Step 12: Alfaro – Tudela (24.6 km)

Accum. height uphill: 181 m. Accum. height downhill: 196 m.

Alfaro: Km 0. Castejón: Km 5.7. Railroad crossing: Km 12.3. Tudela: Km 24.6.

We start out from the Pilgrims’ Hostel, taking the Calle de las Pozas toward the Plaza de España, and from there toward the Plaza Chica and the Calle Araciel y Castejón.  We come out by the Puerta de Castejón and follow the Avenida de Navarra.

We leave Alfaro by highway LR-288, which leads us directly to the next town, Castejón, which is in the Autonomous Community of Navarre.  The train line runs beside us, on our left.  We cross the traffic circle of highway N-113 and enter Castejón, straight ahead on Calle de San José.

We pass through Castejón, almost in a straight line, first by Calle de San José and then by Calle de Sarasate.  Going straight ahead, we finally reach a very narrow road at a right angle from the direction we are travelling; it leads to the industrial park.  We are now opposite some fields just outside the town.  To our left we take a road called Chateauneuf su Sarthe.  After 150 meters, just before crossing the train line, we turn 90 degrees to our right.

We keep following the train line, which runs parallel to the road on the left.  A kilometer further on, we cross under highway AP-15.  We can’t get lost if we keep following the train line.  At 5.5 kilometers from the highway bridge, our road passes over the train line.  Here we have to decide if we will take the shorter route (2 km less, but over pavement) or the more picturesque one (farm road near the Ebro River).  The highway option is clear, and there’s no way to get lost on it: just keep going straight until reaching Tudela.  The other option, which passes near the Ebro and also near a place known as Sotos de Ebro, crosses other roadways, which we should pay no attention to in order not to lose the way.

The arrows for the Camino Santiago point out the way along the Ebro River.  The road that we have to follow to our left is found easily after crossing the bridge over the train line: it appears as we follow a steep curve to our left, which sends us back in the opposite direction from the one we were taking on the highway.  So we leave the highway, and the dirt road takes us around a wide turn to the right and brings us close to the Ebro River.  Having reached the river, we keep it on our left and follow it downstream.  The road has turnoffs and alternative routes, which lead to the fields irrigated by the Ebro.  We continue straight, staying close to the river and walking parallel to it.  At a certain point, the roadway comes to a crossing where the good road continues straight (eventually reaching some industrial buildings and leading back to the highway).  Another option is to go to our left, where the road becomes wilder and more rugged: if we take this route, we will pass near some small marshes, and after going around them we will be back on the highway.

Once we reach the highway, we follow it to our left.  We will find ourselves with the train line on our right and the Ebro River on our left.  We will soon pass a small dam on the river.   Some 300 meters beyond the dam, we take a dirt road to our left; this continues parallel to the highway.  Using this route, we spare ourselves walking on pavement with cars nearby.  This road leads us directly to the entrance of Tudela, always following the highway.

We enter Tudela, where we find awaiting us the Romanesque church of Santa Magdalena.  Following the Calle del Portal, we approach the Cathedral, the city hall, and the tourism office.  The Pilgrims’ Hostel is found about 1.2 kilometers outside the city, following the Avenida de Zaragoza and the Calle de la Caridad.