THE INLAND TRAIL: Part 1

Photos and edition by: J. unçu

THE INLAND WAY as :Cofraternity

May trail was as: http://caminandohacialasalturas.blogspot.com.es/2012/01/iglesias-y-catedrales-del-camino-de.html
My trail was completed in the Basque section between the 25  and the 30 of November 2016.

1St stage: Irun - Andoain ._ 25th.November 2016

Irun. crossing the bridge of Saint James, to say " Hi " to Luis Mariano  sitting at the plaza and fron the church of Our Lady of Juncal out to Oiartzun.

Up an down the way of small mountains one gets to the modern-looking, although its origins are mediaeval, Santiagomendi chapel at the highest point, with a fantastic views over the Basque Countryside and the coast at San Sebastian before going down to Astigarraga.

The cider-makung town.








We travel the Oria river way to travel from valley to valley.
Hernani, that was once heavily enclosed by city walls, with the church of S. Juan Bautista that has a
beautiful Baroque front as the Town Hall.

Following the signs well  marked along the whole way one gets easily to Andoain, place to rest the first night. Open all year with the basic services bed , hot water, and heat in nice quarters and a perfec atention from both the local police and the albergue volunteers.

 2nd stage Andoain - Beasain._ 26th November 2016

 After visiting the church  of S. Martin de Tours (Baroque- style ) and the Holy Cross chapel, one heads to Villabona and other tows as Irura  and Anoeta that grew alongside of the old Royal Road.



Tolosa,  centuries ago was the perfect fortress, a walled-in island. If you arrieve at this town on Saturday, you will see its traditional market with a lot of fresh local products, music, dancing etc.

 Facade of the church Sta. Maria Basque Gothic XVII, inside, baptistry with Romanesque cover from around XIII Century  coming from S. Esteban chapel hermitage.
 S. Francisco church Renaissance facade XVI Century without tower.
Alegia, sculpted to the whims of the river Oria, in a half-moon shape, keeps the Gothic portico of S.Juan Bautista church, also the shells on the church wall.

Legorreta, bridges were one of the main pillars on which the old Royal Road was built and this town is an example. interesting the Boundary Cross of the Santa Cruz.

Berostegi, Sta. Marina Chapel.
Ordicia, also kown as Villafranca de Oria, goes back more than 700 years, narrow streets,
at the entrance the S. Juan de Letran church, the façade is decorated with some scallops that demostrate its Jacobean vocation.

Down town, interesting the statue of friar Andres de Urdaneta y  Cerain , military, cosmographer, marine, explorer and  Augustinian religious.

 Arriving  mid afternoon to Beasain´s albergue- hostle

A wonderful place, open all year, all facilities, thanks to Antonio  not only my  welcomer but ready  to be my guide next day by the snowy tunnel ahead.


3th stage: Beasain - Zegana._ 27th November 2016

 Spending the night in the mid of a marvellous 16 th Century architectural complex,

at the miller´s house, surrounded by the bridge, the palade, the chapel of "Our Lady of Bethlehem"  , the mill, the ironworks and blacksmith´s house, the stables and the apple-cider making house (today is a hotel).

 Leaving the course of the river Oria one approaches to Olaberria which offers unbeatable views of mounts Txindoki (1350 m.) and  Aizkorri (1530 m.).

Idiazabal, town famous for its cheese and the church of S. Miguel.

Getting to Segura, a medieval walled village, founded by Alfonso X The Wise. in 1256 with historic monuments as the church of Ntra.Sra.de la Asuncion, narrow streets, towers, the convent of the Conception and the "Eguzki-loreak"












And the last stop before taking the Aizkorri mountain range, is the Zegama´s albergue-hostel, simple but confortable.

 The town with its S. Martin de Tours church and a view of tomorrow.

With the hillsides that rises up to theAizkorri ridge, Gipuzkoa bids us farewell.

As array of modest chapels, such as the above,  Our Lady of the Snow and  the Sancti-Spiritus priorato, accompany the climb that gradually seeks out the highest point of this section.

 In these frontier enclaves, The San Adrian Tunnel arises as one of the most spectacular natural monuments in the entire Pilgrims´ Way, a mediaeval stone path passes amid a lovely beech grove, managing to climb just a few metres more before starting the definitive descent towards the THE INLAND TRAIL: PART 2 .

 Used since the 10th Century, and inhabited by a hermitage of modern construction, the cave was for centuries the main passing point for those travelling from from France to the Castilian plateau, and vice versa.

