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I sure was!!!! Because Sabine wss so incredibly kind to take some of my things, I could walk today with kilos less on my back. And it made a huge difference. All the same I missrd her wonderful company...she IS a true peregrina!
The path was very well waymarked, both on the way up and only slightly less on the way down. Some of the waymarking looked pretty new, in fact.
Day 5 Zegama to Salvaterria 21.9
Part 1...too many photos!
The surprise of the day was that this stage was a challenge but not as bad as I feared it would be.
And aiyiyi, what a day!!!
It is probably my most beautiful and interesting camino day ever. It ticked all the boxes: historical interest, natural beauty, mountains, and being an old and 'authenic' route.
And...if you come this way, do heed the warnings to bring enough water and pay attention to where you are going, and where you put your feet. Being lost up there could be real trouble. And a bad fall, ditto.
So the way up was steady uphill after the first km or so, with a few breaks higher up. The path started out paved, but soon became dirt, going up through oak and maple woodland and pasture, higher up going through some amazing stands of very old beech in bright new leaf on one side and more somber larch and conifers on the other. Unerfoot were the many wildflowers, including some stunning orchids and wierd purple legumes with purple flowers erupting straight out of the ground.
The path emerged at the Ermita de Sancti Spiritu, which was beautiful but deserted; right around the corner the path crosses pasture and the view ahead opened up to the tunnel ahead.
I stayed there for a while, and can't quite capture the experience in words. The clearing of the fog, the chatter of the many swallows as they flashed in and out, imagining all that have passed through here, and all the work this road has seen. Not to mention what it myst have taken to build it.
On the other side of the short tunnel, the calzada romana was astonishingly good shape after almost two millenia of summers and winters. What will our autovias look like in that much time?
It continued uphill for about a km, and then headed steadily down through beautiful beech forest, contouring along one side of a valley, crossing the stream and then going down the other side. Much was eventually on a forestry road, so the walking was easy. It seemed cooler on this side of the mountain, and the oaks and maples were just coming into leaf.
And then at the bottom, emerging into a whole different world - villages that were Spanish rather than Basque, and wide open spaces with broad fields of ripening wheat and vistas of mountains.
Photos...too many for one post! It was a gorgeous day.
A big thank you to Sabine for making ease possible...I was so sorry she missed this.
Shows another option.My pictures were a little different
Ahhh, you two had a perfect weather. I did the same stage but with light drizzle in Vitoria and I came to LPdA in cataclismic downpour. I took the road alternative, my poncho was devastated, I was soaked throughout and then this guy let me in albergue. Is he still a hospitalero? He's very special. And I didn't understand him a wordDay 7 Vitoria to La Puebla de Arganzon 18.8 (or maybe a bit more?)
A lovely short stage.
The exit from Vitoria was lovely, on a tree-lined passeo. We followed wikiloc tracks as the waymarks were patchy, especially at first. At the top of the passeo was a statue on San Prudencio, followed by a lovely Basilica bearing his name.
Once out of the city, there was a stretch (that was mercifully short) on the shoulder of a busy road, but after that a lot of the day was on gravel. First the way went through fields, but the last half was up and over a forested hill. It was exquisite walking and not too steep, through oak and maple woods, with so many wildflowers that it seriously slowed me down: wild iris, roses, orchids, as well as all the usuals - oregeno, lavendar, broom, and morning glory. But it was the wild Helebore that stopped me in my tracks. (Sorry botanophiles, I can't upload the plant pics because for some reason the files are too big.) The South and North sides of the hill had noticibly different flora, with holm oaks becoming predominant, as opposed to other oak and maples on the cooler North side.
