This route heads roughly east from a budget hotel in Miranda de Ebro towards Sos del Rey Católico.
On leaving the hotel, you can't help noticing the silhouette of a large bull by the roadside. The image of the Osborne bull in Spain is widely recognized, as of July 2022 there are 92 of them installed on hilltops and along roadways throughout much of Spain. The bull was originally conceived as an outdoor advertisement for the Brandy de Jerez made by the Osborne Group in 1956. With the passage of time, the Osborne bull has become a national symbol of Spain.
When we did this tour in 2016, we passed field after field of wheat, so this is obviously the grain growing area of Spain.
We stopped in Vittoria to visit a Burger King for a quick coffee and to buy some provisions for a picnic from the Carrefour Market.
After Vittoria you are soon on pleasant rural roads heading towards the Parque Natural de Urbasa-Andia at Olazaguti.
You can then see the higher ground as you approach and the road gets steeper and twistier the further you go with several hairpin bends. We stopped on one of these bends for a photo and we saw Griffon Vultures soaring overhead as well as Peregrine Falcons. Once you have ascended the limestone cliff, there is a plateau with shady beech trees providing an excellent spot to stop for your picnic. The higher altitude and shade from the trees meant that we could cool off and chat about all those hairpins we had just ridden!
On the far side of the plateau you can park up to visit the Mirador de Ubaba. A 500m walk takes you to the Pilatos Balcony or Ubaba viewpoint. The cliff or precipice forms a semi-circular rock circus 300 meters high. The cliff walls are the habitual habitat of vultures and white vultures and the views are breathtaking.
Then what goes up must come down and so you are treated to more twisties as you descend. You reach the small village of Zudaire which is actually built around 2 beautifully swooping hairpin bends!
Gradually the route transforms, the temperature (if you are riding in summer) increases as you reach the vast open plains we decided to stop for a refreshing drink in Estella, a town of great monumental and religious heritage on the Camino de Santiago. Aymeric Picaud, author of the Pilgrim's, wrote of Estella that, 'Estella is a city of good bread, great wine, lots of meat and fish, and all kinds of happiness'. Founded in 1090 by King Sancho Ramirez, the town is a wonderful destination for lovers of art, history and monumental heritage. Parking was easy and there were bars on the other side of the road.
The roads become straighter but there is a charm to the countryside with the route bordered by wheat fields with poppies. An hour or so later and we found refuge from the heat in Sanguesa with its streets of very tall stone buildings providing shaded tables and bars with refreshing, tangy, homemade lemonade with lots of ice. The end destination of Sos del Rey Católico (a fortified hilltop village) is just 15 minutes away and soon becomes visible as it is perched on top of a hill, like an island in the flat plain. Charming place for an overnight stop with narrow streets to walk, bars and restaurants. As it is a walled town you have to park outside and walk into the medieval centre but it is not much of a hardship as the architecture is stunning in it’s antiquity. Our B&B for the night was The Infanzon which was small but very comfortable and a good breakfast in the morning. A link to the B&B is below.
Enjoy