Across the Sprawling Mountains of Navarra and into La Rioja: Roncesvalles to Logroño (17 to 27 September, 2015)

Wondering what would be thrown our way after the Pyrenees... the very first conclusion, was that this was going to be a very different experience than the French side of things.   All kinds of walkers and pilgrims up one hour before dawn and turning otherwise quiet forest paths into human highways.  Villages with competing albergues and bed-and-breakfasts.  The pilgrims themselves in France tend to be older and French, and the language of le Chemin is French... in Spain the pilgrim community is huge and much more international, spanning every age range, and the language of el Camino is mostly English (at least this time of year).  These being just a few immediate observations... otherwise, the mountainous and fairly wild landscapes of Navarra and the villages therein would make for a fascinating walk.  Katy's parents would meet up with us in the medieval town of Estella to explore and walk some of the Camino with us...

Katy had the brilliant idea of teaching Bo how to identify trail markers... thus the simple game of "where's the next marker?" - which keeps him on the right track!  Otherwise, at every crossroads, he wants to take "the path less travelled".

Our campsite a few kilometers down the path from Roncesvalles, in a thick wood that apparently harbored witches in medieval times and had numerous witchhunts.

One of our favorite early morning snacks.

 

The charming village of Burguete, which Hemingway visited many times over the course of his life.

Our first encounter with Brazilian pilgrims...

This couple are from Bahia, Brazil; Jeff's football jersey doesn't escape their attention.

The Pyrenees may be over, but sustained steep climbing isn't.

A view out over Navarra.

It doesn't get much better than this.



The village of Viscarret displaying some great Basque-style houses...

 

Bo methodically placing stones on a trail marker, copying other pilgrims.

A descent through thick woods leads us to this evening scene...

... and a lovely campsite on the edge of a meadow.

Fresh Navarrese blackberries!

Bo gives Jeff a hand.





Afternoon picnic stop in Irotz.

Happy morning along the Rio Arga.

Extensive graffiti near Pamplona.

Bo weaves his way to Pamplona on a Sunday morning, along the Arga River recreation trail.



These markers make for great stomping.

The iconic Puente de Magdalena, from the 12th century, which marks the entrance to Pamplona...

Trailer maintenance on the go.

On the lively streets of Pamplona, first of many large cities we would encounter in Spain.



Pamplona, alive with festivals.

 

The most famous of Pamplona's festivals, Los Sanfermines (Running of the Bulls), having happened 3 months earlier.

Hemingway watches over the scene next to Pamplona's bullring.

Sunday crowd on the corner of Calle Estafeta, principal bull-running street.



Plaza del Castillo, a Pamplona highlight, and scene of several Hemingway haunts.

Storks on high before a brilliant crescent moon.

The land becomes progressively drier beyond Cizur Menor, as Bo advances in twilight.

Perfect campsite under an agricultural hangar near Zariquigui.

Endless flow of pilgrims, walking with the sunrise...

... while Bo sleeps in awhile.



A glance back at Pamplona and the mountains of Navarra beyond.

Bo and Finton are reunited on the long slog up Alto del Perdón...

... which turns out to be no joke...

Fantastic pilgrims' momument atop Alto del Perdón (790m). 

Bo flies down the backside!

Sweeping views of the terrain to come.  Prediction: dry and hot!

Pilgrims' hostel in Obanos...

 



... which makes for a great picnic spot and playtime in the shade on a hot day.

 

Pilgrim statue marking the entrance to Puente La Reina, where the pilgrim routes from Le Puy-Vezelay-Paris meet the one coming from Arles-Toulouse.





The 11th century Romanesque bridge over the Rio Arga which gives Puente La Reina its name.

The camino in Spain generally follows yellow arrows as its trail markers.

Camping on the banks of the Rio Arga just beyond Puente La Reina.

Fabulous coat of arms seen in Mañeru.

 



Rolling past vineyards and olive orchards...



... as we approach the arresting village of Cirauqui.

Classic door-knocker in Cirauqui.



Bo explores the medieval streets...

... which lead to the impressive multi-lobed arched entrance to the Iglesia de San Román.  (Unfortunately access to churches in Spain is much more limited than in France, which means that more-often-than-not you meet with locked doors!)

 



A stretch of old Roman road, which in medieval times were the only long-distance routes in Europe and thus important thoroughfares for pilgrims.





 

Chatting with Quebecois pilgrims.



Camping in a patch of woods near Villatuerta.

 

A visit from Bo's grandparents Phil and Maureen in Estella, here in front of the 14th century Iglesia del Santo Sepulcro.

 Romanesque figure on the façade of Santo Sepulcro.



Gathered for drinks in the atmospheric Plaza de los Fueros.

Look who's still on the move long after dark.

Phil gives Jeff some helpful advice on D.I.Y Chariot repairs (a series of broken frame bolts led to a decision to install beefier bolts).

Bo and Granda at the fountain in Plaza St. Martin.

Drying "piquillo" red peppers, typical of Navarra.

This is too good to be true.  A pilgrims' WINE fountain at Bodegas Irache beyond Estella.  Red wine (house quality) straight from the tap, available to any pilgrim passing by.  After a few glasses its hard to put your pack back on!

Nana and Bo.

Phil and Maureen joined us for a 10km dayhike along a scenic stretch of camino.

The boys waiting for the girls to catch up.

Fuente de los Moros near Monjardin.

Arrived in Monjardin.

In Monjardin Phil and Maureen agreed to take Bodhi for a few days, and Jeff and Katy wandered off childfree for the first time ever!  (and Chariot-free!)

We immediately met up with some friendly pilgrims from Israel and Ireland, with whom we would spend quality time over the next few days.

Dry mountain scenery before Los Arcos.

A generous local gave us bunches and bunches of cold freshly-harvested red grapes, which we gobbled down while sat in the shade on a scorching afternoon.

Navigating the medieval streets of Los Arcos leads us to the 12th century Iglesia de Santa Maria de los Arcos.

Striking features: relief of St. James seen on the balcony choir stalls...

...the sublime pipe organ...



... shadows in the cloisters area.

Ripe abundant almonds, beneath which Jeff and Katy camped.

The Camino is lined with folk memorials to departed loved ones, literally thousands and thousands of such memorials, making the pilgrimage a very real and emotional reminder of the subtle balance between life and death.

As we near the fabled wine lands of La Rioja, the reach of vineyards is already being felt.

Pilgrims on a bright morning...

... heading towards the town of Viana.



Some of these places have to be seen to be believed.  While France's churches have amazing stained glass and filtered light, Spanish churches tend to be darker and more solemn, but with mind-blowing intricate altarpieces such as this one in Viana's Iglesia de Santa Maria.

Pictured with our pilgrim friends from Brazil, Ireland and Israel.

Katy and Anne.

We now leave Navarra and enter the autonomous community of La Rioja, at the city of Logroño...

 

Another Camino institution, Logroño is the capital of La Rioja and virtually owes its existence to the Camino de Santiago and the traffic of medieval pilgrims, around which it flourished and grew.

Our first sighting of a rather disconcerting image: Santiago astride a horse, sword raised, and stomping over the heads and bodies of dead Moors!  A distinctly Spanish interpretation, Santiago Matamoros involves a legend in which St. James appeared on a battlefield in the Christian contests against the Moors to retake Spain. (seen on the Catedral de Santa Maria de la Redonda).

Logroño most surprised us for its Camino-inspired mural art displays...