The Briñas hikes - Falling Through Spain - CycleBlaze

September 18, 2023

The Briñas hikes

We think Briñas is a lovely little town.  Not much larger than a village really, it has a surprising amount of lodging - including a fairly modern hotel by the river where a VBT cycle tour group has been staying two nights.  If you decided to stay here though we really recommend the place we stayed, the Hospedería Señorío de Briñas.  In an 18th century palace house, it has a lot of character and as well discover the next morning it serves up a terrific breakfast.

After hanging around in our room for a few hours, we went out together for a walk in the late afternoon.  We started out with my plan, to walk the trail along the bank of the Ebro as far as the medieval bridge.  It didn’t take long though until Rachael looked back and down river, saw the enticing hills right behind town, and decided that looked more appealing.  I helped her form a plan, to just follow the GR99 until she had enough and was ready to turn back toward town.

It worked great.  We both enjoyed our walks.  She put in her six miles to my four, and we both got back to our hotel about the same time not long before dark.  Between the bike ride, lunch and our walks it added up to an outstanding day.

Silly goose!
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Was it something I said? A few hundred yards into the walk she looked back, saw the hills, and decided she’d rather go tha5 way instead.
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Scott’s walk

The riverside trail was lined with black poplar (?) and locust.
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The view across the Ebro. I wonder how soon we’ll start seeing autumn foliage.
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I doubt there’s another bird you could confuse a Great tit with.
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Bill ShaneyfeltMost of us can easily confuse most birds...
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7 months ago
Andrea BrownI was just confusing it with a mutant chickadee.
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7 months ago
The medieval Briñas Bridge is about a mile upriver from town, about equidistant between it and much larger Haro.
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The original Briñas Bridge was built in the eleventh century, but the current one is from the 16th.
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The Ebro from the Briñas Bridge. The town of Briñas is about a mile downriver on the left, but not visible from this viewpoint.
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Another view, from the opposite bank.
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This guy I’m less sure of, but with that bit of red up the backside I think he’s a black redstart.
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The path on the opposite bank. I crossed the bridge and walked this path a short way in both directions to see what I could see.
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Holm oak.
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Bill ShaneyfeltHA!! You can't fool me...
Those are acorns...
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7 months ago
I didn’t have to go far before coming to the view I was hoping for: Briñas. You can also see here where Rachael went on her hike. She’s gone up he gap to the left of the main peak ahead, San Cristobal.
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The view further east.
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Back in the other direction now, I follow one of the ubiquitous vineyards we’ll see in the Rioja.
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The outskirts of Haro begin just west of the bridge.
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Another view from the bridge.
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Back toward Briñas.
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Keith AdamsSees as if it wouldn't take much more than a good soaking and a stiff breeze to clear that river side of the path of view blockers.
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7 months ago
The church of La Asunción, Briñas.
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Rachael’s walk

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Salinillas, the village at the far end of Rachael’s walk.
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The church at Salinillas.
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Andrea BrownWhat a beautiful day you had.
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7 months ago