Anyone tried the Mountain variant via Zerain?

[peregrino_tom]

I saw the mountain variant via Zerain marked on the Gronze pages
http://www.gronze.com/guia-del-camino-vasco-del-interior/etapas/etapa-4-beasain-zegama

I told a friend about this and lo and behold we are now booked to stay in the Zerain albergue in June. However I can't find anything else about this path. It doesn't look very wild on google earth (famous last words) but it'd be good to hear from anyone who has been this way.... and returned!
cheers, tom

 

[AML]

Hi Tom,
Im starting the Vasco on Friday 15May and am considering going by Zerain also, if I do will probably carry on to Zegama anyway. Not taking any internet connectable devices with me but if I get to a computer anytime afterwards I will let you know what its like!
Buen Camino
Aidan

 

[peregrino_tom]

Aidan - that'd be handy. I don't set off until the 7th June, so will keep a look out for any updates from you.
I think your etapas division (by going on to Zegama) makes more sense, given that the next day is the big climb. I'm going to think about that.
Ondo ibili! (..as we must learn to say) tom

 

[KinkyOne]

I saw the mountain variant via Zerain marked on the Gronze pages
http://www.gronze.com/guia-del-camino-vasco-del-interior/etapas/etapa-4-beasain-zegama

I told a friend about this and lo and behold we are now booked to stay in the Zerain albergue in June. However I can't find anything else about this path. It doesn't look very wild on google earth (famous last words) but it'd be good to hear from anyone who has been this way.... and returned!
cheers, tom

Hola, Tom!

Haven't walked Interior yet but it's on my wish list (with CF, Salvador & Primitivo afterwards). Do you plan to go to Burgos or Sto.Domingo? What are your plans after joining the CF?

Ultreia!

 

[jprogers]

Hi tom
We walked the tunnel route in 2013. We walked Besain to Zegama and then at Segura we went up into the mountains through a lovely forest as suggested by our CSJ guide...BUT it wasn't the route as suggested by Gronze...the CSJ detour was actually on the opposite side of the track to the Gronze guide. We thought it was nice to be up in the mountains after all the flat walking.I hope your side is signposted. Maybe look at google maps before you go so that you can figure out the right direction. The usual path to Zegama from Segura is flat and is a bike/walk way ....so your mountain way will be pleasant..
Cheers jill

 

[peregrino_tom]

Hi Mendi, one of my compadres on this trip is from Portugalete. He is looking forward to discovering these parts of his Basque country that he hasn't visited before. I think it will be interesting to have a Basque speaker with us!

Hi KinkyOne, the group decision is we go to Santo Domingo, although I like the look of the route to Burgos. The plan is for us to finish at Sto Domingo, although I might go on if work allows and pick up the Invierno. But this time it's not so important to reach Santiago - the main reason is to meet with old friends from the Primitivo and walk in the memory of our fellow musketeer who is no longer with us.

Hi Jill, thanks for your tip. I haven't looked at the CSJ guide yet, so I will now. I've looked at google earth and the description 'mountain variant' appears to be a bit of an exaggeration, but we'll see...

best wishes to you all, tom

 

[KinkyOne]

Hi KinkyOne, the group decision is we go to Santo Domingo, although I like the look of the route to Burgos. The plan is for us to finish at Sto Domingo, although I might go on if work allows and pick up the Invierno. But this time it's not so important to reach Santiago - the main reason is to meet with old friends from the Primitivo and walk in the memory of our fellow musketeer who is no longer with us.

Nice thing you're doing as a group in rememberance of your friend!

If you'll really continue on Invierno try to look after @peregrina2000 or @LTfit 's posts because the senoras decided to walk it together this summer I walked it last year but believe their updates will be a lot more helpfull.

Have a nice Camino, Tom!

 

[jpflavin1]

I saw the mountain variant via Zerain marked on the Gronze pages
http://www.gronze.com/guia-del-camino-vasco-del-interior/etapas/etapa-4-beasain-zegama

I told a friend about this and lo and behold we are now booked to stay in the Zerain albergue in June. However I can't find anything else about this path. It doesn't look very wild on google earth (famous last words) but it'd be good to hear from anyone who has been this way.... and returned!
cheers, tom

Tom:

Based on my recollection, I walked this route by accident. As you leave Zerain you walk down a rural road. Several hundred meters down the road on the right, there is one of those funky gateways to allow people through but keep cattle in. You then walk through some pasture (private property?). There are not good markings but it is somewhat intuitive. Then you will come to a gate. I had to climb over it. There are a few more gates along the way but most of the walk is quite pleasant through the mountains on what I would call animal trails. When I exited it was into a logging area, then down to a road and into Zegema.

