LIVE from the Camino Easter Vasco: Irún to Haro

[WestKirsty]

Day 1: Irún to Hernani (27km)

Finally started the Camino Vasco! Like so many, my previous plans were postponed because of Covid and I can't quite believe it's actually happening!

I left Irún early(ish) this morning and had no problem finding the route. It's well marked and in town there are helpful signs pointing the way to the Norte and the Vasco so there was no problem determining which way to go.

The weather was cool, crisp and sunny this morning and once you're out of Irún, the trail passes through idyllic forests with nothing but the sounds of birds chirping and the creek below. Perfect way to start the day. It's clouded over now, but the rain held off today!

I stopped for 2nd breakfast in Oyarzun and was really struck by how friendly people were! I asked for a stamp for my credential in the bar and while they didn't have one (no stamps today!!!), they seemed genuinely happy to see a pilgrim.

The view from Santiagomendi was a real highlight - overlooking San Sebastian and the ocean. The albergue there looked closed (I was alone up there) but seems like a cool place to spend the night! Something to consider, for sure.

While there were some hiking/dirt trails, most of the route was on country roads. They were quiet, so quite safe, but it is a fair bit of walking on cement. There was also more up and downs than I expected - my phone tells me it was a total of 820m of elevation gain today, with the highest point at Santiagomedi. So not a day to be taken lightly!

The whole route was easy to follow...lots of yellow arrows about. Coming into Hernani, there were signs indicating that a diversion is in place but even the diversion was well marked. It passes through an industrial area so not scenic but lots to look at!

I didn't see any other walkers today (just lots of cows, sheep, goats, geese, chickens, and the little ponies outside my hotel room ) and it does seem like few pilgrims have been on this route in recent times. I'm staying in a hotel tonight and when I asked for a stamp, they knew they had one but had no idea where to find it! Hasn't been used in a while

So, the first day is done! I'm just back from a walk around Hernani...it's bigger than I thought it'd be and lots of Basque spoken!! I was at the supermarket and had no idea how much it came to...then it dawned on me the clerk was speaking Basque, which is why I couldn't understand her. I know only a handful of words in Basque and have used them all today

So happy to be here!

 

[Former member 98118]

I miss Camino Vasco so much! But when the albergues are still closed (are they?) it is quite expensive to stay in hotels in Basque Country. Maybe you will find a way to do it without ruining a Camino budget!

Will watch this thread with great interest!
Buen Camino @WestKirsty !! ( Easter chickens)

 

[SabsP]

@WestKirsty : so happy to read you are en route!
I loved the Vasco Interior!

If in Tolosa please stop at Taberna AMA!
The best food I ever tasted on any Camino.

 

[Tincatinker]

So happy to be here!

And I'm really happy for you. The Beloved and the Tinker loved the Vasco. The landscapes were wonderful but the people were something else. A barman in the Elorripe, Zegama, excused himself to his boss and dashed home to get his collection of Credencials and Compostellas. The wine was exceedingly cheap that night
Gronze has it that the Albergue in Beasain is open. I do hope so 'cos I would recommend it without hesitation and I don't do recommendations...

 

[SabsP]

And I'm really happy for you. The Beloved and the Tinker loved the Vasco. The landscapes were wonderful but the people were something else. A barman in the Elorripe, Zegama, excused himself to his boss and dashed home to get his collection of Credencials and Compostellas. The wine was exceedingly cheap that night
Gronze has it that the Albergue in Beasain is open. I do hope so 'cos I would recommend it without hesitation and I don't do recommendations...

Beasain is indeed open.

Beasain: El albergue de la Ruta Jacobea reabre el sábado | El Diario Vasco

Cerrado por la pandemia hace dos años, los peregrinos que se alojen en el mismo deberán cumplir la nueva normativa

www.diariovasco.com

 

[WestKirsty]

Thanks for the messages!! Much appreciated

I had seen that a few albergues are open in Gipuzkua, but not yet in Alava for the latter half of the journey. I actually decided to stay in pensions and the only Albergue will be In Vitoria. They told me they provide bedding so after much back and forth, I finally decided to leave my sleeping bag at home.

I'm actually planning to do the first part of the Saiatz alternative tomorrow but cut off along the trail and head down to Tolosa for the night. A friend has done lots of hiking in this area, including the Saiatz, and noticed GR and other hiking routes -which are well signed and mapped - to the bigger towns in the valley. I'm a little nervous about tomorrow (not sure if others have tried this on a Camino) but given the information from a local, along with lots of time examining maps and WikiLoc routes, I'm confident it'll work out. Just might be a long, hard day.

That's a long way of saying that the albergues in Andoin and Beasain don't really work for my itinerary! After Tolosa, I'll head to Zegama on Friday.

Thanks again for the messages and recommendations!! I hope the Taberna Ama is open tomorrow!

 

[SabsP]

AMA Tolosa | Restaurante de Tolosa

En AMA os trasladamos una experiencia culinaria única en la región, basada en la autenticidad de los productos locales de la comarca de Tolosaldea, la cocina de mercado y el respeto por sus productores. Con el lema "Lo local nos protege, protejamos lo local", el restaurante se ha comprometido a...

www.amataberna.net

When we were there three years ago one of the students working at Ama asked us to say hi to her parents who own the bar in Zegama!
That was a fun meeting!

