Overview: The Tunnel Route - Irún to Santo Domingo de la Calzada

A route linking the Coastal Route to the Camino Francés via the old Roman road through the San Adrian Tunnel.
The Ermita-Hospital de Santi Espiritu, located just before the entrance to the Tunnel [Photo: Tony Roberts]

History.  The route probably had its beginnings prior to the Roman occupation of the Iberian peninsular, and formed the link between the Oria valley and the plains of Alava.  It was the Romans, however, who improved the route by constructing a roadway to facilitate the passage of merchandise through the tunnel high up in the Sierra de Urquilla.  Vestiges of this roadway are quite evident to this day.


It was at the beginning of the 13th century that the still existing commercial route through St Adrian's Tunnel grew in popularity with pilgrims arriving from France.  Two sets of circumstances contributed to this.  Firstly, the more usual Coastal Route had become too dangerous for travellers on account of the attacks on the Cantabrians by the Normans.  Secondly, and somewhat later, the struggles between Castile and Navarre had rendered the passage through Navarre from Roncesvalles too hazardous.


However, the Tunnel’s use for commercial purposes faded in the 18th century when a new road was constructed via Salinas de Leniz.  Its popularity as a pilgrim route also waned in favour of a revitalised Camino Francés.


The Route.  The route starts in Irún in the northeast corner of the Basque Province of Gipuzkoa.  It winds past fields and over wooded hills to Hernani and Urnieta before following the narrow, high-sided but commercialised valley of the Rio Oria to Beasain.  From here, it becomes more and more rural as it passes via the ancient towns of Segura and Zegama.  It continues through woods up to and beyond St Adrian's Tunnel, and descends to the plains of Alava Province before tracing its way along the Camino de los Romanos towards Vitoria.  The route continues SSW from Vitoria, along rural roads and tracks, to the Rioja vineyards and the Ebro valley around Briñas, Haro and beyond, before joining the Camino Francés in Santo Domingo de la Calzada.


Length. Approximately 200 km, which can be divided into 10 stages (give or take) of reasonable length.


Cyclists. Much of the route can be managed on two good wheels. The Confratemity's Guide to the Tunnel Route contains a section for cyclists.


Terrain.  The route has its fair share of tarmac surface to be trodden, particularly through Gipuzkoa Province, but this is, and can be relieved by some very enjoyable off road walking.**
The route to Hernani is quite taxing through the hills behind the coastline, but thereafter, as far as Zegama, it becomes flatter as it follows the former N-1 (et al.) along the Oria valley.
From Zegama, you start the 8.5 km climb up to c1150m, which peaks l km beyond St Adrian's Tunnel before dropping down to Zalduondo and the, for the most part, gently undulating plains of Alava.


There is easy walking as far as Subijana (to the south of Vitoria), after which point there is a stretch of hill walking with a steep descent before you reach La Puebla de Arganzón, and another before you reach Briñas.  From here the route takes you through the vineyards of La Rioja to Santo Domingo de la Calzada.


**The Confraternity's Guide to the Tunnel Route describes an alternative, but unwaymarked route from Segura to Zegama. This takes you off the main road and along a much more scenic, but slightly longer and more taxing route.

Waymarking.  From Irün to St Adrian's Tunnel, the Way is indicated by yellow arrows, which are sparse in places.  From the Tunnel, the Way is marked by yellow and black-painted angle irons, by finger posts and by yellow arrows.


Weather and when to go.  As in most parts of the coastal areas bordering the Bay of Biscay, there is always a threat of wet weather. This applies particularly between Irún and the Tunnel, and the higher ground will certainly be snowed-up in winter. Accordingly, late spring (when the ground might be a little drier) and autumn are probably the best times of year to traverse this route.  However, this would not rule out a summer passage if the heat of the plains does not bother you.


Where to stay.  There is no infrastructure of church/local authority-run pilgrim hostels as can be found on the Camino Francés, and the traveller must rely on hotels, hostales agroturismo (chambres d’hôte) and the occasional fonda.  One or other of the foregoing can be found in, or close to each of the main towns along the route.  An exception to the above rule is the Monastery of Estibalíz (administered by the Benedictine Order), where daily services are held and which offers a limited amount of guest accommodation to bona fide pilgrims.  In addition, local authorities run community hostels, but these are very often pre-booked for parties of schoolchildren.


Distinctive Features.  'Clean' verdant countryside.  Superb panoramas (weather permitting).  The Basque people and their language.  Fresh chestnuts in autumn.  Idiazabal cheese.  Txakoli (a fresh white wine with a very slight sparkle).  Local cider. Although the route has now lost its popularity with pilgrims, the aura of its former heyday still persists with the help of the many reminders, which still remain in the form of Ermitas and former Hospitales.


What not to miss.  It is easier to say 'What to miss'; such is the number of interesting things to see.  Of special note, however, are: -

Guide book.
Los Caminos del Norte, B: The Tunnel Route. (Pilgrim Guides to Spain # 4). Tony Roberts and Eric Walker, Confraternity of St James, 2002. Available in our Bookshop.


Maps
The 1:200,000 Mapa Provincial de Alava, Guipuzcoa y Vizcaya published by Centro Nacional de Información Geográfica (CNIG).

The route is covered by 14 x l:50,000 Official Maps, the references numbers of which are given in the Confraternity's guide. While the detail of these cannot be relied upon, they give a better indication of the terrain through which the route passes.


IGN have produced maps with the same reference numbers, which are based on the older military maps and have indicated some stretches of what they consider to be a route for pilgrims. These do not always coincide with the route which has been waymarked by the local Amigos and described in the Confraternity’s guide. These maps can be viewed at scales of 1/50000 and 1/25000 on website www.sigpac.mapa.es/fega/visor


All the above maps can be obtained (by post or on-line) from The Map Shop, 15 High St, Upton-on-Severn, Worcs, WR8 OHJ, Tel 0800 0854080 or 01684 593146 (UK only), or 44 1684 593146 (international). The web address is www.themapshop.co.uk.


Language. While it is not impossible to take this route without any command of Spanish, prospective pilgrims are strongly urged to learn as much as possible before they set out. We recommend the BBC's Get By In Spanish - a small slim book in 5 chapters, with a single cassette, or Talk Spanish, an expanded version of the above, with 2 cassettes or 2 CDs.


Finally.   ONDO IBILI --- BUEN VIAJE


Thanks to Tony Roberts, February 2009. N.B. the e-mail address given at p. 56 of the CSJ guide is no longer valid. Feedback - which we welcome - from anyone who follows this route should be sent to tony.roberts19*tiscali.com. [To reduce the risk of spam, we've removed direct e-mail links from this site. To use this address, copy it into your normal e-mail program, but replace the '*' with the conventional '@', before sending your message.]

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