Distance: 21 km / 13 miles
Stage Two Villages
Orisson, Roncesvalles, Burguete
Watch for:
Col de Lepoeder – 1,430m (4,692 ft) 2nd highest summit on the Camino.
Pic D’Orisson (1,095 meters / 3,593 ft) – ceramic Mary statue, Vierge de Biakorri, mounted on a pile of rocks at the highest point.
Frontera – Cross over the cattle guard into Spain.
Roncesvalles – means “Valley of Thorns”
Burguete – (2.4 km past Roncesvalles) (trail) Watch for Santander Bank (3.3km) where the trail turns to the R of town on a small footpath, partly paved (10m beyond this turn, a panaderia offers coffee and fresh baked goods from 8am. Cross the Rio Irati and through pleasant farmland to Espinal.
Burguete – Hemingway stayed in the Hotel Burguete (where I have reservations). The piano has Hemingway’s signature and date inside the piano. He wrote The Sun Also Rises in 26 days while in Burguete. Warning! Path: Keep your wits about you when walking through town because the Camino takes a sharp right turn halfway through. There are no less than twelve yellow arrows marking the turn, but it can still be overlooked by those admiring the charm of Burguete. (Beebe)