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Two hours in Beasain

Looking at the map I figured the bus journey would be, at best, boring. The town of Beasain was about halfway to San Sebastian. I was wrong.

Another road winds through the Basque Mountains. Hairpin turns along the side of very steep grades meant there was not a straight bit for nearly 20 miles. It was this route the bus took. I had to hang on for dear life as it went around the curves.

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It had rained earlier and the streets were still drying out when I arrived. Clouds were moving over the tops of the mountains all the time I was there.

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The bus stops (both ways) at Beasain's rail station.

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One of two old mills that were once driven by water wheels.

Near the mills is another building. It was there I met a couple from Bordeaux, France. They were hiking through the area. They had taken a break. Also present was a very large and friendly German Shepherd dog (belonging to a local).

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Living in a mountain town means a lot of up and down.

Elevators provide a means of managing the grades when you have stroller with child and shopping attached or are elderly. There are some other colorful buildings in the town as well.

There is a street market near the station. Mainly clothing, but other stuff as well. It was closing up during my visit, so it may only be held in the mornings. I could find no one who spoke English to tell me any more.

Beasain is a central town with a lot of others around it. In some areas it's almost metropolitan. I only had a little over two hours there (during siesta). The bus runs once a day, from what I can gather. The outward trip left Pamplona at 1100 and the return bus left Beasain at 1440. Each way is an hour and fifteen minutes—in good weather.

I only spent time in the central area, where I had lunch and took a few photo's. There were not a lot of people about.

En-route we went through a small town, houses each side that stretched along each side of the road for a little way. The kind of place that looked interesting and decided to visit it.

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This is about halfway through the mountains.
I grabbed this shot through the bus window.

The Basque mountains are steep, it looks as though the Ice Age didn't hit this area. It's almost a rain forest.

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Heavy undergrowth means any off trail work may require a machete (obtainable in Pamplona).

Part of me is very tempted to return to these mountains and spend a couple of months in a small town somewhere. Just to wander around and "be".




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