THE OLD FORGOTTEN TRAIL

Photos and edition by: J unçu

El camino Olvidado

This trail starts in Bilbao; used by those pilgrims coming by ship fron England or Bruges in Pays-Bas, today Netherland, to where shipping companies used to sail from Basque harbours like Lekeitio; and joins the Camino Frances in Columbrianos, just about 5 km. after Ponferrada. It totals approximately 450 km..

 The situation of the Christian kingdoms made this trail, one of the oldest routes and it was was relatively frequented between the 9th and 12th centuries.

The danger of the roads of the plateau, through the continuous attacks of the Muslim troops made of this route a safe alternative.

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Runnig by towns as Alonsotegui, Sodupe, Güeñes and Balnaseda in the Basque land.

 After entering in Burgos and the Castillan Region for Nava de Ortunde, Villasana de Mena, Espinosa de los Monteros, Aguilar de Campo ( where used to be joined by the Basque Inland trail in the old times),carrying on by Cervera de Pisuerga, La Robla, Pandorado, Igüeña, Congosto and Colimbrianos.

I have traveled about the first 50 km of this path between the 7 and 8 of Novenber 2016.

starting from the space 0 (The Beginning) at the Cathedrals Camino  Game board.

 From Saint James Cathedral going down  Tenderia street till the arches of the Ribera in front of the Mercado and the old San Antón church, after crossing the bridge beside it walk up S. Francisco street till Paza Moyua and by Autonomia street up to Basurto Hospital.

Careful here, follow the sings and take the BI-636 which will take us up to the Bilbao Aterpetxea= Albergue, from where one can admire the new Bilbao´s Cathedral:San Mames.
 Or go on to Castresana. 

The Devil's bridge over the river Cadagua let us the passage, it has its own legend. One hundred meters ahead is the fork to follow the coastal road or go on in our Old  forgotten Camino.
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Alonsotegui: Besides the Church has three chapels; San Martín de Tours, the patron of the pilgrims, San Antolín, with a statue of Santiago and the knights cross painted in the benches, the third is dedicated to our Lady of the Guide.

After towns like Sodupe, Güeñes and Zalla that have many services .
The town of  Balmaseda with its bridge the most photographed spot in this twon.  

Till the Las Oleas bridge, half in Vizcaya and half in Burgos. The origins of this bridge are possibly Roman.

Signaling is quite elementary, the services are limited and there is a shortage of hostels.

THE NUMBERED SPACES

Meaning of the numbers:

Photos and edition by: J.unçu 

The game has 63 numbered spaces  plus two unnumbered (the beginning and the end).
The number of each space have a meaning, a secret message, a teaching, a puzzle to solve,
 a warning, something that search ,a encrypted code.

63: The last number of the universe, spaces of the game,
......  Compilation of Jewish Law.

58: Return to the beginning and start all over.
....  Judgement, change, transformation.

53: Misfortune, a column pedestal, loaded.
....  Polyhedron, luck, destiny.

52: Deprived of freedom, hollow someone teke your place.
 ....  On bail, conviction, sentence, wait until someoene release you.

42:  Difficult passages and paths, a maze, confusion. 
....   Go back to space 30, intrige, legend of the minotaur.

40: Fasting of Jesús, duration of my way, Israelites pilgrimage,
....  Moses at Sinai, the mythic flood, Elias pilgrimage.

31: Lose 2 turns, a hole, abundant source, enclosed space. 
....   Deep, until other player realeses you, by sending you back to the space it was.

26: Game, play, good luck.
...   Advance to 53, destiny.

19: Good food and drink. you lose one turn, albergue.
....  If another pilgrim lands you change places, go back.

13: Change, Cathedrals, moon phases,
..... The kingth Templar,  full moons, last supper.

12: Contact, go back to space 6, the apostles 
....  Tribus of Israel, doors of Jerusalen, angeles legions. 

10: To remenber, number of fingers, The Commandments
....   Plagues of Egypt, the physical creation,

7: Perfection, the Sacraments, the routes in my way.
...  Times to forgive, theoligical virtues, thrones.

6: Comunication, advance imnediantely to space 12,
...  Stone, arches, medieval.

2:  Men, intuitive, up-down.
... Duality, in order for peace prepare for war, twofold.

The spaces 5, 9, 14, 18, 23, 27, 32, 36, 41, 45, 50, 54 and 59 , instead of geese, will be Cathedrals.
Which ones?