 

[Tincatinker]

The Basque, when they're not busy juggling boulders or pulling oxen backward through the streets, spend a lot of time cycling, running and occasionally even walking their beautiful terrain. I'd trust a local more than GPS when it comes to "will this path take me to ..."

 

[SabsP]

The Basque, when they're not busy juggling boulders or pulling oxen backward through the streets, spend a lot of time cycling, running and occasionally even walking their beautiful terrain. I'd trust a local more than GPS when it comes to "will this path take me to ..."

Only in Pais Vasco you can find tv stations that show competition or matches of people sawing wood.
Mesmerising televison!

 

[ebrandt]

Oh I am so psyched that you are posting live! We aren’t doing the mountain alternative so Besain is on our agenda! I’m absorbing all of your detailed info! Thanks!.

 

[ebrandt]

And now that you are forging the way asking for stamps, maybe they will be ready for us !

 

[Former member 98118]

Probably not for @WestKirsty but for others soon heading to Camino Vasco del Interior:

The Albergue Harizti Erdi in Zerain is open.

Until Zegama albergue reopens, Zerain could be a nice starting point for the Royal Stage of Camino Vasco leading through the Túnel de San Adrián to Álava.

I just received an email from Zerain tourist office, and since it is in English, I will paste it here.

Kaixo,

The hostel is open and accepting pilgrims.

The price is 15€ per person per night. It includes the followings:

-Pillowcase and bottom sheet (you need to bring your own sleeping bag)

-Acces to electric cooker, microwave oven and mini fridge.

Thank you very much
Regards

Ilazki Azaldegi Martinez
Zeraingo Turismo Bulegoa
+34 943801505 / +34 649946277

Edited out a comment about Gronze since their webpage has been updated

 

[peregrina2000]

I just received an email from Zerain tourist office, and since it is in English, I will paste it here.

I’ve sent a note to Gronze, and I bet the change will be made very quickly. I’m not sure why the Zeráin tourist office couldn’t contact them, because it is very easy. At the bottom of every page, there is a “contactar” button.

Great news, @Happy Penguin

 

[peregrina2000]

I stopped for 2nd breakfast in Oyarzun and was really struck by how friendly people were!

We stopped in a bar there also, after walking every minute from Irún in heavy rain. The owners took our coats and hung them somewhere. I sat on a stool and had my feet pointing downwards, and a steady stream of water came rushing onto the floor. The owners shushed away our apologies, they were so wonderful. And there is nothing like a hot café con leche after serveral hours walking in the rain! We walked on to Orio-Lasarte that day, and thankfully had some nice sunny weather at the end.

You are surely less geographically challenged than I am, @WestKirsty, because I don’t really understand your route for today. I assume you will do the pretty walk through the hillssurrounding Mount Ernio (did you go through Orio-Lasarte?) and then head south to Tolosa instead southwest on the Saiatz? We went off-camino a bit to get to the absolutely gorgeous hamlet of Errezil, but it was one of those very steep descents that left my knees shaking.

Buen camino, can you post some pictures? Laurie

 

[peregrina2000]

I just received an email from Zerain tourist office, and since it is in English, I will paste it here.

The Gronze folks operate at warp speed. The correction was made minutes after I sent in the note.

 

[obinray]

Day 1: Irún to Hernani (27km)

Finally started the Camino Vasco! Like so many, my previous plans were postponed because of Covid and I can't quite believe it's actually happening!

I left Irún early(ish) this morning and had no problem finding the route. It's well marked and in town there are helpful signs pointing the way to the Norte and the Vasco so there was no problem determining which way to go.

The weather was cool, crisp and sunny this morning and once you're out of Irún, the trail passes through idyllic forests with nothing but the sounds of birds chirping and the creek below. Perfect way to start the day. It's clouded over now, but the rain held off today!

I stopped for 2nd breakfast in Oyarzun and was really struck by how friendly people were! I asked for a stamp for my credential in the bar and while they didn't have one (no stamps today!!!), they seemed genuinely happy to see a pilgrim.

The view from Santiagomendi was a real highlight - overlooking San Sebastian and the ocean. The albergue there looked closed (I was alone up there) but seems like a cool place to spend the night! Something to consider, for sure.

While there were some hiking/dirt trails, most of the route was on country roads. They were quiet, so quite safe, but it is a fair bit of walking on cement. There was also more up and downs than I expected - my phone tells me it was a total of 820m of elevation gain today, with the highest point at Santiagomedi. So not a day to be taken lightly!

The whole route was easy to follow...lots of yellow arrows about. Coming into Hernani, there were signs indicating that a diversion is in place but even the diversion was well marked. It passes through an industrial area so not scenic but lots to look at!

I didn't see any other walkers today (just lots of cows, sheep, goats, geese, chickens, and the little ponies outside my hotel room ) and it does seem like few pilgrims have been on this route in recent times. I'm staying in a hotel tonight and when I asked for a stamp, they knew they had one but had no idea where to find it! Hasn't been used in a while

So, the first day is done! I'm just back from a walk around Hernani...it's bigger than I thought it'd be and lots of Basque spoken!! I was at the supermarket and had no idea how much it came to...then it dawned on me the clerk was speaking Basque, which is why I couldn't understand her. I know only a handful of words in Basque and have used them all today

So happy to be here!