Once at the top, there was a choice of ways to go, and confusion. The wikiloc tracks on my phone led one way, but there were new-looking waymarks going in another direction, angling right and almost flat! I took the way to the right, but then dithered uncertainly, doubling back to make sure of myself. (I wish I had taken some pics but was too busy finding the way. Sorry...) Back at the intersection, I found arrows in two directions a little way down the 'old' route that had been taken by everone who'd laid down wikiloc tracks, as well as one yellow X near the top. So I turned around again and ended up took the other marked way diagonally right that followed the ridgetop and eventually went straight down to the left on a firebreak road once reaching the power pylons. After 800 meters or so, the marked way went left and followed two-track roads all the way out to the regular wikiloc route about 400 m before it goes under the autovia, right before PdlA. There were painted waymarks as well as one metal standard at the top.
Sabine took the other way, and said it is waymarked too, but a very rocky descent. So no matter what way you choose, it will get you here. But the way down via the firebreak road was not in any way treacherously rocky.
Yes, and he talked a blue streak There are 3 of us here tonight, and the very quiet Catalan peregrino took the brunt of the talking while Sabine and I retreated upstairs.this guy let me in albergue. Is he still a hospitalero? He's very special. And I didn't understand him a word
Michael I really hope you have good weather for that stage through the tunnel.
Joe's post:
Shows another option.
Joe, that second photo is gorgeous. Worth printing and framing, so you can admire it in more comfortable circumstances.
Rest well and buen camino up there, @FamPed!Taking 2 rest days to help leg injuries heal, before going back to my pilgrimage at the Egino Route (Sweden)
Love the poppies, vnwalking. So glad things are a bit dryer for you both now...Rest well and buen camino up there, @FamPed!
Day 8 Puebla de Arlanzon to Miranda de Ebro about 19 km
Another short day, so we could have a nice lunch and then take the train to Haro; we decided we want to follow the Via de Bayona, but are here in Haro for a rest day, taking the train back tomorrow. This way we get the best of both worlds. (Lunch was an amazing menu del dia at Tartan not fat from the station...a little pricy, but well worth it, the first decent vegetarian food this trip. An elderly lady pigeonholed Sabine on the street to tell her where the visitor's info was, and we asked her. A slightly flash place, but they didn't even mind our pilgrim clothes and packs!)
It was a day of gentle ups and downs with a mix of surfaces - paved, gravel, and muddy on top of gravel at the end, the kind that stuck to our shoes tenaciously and annoyingly. At first the route followed the autovia, but soon struck off and away through fields and small villages; we had to go under the autovia later, but it was short and painless.
The fork in the camino, where the way to Haro and the way to MdE split was obvious after the village of Estavillo. It would be hard to miss unless you were really zoning out. The Haro way forks left and goes flat across fields, while the MdE way goes down and to the right towards the autovia and Armiñon (a gorgeous little town with an amazing bridge over the rio Zadorra). There are a gazillion arrows and signposting at the junction (the last pic).
After Armiñon, the way to MdE could be confusing. All the wikiloc tracks that I had uploaded come into MdE from the East. And there was a place halfway up the hill above Armiñon where arrows pointed in the same direction as two of these tracks, but another directon was also marked, going straight uphill into terra incognita (the building in the first pic shows the point of divergence). We followed the straight way and found a well-waymarked path (that is also on the maps provided by the Gobierno Vasco) that comes into the city from the North, missing the vast majority of the industrial areas completely. From this direction, MdE appears suddenly, when you're almost there, like Hontanas on the Frances. I made a wikiloc track from Armiñón - search with my user name here and you should find it.
Lots of history has happened here: we could see old fortifications on nearby hilltops, and part of the way followed a roman road and the Calle Real after that. It was an open agricutural landscape but there were still lots of roses and the scent of Elderflower.
Now we are in Haro, ready to enjoy some pinxos...40€ for a double at Pension la Peña, very central.
Rest well and buen camino up there, @FamPed!
Day 8 Puebla de Arlanzon to Miranda de Ebro about 19 km
Another short day, so we could have a nice lunch and then take the train to Haro; we decided we want to follow the Via de Bayona, but are here in Haro for a rest day, taking the train back tomorrow. This way we get the best of both worlds. (Lunch was an amazing menu del dia at Tartan not fat from the station...a little pricy, but well worth it, the first decent vegetarian food this trip. An elderly lady pigeonholed Sabine on the street to tell her where the visitor's info was, and we asked her. A slightly flash place, but they didn't even mind our pilgrim clothes and packs!)
