Jonathan >

It’s already two weeks since I travelled here to San Martín de Unx, Navarra, from the Outer Hebrides. This is a short recap of the highlights of the journey.

Balivanich Airport, Isle of Benbecula

Departure : Balivanich Airport, Isle of Benbecula

Altitude : BEB-GLA with Loganair, over Uist

I’ve travelled on my own this time. This year, no-one was available to fill the ‘shoes’ (boots, mostly!) of us both. There’s building work to our house here in Navarra that needs my supervision ; so D has stayed home to look after all the animals (and lots of other things, besides, I hasten to add – before D does!).

EU-UK Passport : The last time I’ll travel with one of these?

I was able book the various segments of the journey to fit it all into one day, which started ordinarily with feeding the sheep as usual, and ended at 2am the next morning arriving at Casa Los Fueros.

From Glasgow Airport to Bilbao was uneventful, and equally unmemorable. What was worth remembering was :

• Departure from Uist in one of those lovely Logainair turbo-props ;
• The mystery of exactly what make/model of car I would actually get, at Bilbao airport ;
• Climbing the many hair-pin bends [switch-backs] up to the Sierra Andía, and stopping in the pitch-black of the night to stretch my legs, to find I’m right by an ancient holy well, with water pouring musically out of two metal spouts – I filled my water bottles up and still have some left now. [Unsurprisingly there’s no photo for this one!]
• Journey’s end, at Casa Los Fueros, to find my son-in-law hand kindly opened up the shutters and windows to make the house fresh and cool for my arrival.

Bilbao Airport : Nissan Juke

Arrival : Casa Los Fueros, San Martin de Unx, Navarra

And of course – the next morning – meeting up with my lovely Navarrese family!