I'm leaving Irún for the Norte in 2 weeks. Very exciting to read about your first day. ¡Buen Camino!

 

[peregrina2000]

I'm leaving Irún for the Norte in 2 weeks. Very exciting to read about your first day. ¡Buen Camino!

Obinray,
@WestKirsty is not walking the Norte, she is on the Vasco Interior. Are you tempted to switch?

 

[WestKirsty]

Day 2: Hernani to Tolosa - 28.8km...with a scenic detour outside of Andoain...no mountain route today

Well, sometimes you have your plans and the Camino (and/or mother nature) has its plans! As mentioned above, I had really hoped to start out on the Saiatz and connect to a GR route down into Tolosa but I woke up and could hear the rain outside. There were low clouds and poor visibility and it wasn't a day to go exploring routes in the hills/mountains. The forecast the last few days had been calling for rain but was pretty inaccurate (when I was in Irun it said "currently raining", while I was standing under blue skies in shorts and a t-shirt!). I had really hoped it'd be wrong today - it was, but the weather was worse than predicted. It rained steady until mid-afternoon.

I was disappointed, to say the least. I really had my heart set on getting up into the hills and testing myself a little in terms of elevation and distance. I do hike a fair bit, but wanted a challenge on a multi-day walk. I messaged a hiking friend and they were absolutely right - too risky to head on the trail I was planning and as I live in the Basque Country, I can certainly come back easy enough in better weather! It was a lovely little lesson from the Camino - things don't always go as planned, and sometimes you just gotta put your ego in its place and let things go.

I had already booked a room in a pension in Tolosa so had my destination set for the day. On the Camino, it's just 19km on bidegorres/multi-use paths. My new goal was to take my time and take in as much as possible on route.

The path out of Hernani is nice! An easy path through trees, which provided some shelter from the rain. I had second breakfast (my favourite meal of the day) in Urnieta and got a stamp!! Success!

My hiking buddy then messaged me with a screen shot of a map with a possible little detour after Andoain. Not much elevation involved but a chance to get off pavement and into the woods. So after a little walk around Andoain, I diverged from the Camino and headed along a Via Verde.

It's a great path! Even if you stop in Andoain for the night, it would be worth a little excursion into the woods. It's a very easy path (lots of families on it today as it's a stat/bank holiday and the paved trail means no mud in the rain!). I passed through 2 tunnels, the longest 280m. At that point, you could just turn around and go back if you're based in Andoain, but you do reach a big parking lot, tourist office and lots of options to continue on.

My plan was to connect to a PR route (the yellow and white markings you see all over the place in hiking areas) to get to Villabona where I would reconnect with the official Camino. However, I lost reception on my phone in the tunnel and couldn't get it to reconnect when in the woods. Thankfully the little tourist office was open and staffed (also sold hot drinks and beer! I didn't have either) so I asked to be pointed to the route I was looking for as there were a lot of options at that point. Instead of the PR route I was looking for, she suggested continuing along the Via Verde until I reached a water treatment plant. From there "hay quinientos escalares". I do speak an ok level of Spanish so knew what she just said but something in my mind was convinced I heard wrong. After the steps, she said there was a marked, easy trail to complete my detour.

So, once I got my phone working and examined the maps I was off! Turns out, there are indeed lots steps up from the water facility!! She said 500 and it looks like there is. I didn't count as I was too busy trying not to look down and get freaked out by how steep it was!! In the pictures attached, you can see the line going up through the trees...that's the steps. In other, if you open it completely, you can see that they steepen the closer you get to the top. I'm generally not afraid of heights, but I couldn't take a picture from the top. The view back down caused my legs to wobble. I can post more pics from the day when I get wifi.

So I didn't get my mountain adventure, but I did get a different adventure today! The route to Villabona was simple through the trees and easy to navigate. In total, it added about 9km to my day but I thoroughly enjoyed it. The area around Andoain has some really great trails so lots to explore if you like that sort of thing and have time in your itinerary. It takes you away from the pavement and industrial parts for a little bit.

From Villabona it's an easy walk to Tolosa along paved paths.

I saved my route today on WikiLoc and am happy to share the link when I get home to a computer (can't seem to figure out how to do that on a mobile).

Tolosa is a lovely little place! I'm staying in Pension Karmentxu tonight and it's cute and very reasonably priced for a night. Right in the old town

A bit of a long update but it was rather a fun day today and it's nice to think about it again!

 

[WestKirsty]

We stopped in a bar there also, after walking every minute from Irún in heavy rain. The owners took our coats and hung them somewhere. I sat on a stool and had my feet pointing downwards, and a steady stream of water came rushing onto the floor. The owners shushed away our apologies, they were so wonderful. And there is nothing like a hot café con leche after serveral hours walking in the rain! We walked on to Orio-Lasarte that day, and thankfully had some nice sunny weather at the end.

You are surely less geographically challenged than I am, @WestKirsty, because I don’t really understand your route for today. I assume you will do the pretty walk to Zelatún (did you go through Orio-Lasarte?) and then head south to Tolosa instead southwest on the Saiatz? We went off-camino a bit to get to the absolutely gorgeous hamlet of Errezil, but it was one of those very steep descents that left my knees shaking.