It was a day of gentle ups and downs with a mix of surfaces - paved, gravel, and muddy on top of gravel at the end, the kind that stuck to our shoes tenaciously and annoyingly. At first the route followed the autovia, but soon struck off and away through fields and small villages; we had to go under the autovia later, but it was short and painless.
The fork in the camino, where the way to Haro and the way to MdE split was obvious after the village of Estavillo. It would be hard to miss unless you were really zoning out. The Haro way forks left and goes flat across fields, while the MdE way goes down and to the right towards the autovia and Armiñon (a gorgeous little town with an amazing bridge over the rio Zadorra). There are a gazillion arrows and signposting at the junction (the last pic).
After Armiñon, the way to MdE could be confusing. All the wikiloc tracks that I had uploaded come into MdE from the East. And there was a place halfway up the hill above Armiñon where arrows pointed in the same direction as two of these tracks, but another directon was also marked, going straight uphill into terra incognita (the building in the first pic shows the point of divergence). We followed the straight way and found a well-waymarked path (that is also on the maps provided by the Gobierno Vasco) that comes into the city from the North, missing the vast majority of the industrial areas completely. From this direction, MdE appears suddenly, when you're almost there, like Hontanas on the Frances. I made a wikiloc track from Armiñón - search with my user name here and you should find it.
Lots of history has happened here: we could see old fortifications on nearby hilltops, and part of the way followed a roman road and the Calle Real after that. It was an open agricutural landscape but there were still lots of roses and the scent of Elderflower.
Now we are in Haro, ready to enjoy some pinxos...40€ for a double at Pension la Peña, very central.
but there were still lots of roses and the scent of Elderflower.
and was happy to see the same wonderful pintxosbars are still going strong.
Indeed. But you'd have to be one of the wealthy 1%.I sometimes imagine that it would be deliciously desirable to subsist entirely on Pintxos and tapas
You have Vasco in the title of the thread but you are walking Via de Bayona towards Burgos (as two of your photos clearly indicates). You just won't do it in its total lenght without walking from Bayonne to IrunSome pics of today's walk. 18k. from La Puebla de Arganzon to Miranda del Ebro. All in all a nice walk. A bit of everything with a Roman Road and ending with lots of mud. Tried to wash most of it of with some of the water I had. Failed miserably. Ha but the people at the lovely restaurant Tartan did not seem to mind. Great food with lots of veggie choices. Another recommendation from a lovely local lady.
Haha! Well, seeing as the Baztan 5 already walked that bit two years ago, albeit in reverse...does that count?You have Vasco in the title of the thread but you are walking Via de Bayona towards Burgos
Better than that, we need a full frontal head shot of both ohf you!!!!!@SabineP
Could you perhaps be persuaded to drop behind VN, in order to take a photograph of her?
Just a thought ....
Or imitate her and drop behind to photograph her behind.@SabineP
Could you perhaps be persuaded to drop behind VN, in order to take a photograph of her?
Just a thought ....
There were some pics of her but I need to crop the size. Be patient I will get there.@SabineP
Could you perhaps be persuaded to drop behind VN, in order to take a photograph of her?
Just a thought ....
There were some pics of her but I need to crop the size. Be patient I will get there.
Just how big is her behind?!!There were some pics of her but I need to crop the size. Be patient I will get there.
If only it were that easy.There were some pics of her but I need to crop the size.
Yes, you can say that again!What a beautiful place ...
Now that I too have stopped laughing, yes, wonderful photos. Thanks for sharing.Yes, you can say that again!
Breathtaking photos! Wow!Ok. Now that I have pulled myself back together and we have stopped guffawing...
Pancorbo.
Oh, la la.
It is worth a stop.
Sorry, Laurie. More pics. I walked through town and up to Castllo Santa Maria, making a loop back to the hostel on the other side of the stream.
(Sorry...it scrambles the order of the pics. But you get the drift...)
