Camino Baztan: Misty, Mystical, and Magical (But Not for Everyone)
Camino Baztan: Misty, Mystical, and Magical (But Not for Everyone)
by Jim Larocco | Alexandria, VA
The American Pilgrims first cultural experience tour in May 2023 explored Navarra. The group spent one day in the Baztan Valley in far northeast Navarra. After walking on the Camino Baztan for six kilometers, the mayor of Elizondo hosted us for a delightful lunch at city hall. That evening, Miriam Gallet, American Pilgrims cultural committee member, declared to the group: “Let’s walk the Camino Baztan next year.” Little did she know how these seven words would lead to an unforgettable experience for ten of us.
Gallet, along with Adam Wells, worked with local authorities for eight months planning a Camino Baztan trip for peregrinos from Florida; Colorado; the Washington, DC area; and England. We knew of the region from the Baztan Trilogy and the Netflix series based on these novels, but little else. It is a remote area entirely in the Basque country of France and Spain, one of spectacular Pyrénées wilderness where myths and legends abound. It was also the favored pilgrim route from 900 to 1200 until the king turned his favor to Roncesvalles.
We gathered on the cathedral steps in Bayonne, France, on May 29 for a group photo and the start of our camino, credential in hand. We walked along the river to Espelette, an idyllic French village and a Rick Steves favorite. Day 2 was misty and mystical as we ascended into the Pyrénées, arriving in Urdax where one of the first pilgrim hospitals was established.
On Day 3, we walked through the forest to Elizondo, Baztan’s capital, where members of the local Asociación los Amigos del Camino greeted us. Three of them—Bernadette, Javier, and Christina—had walked with us from Urdax and would guide us the rest of the way to Pamplona.
Day 4 and Day 5 were strenuous yet magical, with waterfalls, moss formations that looked like dragons or demons, and sweeping vistas of the valley below.
A highlight for many of us was our evening at the albergue in Berroeta, where we made a luscious communal meal, our group bonded and our spirits soaring.
Arriving in Pamplona on June 3, this unforgettable experience was capped off when we were hosted for a celebratory dinner at which we were the first peregrinos in the 1100-year history of the Camino Baztan to receive a certificate of completion.
As incredible as this journey was, I must note the route may not be for everyone. It’s only for the most intrepid, the most physically and mentally prepared. The infrastructure remains sparse, and food must be carried for at least one day, if not more. Fortunately, Danny McPhaul and Joanne Mason supported our group fully. We couldn’t have made this journey without them and our three local guides. Viva Navarra. ¡Viva Baztan!
If you are keen to learn more about Camino routes (even the lesser known, or non-Spanish ones), check out our routes page.