Buen camino, can you post some pictures? Lauri

Sorry, I'm sure my descriptions of routes aren't that clear. I've attached some screen shots from May.cz that might help! The idea was to go through Lasarate and onto the Saiatz. It's the blue line on the maps. Not far from where you would've turned west to get to Errezil, there's a sign pointing in 4 different directions - one sign points to Tolosa, the red route heading up Hernio and Ubeltz (you can see them labeled). That route ends in Tolosa.

So from the blue Camino line, there's a bit more elevation gain before heading down into the valley.

I still want to try it out one day! There are WikiLoc routes using the GR route and the photos look great! Just not a bad weather trail!!

 

[Keith H]

Really loving these updates. I know little to nothing about the Vasco other than what I read in the book.

 

[ebrandt]

I'm glad your spoiled plan turned out with nice surprises!

 

[peregrina2000]

It's the blue line on the maps. Not far from where you would've turned west to get to Errezil, there's a sign pointing in 4 different directions - one sign points to Tolosa, the red route heading up Hernio and Ubeltz (you can see them labeled). That route ends in Tolosa.



View attachment 122720 View attachment 122721 View attachment 122722

West Kirsty -- Do you know what the total distance and elevation would be going Hernani - Tolosa via the Saiatz alternative to the Tolosa turn-off?

We started a few km after Hernani, in Orio Lasarte, and the day was spectacular but hard. The descent to Errezil (which you can see on Map 3) was really a killer. The other option we had was to go on to a gorgeous looking splurge in Bidania, the Hotel Iriarte Jauregia. Very pricey though. The village of Errezil is one of those impossibly pretty little places in the middle of a valley.

https://www.iriartejauregia.com/en/inicio

But this blue line West Kirsty has posted looks like it would be a very nice little detour off and back onto the official route.

 

[WestKirsty]

West Kirsty -- Do you know what the total distance and elevation would be going Hernani - Tolosa via the Saiatz alternative to the Tolosa turn-off?

We started a few km after Hernani, in Orio Lasarte, and the day was spectacular but hard. The descent to Errezil (which you can see on Map 3) was really a killer. The other option we had was to go on to a gorgeous looking splurge in Bidania, the Hotel Iriarte Jauregia. Very pricey though. The village of Errezil is one of those impossibly pretty little places in the middle of a valley.

https://www.iriartejauregia.com/en/inicio

But this blue line West Kirsty has posted looks like it would be a very nice little detour off and back onto the official route.

It won't be an easy day, that's for sure!! From Hernani to Tolosa it looks to be about 35 km broken down as follows:

Hernani to Lasarate-Orio: 4 km
Lasarate to the intersection with the GR: 20 km
GR route to Tolosa: 11.3 km (posted on the sign)

Starting in Lasarate would shorten the day, of course!

Elevation looks to be about 1470m. There's an additional 220m in max. elevation vs going to Bidania. This is what we can gather from WikiLoc routes. Lots of people have recorded the GR section but with different starting places all over that area!

So, yes, not an easy day. My friend and I hope to do this route as a day trip when the weather's decent in May. I'll report back how it goes!

By comparison, the Basque Tourism site has the Hernani to Bidania route as 28.8km and 1250m elevation.

Side note: my friend stayed in that hotel when she did the Saiatz route (a splurge trip!). She sent me a picture of the soaker tub at the window and wow! If only all hiking days could end like that!

 

[WestKirsty]

Day 3: Tolosa to Zegama (36.75km)

You can add my name to the Camino Vasco fan club! I'm really loving this route!

Today was really a tale of 2 routes (and some guides split this into 2 stages). The first part to Beasain is along more bidegorre paths - so pretty flat and easy going. As today is another stat/bank holiday here, and the sun was shining, it was busy with families, cyclists etc. It was actually quite a fun walk!

@ebrandt and others walking soon, I'm not sure of you know any Basque but it would help to learn a few words! I found myself using:

• Egun on (good morning)
• Aupa (said a lot here! I've never been told a one word translation but it's used in greetings, for surprise...to cheer on football teams etc)
• Kaixo (hello, pronounced "kaishow")
• Eskerik asko (thank you, very useful!)
• Agur! (See you later, said a lot when leaving a shop or restaurant. I'll see if I can find a video on how to say it as the intonation is everything!)

It was a fun, easy walk and a few people stopped tme to ask me what I was doing and if I was, in fact, walking the Camino. One cyclist shouted out "buen camino!! as he sped past. A friendly jont this morning, for sure!

The villages were small but fun to have a little walk around in. I went into a fruit shop and had a discussion about the differences between Canadian and Basque waste management systems (i.e. how/when/where to take out your garbage). Go figure!

Beasain is a great place! I went past the albergue and yes, it looks like a fantastic place to stay!

But alas, my day was not done and I had to pull myself away. From Beasain, the route goes up hill for a bit and away from the sounds of the valley you were just walking in. I hadn't really noticed how close it had been to the road until I was up and away from it. Then just the glorious sounds of birds, open sky and those stunning mountain views. The difference between the 2 parts of the day was sharp - urban life in the valley and then up into rural life.

I was so memorized by the scenery I missed a few arrows, but just off track for a few moments here and there. And I was so lucky today with the weather. Sunshine after yesterday's rain. During this portion, I was one incredibly happy peregrina!