STOP IT!!! I have pretty much decided to go to Santo Domingo instead of Burgos, but your pictures are just amazing. Especially that ermita before Pancorbo. I guess this just meas a return is required! I like your idea of the day trip over to Haro, but unfortunately I don’t have the time. So, Santo Domingo it is!
That, my dear VN, is an absolutely amazingly beautiful picture.Yes, you can say that again!
That, my dear VN, is an absolutely amazingly beautiful picture.
Indeed it is. That stage ending in Pancorbo was the most beautiful for me and the village itself was a small gem. Nothing special though but the scenery and few of those old houses and the river......
Pancorbo.
Oh, la la.
It is worth a stop.
...
Luv this!...adequate bathrooms...
The last night before Burgos is tomorrow at Monasterio de Redilla. Hard to believe we are almost there; this is a fantastic camino, and with so few pilgrims!What are your planned overnight stops
I too stayed in Monasterio de Rodilla because I wanted to shorten last day into Burgos. But only 5km before there is a very nice albergue in Quintanavides with 14 beds (donativo). There is at least one bar in the village but I didn't ask for shop.The last night before Burgos is tomorrow at Monasterio de Redilla. Hard to believe we are almost there; this is a fantastic camino, and with so few pilgrims!
You have many gifts, VNwalking: not least, descriptive powers, and an eye for photos. Thank you. You will miss Sabine, but each of you will have a store of wonderful memories for the foreseeable future! Thanks for having shared so much with all here.Day 11. Briviesca to La Brujula, about 24km.
This camino never fails to surprise.
We intended to stop at the albergue in Monasterio, but could not (see below), so are tucked up in a pension again. That was the first surprise of the day.
The second surprise of the day was the glorious 3.7 from Monasterio to La Brujula.
Up until all that happened we were having an unremarkable day. We left Briviesca late because I had packed my camera and had a wee panic after breakfast before finding it in tbe bottom of my pack. Mindfulness is necessary. And Sabine has the patience of a saint.
So then off we went, up the valley from Briviesca - the day was a gradual and almost imperceptable incline until the end, when it was steeper. Unlike yesterday, we mostly stayed in the valley, for the first part, following the roads and railway, sometimes close and sometimes farther away.
The views may have been unremarkable but there were many small botanical joys: always the poppies and the blue spikes of Echium, as well as morning glories, rape, and the soft drifts of poplar seeds underfoot.
There are some sadly decaying towns here, and there was only one open bar in Quintanavides (the sign said open 12 Noon every day). When Sabine got to Monasterio (well before me so I leave it to her to post pics), lo and behold the wife of the mayor who came to open the albergue told us nothing at all is open in the town on Tuesdays. No bar, no tienda, no nada.
So as it was still pretty early and we had no food on us besides a package of chocolate cookies and some nuts, we shouldered our packs and headed to the roadside pension at La Brujula, where there is a full service cafeteria.
Surprise number 2 came after the very special Ermita de Nuesta Señora de Valle: the path went up and over a hill, and we were walking with stunning views all around on a carpet of wildflowers. To the South, in front of us, was the Sierra de la Demanda, and far to the Northeast we could see the gap in the mountains at Pancorbo. Behind us, above the Ermita - wow! - was a folded hunk of rock creating a cliff backdrop for it.
And the flowers! Orchids, broom, innumerable others...glorious. The way down was shorter than the way up, through a pine plantation. In the end we were so glad that we did this part today, and not having to rush past it tomorrow on the longer stage into Burgos. A double room at the very comfortable Pension Hermanos Gutiérez was 40€ (the very frien0dly guy at the desk told us a single is 30).
Tomorrow Burgos, where we part: Sabine has to go home and I'll continue onward on the Frances for a ways before jumping ahead to walk the Invierno. We both agree that this camino is special! And I have been seriously blessed by her company - it has been such a joy.
You have many gifts, VNwalking: not least, descriptive powers, and an eye for photos. Thank you. You will miss Sabine, but each of you will have a store of wonderful memories for the foreseeable future! Thanks for having shared so much with all here.
