Fiber Way
The Wool Road connects Alicante with Burgos, following ancient routes of transhumance. A historic long-distance route through the Spanish interior to the French Way.
Organize your Fiber WayGeneral Description of Fiber Way
Connections of Fiber Way
The French Way
Distance:
779 km
Days:
33
Difficulty:
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The Camino Francés is the pilgrimage route to Santiago de Compostela of excellence, chosen by thousands of pilgrims every year. With a journey of approximately 780 km from Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port or less from Roncesvalles, it traverses northern Spain. This path, declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO, offers exceptional infrastructure for services and hostels.
Pilgrims traverse Navarra, La Rioja, Castile and León, and finally Galicia, marveling at monumental cities such as Pamplona, Burgos, and León, and charming villages. The diversity of its landscapes is one of its greatest attractions, from the Pyrenees and the Castilian plains to the green forests of Galicia. It's a physical and spiritual journey that leaves an indelible mark, ideal for both experienced pilgrims and those starting out on the Camino de Santiago.
Stages of this variant:
Stage 1: St. Jean Pied de Port to Roncesvalles
Stage 2: Roncesvalles to Zubiri
Stage 3: Zubiri is going to Pamplona.
Stage 4: Pamplona to Pontevedra
Stage 5: Bridge of Queen to Estella
Route of the Castle and Aragon
Distance:
239 km
Days:
8
Difficulty:
High
The Camino Castellano-Aragonés is a Jacobean route that connects the Ebro valley from Gallur (Zaragoza) to the Lana Way in Burgos province. This 239 km itinerary serves as a bridge between eastern peninsula routes (such as the Ebro Way) and Castilian roads leading to the French Way.
It traverses the middle Ebro valley and enters Soria province, passing by the monumental Tarazona. It offers a rural route through areas with rich historical and natural heritage, although less known and trafficked, ideal for those seeking a more solitary experience.
Stages of this variant:
Stage 1: The Battle of Borja
Stage 2: Borja in Taragona
Stage 3: Taragona to Agreda
Stage 4: Attacks Pozalmuro
Stage 5: I don't know the translation. Can you provide more context or information about "Pozalmuro a Soria"?
Elevation Profile of Fiber Way
Visualize the ups and downs of the route.
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Stages of Fiber Way
Etapa 1: Alicante to Orito
Description:
This stage continues across the Manchegan plain, on flat terrain with no difficulties. The landscape remains dominated by vineyards and fields of grain. It is a transition day that brings the pilgrim ...
Etapa 2: Orito to Petrer
Description:
This stage enters the province of Cuenca, in a flat terrain and without difficulties. The landscape continues to be dominated by vineyards and fields of cereals. It is a day of transition that brings ...
Etapa 3: Petrer to Villena
Description:
This is a short and flat stage that runs through the heart of La Mancha Conquense. The landscape is dominated by vineyards. It's a day to enjoy the peace of the countryside and wine culture. Arrival i...
Etapa 4: Villena to Caudete
Description:
This stage is a journey to the heart of La Mancha and Don Quixote's universe. The route is flat and runs through a landscape of vineyards and olive groves. Arrival in El Toboso, Dulcinea's homeland, i...
Etapa 5: Caudete to Almansa
Description:
The last and most magical stage of the Camino. It is charged with emotion and symbolism. The first part unfolds in a rural environment. The first major moment arrives at Lavacolla, where pilgrims used...
Featured Towns of Fiber Way
Explore the key towns and cities of this route.
Alicante
Mediterranean city and starting point of the Southeastern Way. Alicante offers the pilgrim a bright start to the route, between its castle, beaches, and vibrant Explanada.
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Orito
Pilgrim center at the beginning of the Southeastern Way. Orito, with the Cave of St. Pascual Bailon, is a place of deep popular devotion and an spiritual haven for the pilgrim.
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Petrer
Alicante villa crowned by an imposing medieval castle. Petrer is a stop with history and shoemaking tradition on the Southeastern Way, at the heart of the Vinalopó valley.
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Villena
Alicante, a city on the Southeastern Route of the Camino, dominated by the imposing Castle of La Atalaya. A historic stop for pilgrims before entering the plateau.
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Caudete
Historic Albatelean village on the border with the Valencia Community. Caudete, with its castle and sanctuary, is a monumental stop on the South East Route.
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Almansa
Albacetean city on the Southeast Route, famous for its spectacular rocky castle, one of the most beautiful in Spain. A historic and monumental stop in La Mancha.
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Alpera
Albacetean municipality with a valuable prehistoric legacy. Alpera is famous for its rock shelters with Levantine rock art paintings, declared World Heritage by the UNESCO.
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Alatoz
Peaceful Albateño town on the Way of the Wool. Alatoz offers the pilgrim a genuine rural retreat in an environment of agricultural and forest landscapes.
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Casas Ibáñez
Capital of the Manchuela region. Casas-Ibáñez is a dynamic service center on the Way of the Wool, with a rich wine-making tradition and an lively atmosphere.
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Villarta
Small town conquered in the Manchuela region. Villarta offers a peaceful refuge to pilgrims on the Wool Road, an authentic rural setting.
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Campillo de Altobuey
Conquense is conquered with an important baroque heritage. Campillo of Altobuey is a monumental stop on the Way of the Wool, with one of the most spectacular churches in the province.
