Sanguesa-Aoiz (2nd stage)

This stage takes you through the pre-Pyrenees, a transition zone between the arid south and the rainier, greener north, starting from Sangüesa, a town brimming with history thanks to its position on the border with the Kingdom of Aragón and on the route of the Way of St James arriving from Canfranc.

Initially there is small detour to visit the castle of Javier, a striking building and birthplace of the patron saint of Navarre, Saint Francis Xavier. Back in the vicinity of Sangüesa, in Liédena, the route follows the path of the old Irati railway, now the Irati rail trail, allowing you to pass through one of the most spectacular areas in Navarre: the Gorge of Lumbier.

And then on to Lumbier, a village that bore witness to bloody wars in the 19th century: the French invasion and subsequent Carlist wars. There are still visible traces of the battles that took place there, such as the bridge destroyed in the gorge on the way in from Liédena. 

The last part of the ride alternates between the rail trail and the adjoining road. It will be possible to complete almost the entire route on the rail trail when the work to get it ready has finished.