What is the current situation of Eunate

[shefollowsshells]

I was fortunate to get stay at this little gem within weeks of the cut off to do so.
I wondered how it is today, is it even open for visitors?
To me a detour there was a must but not certain what to tell people who ask today.
Even closed I think I would encourage the trek but it would be nice to know if I could share if it is open or not.

Thanks,
N

 

[C clearly]

I was there in October on a Monday, and saw a sign in Muruzabal saying "Closed on Mondays." However, I chatted with a local who thought it was worth a detour anyway, so I went. It was a beautiful day for walking, and I had a picnic lunch at Eunate, enjoying the side trip. I'd certainly recommend it on a nice day. Seems to me I ended up walking back through Obanos as I must have missed the signs for the other path to Puente La Reina.

 

[allykat]

Oh my goodness, Do I have a story for you!

I honestly couldn't tell you if it was worth it to go inside, but I can tell you it is certainly worth it to go even when closed!

My travel mates and I were splitting up for the day, he was walking ridiculously early with some friends, and as it was early in the Camino I was still walking slow and not worth traveling with for most anyone. So, it was on this day that I ended up walking by myself! And I figured I'd do something nice before I ended the day at Puenta La Reina and go see the beautiful church I knew the boys would surely miss, and make the extra trek to Eunate.

I need to start my story by telling you that, at that time, we only had one bottle of sun block, and because I wasn't thinking, I let the boys take it with them in the early morning! Well, being a very silly newbie pilgrim, I figured that the late June sun wouldn't be so bad. So, I started out, and forgot about sunscreen. Around two I made it to the fork for Eunate, and decided to go through with my plan to walk to the church. In the heat of the day, my arm which faced the sun began to burn and I realized there was not a drop of shade on the road to Eunate, and I needed to hurry, because I still had the trip back and to Puenta La Reina.
When I finally made it to Eunate, I arrived as siesta, and I needed to get to Puenta La Reina that night so I couldn't stay and wait until it was over. I was sad at first, but I had the peaceful sort of experience with only two other people their at the church, I wandered the grounds in a solemn quiet and benefited from the trees shade. I ate a small lunch and said a prayer, and made the journey back to the main road and to Puenta La Reina.

After returning, I discovered I'd managed to give myself a 2nd degree burn on my left arm from constant unprotected sun exposure, which would leave a scar that has not yet fully disappeared. But every time I think of that day, I don't think of the burn or the pain, or the hot sun or the long lonely walk. I think of that beautiful Oasis, the green and the holy beautiful church far from the main road. It was my favorite detour, and by far a strong point on the trip. Even if it is closed, I'd recommend anyone to make the journey... just make sure to wear sun screen!

 

[mspath]

As both CClearly and AllyKat note Santa Maria de Eunate is a very special place and well worth a detour. The church is closed on Mondays and, unfortunately, the adjacent albergue is no longer open for pilgrims. However you can still obtain a stamp there and use the loo. I remember with pleasure the magical nights that I was able to share with other pilgrims during recent years when the albergue hosted pilgrims.

Leaving Eunate there is no need to pass through Obanos to arrive at Puente La Reina. Simply walk along the verges of route N6064 until opposite Obanos and follow the yellow arrow to the left for an alternate path which crosses the river and farmland to arrive at Puente La Reina via the schoolyard and albergure of the Padres Reparadores.

 

[RENSHAW]

After returning, I discovered I'd managed to give myself a 2nd degree burn on my left arm from constant unprotected sun exposure, which would leave a scar ... just make sure to wear sun screen!

I seem to remember walking next to the road to Puenta la Reina rather that double back to Obanos. I came across a 'forgotten' fountain and large cooling pools where you could have refreshed your burning skin. The pools were obviously for pilgrims and must have been on the Camino originally - perhaps a hundred years ago when the current road was only cart track. Anyone else know much about these pools?

 

[RENSHAW]

............... Simply walk along the verges of route N6064 until opposite Obanos...........

Did you see those old pools that were next to the road Margaret?

