Arantazazu to Laguardia

 Today’s walk felt like, according to Steve, the beginning of the pilgrimage. After a rainy night, we started out from the Goika Benta hotel under threatening skies but no new rain. The first 2 1/2 miles of the hike were up a hill that saw us gain 1900 ft in elevation and took well over an hour. What an introduction for Mike! We all were challenged by the vertically and then rocky, slippery terrain, the horses feeding in the forrest and then challenged again just on the other side of the ridge as the weather turned colder, the win picked up and it started to rain. Interrupted by sheep moving in the fields and across the road, we slowly moved on. On our way down as we head towards Arabia, we stopped for lunch on a place overlooking the valley. Spectacular! We then spent the next 2 hours spiraling down the hill until we reached the town where we stopped for a quick coffee or beer before boarding a mini-bus for the hour long drive to LaGuardia. Had we hiked there, it would have added 2 days to our trip.

A quick clean up in LaGuardia and then we went inside the walls of the original city and visited the El Fabulista winery for a tour and wine tasting led by Rakel who was very entertaining and knowledgeable. LaGuardia is surrounded b6 vineyards in the Riola region of Spain and tunnels under the city, originally built for the town’s defense, turned out to be the perfect climate for making wine. Current weather conditions, mostly increased heat have forced the winemaking back into the hills but the hope is that eventually it will move back into town where the tradition of wine making is over 500 years old.

A great dinner at our stay for the night, the Hotel Marina, and we’re now resting up for another long hike tomorrow to Navarrate. Our total mileage today was just over 13 miles of up and down hiking. A similar distance is forecasted for tomorrow although promises to be easier as it’s mostly downhill.

Fred