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Monteagudo de las Salinas
Conquest town with a medieval castle. Monteagudo de las Salinas, in the Sierra de Cuenca, is a stopover with history and an ideal natural environment for rest.
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Fuentes (Cuenca)
Small Conquense town near the capital. Fuentes is a peaceful stop on the Wool Road, ideal for a rural break before arrival at the monumental Cuenca.
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Villar de Domingo García
Conquest town with an interesting heritage. Villar de Domingo García, on the Way of the Wool, is known for housing the Roman villa of Noheda, a archaeological treasure.
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Villaconejos de Trabaque
Small town conquered in Alcarria. Villaconejos de Trabaque offers a natural environment and the tranquility of the countryside, a refuge of peace on the Way of the Wool.
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Salmerón (Guadalajara)
Salmerón, with its surrounding countryside and tranquility, is a peaceful stop for pilgrims on the Way of the Wool.
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Viana de Mondéjar
Small municipality of the Alcarria. Viana de Mondéjar offers a rural and peaceful retreat in the province of Guadalajara, along the Way of the Wool.
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Cifuentes
Medieval village of La Alcarria on the Way of St. Luke. Its castle, main square and Romanesque church of the Savior make it a historic stop of great interest.
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Mandayona
Small town of Guadalajara in the Alcarria region. Mandayona offers a rural and peaceful retreat in a natural setting, ideal for disconnecting on the Jacobean route.
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Atienza
Impressive medieval village on the Way of the Wool. Its imposing rock castle and its collection of Romanesque churches make Atienza one of the most beautiful stops in Guadalajara.
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Retortillo de Soria
Small Sorian town on the Way of the Wool, with Roman city ruins near its surroundings. A rural haven for rest and connection to ancient history.
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Fresno de Caracena
Small Sorian town with great rural charm. Fresno de Caracena, on the Way of the Wool, is a haven of peace with an important Romanesque heritage.
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San Esteban de Gormaz
St Stephen of Gormaz by the Duero, birthplace of Romanesque, is a monumental stop on the Way of St James.
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Quintanarraya
Small Burgalian town on the Way of St. James. Quintanarraya offers the pilgrim a rural and quiet rest in a countryside and Castilian landscape setting.
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Santo Domingo de Silos
Spiritual and artistic figure of the Wool Road. His Benedictine monastery, with its Romanesque cloister and Gregorian chants, is a world-famous haven of peace and beauty.
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Burgos
Monumental heart of the Camino Francés. Burgos dazzles the pilgrim with its majestic Gothic cathedral, World Heritage Site, and rich historical legacy on the Castilian plateau.
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Mecerreyes
Burgal town in the heart of Tabladillo Valley. Mecerreyes, on the Way of the Wool, is famous for its tradition of the "Chicken Song" and its pilgrim hospitality.
More InformationMillenary History of the Camino de Santiago: Origins and Evolution Fiber Way
Discover the origins and evolution of Fiber Way
The history of this road is the story of The Mesta, the "Honorable Council of the Mesta", a powerful association of sheep farmers created in 1273 by King Alfonso X the Wise. The Mesta controlled the lucrative wool trade for centuries, highly prized throughout Europe. To ensure the movement of massive flocks between summer pastures in the north and winter pastures in the south, a network of protected roads was established: the royal canals. These routes, up to 75 meters wide, were genuine livestock highways, safe and open to the public, that crossed the peninsula.
Medieval pilgrims and those of the Modern Age, always practical, used these magnificent infrastructure for their own journeys. For an inhabitant of the southeast (Alicante, Valencia, Cuenca) who wanted to go to Santiago, following the canals was the safest and most direct option to head north. These routes were equipped with wells, bridges, and refuges that, although designed for shepherds, also served pilgrims.
The Wool Road therefore starts in Alicante and begins its long ascent to the Meseta. It collects tributaries from other regions that produce wool, such as Cuenca or the Alcarria of Guadalajara. One of the most important milestones on the route is the city of Cuenca, a World Heritage Site. The pilgrim, after passing through its famous Hanging Houses and Gothic cathedral, continued their journey through the serranía, a landscape of canyons and pine forests.
The route continues north, crossing the Alcarria, land of honey and aromatic plants, and enters the province of Soria, passing by historic villages such as Atienza. A climactic moment in the journey, both spiritual and artistic, is the arrival near the Monastery of Santo Domingo de Silos, in the province of Burgos. The visit to its cloister, one of the universal masterpieces of Romanesque art, and listening to its famous Gregorian chant, were a sublime reward for the pilgrim.
The final destination of the Wool Road is the city of Burgos. Upon arriving at this historic capital of Castile and one of the key points on the Camino Francés, the pilgrims of the wool joined the international flow of walkers. They had completed a genuinely peninsular route, following the economic wealth routes of the country, to join the great spiritual wealth road of Europe.
Its modern revival has highlighted an itinerary of great diversity in landscape and culture. It's a less-traveled path that requires planning but offers a highly authentic experience. To walk the Wool Road is to immerse oneself in rural and economic history of Spain, a meditative journey through the silent landscapes of Spain's interior, following the invisible trail of millions of sheep and the footsteps of pilgrims who shared their route.