On approaching Idiazabel you hear the roads again and are back down in the valley, for the most part. There is a somewhat steep uphill portion on the road from Idiazabel but from Segura to Zegama it's an easy paved path along a creek, a wall of mountains in front of you.

I'm so happy to see Zegama (I feel like I keep typing 'happy'). I'll be volunteering at the new albergue (opens June 1st) for a few days this summer and am already in love with the place. I'm in the pension tonight and it's nice and good value! Unfortunately, the restaurant was full when I tried for dinner but I should have other chances to see what others on here have been talking about in terms of the food.

That was day 3! Bring on tomorrow!! After sleep. I really need sleep

 

[Keith H]

What a big day! Sounds amazing though. I definitely would have ended up with 2 shorter days.

Your pics look like the North Island of NZ

 

[ebrandt]

Thanks for the tips on Basque! I have copied your list and will work on pronunciation! I am salivating for our walk when I look at your pics. The restaurant at the pension in Zegama will not be open when we are there, but I contacted the owners and they will make sandwiches or a plate of something for us for the evening! So we should get a small taste of the food there.

 

[WestKirsty]

Thanks for the tips on Basque! I have copied your list and will work on pronunciation! I am salivating for our walk when I look at your pics. The restaurant at the pension in Zegama will not be open when we are there, but I contacted the owners and they will make sandwiches or a plate of something for us for the evening! So we should get a small taste of the food there.

That's so nice of them! The staff were all very friendly there!

I wanted to mention as well that the pension has strange check in times, if you're staying there. You can check in from 14:30-16:00, then not again until 18:00.

I arrived after 16:00 so had to wait for a while. Though a bar across the way was open and sitting in the sun with a cold drink was not a bad way to waste some time

 

[WestKirsty]

Day 4: Zegama to Salvatierra (23km)

What a route! Every day has been so different thus far. Yesterday, urban paths and country roads. Today good, proper hiking trails. It was nice to be off pavement all morning (though back on it later in the day).

The trail starts going up shortly after Zegama and keeps going up! When I left Zegama the fog was just starting to lift and it made for a very atmospheric start to the day. The area is just stunning. And I was lucky with the weather today.

It was a morning I won't soon forget! I'm not going to post many pictures as some sections really just need to be experienced in person. I was once again, a very happy walker.

The trail from Zegama to the tunnel was very quiet. But there is another way up there that lots of other people took! A beautiful, sunny Saturday, it wasn't surprising. It made for some good people watching

The trail on the other side of the tunnel has less spectacular scenery but is a great walk in its own right. More day walkers but the trail got quieter and quieter the further down I walked.

From Zalduondo there is a choice between the rual route and the official. I'm not sure if this is new - the sign looked new (see pic attached). The rural route adds .7km to the day and is intended to get you off the road. Having said that, the road did seem very quiet and is much more direct. I took the rural way (I wasn't in a rush!) and it was fine! There were a few points where I wasn't sure which way to go, including one spot where the arrow was pinkish/red!! I wasn't certain if that was indeed the way to go but a local confirmed. That area is quite wide open farm land so I suppose the scenery doesn't change whichever way you choose.

So now I'm in Salvatierra for the night. I'm staying in a room above the bar "El Gordo". It's listed on Gronze as Habitaciones José María (I think?? Or something similar). When I did a Google search for that, El Gordo came up. The room is reasonably priced and you check in at the bar.

Tomorrow I go to Vitoria! Got my Cathedral tour reserved, after reading all the recommendations on this forum

 

[ebrandt]

I am again just so impatient to get started! Re Zegama check—in. It’s funny, they emailed me and confirmed a check in for us. I gave them a range and they said ok.

 

[peregrina2000]

Day 4: Zegama to Salvatierra (23km)
From Zalduondo there is a choice between the rual route and the official. I'm not sure if this is new - the sign looked new (see pic attached). The rural route adds .7km to the day and is intended to get you off the road. Having said that, the road did seem very quiet and is much more direct. I took the rural way (I wasn't in a rush!) and it was fine!

I think I was probably walking in the euphoria bubble after the walk up to and through the tunnel, but I am pretty sure we did not have any choice in Zalduondo. My tracks definitely show a “right side” path, which is the road option. I can assure you I would have walked a little extra to avoid the road if I had seen a sign. The day’s transition to flat farmland from the mountains is kind of a shocker. but the towns are nice, And so are the people.

It sounds from your post like the smile on your face today is even bigger than the one on your avatar! And yes, the cathedral tour is pretty amazing, unlike any I’ve been on. Buen camino, WestKirsty.

 

[jprogers]

Enjoying these posts and again remembering my walk ..lovely walk

 

[WestKirsty]

Day 5: Salvatierra to Vitoria (28km)

The previous days I've been using words like "stunning" "amazing" and "wow" to describe the walk. Today, I'd use "nice" and "pleasent". It was a relatively flat and straightforward path to Vitoria but I do feel like there are less markers/arrows now that I'm in Alava province. Enough to get you to your destination but I did have to pay more attention today and actively look for markers in some areas.

