Day 23, Wednesday 27 May 2026
Today we drove through the Roncal Valley down into the hot plains of Spain, had lunch in Sos and ended the day in the shady parking lot of the Oliva Monastery.
The day began lovely and cool as we drove out of Isaba and headed 8km to RONCAL. Architecturally, the village is characterized by its robust stone houses, typical of Pyrenean construction found in all the villages here. The buildings are designed to withstand the harsh winters. The village is also the birthplace of Julián Gayarre, one of the most famous opera tenors of the 19th century. We strolled up to the church and looked down on the roof tops.
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| Making their well known cheese |
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| We have seen a lot these stone patterned floors |
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| A grandiose doorway… |
We drove a little further to BURGUI. The town is renowned for its medieval heritage, including a well-preserved Gothic bridge over the Esca River, cobbled streets with traditional Pyrenean architecture featuring curved-tile houses and distinctive cylindrical chimneys, and its role as a former military bastion during the Middle Ages. Nestled amid dramatic natural landscapes, it serves as a gateway to the Foz de Burgui Natural Reserve, home to one of Europe's largest colonies of griffon vultures, and hosts the annual Day of the Almadía, a nationally recognized festival of tourist interest that reenacts the historic transport of timber via wooden rafts on the Esca River, a practice discontinued in 1952. We start our visit on the banks of the river where they have several displays showing their working life in the past.
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| It’s a huge log raft.. |
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| Making charcoal |
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| Bread oven |
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| Ice cave |
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| Demonstration of how they would insulate the ice |
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| Lime kiln |
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| Vulture! |
We return to Bluey via the town, admiring some of the buildings.
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| Jai alai court a basque sport. |
From here we drove out of the gorge and into the hot plains of Spain,
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| Drove under the motorway… |
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| Lake Yesa |
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| An old castle going to ruin.. |
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| Travelling the bumpy A1601.. |
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| Lots of water pipes and canals for irrigation |
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| Rice fields |
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| Pig farms |
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| Views across to the Pyrenees |
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| Lush valley |
having chosen a village we haven’t been to before, SOS DEL REY CATOLICO.
It is a small hilltop town on the borders of Aragon and Navarre has been declared a Site of Cultural Interest. King Ferdinand II of Aragón, later known as Ferdinand the Catholic, was born here. Its strategic situation makes a natural fortress and in one of the most important fortified towns in the area during the 10th and 11th centuries. It still has preserve gateway-towers.
We strolled through the rabbit-warren of streets, with stairs, tiny squares, high walls, gates and numerous corners..
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| Appears to be a movie director. Not sure what movie was filmed here. |
At the bottom of the town was the Bar Landa where we enjoyed lunch (drinks, entree and mains €51) and a couple of cervezas (a bargain at €1.80 )
Then back through the streets to explore some more.
The Church of San Esteban had this evocative carved Romanesque doorway.
The original castle was built on this site in the 12th century. Only the tall tower remains.
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| Selfie of the day |
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| Pity Aussie wines don’t have corks.. could make this for home. Might have to start saving corks here, should get enough hehe |
Have we mentioned that it’s hot.. temperature gauge says 36°.. so we consulted park4night in search of shade… trickier than you think. We decided on the Monasterio de la Oliva just 2km out from Carcastillo.
The monastery was founded in the 12th century by the monarch García Ramírez. The site has a Cistercian style church, with three nave floor plan.The cloister is Gothic and the chapter house is protogothic.The abbatial palace is beside the church.In front of the apse of the church is the Chapel of San Jesucristo, the oldest building of the entire ensemble.During the War of Independence, the building was ransacked by the French troops.Today a Cistercian community lives in it. It’s €2.50 to go and have a look inside.
We had a little giggle as 3 french motorhomes powered in to the parking area at 7pm and quickly set up their table just in time for the aperitif…
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| 125km today |