Sabine, I have no doubt it will be a bittersweet leave you take tomorrow, but I guess you will catch your plane, make your homeward journey, and slip quietly back into your 'normal' routine. Buen Camino, Chica!There was also a bar open in Santa Ollala de Bureba called la Cantina. Befriended a lovely old dog there.
Nice Camino sculpture on the bar's wall.
And some pics of walking into Monasterio de Rodilla from the right through the village.
but we walked all this way for pizza?)
Gracias, @chinacat !
And those were fantastic pizzas. Calle San Lazaro...Sabine, please help me with the name. It started with 'C'.
I could've posted photos of all the flechas through windmills section and the Calzada Romana too but what surprise would I left for you then?Finito!
The surprises did not stop yesterday.
No-one said anything about a very well preserved section of a calzada romana, complete with interpretive displays.
...
So tell me, why DID you walk all that way?It was super, but we walked all this way for pizza?
So tell me, why DID you walk all that way?
I don't know. Just thought pizza was as good as reason as any!To get there?
Hello! We have a mutual friend, Nuala. I love how caminos connect people. Well done on your walkAlways interesting to see that a bus takes you in three hours and a half from Burgos to Irun and it took us 12 days of walking.
We stopped in various towns where we stayed and I now saw it from a different perspective.
Did my good deed of the day and helped an American pilgrim finding her way. Ha, finally @VNwalking 's influence rubbed off on me. I now can also read maps ...
Night in Irun and tomorrow a 2k. walk to the French border where I will take the HST to Belgium.
Hello! We have a mutual friend, Nuala. I love how caminos connect people. Well done on your walk. I have a question for you. Where did you get the guide for this route?
Thank you so much Sabine for your post and glad you and VN had such a wonderful timeNow I'm back home and have access to my laptop ( typing on a cellphone is just not for me ) I have the time to write down some of my thoughts about this Camino.
It was my first Camino with a fellow pilgrim so I was a bit nervous to start. Not that I had any doubts about @VNwalking but more about myself.
I know I can be a bit stressed time to time and have the tendency to be a tad too nervous for my own good. On the good side you could say I'm also rather energetic too...
VN is just perfect with her patience, eye for detail and her incredible map reading skills!
I think I made our Camino a bit more easy with my Spanish language skills which made us quicker to communicate in the towns and / or find the keys in the local albergue/ ordering a menu del dia.
Very important when walking with someone else and for when you are not able to sleep in albergues all the time : do not be afraid to talk about money and how much you want to spend.
We both calculated that this Camino would be somewhat more expensive than Caminos where you can find more albergues.
Now the people : the people of Pais Vasco. The most generous and friendly people I encountered on any Camino!
Sending us in the right direction or giving us spontaneous tips regarding good local restaurants. Lots of smiles and encouragement too.
Now the food : the FOOD!
You will never again want a mediocre pilgrim's menu from the Camino Frances when you have walked the Vasco Interior.
A menu del dia was always available. Do not be afraid to go into a truckstop restaurant or a roadside place that does not look much from the outside. It is in the dining room that the action is. Always follow the locals. Always.
And the restaurants always tried to adapt their menu to vegetarians by for instance giving two starters.
The albergues :
Beasain , a donativo in the old restored mill next to the river.
Generous hospis at the time whom were doing their last day there and would go to a more lively albergue on the Norte.
We were only four pilgrims. So they put us ladies in a different room than the guys.
Salvatierra: the albergue municipal where you have to collect the keys at the local sportshall. Very clean and had all the comfort. 5€.
La Pueble de Arganzon : another muni , again with all the basic facilities. Nice people at the townhall. Donativo. And a somewhat special hospitalero called Vicente whose only occupation seems to be sitting in one the two bars on the plaza waiting for pilgrims.
Briviesca : 6€. You go to the Oficina de Turismo or the Policia Local and they will call Señor Carlos. He will guide you to the albergue. In a complex of anonymous flats the town has one appartment as the albergue.
