Our second excursion this month was a hike among the Torreones de Jaizkibel (12 September). A torreón is a tower or turret. Monte Jaizkibel sits between San Sebastian and the French border and is the last peak of the Pyrenees, although it is only 545 meters high. Carlos selected this hike for its relative ease, beautiful views, and historical towers.
During the third and last Carlist War (1872-1876), six fortified towers were built along the summit of Jaizkibel to help warn and defend the local cities from attack. Five of the six towers remain, although the years have not been kind to them. Still, it was fun to imagine what it might have been like to stand guard from the highest point in the area. The concept of a string of towers reminded us of that remarkable scene in “The Return of the King” where the beacon at Minas Tirith is lit, setting off a chain reaction of beacons being lit across the mountains of Gondor all the way to Rohan.
The trail was scenic, green and lush. Due to Covid, trail maintenance has not been a priority for the local government and nature has certainly taken advantage. Still, it was easy to follow the path and it was great to be out without our masks for once. Because we were out early, we avoided the heat of the day and most of the other outdoor enthusiasts who had the same brilliant idea to get out of the city and enjoy the local trails.
Here are a few photos from our morning hike, including one of the towers, the view towards San Sebastian, and the view towards France:
It was a particularly good day.
Hasta luego,
Shana & Jeff
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