Hi Mr Thornley
If I read your post correctly, it sounds like you will be walking the Baztan next year during the Oz winter. So, if that’s correct you still have some time to finalize your planning.
My family and I did the Baztan during May of this year and I posted a recounting of our experience here
https://www.caminodesantiago.me/community/threads/just-completed-the-baztan-in-may.62324/ if you’re interested (I just noticed that you did have a look).
In any case, It also sounds to me like you are looking for places with good food! And that was one of my lasting impressions of the Baztan ……the food, or rather the lack of it. And not because there wasn’t any food around because I’m sure there was. It’s just that we seemed to arrive at the right places at the wrong time of day (or night)….or even on the wrong day. As someone else on this forum mentioned and we found out for ourselves…..the locals on this route have not been overwhelmed and desensitized by hordes of peregrinos and stick to their traditional hours (and days) regarding opening or closing of businesses. This is definitely not Canada, the world centre of comfort and ease, where you can pop into a Tim Horton’s or MacDonald’s day or night for a quick coffee and doughnut or a hamburger and Coke with fries. Be that as it may, thinking back on our trip, we did have some delicious (and here my judgement might be a bit blurred because of hunger) and filling meals.
The first memorable meal was in Bayonne at the FUFU Ramen. No, not French cuisine but a small cozy ramen restaurant. After a loooong wait for any restaurant to open (I think it was a Saturday afternoon), we found these guys open, we rushed in and the meal was great.
Our next good meal was in Ustaritz. We stayed at the Chambres d’Hotes Ene Gutizia and only had breakfast there. I’m not sure if they serve lunch or supper. But we had supper at the Relais du Labourd, which is only a short walk from the hotel. And I think you could call the food Basque….they like to serve you fish but other stuff as well. I can’t recall what I had but I just remember that the food was delicious.
The next memorable meal was in Maya. I’m not 100% sure but I think the name of the bar is Gaztelu Ostatua if I look of Google Maps. A typical mom and pop place but we arrived there dehydrated and hungry after not having anything to eat for at least 24 hours and after climbing that first pass, and when the lady realized we were peregrinos and hungry and thirsty, she brought out a plate (read large tray, only photo on my post as it was that memorable) loaded with fries, ham slices, pork steaks and eggs (and there might have been other stuff on there) for the four of us. That was one of the best and most welcome meals I have ever had (together with 3 or 4 beers to wash it down with). Would that qualify as “good” food? You’ll have to judge for yourself. I would say typical and basic but great! They have a menu there and I’m sure they served other meals as well. The place only has 2 tables as far as I can remember. We stayed in the casa rural right next door. Don’t know what the name was and the lady from the bar just phoned next door and organized it for us.
From there we went on to Ziga and stayed at the Casa Rural Aldekoa. This casa rural was originally a pig and cow shed/building/barn but renovated to its current luxurious state. The owners are a young couple and very friendly…..the wife runs the casa rural and the husband farms with cattle. I can’t say much about the food as we only had breakfast, and that was great. Ziga is the most beautiful little place, on the route but in the middle of nowhere, and i wish we could have stayed a bit longer just the take in more of the country calm.
And as far as food goes, our next good meals were at various places in Pamplona. But I imagine that you’ve been there and know your way around the bars there.
In terms of places to stay, I would say that there are plenty and you would find accommodation in every little town on the route, but it might be a casa rural or a hotel or something similar because the albergues are few and far between. We had no problems finding alternative accommodation at the various times that our original plans did not work out.
Hope this helps.
but ok
