Camino Baztan - Day 4

 28 September 2023

Elizondo to Venta San Blas - 18 kms

Wow, we're in a fabulous place tonight. We're in an accommodation up in the hills with nothing else around. 

Carlos and his wife Xefe are so welcoming and friendly. The French/Canadian trio are staying here tonight also. Xefe is doing all our washing and Carlos will cook our dinner. They are like mother and father to us all ...but they're around our age or younger. Carlos is so funny - we're using Google Translate to talk to each other. He said they are Basque, not Spanish. Right now he has given us a Basque alcoholic drink to try. It's called patxarán and is made with endrina, as far as we can make out they are sloe berries. Carlos initially gave us some commercially produced patxarán then some he made himself. Es muy bueno. 

It's been a fabulous day altogether. We were expecting a hard day climbing but for three quarters of the walk there we had as many descents as ascents, the camino only started climbing for the last 3 or 4 kilometres and even then only the last kilometre or so was steep, especially the last 100 metres. We were expecting to reach around 900m but we're only at 715m.

The path took us on roadsides and onto tracks. We walked through forests and villages. We crossed paths with the French/Canadian trio several times. We stopped together for a midmorning break. 

After a foggy fresh start it got to around 26°C today and was very sunny but for much of the time we were in shade. 

The French/Basque trio have just arrived. Our Camino family will be together again tonight.

I have added the photos for day 2 and will add photos to day 3 when I can.

Leaving Elizondo around 7.30 this morning.

The Baztan River in Elizondo. 

And out into the fog.

A small settlement before Ziga.

Near Ziga

Jeff with the French/Canadian trio - Guyon, the  Canadian on the left,  Gérard, Jeff and Michel near Ziga. They are great fun.

On our way again. 

Ziga

And out into the country again. Most of the signs are in Basque only. 

Coming into Berroeta.

Many of the houses have dried thistles on the door. In Baztan mythology the thistle protects their homes from danger from the big creature who lives in the Baztan Forests. 

Today we had stinging nettles, yesterday we had gorse and blackberry vines to contend with. 

In Almandoz

We were taken with detail on the carved wooden beam on this house. 

This photo shows the fill piece.

Almandoz - all of the churches we have seen in Spain, so far, have been locked. We had become used to the churches open to visit in France. 

Nearing the end of today's walk. 

The French/Canadian trio. We arrived at our accommodation around 1.30pm and had to wait for over an hour before we could check in.

We were being wind blasted while we waited 

Our accommodation - there's nothing else around. 
 

Carlos took our photo.