Pilgrimage to Santiago de Compostela

[Bedbug]

I hope someone can help me. I will arrive at 8:00 pm on a Saturday in Urdos. At this time of day there is no bus connection to Somport. I could take the bus on Sunday, but then I will arrive at 11:00 am, which is rather late.

Does anyone know how to get to Somport? Are there taxis in Urdos? Or private bus lines?

I will be thankful for any suggestion.

[Annette]

There is a but leaving from Oloron-Ste. Marie passing through Urdos. Unfortunately I cannot remember where I found the bus schedule... when I used it my self 2 years ago. - Urdos is a VERY small village (hamlet)... I am sure that the Hotel there can help you call a taxi... however it might a long wait... but I am sure it is posible.

I was told before I went that the view walking from Urdos to Somport is amazing... and I really wish I did it... as walking from Somport to Jaca is DOWN all the way... if you have weak knees or any knee problems this is not the best way to start out... I got a knee problem walking down from Somport... wishing I had "warmed up" from Urdos...

When you arrive to the Albergue in Artieda - give the old woman who is running it a big hug from me, she is absolutely wonderful.

...and If you feel like it this should be worth seeing: http://www.monasteriosanjuan.com/ingles (I didn´t due to the bad knee I got - another thing I missed, but wanted).

what ever you choose I wish you a buen Camino.

[jabri]

I have a timetable of 2007 of the connection from Pau via Oloron St.Marie to Canfranc. This connection is runned by the SNCF. On Saturday's there is one bus, which stops at Urdos at about 09.38 h am and arrives at Somport at 10.01h, Canfranc about 10.15h.
This is the only bus-connection on Saturday that goes on to Somport and Canfranc!!!
info at: http://www.ter-sncf.com/aquitaine

On the other hand, from Urdos to Somport is a walk of 4,25h


Jan Brilleman

[Donovan]

I walked from Urdos to Somport last year - I think it took about 3 hours. You can follow the road, or take the "Ancienne Route d'Espane" There is a yellow sign on the left side of the road about 2 - 3 km after Urdos. This takes you off the road along a narrow path and up the mountain. I saw no-one else on this route which is very beautiful. The path rejoins the Urdos-Somport road about 2 km before Somport

I got into a website http://reiseauskunft.bahn.de which lists two buses from Oloron Ste Marie to Somport on Sundays - leaving Somport at 09:50 and 14:40. The buses are run by SNCF but my French is not good enough to navigate their site

Buen Camino

[Bedbug]

Many thanks for your help! I think I will start in Borce and walk the 16 km to Somport.

[Alan Pearce]

I walked from Pau to Somport in early April this year. Because my friends suffered from foot injuries which meant that we were falling behind our schedule[we had prebooked return flights to Australia from Madrid] they took a bus from Bourse to Confranc. It was on a Sunday and they had to wait hours before the one bus for the day came through. I walked the 40 km. from Sarrance to Somport in a little over 10 hours, and must admit that I had my head down for a lot of the time, as I concentrated on maintaining a steady pace. Even so, the scenery was spectacular and because I travelled a fair distance that day, I had the advantage of seeing the mountains unfold as I got nearer and nearer. I had a problem just short of Somport [perhaps where the Ancienne Route d"Espane joins the Somport road ] where the arrows actually showed I was going in the wrong direction. I retraced my steps for about 500 m where I asked some skiers in a car park which way I should be going. They turned me around again and sent me back where I had already been. I did not need that!
The comment about the steep descent from Somport is accurate, and it is fairly hard going. When I was there in early Spring the path for the first km or so was covered with frozen hard-packed snow and was quite dangerous. But the scenery was lovely, and to Australian eyes used to years of drought the sheer greenness was a delight.
Buen camino

[Donovan]

Alan, I believe I was caught out by the same sign, and it is indeed where the Ancienne Route joins the Urdos to Somport road. On coming off the Ancienne Route, the sign directed me down the hill along the road that would have taken me back to Urdos. I hailed a passing motorist who advised me to continue up the hill and keep on the road as Somport was pretty close. The message is - if you are on the road keep going and you can't go wrong. I agree with your comment about the spectacular scenery, especially seen from Australian eyes. It is quite different on the Spanish side, but still spectacular.
Buen Camino