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.

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Origin

Alicante

Destination

Burgos

Distance

677 km

Days

27

Difficulty

Media

General Description of Fiber Way

The Wool Road is a historic Jacobean route originating in Alicante and heading north to link with the French Way in Burgos. Its name comes from the ancient royal pastures used for sheep herding, which also served as pilgrimage routes. This long journey of 677 km to Burgos passes through Cuenca, Guadalajara, and Soria.

Connections of Fiber Way

The French Way
Distance: 779 km
Days: 33
Difficulty: Media

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:

Etapa 1
Stage 1: St. Jean Pied de Port to Roncesvalles
24.50 km 9.00h Alta
Etapa 2
Stage 2: Roncesvalles to Zubiri
21.40 km 6.00h Media
Etapa 3
Stage 3: Zubiri is going to Pamplona.
20.40 km 5.00h Media
Etapa 4
Stage 4: Pamplona to Pontevedra
23.90 km 5.75h Media
Etapa 5
Stage 5: Bridge of Queen to Estella
22.00 km 6.00h Media
(28) more
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:

Etapa 1
Stage 1: The Battle of Borja
22.00 km 8.67h Baja
Etapa 2
Stage 2: Borja in Taragona
28.00 km 9.33h Media
Etapa 3
Stage 3: Taragona to Agreda
24.00 km 7.00h Media
Etapa 4
Stage 4: Attacks Pozalmuro
21.00 km 5.25h Baja
Etapa 5
Stage 5: I don't know the translation. Can you provide more context or information about "Pozalmuro a Soria"?
38.00 km 9.50h Alta
(5) more

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

24.50 km 6.00h Media 40m

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 ...

Origen: Alicante

Destino: Orito

Etapa 2: Orito to Petrer

23.00 km 5.50h Media 150m

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 ...

Origen: Orito

Destino: Petrer

Etapa 3: Petrer to Villena

22.00 km 5.00h Media 20m

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...

Origen: Petrer

Destino: Villena

Etapa 4: Villena to Caudete

17.00 km 4.00h Baja 20m

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...

Origen: Villena

Destino: Caudete

Etapa 5: Caudete to Almansa

17.50 km 6.53h Baja 30m

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...

Origen: Caudete

Destino: Almansa

Etapa 6: Almansa to Alpera

15.00 km 11.63h Baja 240m

Description:

This "super stage" links Jacobean capital with the end of ancient world in a single day, a challenge only suitable for cyclists or very well-prepared pilgrims. The route passes through rural Galicia, ...

Origen: Almansa

Destino: Alpera

Featured Towns of Fiber Way

Explore the key towns and cities of this route.

Millenary History of the Camino de Santiago: Origins and Evolution Fiber Way

Discover the origins and evolution of Fiber Way

The Wool Road is the Jacobean route that follows the trail of one of Spain's greatest sources of wealth in history: the wool trade from Merina sheep. Its name is not a metaphor, but a literal description of its origin. This historical itinerary, which connects Alicante to Burgos, overlaps the journey of faith with that of economics, following the path of ancient royal pastures of the transhumance. It's a long-distance route that traverses the heart of Spain's interior, a slow journey at the pace of old shepherds.

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.

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