Ultreya,
Joe

 

[peregrino_tom]

Guys, thanks again
this Basque language is... different!
KinkyOne, that's handy there seems to be more of a buzz around the Invierno recently.
Joe - thank you, it's helpful to know you managed it without incident
cheers, tom

 

[AML]

Tom, I didnt go by Zerain as the hospitaleros at both Andoain and Beasain advised it wasnt worth it and i needed a short day to rest also! Today though i detoured to vist Monasterio de Establiz......its only a short detour and its a nice place to see. There is a lot of road walking on this camino, the San Adrian tunnel is very beautiful area and we were very lucky with the weather. Sorry i cant give you any info on Zerain way.
Buen Camino

 

[peregrino_tom]

Aidan, many thanks for the intel.
Well, hospitaleros usually give good advice, so I'll bear that in mind! Will definitely aim to include a visit to the Monasterio de Estibaliz
cheers, tom

 

[Hanne]

I saw the mountain variant via Zerain marked on the Gronze pages
http://www.gronze.com/guia-del-camino-vasco-del-interior/etapas/etapa-4-beasain-zegama

I told a friend about this and lo and behold we are now booked to stay in the Zerain albergue in June. However I can't find anything else about this path. It doesn't look very wild on google earth (famous last words) but it'd be good to hear from anyone who has been this way.... and returned!
cheers, tom

Hi Tom,
I walked the mountain variant 3 years ago, using the Eroski guide, together with a spanish pilgrim. The route was not well marked, but a nice walk.

 

[peregrino_tom]

Hanne - thank you, that's useful to know, and I'll have another look at the Eroski pages. Cheers, tom

 

[peregrino_tom]

OK, well I think that now I've walked this way, it's only fair that I answer my own question...
Yes, this is a nice variant and well worth doing, especially if you have stayed in Besain the night before as it's only 17km from there to Zegama which is a pretty short day for most people.
After leaving Segura you go down to the road and there's a red/white marker for a path going directly across country and up to Zerain. Zerain itself is charming, with an old building housing the shop, tourist info, sello, local crafts and products and books etc. Underneath is the bar/restaurant which doubles as the canteen for the village school. Zerain has its own website http://www.zerain.com/index.php?lang=en (!). It also has its own hostel/albergue adjacent to the shop and school. Originally, we'd booked to stay there, but realised it would add 6km onto the hardest stage of the camino so we switched to Zegama instead.
The route out of Zerain follows the GR34 (the traditional route of the Transhumance) and the start is clearly marked.
https://www.flickr.com/photos/peregrino_tom/20127489550/in/album-72157654492550364/lightbox/
The rest of it is marked sufficiently, but economically, with one or two yellow arrows thrown in for good measure.
https://www.flickr.com/photos/peregrino_tom/20127454510/in/album-72157654492550364/lightbox/
The route is very nice, as far as it goes.
https://www.flickr.com/photos/peregrino_tom/20307099472/in/album-72157654492550364/lightbox/
After about 3km of the variant, the path comes to a house and onto a road and the GR34 turns right. At this point there are no markings for the camino and you should take the road to the left and snake down the hill, or else there's an off-road forestry path slightly to the right (that we were told is a short cut but we didn't take it, but we saw where it came out).
cheers, tom

 

[jpflavin1]

Tom:

Sounds like the route I walked but your description is much better. I followed the off road forestry path into Zegema.

Joe

 

[Pingüigrino]

Hi, folks. I walked the Camino Vasco ( Tunnel way) April last year. It was a wonderfull camino, but I didnt went to Zerain. Everybody told us it didnt worth the effort ot walking up and down to the village to find you are only advanced ono kilometer. I suggest you to sleep in Beasain ( a wonderfull donativo albergue), and next day walk to Zegama. I think it could be a good way to have a "rest "day. The third day, Zegama Salvatierra 23 km. including the ascent to St. Adrian tunnel and hard descent to Zalduendo. Be aware that in Zalduendo there are not restaurant or shop to buy food. The local bar only offered candies and chips. At Salvatierra you can find lots of bars, ( I suggest you to try Casa Jose Mari) restaurants and supermarkets, many hotels and pensiones and a wonderfull small albergue. Buen Camino.