvalles section was quite bad, snow,
cool and fairly low disturbed cloud which provided some fairly interesting
scenery.  I must admit, that the respect those of us that walked over at that
time received boosted my ego immensely, however I did not find it very
challenging.

>
>
> As for accommodations, I have heard that there have been a lot of changes,
> so my experience is probably out of date by now. I stayed at cheap hotels
> in Urdos, Canfranc EstaciÛn, Jaca, Puente de Reina de Jaca, Yesa, and
> Monreal and at the private refugio in Artrieda. After Monreal, I took a
> detour through Pamplona for various reasons and was merged with the main
> flow on the major modern route.



>
> regards,
>
> Bob Spenger
> rspengeraadelphia.net