 

[mspath]

Renshaw,
I don't remember seeing any pools along the way. Have you scanned Google maps to find them either in satelite view or Google earth?
MM

 

[RENSHAW]

Yes , at the intersection leading off to Calle Eunate , Obanos it can be seen on the opposite side , turn left to go to Arnotegui - pools and fountain on the left.

 

[RENSHAW]

I know its not really related but I found this fountain complex in Granon but the arrows don't take pilgrims past it - imagine resting here on a stinking hot August afternoon?

 

[Rebekah Scott]

the first two pics are a lavadero, the public fountain where people (women) did the laundry until a couple of decades ago. (some places they still do.) The bottom pictures suggest a livestock watering pool, but it is hard to really tell.

 

[allykat]

To be honest, it seems to me that the route I took was not a back track. I started in a small town with a little bar, and followed the route towards Eunate, then went back up a different road to Obanos (And thankfully into the church there to rest my arm for a few moments before making the trek to Puenta La Reina. Maybe that little bar and few houses were the outskirts of Obanos, but I don't know. I did see some of those troughs you mention, but the water looked stagnant at the time, and some of them didn't even have water in them... I'm not sure how I'd feel about putting stagnant water on a burn... But still, the whole thing was a great experience! (And I much liked getting to visit the Obanos church)

 

[waveprof]

We went on a day it was closed and it was STILL one of the most memorable moments of our entire camino.

 

[thomryng]

When we were there in April of 2013, the church was open, and it was one of the absolute highlights of the Camino for me.

There is (or was) an albergue next door, which had apparently been closed some years previous. Does anyone know the current status of it?

 

[Deleted member 3000]

Does anyone know the current status of it?

It is a meditation center. They have a sello.

 

[mspath]

The church is open every day except Monday. During the recent past it was closed during the period December 15 through January 15.

 

[edandjoan]

It can close at any time. We were there Wednesday, August 20, 2014, and saw the sign that CClearly posted above, but there were signs posted at the church gate saying they were closed. We were sad, but onto Obanos and chatted with the nice man at the the church there. He said they close if something comes up. I assume a limited staff and funds means if those watching the church have to do something then the church will have to close. We had been to the Church of the Holy Sepulcher in Jerusalem in May and looked forward to seeing this church as it is modeled after it.

 

[thomryng]

Thank you all for the information!

 

[SYates]

... There is (or was) an albergue next door, which had apparently been closed some years previous. Does anyone know the current status of it?

Yes, I did chat with the local volunteers that open/close the church and they said, very emphatically, that there will be never again (their words, not mine) an albergue in Eunate. SY

 

[thomryng]

Yes, I did chat with the local volunteers that open/close the church and they said, very emphatically, that there will be never again (their words, not mine) an albergue in Eunate. SY

That's too bad. It would be an absolutely perfect place.

 

[SYates]

That's too bad. It would be an absolutely perfect place.

No it wouldn't at least not for the hospitaleros in charge. A few reasons:

No shop nearby, so you would need a car to buy supplies.
Need to provide food for pilgrims as there is nothing nearby, see above.
Very limited space, so difficult to judge when to open the place and whom to admit.
High risk of having to turn away very tired last minute pilgrims due to, see above.
Huge, really huge amounts of bus tourists coming through that are on a tour of "romanesque treasures of Spain" or similar. Think hundreds of visiting tourists each day in summer.
It is a hot spot for "new age" gathering that want to channel the Templar spirit. Nothing wrong with that, but they do turn up also at night, St. Johns Night being a favorite, and make noise that disturbs pilgrims.
Local youths use the parking lot for their own "personal" gatherings.

And. And. And.

I used to knew the people that started the albergue in Eunate quite well, they had a hell of a time ...

SY

 

[mspath]

Nevertheless as I wrote in a post above the hospitaleros as well as the ambiance of the Eunate albergue were wonderful! How lucky I am to have poignant memories of four unforgetable overnights during the good years.

MM

 

[longwalker]

Nevertheless as I wrote in a post above the hospitaleros as well as the ambiance of the Eunate albergue were wonderful! How lucky I am to have poignant memories of four unforgetable overnights during the good years.

