From the albergue de peregrinos, we go on the right by the narrow calle Conde Aznar to join the calle Mayor, a commercial artery that was adapted to the new design adopted by the city in 1915, after the demolition of the city walls. We follow it to the right until the Renaissance City Hall, where we turn on the left to take the calle Ramón y Cajal. We pass by at the foot of Torre del Reloj, also known as the Prison, and we continue straight on calle Ferrenal, which takes the name of Ferraginal del Rey, a pasture land occupied by herds and royal horses. We approach to the Romanesque Church of Santiago. As soon as we pass by the temple we turn right on calle del Coso, which we cross from end to end until leading into avenida del Regimiento de Galicia, which we take towards the left. After leaving behind the petrol station, we advance following the direction to Pamplona, ​​next to the N-240, going across the avenida de Nuestra Señora de la Victoria. A few meters later we progress along a parallel street, with good views of Mount Oroel (1770 m), beside the meadow of the River Gas. At the end of the Camino de Santiago walk, where the Reina Felicia Hotel and a residential area are located, we turn right and recover the direction at the feet of an industrial area that takes us to Ermita de la Victoria (Victory Chapel), restored in 1816 after the damages caused in the Peninsular War.

We cross the N-240 and move forward 300 meters along the right shoulder, extended by a narrow gravel lane. We leave the road and go down on a broader path that gives us a splendid panorama over the opposite bank of the River Aragón, where several villages, such as Abay, Guasillo and Banagüás, settle between cereal fields and small hills, called here Coronas. After 1,7 kilometers from the road, we arrive at the group of houses of La Botiguera, where we turn left 90º to take the N-240 and approach the River Gas (km. 5.2). We cross it and avoid exposing ourselves to the traffic, walking beside an industrial unit, passing meters later at the foot of the Casa del Municionero. We traverse the road and continue along a parallel path that moves forward under a line of black poplars, next to some dependencies that are part of the Campamento Militar de las Batiellas (Batiellas military camp). Almost two kilometers later the path converges on the road, which we cross again to take another path that leads us in 500 meters to the barranco de Atarés (ravine), which we cross easily using a footbridge.

The path crosses over the barranco de Atarés. | CAMINOS PEREGRINOS

Going down the Atarés road, we continue by the Mount Boalar, woody mass of pines, holm oaks and gall oaks that form part of the protected landscape of San Juan de la Peña and Monte Oroel. While we walk, we spot on the other side of the N-240 the Instituto de Formación Agroambiental. We advance for a kilometer and a half and we cross a more rough outline over the barranco de Mosqueruela (km. 9.7), already on the lower slopes of Mount Cornaraña. The slides give way to a more clear climb on stone path up to a lookout; this spot looks down on like no other the Canal de Berdún, a natural balcony above this orographical hollow lying down between the inland and outland ranges of the Pyrenees and traversed from east to west by the River Aragón.

We descend next to the N-240 road and connect with another track that advances above the road, crossing 400 meters later the barranco de Santa Cruz (km. 12.1), which pass behind of the Venta de Esculabolsas (Esculabolsas Inn) – the former pilgrims’ hospital of Annol already mentioned in 1200 – and the Aragón Hotel, where we can take a break and recover strength. Then, along a path that pops up between the cereal fields, we cross the road that goes to Santa Cruz de la Serós and San Juan de la Peña. This monastery is sheltered in a landscape of great beauty and make a show of a Romanesque cloister, whose capitals show the recognizable figures sculpted during the Middle Ages by Maestro de Agüero. The monastery was reestablish in the 11 th century by Sancho ‘El Mayor’ and became a mausoleum of the first Aragonese dynasties. It was also in this secluded place, in 1071, where the Roman liturgical rite was introduced for the first time in the Iberian Peninsula, which fihished with the Hispanic-Visigothic rite.

We continue for about a hundred meters along a paved track, followed by a cabañera (cattle route). Then we meet at Binacua road (km. 13.9), which we go across for 200 meters. We leave it when arriving at a bend, noticing the stony path that comes from the left shoulder, where the Catalán through San Juan de la Peña Way links with this Aragonese Way. A few meters away from Casa Antón, we cross the ravine of Fuente de Biescas and turn right, passing by Casa Jacinta and some farms, which lead us to the N-240. We finish crossing it to enter Santa Cilia de Jaca. We meet at a roundabout and we walk straightforward to go towards the village center, where there is a likeable sculpture of Saint James in pilgrim dress. Those who want to finish the stage here will find marks to get closer to the pilgrims´ hostel, located on calle del Sol. We should take the opportunity to visit the Bartolomé Bakery on calle Mayor. His owner Tino bakes delicious loafs of bread.

Church of San Salvador at dusk. |CAMINOS PEREGRINOS

We say goodbye to Santa Cilia on calle Camino de Santiago, arriving at the bottom of barranco de la Virgen, which we cross to take a cabañera that goes through the places of El Plano and La Tejería. After 1,5 kilometers we go on in a simple track that advances one to one with the N-240; and a bit more than a kilometer it disappears and merges with the N-240, which we cross to link with another track that brings us to Casa Rural Regodiso. After it we turn right and we progress through a small path between trees, appearing again on the road next to the marker post km. 300, where we cross the barranco de San Salvador. Just after we move on the right shoulder for about 80 meters and we turn right to take a new path. So we approach the River Aragón and at the back of the Camping Pirineos.

We move forward to a bridge and turn left, ending at the N-240 next to the pardina of Cascallo. With no other alternatives than the track on the narrow shoulder, we restart the passage for 1.3 kilometers. After the marker post km. 302, a Jacobean milestone invites to leave the road and take a path that descends by a few steps to a mixed forest, where suddenly we bump into hundreds of river stones crowded on both sides of the Camino, as an outdoor exhibition. The origin of this practice goes back to the earliest civilizations and serve to point out a specific place or to guide the coming traveler. We ended up getting on the road to arrive to Puente la Reina de Jaca, although to follow Arrés it is not necessary to cross the bridge. In this village, former royal seat known as Astorito, the River Subordán Aragón flows into the River Aragón and the Way of Saint James forks in two branches: the north route through Berdún and Sigüés and the south route through Arrés and Artieda, the most used today.

Without crossing the bridge, we follow a short stretch of the A-132 road that leads to Huesca and then we take the local road that goes to Arrés. Soon we cross a ravine and we see the indicator to Arrés (km. 22,6). Listen up! The one who does not go to spend the night in Arrés does not need to go up and can continue straight on the road! The ascent extends for almost three kilometers and goes over the slope of Mount Samitier, with pine trees and plenty of brushwood. The first kilometer is the one that demands a greater effort, since it exceeds quickly more than 70 meters of gradient. From there the section is easier, descending even as we approach the village. Arrés is famous for its albergue de peregrinos, inaugurated in the 1990_s and managed by hospitaleros voluntarios that offer priceless hospitality. In addition, its location is enviable and provides a breathtaking view of the Pyrenees and the Canal de Berdún.