The Big Walk

Into Navarra – Day 34

After crossing a great bridge, a long, slow climb takes us into Navarra, the heart of the Basque country. The effort is rewarded by Viana, a hilltop town will panoramic views behind. It’s an enchanting place of old mansions and cobbled streets – the masons here use many different coloured stones to make elaborate patterns and mosaics in the ground.

The route continues over low but steep hills with many scrubby trees and something we haven’t seen so far – the silvery grey of olive groves. For once the camino isn’t visible for miles ahead, instead being hidden by the hills and countless twists and turns, making the walking much more interesting. By mid afternoon we reach the village of Torres del Rio, almost entirely made up of huge, ancient stone mansions, with carved heraldic symbols adorning the walls. There’s a fascinating octagonal Romanesque chapel here, small inside but very tall and elegant with a Moorish star design at the point of the vaulting inside. It’s unique, and no-one really knows its purpose; one theory is that it’s a mausoleum for pilgrims who died on their journey. After dropping our bags in at the hostel, we make a short walk up to the next village, Samsol, a twin to Torres but sited on the hilltop above and the benefit of a great view back down. Perhaps it’s just the contrast with the commercial hubbub of Logrono, but it feels so peaceful here, and far from the modern world.