Another clear blue sky and very hot day before us, as we awake at Roncesvalles in the Pyrenees; although the early morning feels deliciously cool, about 16°C. We breakfast and watch as the Pilgrims arrive for their next day of walking, about 16 – 20 of them gather in the car park, with their poles and modern day ‘gourds’ attached, in the shape of stainless-steel water flasks. We sit and plan our day as many of the mohos leave and others arrive. We should have done a short detour north to Roland’s grave, not realising how close it was, instead we leave Roncesvalles around 11.30 going south through Berguete Auritz on N-135. Turning east we take NA-140 mountains road, passing Garralda we stop at a small parking area at Mirador de Ariztokia.

Putting on our hiking shoes it is a short but steep climb up through the rocks to a small platform lookout about halfway up the mountainside. It is not far but a stiff and somewhat difficult scramble in places. Here we have a magnificent view of the mighty Rio Irati (which flows from the High Pyrenees at the French border to join the Rio Aragón at Sangüesa). Mostly the valley is filled with mature trees, the river below us flowing over a weir with a fish ladder along one side. In the direct sun it is now hot, so keeping to the shade we spend some time here watching the griffin vultures as they lazily flap and then soar up and up on the thermals, such freedom!

Back to Hymer and on our way on NA-140 another long climb up into the mountains through some spectacular scenery, high rocky mountain ridges with deep treed valleys. There are many series of hairpin bends and we get used to the signs that say Kontuz Lurreko (watch out for the ground) as we travel the high mountain passes: Puerto de Remendia at 1040 m and Lasa at 1129 m. At the mountain village of Jaurrieta we carefully weave through the narrow village streets, meeting a truck and feeling like toothpaste in a tube as we squeeze past! Beyond Jaurrieta there are a series of serious hairpins, one after another, criss-crossing Barranco (ravine) Txangaerro, dropping down (and down) into the village of Otsoa. Keeping on NA-140 we turn left (north) towards Otsagabia and Izalzu on La Ruta de Gartxot (all those k’s x’s and z’s!). More high mountain roads with spectacular rocky scenery and some serious high mountain hairpins all the way to the mountain village of Isaba, altitude of 816 m.

Here at Isaba, we find the Area Autocaravanas on the edge of the small town and alongside a fast-flowing mountain stream (Barranco de Belabarze). There are about 40 pitches, one line against the trees, the other in full sun, we park against the stream with some tree shade behind. It is just after 2.30 pm so we stop and have lunch, then a quiet afternoon as the temperature is in the low thirties, including inside Hymer. Around 5.30 pm, we sit on the low wall behind Hymer, now in shade and open wine. More mohos arrive and the site fills quite quickly. Parking is car park style so mohos must park quite close to each other, there are too many arriving to leave one space between each. Our neighbours are not noisy but we are aware of their movements (therefore parking spaces a bit too close we think) another 12-18 inches each side would make a big difference. After tea of beef stir-fry we sit out on the low wall enjoying the sound of the water flowing by in the relative cool of the evening (still 29°C), about 15 of us here overnight

Photos in and around Isaba, Spain

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