A very nice hospi who is very generous with his detailed info regarding the Camino.
The electricity of the place is somewhat dodgy.
The albergues we did not go to :
Pancorbo , we were there so early and found the bar where we had to collect the key closed. We chose a hostal there.
Zegama : we heard from a fellow pilgrim it was a horrid place. Part of the local schoolgym and for the toilet and bathroom you had to go outside to another part of the building.
And then somewhat a dissapointment because we heard such good things about the municipal in Monasterio de Rodilla. But both bars and restaurants are closed on the same day, the Tuesday we were there. And no tienda or panaderia anymore which is worse for the locals than for a pilgrim. The wife of the mayor who came with the keys was obviously a bit sad how this small town is rapidly getting depopulated.
She recommended us to go three k. further to a hostal which was actually a good advice because it made the walking into Burgos the next day less hard.
Conclusion : please do think about this gorgeous small Camino. It will not dissapoint. Trust me!
Thanks for your report! So full of useful info. Thank-you for taking the time.Thank you so much Sabine for your post and glad you and VN had such a wonderful time
I've already bookmarked all the posts from your thread hoping we can walk this wonderful Camino in the not too distant future
Best wishes
Annette
Sabine might have been dancing, but I was more like a tortoise with its head half pulled in. Same look on my face too.bet you did!!
Sabine might have been dancing, but I was more like a tortoise with its head half pulled in. Same look on my face too.
I can second the above suggestions. I'd say return to Estavillo and no matter what walk the Bayona to Burgos in its entirety. So many beautiful stretches. And of course the stage to Pancorbo sticks out big time.I just went back through these wonderful posts. If the stars align next year, I hope to walk from Alicante to Burgos on the Lana. I am thinking it would be a good opportunity, once I arrive in Burgos, for me to walk these last few stages of the Vasco. I went via Santo Domingo de la Calzada, which worked great for me, but I always felt the tug that your pictures of Pancorbo exerted on me! Should I start in Miranda, or would you recommend that I find my way back to Puebla de Arganzón or the split in Estavilla?
Thank you, K1, for reminding me about this! It was right next to the Pension that Sabine and I stayed in.If you want to see an old synagogue in MdE (carved into the rock) I can provide more exact info on location etc. I also have photos.
Noooooo......Or shall I wait until next year so Laurie could see it with her own eyes?
If you will be on really tight schedule and want to skip Bayonne - Astigarraga you'll also skip the most memorable part at Santiagomendi with beautiful view over San Sebastian. So if you have to skip that part then I suggest you go further directly to Andoain (both bus and train connections from Irun and SS). Astigarraga - Andoain is very pedestrianised, walking mostly on tarmac and bici path. But not noisy and with a lot of greenery.I am studying this route for October. Since I'll be with my daughters on a tight timeline, I am thinking about jumping ahead a day at the beginning, to make sure that we can then walk uninterrupted to Burgos. Your descriptions convince me that I want to go to Burgos rather than Sto Domingo.
Depending on how jetlagged we (mainly me) feel, I am considering whether to start from Irun, or maybe take the train to San Sebasian and then the bus to start in Astigarraga. But I'm a little confused about whether it is the first day (to Astigarraga) or second (to Tolosa or thereabouts) that is a bit tedious. It doesn't matter a lot, because I accept tedious, but it would be nice to knowon our first day - my daughters' first day walking in Spain, too.
Do you have any suggestions or comments on this?
Thanks for your comments - that's what I'm looking for. Actually I think the bus goes to Santiagomendi, so we would walk 3 km to Astigarraga. Would we get that view?the most memorable part at Santiagomendi with beautiful view over San Sebastian.
The first day is anything but tedious. Very up and down, but not at all tedious.But I'm a little confused about whether it is the first day (to Astigarraga) or second (to Tolosa or thereabouts) that is a bit tedious.
Yup, exactly the place.hanks for your comments - that's what I'm looking for. Actually I think the bus goes to Santiagomendi, so we would walk 3 km to Astigarraga. Would we get that view?
