Ernest Hemingway himself praised the virtues of this little corner of Navarra, where he went to regain strength after the maelstrom of the Sanfermines. Here, where the most omnipresent writer was captivated by the grandeur of the landscapes and the exquisite homemade gastronomy, was hidden, in his words, “the most damn wild territory of the Pyrenees.”
This is, really, today this rosary of valleys that draws the northern corner of the regional community. A territory dominated by the force of the mountains, in which life is so closely linked to nature that it is not always easy. The harsh climate and merciless terrain have taken their toll on the population census and the area is part of what is called emptied Spain.
But the beauty is still there. Especially in Roncal, the easternmost valley, graced with an environment that rises from primeval forests to high mountain pastures, from deep gorges to karst massifs. All of this, structured by the Ezka, which runs through it from north to south. A river that has not only always been linked to the economic development of the place, but has also shaped its idiosyncrasy.
And if there is something that characterizes the Roncal valley, it is its strong identity, as seen in the seven towns that make it up. Cobblestone towns, with typical alpine houses designed to withstand the weight of the snow, where we find Gothic churches, charming hermitages and stone bridges.
Uztárroz, Vidángoz, Garde and Urzainqui are some of these beautiful towns, although the most popular are Isaba, the largest, gateway to beautiful hiking routes, and Roncal, which gives its name to the valley and honors the memory of the tenor Julián Gayarre, his favorite son: not only is a museum dedicated to him (in which you can admire his own larynx bathed in formaldehyde) but also a wonderful mausoleum of marble, bronze and alabaster in the town cemetery, made by the famous sculptor Mariano Benlliure and declared Asset of Cultural Interest.
Burgui, the gateway to the valley, is also beautiful, with the picturesque image of its Roman bridge with four arches. It is also a town dedicated to valuing ancient crafts. Especially that of the almadieros, those men who descended down the river on precarious rafts to transport the wood from these forests to the mouth of the Ebro.
A museum gives an account of this activity that has marked life in the Pyrenees and in whose honor the Almadía festival is even celebrated every spring. As if that were not enough, in Burgui there is also the Itinerary of the Trades, a thematic walk with explanatory panels about what the lime-makers, the charcoal-burners, the washerwomen were…
In any of these towns, winter invites you to rejoice in the warmth of the fireplace. But it would be better to go out and explore the nature that turns these places into an intact treasure. Let us not forget that at the lowest levels we find what for many is the jewel in the crown: the Irati Forest, which has the honor of housing the second largest beech-fir forest in Europe (only surpassed by the Black Forest of Germany). .
Beyond this forest, there are countless routes, a whole world of possibilities to wear out your boots. Like the Zemeto path, with which you access the highest part of the Belagua valley to contemplate the Larra massif (one of the best views). Or the one that runs through the natural environment of Mata de Haya, where some of the best preserved areas of the Western Pyrenees rest. A good point to also ascend to the Mesa de los Tres Reyes, the highest peak in Navarra.
The Roncal Valley treasures such photogenic corners as the Foz de Burgui, a natural gorge always flown over by falcons, bearded vultures and griffon vultures. Or the thundering waterfalls of Arrako and Belabarce, where you come in summer to cool off. Or the bucolic image that makes up the Otsidundua bridge, very close to the Ibón cave. It is not surprising that cinema has chosen these places to frame films such as Obaba, Secrets of the Heart or The Stone Raft.
But Roncal is also famous for the cheese that bears its name. A delicacy of ancient tradition that was the first to be recognized with the title of designation of origin. It is made with raw milk from the latxa sheep, which finds excellent pasture at these altitudes. The maturation process in the mountains gives it a special touch.
A good place to buy it in the hut itself (shepherd’s hut) where it is made is the Marengo Cheese Factory, the only one that continues to use milk from its own sheep. From here, shrouded in fog, extends the Belagua Valley, of glacial origin. Further to the horizon, you can sense the peaks of this corner of the Pyrenean mountain range, oblivious to the passage of time.
