We had spent a super week in Pamplona, which wasn’t at all what I expected. Now it was time to move on from Pamplona to Olite.
Puente la Reina
This small town was a disappointment because it just didn’t ‘feel’ right. It is an important stop on the Camino and it seems it is also a very popular Sunday outing – Pamplona is not far away. But perhaps it was my expectations which were ‘wrong’. It was just a comfort stop, a staging post on a very long and arduous journey on foot. But that sense of religious pilgrimage wasn’t in the air; lot of people were lunching and others, like me, were wandering around with a camera.
The town was founded by King Alfonso in the 12th century and the bridge which gives the town its name was built by one of the queens to help pilgrims cross the River Arga, the same river that we walked along in Pamplona. The town was also walled and two towers still stand at the entrance to the Main Street. Two branches of the Camino meet here: the route over Roncesvalles and through Pamplona, and the route over the Somport Pass, via Sanguesa.
Churches in Puente la Reina
The Church of Santiago felt rather vulgar, which is a dreadful thing to say about church. But I was overwhelmed by all the gold.
The Church of the Crucifix, on the other hand, was quieter. It dates from the late 12th century and was founded by the Knights Templar.
Pilgrims made their way down the Main Street while we sat and enjoyed a coffee and pastry, both of which were very good. But we soon felt it was time to move on.
Andelos
Driving down a road to Tafalla and Olite we saw a sign saying ‘Roman Town‘ and turned off. It proved to be one of those serendipitous moments. We arrived 20 minutes before closing time and the custodian didn’t want to let us in but some sweet talking gained us entry. And as we were leaving we started chatting and in the end she didn’t want to let us go!
The Roman town dates from the 1st-4th centuries AD but the site was occupied some centuries before that.
Perhaps the most extraordinary thing was the water supply to the town. There seems to have been a reservoir or water supply tank on top of the hill with piping down towards the town.
Parador of Olite
We eventually escaped from Tafalla and before long found ourselves in Olite, and the Castle which is the parador. The only disappointment – another of those ‘matrimonial’ beds… Five feet of discomfort…
The drive from Pamplona to Olite seemed rather drab – I think we have been spoiled by the magnificent scenery in the more mountainous areas – the road from Santander to Burgos, the drive from Soria to Calahorra, and the road from Calahorra to Sos.
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