Day 3: Espinal to Villava

September 07, 2024

Day 3: Espinal to Villava

These signs, yellow arrows, and the occasional rock cairn keep us on the path remarkably well.

Long day today. Left Espinal in clouds, but the sun came out within an hour or so. So many different kinds of paths today!

This section is part of the “dragon teeth” section leading into Zubiri. It’s a bit sketchy.

After Zubiri, the path goes right along a major roadway for a bit.

About halfway through my 20 miles, stopped in Zubiri for a surprisingly delicious sandwich.

Then back on the trail. It was sunny and warm, and I started heading into civilization. After the beautiful hike over the Pyrenees, the section from Zubiri to Pamplona is a lot of walking in not as inspiring surroundings. But there are a few highlights.

The Magnesitas Navarra plant produces magnesium oxide. It’s quite big and rather intriguing. The above picture shows just part of it.

The Abbey of Eskirotz & Ilarratz is a 12th century Romanesque church in the Esteribar Valley.

I’ve walked past a ton of random murals.

Finally made it to Trinidad de Arre and Villava, just outside Pamplona, where I’m staying at the Villava albergue. This albergue is substantially more industrial than the last two nights, but I’ve connected with lovely people (including Nikki from Australia, whom I last saw at CDG airport in Paris on Wednesday. Also, I walked into Villava with Marcie, who grew up in southwest Washington and actually knows Montesano!