The two highlights of the day came from recommendations from this forum! The first was the Romanesque church at Estíbaliz. The interpretive center was open when I arrived and was a nice little visit - free on Sundays but no pilgrim stamp

I went to see the church and was told Easter Sunday mass was about to start. But I could also attend...so I did. The church was filled with the smell of incense when I entered. It immediately brought me back to childhood when my parents would take my brother and I to Easter mass. I was always impatient as I knew when we got home, we could start looking for the chocolate eggs my parents hid around the house. It brought back some good memories. The mass lasted about an hour and when I walked out I remembered that I bought some chocolate yesterday so enjoyed that while walking back to the Camino.

It's a nice little detour, only about 1km off the trail!

It takes a while from when you see Vitoria until you actually get to the old town. I found it hard to find any yellow arrows and in the city noted some small blue Camino stickers with white arrows (see picture attached). But it didn't take long until I couldn't see anymore markings so I just used Google Maps to get to the Albergue. Its very straightforward going.

I'm in the Cathedral Albergue tonight. It's quite large and not exclusive to pilgrims. It's currently housing about 30 Ukranian refugees. The kids were having a blast running around when I arrived and were excited to demonstrate the Spanish they've learned. Can't even begin to fathom what these families are going through.

I'm in the room for pilgrims and when I got back from the Cathedral tour someone else had arrived! I haven't met them yet but their bed is all made. So it turns out I'm not alone on the Vasco! I'm looking forward to meeting them.

With regards to the tour, it is fantastic! I didn't know what to expect, just that lots of people on here highly recommend it. I can add my name to that list as well! It was well with it!

So thank you forum members for sharing your experiences and recommendations. They made my day today

 

[WestKirsty]

Day 6:. Vitoria to La Puebla de Arganzon (21km)

Was nice to chat with a fellow peregrin@ last night! I shared the Albergue room with a man from France. He just started the day before from Salvatierra and is headed to Burgos so explains why we hadn't crossed paths yet. I'm heading for Haro so our paths won't cross again.

It was a shorter walk today so I took my time leaving Vitoria and had another look around the old town. It's nice in the morning. A lot quieter than the long weekend crowds of last night. I needed to use Mapy.cz to get back on the Camino. There are a few old shell tiles on some streets but they're pretty faded and you only really see them when you're close. I didn't see any yellow arrows in the city. At any rate, the path out of Vitoria is lovely - a wide, tree lined pedestrian path that passes some impressive buildings.

Once out of Vitoria there is some road walking required but once you're off the road it's a very nice walk past some little hamlets and then onto a hiking trail up and over a big, forested hill. The trail is mostly very straightforward but there was one point where I could see the yellow metal post with blue Camino arrow/sign (see pic attached) up ahead, but then there was a very visible arrow pointing to the right. I peaked around where it was pointing and there were more arrows pointing to another path. I backtracked and chose to follow the more official looking post and I had no issues. I don't know if that's an alternative way down the hill but I can confirm that post did take you down and there were yellow arrows farther along.

The trail was very muddy in parts and the decent was quite steep, with loose rocks so care is needed coming down. It reminded me a lot of the decent from Alto de Perdón on the Camino Frances.

At the bottom of the hill there's a short walk through grass - nice and soft on the feet and a very useful path to clean off the muck on your shoes!

It was a quick one today so I had plenty of time for a menu del día, my first on this Camino! Tonight is a bit of a splurge as I'm staying in the Arganzon Plaza hotel. Really nice and early check in at 13:00. So it's been a lazy afternoon resting up for my last full day on the Vasco. The albergue here is closed but if this hotel is within budget, I recommend it! An 18th century building with modern amenities. I'm looking out my window to the church tower as I type this

 

[SabsP]

Hope the bar next door is open...? They have good pintxos ! Nice people too.
When we were there the church was closed though.
If you did not book breakfast at the hotel there is a wonderful bakery just as you leave the village on the main road. Called la For de Trigo, Calle Santiago 44. Also a cafeteria so you can sit at a table.

 

[WestKirsty]

Hope the bar next door is open...? They have good pintxos ! Nice people too.
When we were there the church was closed though.
If you did not book breakfast at the hotel there is a wonderful bakery just as you leave the village on the main road. Called la For de Trigo, Calle Santiago 44. Also a cafeteria so you can sit at a table.

Thank you! The bars been closed since I arrived (holiday Monday) but maybe it'll open later?!

I walked past the bakery earlier and will have breakfast there tomorrow. Thanks for the tip!

 

[SabsP]

Thank you! The bars been closed since I arrived (holiday Monday) but maybe it'll open later?!

I walked past the bakery earlier and will have breakfast there tomorrow. Thanks for the tip!

Hopefully they will open.The other one is good too but less cosy.
The somewhat special hospitalero ( well the older guy who opened the muni albergue three years ago ) seems to live semi permanently on the small plaza in front of your hotel.

 

[peregrina2000]

I’m not sure why we didn’t stop in Puebla de Arganzón, but we had a really nice stay in Salinillas de Buradón. It’s a pretty walled town (medieval, I think) and we stayed in an albergue run by a young family who also produces wine (and gave us a bottle). We were really exhausted, because it had been a long day, but we couldn’t say no to the mayor or concejal who insisted on taking us around to visit the walls and learn all about the town. I don’t think the camino goes through the village, but I would recommend a short look around, it is a nice spot.

