Valley of Mena Trail
Discover the Valley of Mena Route, a connection route between Bilbao and Burgos. A historic and scenic link of great beauty through this Burgalian valley to the French Way.
Organize your Valley of Mena TrailGeneral Description of Valley of Mena Trail
Connections of Valley of Mena Trail
The French Way
Distance:
779 km
Days:
33
Difficulty:
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The Camino Francés is the pilgrimage route to Santiago de Compostela of excellence, chosen by thousands of pilgrims every year. With a journey of approximately 780 km from Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port or less from Roncesvalles, it traverses northern Spain. This path, declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO, offers exceptional infrastructure for services and hostels.
Pilgrims traverse Navarra, La Rioja, Castile and León, and finally Galicia, marveling at monumental cities such as Pamplona, Burgos, and León, and charming villages. The diversity of its landscapes is one of its greatest attractions, from the Pyrenees and the Castilian plains to the green forests of Galicia. It's a physical and spiritual journey that leaves an indelible mark, ideal for both experienced pilgrims and those starting out on the Camino de Santiago.
Stages of this variant:
Stage 1: St. Jean Pied de Port to Roncesvalles
Stage 2: Roncesvalles to Zubiri
Stage 3: Zubiri is going to Pamplona.
Stage 4: Pamplona to Pontevedra
Stage 5: Bridge of Queen to Estella
Stages of Valley of Mena Trail
Etapa 1: Bilbao to Güeñes
Description:
The first stage of the Forgotten Way from Bilbao is a transitional journey that takes the pilgrim out of the great city. The route is demanding, with an initial strong climb to leave the valley of Bil...
Etapa 2: Güeñes to Villasana de Mena
Description:
The first stage of the Camino Baztanés in French territory is an enjoyable stroll that takes the pilgrim out of historic Bayonne. The route follows largely the course of the Nive River in a flat and b...
Origen: Güeñes
Destino: Villasana de Mena
Etapa 3: Villasana de Mena to Medina de Pomar
Description:
This stage enters the foothills of the Pyrenees. The profile becomes more demanding, with a continuous up and down through a landscape of hills and valleys. The route passes through charming villages ...
Origen: Villasana de Mena
Destino: Medina de Pomar
Etapa 4: Medina de Pomar to Quintana de Valdivieso
Description:
This stage enters the heart of Baztán Valley. The day begins with an ascent to Otsondo port, the main difficulty of the day. Once at the top, a long and pleasant descent leads the pilgrim through the ...
Origen: Medina de Pomar
Destino: Quintana de Valdivieso
Etapa 5: Quintana de Valdivieso to Cernégula
Description:
This stage continues through the Baztán Valley, on a terrain of gentle undulations. It is a short and pleasant day that allows you to enjoy with calmness the beauty of the landscape. The route runs th...
Origen: Quintana de Valdivieso
Destino: Cernégula
Etapa 6: Cernégula to Sotopalacios
Description:
This stage marks the exit from Baztán Valley. The journey involves ascending to Belate Pass, a long and demanding climb along an ancient pilgrimage route. The landscape is of great beauty, with beech ...
Origen: Cernégula
Destino: Sotopalacios
Featured Towns of Valley of Mena Trail
Explore the key towns and cities of this route.
Bilbao
Vibrant start of the North Way. Bilbao offers the pilgrim a cosmopolitan beginning of the route marked by the Guggenheim Museum, its bay and exquisite pintxos cuisine.
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Güeñes
Güeñes, with its heritage of tower houses and its peaceful atmosphere, is a rural stop on the routes that cross the Encartations.
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Villasana de Mena
Heart of the Green Valley of Mena in Burgos and stage of the Forgotten Way. A haven of peace for the pilgrim, with a rich heritage and the beauty of the inner Cantabria.
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Medina de Pomar
Capital of the Las Merindades region. Medina de Pomar, with its imposing Alcázar of the Constables, is a historic gem and a center of services in northern Burgos.
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Quintana de Valdivieso
Valladolid town with an important heritage, such as the church of Saint Mary. It is a stopping point on the way, ideal for pilgrims' rest.
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Cernégula
Burgal town famous for its "Mojon" and its surroundings of highlands. A transition place on the way to the plateau, with basic services for the pilgrim.
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Burgos
Monumental heart of the Camino Francés. Burgos dazzles the pilgrim with its majestic Gothic cathedral, World Heritage Site, and rich historical legacy on the Castilian plateau.
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Sotopalacios
Rural town with an important medieval castle. Sotopalacios is a historic stopping point on the route, ideal for pilgrims to rest in a rural setting.
More InformationMillenary History of the Camino de Santiago: Origins and Evolution Valley of Mena Trail
Discover the origins and evolution of Valley of Mena Trail
The founding of Bilbao in 1300 by Don Diego López de Haro marked a turning point for northern peninsula communications. The town quickly became a prosperous commercial port, attracting ships and merchants from Flanders, England, and other points in Northern Europe. With the merchants came also travelers and pilgrims who, once on land, wanted to continue their journey towards Santiago de Compostela. For them, the option was not necessarily to follow the coastal line, but to find an efficient route that would lead them into the interior to connect with the French Way, the great medieval pilgrimage route.
The Mena Valley, a comarca in northern Burgos province, which by its geography and climate seems like a piece of green Cantabria embedded in Castile, offered this natural corridor. From Bilbao, the road went south, passing through the strategic village of Balmaseda —a crossroads where it converged with the Forgotten Way— and entered the valley. This area was of great importance in the Middle Ages, as attested by its extraordinary patrimony: a notable concentration of Romanesque churches and hermitages, such as Santa María de Siones or San Lorenzo de Vallejo, and numerous fortified houses, which speak of a prosperous and well-defended territory.
Although there are no medieval chronicles that describe it as a "Jacobian route" with its own name, its use by pilgrims is inferred from the geographical logic and the infrastructure of the time. Commercial roads were the safest and best-maintained routes, and they were used by all types of travelers. The presence of this rich Romanesque patrimony and news about ancient hospitals in the area suggests constant transit of people who needed spiritual and physical assistance, a profile that fits perfectly the pilgrim.
One of the greatest riches of this route is the spectacular transition of landscapes it offers. The pilgrim starts from the green and humid environment of Vizcaya, immerses himself in the singularity of the Mena Valley, and finally emerges into the vast and austere plains of the Meseta castellana to face the final stretch towards Burgos. This contrast of landscapes is a reflection of its own historical function as a bridge between two geographical and cultural realities.