[Gocamino] Options to the Camino Frances

[Jeff Mayor]

Brandon,

Last year my wife and I walked the camino beginning in Canfrance 
Estacion. We took a train from Pau France to Somport and stayed on the 
bus over the mountain and arrived in Canfranc Estacion at around noon 
(the train leaves Pau at approx. 8am).  We began walking down the 
valley to Jaca (one of the most beautiful sections of the trip) at 
around 1:30pm. Be aware if you go this way that,  taking two short 
breaks, we did not arrive in Jaca until 10pm. If (or when I go this way 
again) I will stop in Villamayor which we hit around 6pm to break up 
the first day. The 25 or 30 K was all down hill, but as any experienced 
trekker will tell you, down can be harder on the body than up. (bring 
walking poles!!!!!) The rest of the camino after Jaca is also 
incredible. We went for entire days without seeing more than one or two 
pilgrims on this route (Holy Year). The ruins of Ruestra are most 
amazing. Parts on the way is remote and you do feel very isolated 
(something we wanted) but that might not suit everyone. You do hack 
through some thickets and climb a dismal logging road outside of 
Ruestra (do that part in the morning if you are there in the summer) no 
water and you are really out on you own on that part of the climb. It 
is a bit of a shock when you hit gravel and more people at Puenta del 
Riena, but it is all part of it in the end. From Canfranc  Estacion to 
Puenta del Riena took about 10 days. This year we begin in Pamplona.

Jeff