MM

I also spent a night there back in 2007, I remember going into the church after we had eaten dinner, maybe four or five of us. By the time we went into the church is was night time, Jean, the fellow who made us supper lit candles for a little light. He then gave us each something to read or sing and as I recall there was one women among us and when she sang in French or Spanish it was so beautiful I just cried.

 

[Anemone del Camino]

It is a meditation center. They have a sello.

Euh? What is a meditation center? Was it sold to yogis of some sort?

 

[Anemone del Camino]

That's too bad. It would be an absolutely perfect place.

Perfect? Why? Other than because of the church next door the place has nothing to offer, and adding venues to make it a "good pilgrim place'" may not be that good.

 

[SYates]

Euh? What is a meditation center? Was it sold to yogis of some sort?

No, the place belongs still to the local parish. What @falcon269 most likely refers to is the notices saying "This is a place of prayer and meditation ..." Buen Camino, SY

 

[thomryng]

Perfect? Why? Other than because of the church next door the place has nothing to offer, and adding venues to make it a "good pilgrim place'" may not be that good.

There are plenty of great pilgrim places on the Camino with less than that - San Bol comes to mind. For a certain kind of pilgrim (and I'm one of them) an albergue in the middle of farmland with a beautiful gem of a church next door is pretty much the definition of perfect.

You might not want to spend every night in a place like that, but you'd sure want to spend some of them there.

 

[mspath]

Of course the world is filled with wonderful treasures many of which as an architectural historian I have had the professional privilege and personal pleasure to visit. However, for me the Santa Maria de Eunate church is the purest perfection, located at the western end of the Camino Argonese near where it joins the Camino Frances at Puente La Reina.

This small circular church within an octagonal cloister was built by unknown craftsmen one thousand years ago. Nestled in an natural bowl the ocher stones blend with rolling nearby fields now planted with corn and fennel. Here one senses the eternal peace of paradise. May such perfection continue for another thousand years.

Click my blog to read/see more of this extraordinary place and of several memorable nights I was graciously sheltered in the adjacent albergue (unfortunately no longer open).

 

[thomryng]

Of course the world is filled with wonderful treasures many of which as an architectural historian I have had the professional privilege and personal pleasure to visit. However, for me the Santa Maria de Eunate church is the purest perfection, located at the western end of the Camino Argonese near where it joins the Camino Frances at Puente La Reina.

This small circular church within an octagonal cloister was built by unknown craftsmen one thousand years ago. Nestled in an natural bowl the ocher stones blend with rolling nearby fields now planted with corn and fennel. Here one senses the eternal peace of paradise. May such perfection continue for another thousand years.

Click my blog to read/see more of this extraordinary place and of several memorable nights I was graciously sheltered in the adjacent albergue (unfortunately no longer open).

Yes, yes, yes! I could not agree with you more. Your blog entries remind me of my own:

http://www.thomryng.com/camino/2014/04/04/one-year-ago-the-long-climb/

I, too, wept there.

 

[OTH86]

Yes, yes, yes! I could not agree with you more. Your blog entries remind me of my own:

I, too, wept there.

So did I - it was my first Camino "moment". Mixed emotions after reading the above -- I would hate for it to fall into disrepair because no one is around to take care of it. Or is there a caretaker? Even if the church is not open, it is well worth the added walk to just spend a few quiet moments in it's presence.

 

[Deleted member 3000]

I would hate for it to fall into disrepair because no one is around to take care of it. Or is there a caretaker?

The church is an active church, so it gets the usual maintenance. The former albergue was renovated into it current office/contemplation facility, so there seems to be money around. It is one of the most historic Romanesque churches in Spain, so there is little chance it will fall into disrepair.

 

[RENSHAW]

Yes, I did chat with the local volunteers that open/close the church and they said, very emphatically, that there will be never again (their words, not mine) an albergue in Eunate. SY

A great pity - this was one of the top items on my camino wish list.
One of those GEMS! ............LOST!
From what I understand , local 'politics' seems to be the problem here.