TRAIL Nº 1 North A

Photo work and edited by: J. unçu.
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 * After, the King Alfonso II went to venerate the remains of Saint James, via the Primitive Camino, he was followed by others arriving later in other pilgrimages:

*- Via main Northern Way(Coastal) that runs from France at IRÚN and follows the northern coastline of Spain till Oviedo, where it heads inland by the Primitivo towards Santiago.

*- STAGE 1:HONDARRIBIA-DONOSTIA. 15 November 2016.

 Crossing by boat the Txingudi Bay, pass the Hondarribia old quarte and up to Santiagotxo Chapeld.

Climbing the mount Jaizkibel to look back down to the Bizkaia coast.

And down to cross again by boat from Pasai Donibane to Pasai San Pedro to go up to Mount Ulia and descend to San Sebastian.

  





















*- STAGE 2:SAN SEBASTIAN-ZARAUZ. 16 November 2016

One can not pass Donostia without getting one of the stamps for the Cathedrals Game.

Walking by the  La Concha and up to Igueldo , with a fast look  back to the Bay before travelling between the Cantabric Sea  and a coastal mountains range like Mendizorrotz, Kukuarri,

 
To arrive at San Martin de Tours chapel with its Romanesque foundations and  views over the sea before  San Nicolas church and the way of Saint James interpretation centre in Orio.

The small hill of Talaimendi got me to the 
Gran Camping site with the Autumn colors on the trees and in the back the Getary´s Mouse.

*- STAGE 3:ZARAUZ-DEBA. 17 November 2016

Crossing Zarauz stands out two different spots a/ the Santa Matia la Real church home of the sepulcre of an anonymous pilgrim buried in the 16th Century b/ the Game of Thrones filming´s castle.

Along the coast by the promenade we get to Getary, birth place of Juan Sebastian Elcano, the first seaman to sail around the world.
And after, the private Saint James chapel of the painter Zuloaga,

.before strolling by the Santiago beach into Zumaia. Worth visiting the cliffs known as flysch before leaving the coastalline and move inland.

Across the rural district of Itziar dominated by her sanctuary where the Black Madonna of Itziar is kept, before a steep descend to reach Deba.

Note: Do not forget to take the elevator.



*- STAGE 4:DEVA-MARKINA. 18 Novenber 2016.

After admiring the polychrome porch from Deba´s church Saint Mary, say good-by the nice hostle at the train station and pass over the river Deva,

By Calvario, we head to a different Basque Country : mountainous, wooded, shaded paths but with unique and beautiful sites.
Olatz, an idylic and quaint valley around the chapel of Saint Isidro.

The Arno pass and Gorostolamendi will take us between the historical territories of Guipuzkoa and Biscay.
Back again with the Autumn colors sorprising us.

Getting to the end of this stage the rural tower houses will welcome us before the chapel of San miguel de Aretxinaga as getting to  Markina.

 

HISTORY

Photos and edition by: J.unçu.

*- Pelagius,  was a Visigothic nobleman who founded the Kingdon of Asturias, ruling it from 718 until his death. Through his victory at the Battle of Covadonga, he is credited with beginning the "Reconquista", the christian reconquest of the Iberian Peninsula from the Moors. He established an independent Christian state in opposition to Moorish hegemony.

*- The Battle of Roncevaux Pass in 778 saw a large force of Basques ambush a part of Charlemagne's army in Roncesvaux Pass, a high mountain pass in the Pyreneens on the present border between France and Spain, after his invasion of the Iberian Peninsula.

*- In the IX century, is discovered the grave of Santiago, in Compostela by the Bishop of  Flavia, Teodomiro, starting from the signs that sees the hermit Pelayo.

*- The King Alfonso II "el Casto" ordered the construction of a temple around year 813, in his honour on the tomb and declared him patron of his Kingdom.

The first pilgrimage was made by this king and his court when he went to venerate the remains to Compostela from Oviedo, which is now called Camino Primitivo. So around 850 began the pilgrimages.

*- After, King Alfonso III  enlarged the building but was demolished by Almanzor in 997.

*- In1078 Diego Pelaez started the construction of the  cathedral, but he was replaced by Xelmirez in 1100 that finised aroud 1128.
The old basilica remained in use until 1112, year of its demolition. 
After the Romanesque cloister (1124-1134), the master Matthew started the final work , the remodelling of the  Western facade. The portico of glory (1168-1188),without doors that hidden the interior.

The cathedral received  the pilgrims with a pop of forms and colors.