 

[Keith H]

If you haven’t been to Lopez de Heredia in Haro I highly recommend it!

 

[ebrandt]

@WestKirsty Which tour did you book at the Cathedral -- I see there are several options on their webpage?

 

[ebrandt]

Question for others -- Does anyone know whether there is a plan to open the albergue at La Puebla and when? Gronz doesn't list an email or web page and I couldn't get the phone to ring using WhatsApp. Thanks! LizB

 

[SabsP]

Question for others -- Does anyone know whether there is a plan to open the albergue at La Puebla and when? Gronz doesn't list an email or web page and I couldn't get the phone to ring using WhatsApp. Thanks! LizB

Mail or call the nice people of the ayuntamiento. They hold the key anyway.

Inicio | La Puebla de Arganzón

www.lapuebladearganzon.es

Edit : aside from the hotel where @Westkirky slept there is also Pension Pili.

Alojamientos | La Puebla de Arganzón

www.lapuebladearganzon.es

 

[WestKirsty]

Mail or call the nice people of the ayuntamiento. They hold the key anyway.

Inicio | La Puebla de Arganzón

www.lapuebladearganzon.es

Edit : aside from the hotel where @Westkirky slept there is also Pension Pili.

Alojamientos | La Puebla de Arganzón

www.lapuebladearganzon.es

Unfortunately, pension Pili is also listed as "temporarily closed". No answer when I called a few weeks ago and the link to their website on Gronze now leads to one of those "this site doesn't exist" pages. Always worth trying again though! I didn't see it when I had a walk around but I might have been in the wrong area.

Another option would be to take a train to Mirando de Ebro (or back to Vitoria?) as there's an open Albergue there. Then take the train back the next morning and resume.

The hospitalero in Irun did say that not everything has reopened because of Covid but there are buses and trains connecting the towns so if there are problems finding accommodation in one place, there's always the option of sleeping in another community. Not ideal, but an option of stuck!

 

[WestKirsty]

@WestKirsty Which tour did you book at the Cathedral -- I see there are several options on their webpage?

I did the Cathedral and Tower Tour. It was 10.50 on the website but when you arrive and pay it's 7 euros for those staying in the Albergue

 

[ebrandt]

Thanks for the update on Pension Pili. And for the info on the tour. We will just play it by ear and the Arganzon Plaza sounds lux -- we can handle that :0!

 

[WestKirsty]

Day 7: La Puebla de Arganzon to Briñas (28km)

Ah, rain. And rain. And more rain. It was a cold, wet and windy walk today. I was very glad I packed gloves!

I had breakfast at the panadería recommended by SabineP and when I left the sky just got darker. It was a steady rain for a while. Leaving La Puebla you're on the side of a road for a bit before turning off onto a backcountry road. I'm usually not happy to be on pavement but it did mean less mud! That was to come later

The split between the Camino Vasco (to La Rioja) and the Bayonne (to Burgos) was very obvious. Whoever had the yellow paint that day seemed to have enjoyed themselves!

It was a pretty straightforward route in the morning with a few ups and downs. There was a section on the hill before you get to Zambrana that was muddy! Not the slippery, watery kind but the mud that sticks to the bottom of your shoes and gets thicker and heavier the more you walk. It was slow going for a while - I found a stick to flick off the mud once it got too thick, and repeated this for a while. When I got to the edge of Zambrana a man was heading towards me, walking his dog. The dog was very happy to see a human walking towards him with a stick ready to play. My mud stick now belongs to the dog.

There's a section between Zambrana and Salinillas on the shoulder of a busy road. This was a very unpleasant stretch! It's probably only a kilometre or two and the shoulder is wide (about the width of a lane) but the cars are speeding by. As I approached a curve I saw the sign to reduce your speed to 70, to give you an idea.

I noted a few cars coming out of the curve right over on the shoulder - where I was about to walk. It felt rather unsafe. I write this not to put anyone off, but I think this section requires real caution. I think the weather made it worse today - when the semi-trucks went by I got well and truly sprayed with water from the road. On a clear day, I don't think it would have felt quite so exposed. Around the curve, I walked down in the ditch.

That section is also the start of more beautiful scenery! I was delighted to get off the road and head to Salinillas. Thank you @peregrina2000 for the suggestion to have a look around. It's a cute place! The bar at the Ayuntamiento was open and has the most lovely view from the toilet...who'd have thought

From there you get to the best part of the day, a lovely trail up into the hills before the steep decent into La Rioja. Great views! It was raining (of course) but the dark clouds gave some atmosphere.

That was my last full day of walking! Just a short walk to Haro tomorrow to get the train back to Bilbao

 

[roving_rufus]

Thanks for the update on Pension Pili. And for the info on the tour. We will just play it by ear and the Arganzon Plaza sounds lux -- we can handle that :0!

In preparation I had previously looked up Pension Pili, which had a new website and new gmail email. So it may be worth using details on it. (I had intended to notify Gronze once I did a little more homework on it)

https://www.pensionpili.com/

 

[peregrina2000]

Gronz doesn't list an email or web page and I couldn't get the phone to ring using WhatsApp.