From the Santiagomendi church you would definitely get that view but I doubt very much that bus from Irun to Astigarraga (or Andoain) goes through Santiagomendi. I mean Santiagomendi is a church, an albergue and few scattered houses up on the hill above the valley where all the transport goes. I definitely didn't see any buses up there and even cars were rare.Thanks for your comments - that's what I'm looking for. Actually I think the bus goes to Santiagomendi, so we would walk 3 km to Astigarraga. Would we get that view?
You are not confused. You got my message right, the lady run the juderia also. And one more place (pizzeria I think) back over the river in the newer part of MdE.Thanks, K1. So I'm confused. The pension and the juderia are run by that same lady? I had no idea or I'd have asked to see it...
The first day is anything but tedious. Very up and down, but not at all tedious.
Yeah, yeah, K1.To be exact if we are talking about Via de Bayona... The first day (or two for me) is flatflatflat from Bayonne to Biarritz/Ciboure/Irun
The church was up and to the right of the road, and that's where most of the view is. I'd be surprised if the bus went there, but who knows?I mean Santiagomendi is a church, an albergue and few scattered houses up on the hill above the valley where all the transport goes.
Yes, I'm looking again at my notes and think I got it wrong.I doubt very much that bus from Irun to Astigarraga (or Andoain) goes through Santiagomendi.
We have 11 days to get from Irun to Burgos. I am just trying to build in a day of ease, but still allow half a day to explore Vitoria/Gasteiz. That's why using a bus at the start might be helpful. Perhaps I'll look into a bus from Astigarraga to Tolosa - on day 2. Then, we can judge how energetic we feel on day 2, and decide if we need to jump ahead. I don't want to be doing that later in the walk, if I can avoid it.We took 12 comfortable days which could easily be collapsed into 11.
That link is very helpful. I really like the idea of walking Irun to Astigarraga on Day 1, to get started. Then on Day 2 walk to Hernani and take the Cercanias to Tolosa or Alegia. Then walk the next 9 days to Burgos. The commuter train, industries, towns, etc., are part of the adventure.there are commuter trains that get pretty far out into the Vasco, which you could start on in Irún or San Sebastian. That would be a good option as well, but I am not sure where you are landing.
You can easily skip the part from Astigarraga to Tolosa (or even Beasain) on behalf of additional day in Vitoria/Gasteiz. As said before nice green hills but walking is almost al the time on pavement and bici tracks. But you definitely don't want to skip albergue in Beasain believe me!!!Yes, I'm looking again at my notes and think I got it wrong.
We have 11 days to get from Irun to Burgos. I am just trying to build in a day of ease, but still allow half a day to explore Vitoria/Gasteiz. That's why using a bus at the start might be helpful. Perhaps I'll look into a bus from Astibarraga to Tolosa - on day 2. Then, we can judge how energetic we feel on day 2, and decide if we need to jump ahead. I don't want to be doing that later in the walk, if I can avoid it.
You may as well skip Astigarraga - Hernani. I think that's even the worst part of Bayona. Or maybe walk Hernani - Andoain. That's much better.That link is very helpful. I really like the idea of walking Irun to Astigarraga on Day 1, to get started. Then on Day 2 walk to Hernani and take the Cercanias to Tolosa or Alegia. Then walk the next 9 days to Burgos. The commuter train, industries, towns, etc., are part of the variety of Spain.
Alun and I stopped for a coffee in Haro, and I have to say I thought that the “locals” were kind of disdainful. No help with the route out of town, no service at an outdoor café. Maybe they are just used to much higher end visitors. We finally left the Plaza Mayor and were resigned to walking on without coffee, but found a place in a plaza where someone actually came to ask us what we wanted!Some impressions from Haro. Last night.
Was here on a regular holidays years ago and was happy to see the same wonderful pintxosbars are still going strong.
My favourite being Los Caños!
OK. I just didn't see the train stopping in Astigarraga. I'll look further into those details.You may as well skip Astigarraga - Hernani. I think that's even the worst part of Bayona.
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