Hikes in Muruzábal

As soon as we leave Pamplona and Cizur Menor behind us, we find ourselves increasingly passing through very peaceful rural landscapes. When it rains, the trails become a bit rough and, in some sections, very muddy. Be careful on the descent from Alto del Perdón—otherwise, just enjoy the view! In Muruzábal, there’s an optional route about 3 km long via Santa María de Eunante to Obanos (see Stage 6 of the Aragonese Way or the overview map).> From the tourist information office in Pamplona 01, we take the cross street to the right (Calle de San Saturnino) and follow the road past the Iglesia de San Saturnino. On the ground, we find scallop shells framed by metal discs. At the end of this picturesque row of houses, we continue straight ahead, passing two old gateways along the edge of the park. Shortly after the second one, we cross the street at the crosswalk, follow the signs to the right to the next crossing, and reach the hidden heart—or rather, the green lung—of Pamplona. The star-shaped Renaissance citadel, which we walk past straight ahead, following the pedestrian path. At the next street, we keep to the left and soon turn right, following the arrow, onto Calle de la Fuente del Hierro (on the right-hand corner is a white-tiled building, Mutua Universal). We cross the next street and continue straight ahead on the sidewalks. After passing two roundabouts, we cross under the bridge to the left side and follow the road downhill, passing the University of Navarra campus. After the next roundabout, we turn right along the small Río Sardar to cross it on the next stone bridge. Now we leave the city behind and follow the red walking trail along the road. After a good 2 km, we walk through Cizur Menor 02. At Plaza San Miguel, we continue straight ahead, then turn right into the park ahead and reach a partially eroded dirt road via the side street. Once we’ve also left the outskirts of Zizur Mayor behind us, we hike along gravel paths through the vast fields. Between the wind turbines in the distance lies the Alto del Perdón. The hike now becomes noticeably more peaceful and scenic. Continuing straight ahead, the arrows soon direct us to the right, around a terraced hill, where the trail takes us past a lake 03. Now our route climbs noticeably uphill, while the trail becomes rougher and rockier. Over a hill, we catch sight of the small village of Zariquiegui/Zarikiegi 04 (fountain, hostel, bar, shop) ahead of us. Continuing straight through on gravel and crushed stone paths, we reach a steep section that soon turns into a trail. Continuing steadily uphill, we pass a few resting spots and, after a few more moderate climbs, reach the Alto de Perdón 05 with spectacular views! For the next 1.3 km, however, the trail descends steeply over loose scree slopes. Caution! In heavy rain, these can turn into streams. We stay on the wide main trail, come to a few rough steps, and soon reach the first fields with flatter and less rocky ground. Walking through this green idyll, it takes a while before we reach the next small village. To get there, we have to cross a (hopefully) small ford (caution: slippery!) and shortly thereafter reach Uterga 06 (hostel, restaurant, fountain). Here, too, we continue straight through, turn left at the hostel, then right, and soon find ourselves back on gravel paths. At the next junction, we turn right and find ourselves back in the hilly, peaceful agricultural landscape. Looking to the left, the large quarry catches our eye; that’s where Tiebas lies on the Aragonese Way (Stage 6), which joins this trail here in Obanos. Continuing straight ahead, we reach the church in Muruzábal 07 (bar/restaurant, shop, hostel, pharmacy, fountain). As we walk out of town on asphalt, we can already see today’s destination ahead of us. Even before the “Town Limits” sign, a blue signpost directs us to the right again onto unpaved paths. We cross under the NA-601 and walk uphill on solid ground to an information sign. There, we turn left at the edge of Obanos and follow the road into town; at the school, we take a zigzagging route into the center, reaching the imposing Parroquia de San Juan Bautista and the Plaza de los Fueros in front of it in Obanos 08.

From Monreal to Tiebas, the trail constantly winds up and down. In addition, the paths can quickly become soft and very slippery.> With Monreal/Elo 01 behind us, we head west. On the gravel path, we soon reach the river, which we follow along its right bank. We cross a bridge into the fields and now zigzag along partly muddy paths toward the small village of Yarnoz 02, which is already visible. We pass it by, as well as the next village, Otano. From there, the inclines are more moderate and easier to manage. Continuing along the mountainside, there are some difficult sections. When we reach a paved road, we look down on a small factory and Ezperun 03. Behind a cave in the rock, the Camino turns right. Back uphill, the final kilometer to the idyllic village of Gurendiain 04 is generally slippery and rough. The path to Tiebas, however, is quite easy to walk and alternates between field and forest trails, always following the slope. When we reach the gravel road from the quarry, the Camino continues briefly on the other side before rejoining the track. We follow this path, cross the road, and shortly thereafter reach Tiebas 05, home to the old—though unfortunately dilapidated—castle.We head up the road through the village, past the hostel, until the path splits at the “Concejo de Tiebas.” We keep to the left, briefly taking the path to the quarry, and then take the next right, passing by the soccer field. From there, we follow the unpaved paths to the road crossing at the roundabout and take the left tunnel. After crossing the road again and passing through another tunnel, we turn slightly right on the other side and continue down a path. This path leads us to Muruarte de Reta 06, which isn’t too far away. As soon as we reach the green trash containers, we turn right and continue under the Camino tracks. At the road, we turn left, where signs point us in the right direction. We arrive in Olkotz/Olcoz 07 with its distinctive, angular tower. After passing the edge of town, we immediately turn right. The Camino runs over the striking chain of hills ahead of us, offering us great views of the landscape. Soon we keep to the left, passing olive trees. On the gravel path, we reach a vineyard and then turn right just behind it (on paths that are sometimes muddy) to reach the road. The Camino leads over the next dirt road toward Enériz/Eneritz 08. From the town center, the trail first goes straight ahead and then turns left out of town, where we hike the next 2 km on a dirt road. When this road turns sharply to the left, a small path appears right behind the bushes and trees. Although it is marked with signposts, it’s easy to miss. Here, too, you can expect mud and wet ground depending on the weather. This path leads directly to Santa María de Eunante 09. Just beyond it, a narrow path continues straight ahead across farmland. Then, turning right, we follow the path across the road and on to Obanos 10, which we can see ahead of us.

Spain: Camino de Santiago: Camino Frances: Stage 04: Pamplona-Puente La Reina[ cami caminho cammino chemin compostela de itineraire jacob jacobsweg jacques james james’ jaume sant Santiago st ste saint san saint-jacques st-jacques path pilgrim’s pilgrims route ruta via voie way of weg ]

Belle étape sous le soleil.

Camino frances.  St Jean to Roncesvalles via Orisson with less steep descent alternative via chapel.  Camino Duro from Villafranca (well worth the extra effort!).  Don't just think about it; DO IT !! A fantastic break from pointless life in the UK and wasting your life staring at computers all day.  Ideally continue to Finisterre and/or Muxia.

Camino de la Vera Stage Cruz 20: Artajona-Pamplona[ cami caminho cammino chemin chemins compostela itineraire jacob jacobeo jacobi jacobs jacobsweg jacques james james’ jaume sant st ste saint san path route ruta via voie way of weg ]

Spain: Camino de Santiago: Camino Aragones Stage 08: Monreal-Puente la Reina[ cami caminho cammino chemin compostela itineraire jacob jacobsweg jacques james james’ jaume sant Santiago st ste saint san saint-jacques st-jacques path pilgrim’s pilgrims route ruta via voie way of weg ]

The Camino Frances from St Jean Pied de Port to Santiago de Compostella