We go up the valley towards Sotres and leave the road on the right to discover a trail which climbs to almost 6,000 feet above sea level.
 
1. Alpine pasture at the bottom of the valley, before the climb.
 

 
 
2. As VivaLaVida gains altitude, the landscape becomes more arid.
 

 
 
3. Snack break!
 

 
 
4. At the end of the afternoon, the convection of the day brings us a beautiful thunderstorm, forcing us to turn back.
 

 
 
5. Going down in the rain…
 

 
 
6. After the storm, we go up to discover a viewpoint on the opposite slope.
 

 
 
7. Small mountain church.
 

 
 
8. Then we head back east. Emile wants to go back to sleep at the surfing spot where we already spent a night.
 

 
 
Along the road the next day, we make a quick stop to discover Santillana del Mar which also turns out to be a real tourist trap….
 
9. Village house.
 

 
 
10. Church porch.
 

 
 
11. Entrance to the inner courtyard.
 

 
 
12. Large traditional house.
 

 
 
We continue on the road and reach the Spanish Basque country.
 
13. Nice bivouac on a ridge…
 

 
 
14. The sky is heavy at the end of this day.
 

 
 
15. A visitor who comes to observe us closely at our camp.
 

 
 
16. Last image of Spain in a pretty Basque village, the next morning, just before crossing the French border.
 

 
 
To be continued shortly with the rest of the trip: a stop in Navarrenx and a lovely bivouac with friends, in the foothills of the Pyrenees. 😉