The number listed on Gronze for the albergue in Puebla de Arganzón is a land line. WhatsApp only works with mobile phones, because it is internet-based. Any phone beginning with a ”9” in Spain is a land line. Phones beginning with a “6” are mobile phones (and I have seen that they have added “7” as a possible mobile phone starting number) and you can check to see whether the owner uses whatsApp by just adding the number as a contact. Once you type in the number, it will tell you whether the owner is already on whatsapp or not.

 

[ebrandt]

In preparation I had previously looked up Pension Pili, which had a new website and new gmail email. So it may be worth using details on it. (I had intended to notify Gronze once I did a little more homework on it)
https://www.pensionpili.com/

Mmmm -- I just tried the link you included @roving_rufus and it goes to a wix.com page that says "we are temporarily fixing" something. I did find a Restaurant Guru page that seems to indicate that the restaurant at Pension Pili is open. It will be a big surprise when we get there!

@peregrina2000 thanks for clueing me in on the numbers. This whole Spanish phone thing is totally new to me as we have never had a phone on the camino before! I think we will just call ahead to the Ayunamento once we are going to find out if the Albergue is open. If not, maybe the Pension Pili situation will be sorted out or, horrors, we will enjoy a night of luxury like @WestKirsty at the Plaza!

 

[peregrina2000]

We will just play it by ear and the Arganzon Plaza sounds lux -- we can handle that :0!

I don’t know how your stages will go, but if you sleep in Puebla de Arganzón, you might want to consider a night in Salinillas de Buradón. It is a walled village with great views at sunset. It’s about 21-22 from Puebla de Arganzón. A young family runs the albergue (not Camino-specific, and it’s quite nice and very un-used), and the whole town comes out when pilgrims arrive.

Salinillas de Burandón (which is in the País Vasco) and its surrounding vineyards have the distinction of being the only area outside of the province of La Rioja whose wines receive the “denominación de origen” of Rioja wine. One of those interesting but pretty useless tidbits cluttering my brain. I’m just hoping I’m remembering it correctly.

That was my last full day of walking! Just a short walk to Haro tomorrow to get the train back to Bilbao

Oh, so sorry. I have really enjoyed this and hope that you are able to get back soon. And plesae let us know how your stint as hospitalera in Zegama goes! Buen camino, Laurie

 

[ebrandt]

you might want to consider a night in Salinillas de Buradón

I'm right on that plan! We are planning Salinillas (21.5 k), Zarraton (18.1 k) (in a lux small hotel) and then will round the corner onto the Frances to Granon (17.7 k). If we are going strongly we may pass Granon and continue on to Tosantos. We will just need to see how our various bits are doing!

 

[WestKirsty]

Day 8: Briñas to Haro (3.6km)

A final post as this trip comes to a close. The walk from Briñas to Haro is a very pleasant stroll along the river, over a medieval bridge and past those wonderful Bodegas. I stopped it at my favorite to have them stamp my credential. The woman was a bit confused by my request but very nice!

I walked the final stage (in reverse) of the Vasco del Interior at the start of this year, walking north from Santo Domingo del Calzado, so with this quick walk to Haro, today I completed the full journey.

It really is a great route! As others have said, there is a lot of pavement but the hiking trails mixed in more than made up for it. And of course, the kindness of strangers!

I met just the one other pilgrim, though someone did tell me that 2 women on bikes were on the Camino the previous days. It really is a seldom used trail but I appreciated those stretches of solitude, though I know it's not for everyone.

Thanks for following along the journey! I enjoyed writing the little updates and pausing to remember the day. All the suggestions were also greatly appreciated, though I wasn't able to follow them all. Next time

I feel exceedingly fortunate to live where I do, which means I can explore the areas the Vasco passes through even more. I'll post updates on this forum as I do!

Buen Camino!

 

[Keith H]

Congrats on what sounds to be a wonderful route. Curious which Bodega is your favourite!

 

[ebrandt]

@WestKirsty your info has been invaluable. We are looking forward to this quiet walk in May although maybe it will be a bit busier by then -- who knows. I am sorry we will get to Zegama before your stint as Hospitalera. I hope it goes smoothly. Many thanks for your posts!

 

[WestKirsty]

Congrats on what sounds to be a wonderful route. Curious which Bodega is your favourite!

La Rioja Alta

I haven't been to Lopez de Heredia but will make a point of going next time I'm on Haro!

 

[roving_rufus]

Mmmm -- I just tried the link you included @roving_rufus and it goes to a wix.com page that says "we are temporarily fixing" something. I did find a Restaurant Guru page that seems to indicate that the restaurant at Pension Pili is open. It will be a big surprise when we get there!

It opened for me but the email and phone on it are
Tel: 945 37 30 88 - Móvil: 626 48 96 72
e-mail - PensionPili1@gmail.com
But it looks phone numbers are same but a different email

 

[ebrandt]

It opened for me but the email and phone on it are
Tel: 945 37 30 88 - Móvil: 626 48 96 72
e-mail - PensionPili1@gmail.com
But it looks phone numbers are same but a different email

I just cut and pasted the link into my browser rather than clicking it and, viola, it worked! Yay! The phones are the same ones mentioned on Gronz but the email is new ahd the web address has changed. Thanks so much for this info.

 

[Keith H]

La Rioja Alta

I haven't been to Lopez de Heredia but will make a point of going next time I'm on Haro!

LRA is fantastic. The 904 is one of my favourite wines in the world. They’re an amazing winery.