Spain, Part 1 (The Aldudes Loop)

This blog post takes you across the border between France and Spain via the "Aldudes" loop and through a town called Aldudes. The drive snakes and twists through the Pyrenees mountains, and along some of the access points to "El Camino de Santiaga" trail, an 800 km religious pilgrimage (or extreme sport pilgrimage). Here is the first access point we came across, with a landmark erected.

The first village we stopped at was Roncesvalles. The Collegiate church dominates here, and weary pilgrims doing the Camino trail congregate at this village to eat and drink and often stay overnight. There are modest accommodations available at access points all along the trail.

Our next stop was a village named Agoretta. I hope I have that name correct. Things get confusing here because signs are often posted in Spanish and Basque, and even French. We met this young boy and his guard dogs ;-).

Some really gorgeous old buildings here.

Of course the church, with roses climbing along the wall.

And then suddenly we noticed some beautiful ruins in the woods. Old stone walls covered in moss, a river running alongside, and great big trees covered in moss. We stopped and took lots of photos.

It is only upon further research today that I find this to be the ruins of a munitions factory from mid 1700. It was named Real Fabrica de Municiones de Eugi.  You can read more here and here. Such beauty resulting from a place that prepared the world for destruction.

Sometimes the best travel adventures are the ones you come across by happenstance.