ROUTES: El Cocodrilo (100 km)

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PAMPLONA - PA-30 (0.9 km)

As is usual, we set the odometer on zero at the Villava petrol station and we head for the north of Navarre, over a short but nonetheless interesting route around this lovely province.

This is the shortest leg of this route, that ends after we take a curve to the left, just about 1 km after it starts.

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PA-30 - N-135 (2.2 km)

The PA-30 is a fast road with a slow traffic lane that ends at a roundabout from which we will head towards Zubiri on the N-135, which also goes to France.

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N-135 - Zubiri (13.4 km)

We now head towards Zubiri on the nice, wide N-135, a road which has more straight stretches than curves, most of which are quite open, as it runs parallel to the Arga river. The first town we come up to is Zuriain, where we drop the speed as we drive through it, and pick it up as we drive on to Zubiri.

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Zubiri - NA-1740 (11.5 km)

As we leave Zubiri there is a fork which we take to the right onto the N-138, where the Erro mountain road starts. The next 6 km are on a windy road with perfect surface, which makes this road one of the best of the windy country roads in Navarra.

We keep up a steady speed that lets us enjoy the scenery, and after a short tunnel we reach the town on Eugi, a town located beside the water reserve that shares its name, and that provides the area of Pamplona with its drinking water.

We drive around the water reserve, leaving the town behind, and keep on this road, leaving a quarry behind, until, at mile point 31, we drive into the Quinto Real, a beautiful beech forest with plentiful wildlife, forest where the Arga river springs. This area is particularly stunning in autumn, when it dresses itself in a range of reds and golds.

At mile point 11, we turn left onto the NA-1740 towards Irurita, in the Baztan valley.

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NA-1740 - Irurita (20.9 km)

This is, without a doubt, the most attractive leg on this route. It has it all! It runs over 20 km on a perfectly mantained windy road, with varied curves flanked by a scenery that changes its hues depending on the time of year. And at the Artesiaga high point, at nearly 1000m above sea level, we can enjoy some of the most stunning panoramic mountain views in Navarra.

On the way down, the countryside opens and offers the classical rural sceneries: Big stone houses (caserios) surrounded by pasture land and small vegetable gardens fenced off with stone walls.

The road takes us to Irurita, at the start of which we can see a rest area on the right, where a line of green and blue boundary markers indicate teh distance remaining to France and other areas of Navarra.

At the centre of Irurita we stop at a stop sign and turn left towards Pamplona onto the NA-8307 road.

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Irurita - N-121-B (2.4 km)

Outside Irurita we can see a defensive tower called "Dorrea", which is an Early Middle Ages building, typical of the valley. 2 km further on we join the N-121-B towards Pamplona.

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N-121-B - N-121-A (6.1 km)

We drive over the next 6 kilometres on the NA-121-B, a wide, well tarmacked road. On route we can see the Jaureguizar Palace, another excellent example of the traditional defensive buildings of the area.

We reach Oronoz Mugaire and, on leaving the town, join the NA-121-A.

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N-121-A - NA-1210 (7.4 km)

The NA-121-A is an even wider road and with a perfect surface. There are no tight bends, so we can overtake most traffic on the road, as always, respecting the speed limits and overtaking areas.

Once past mile point 35, a turn to the right takes us onto the Velate mountain pass on the NA-1210, where we can have fun with the last bends of the route.

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NA-1210 - N-121-A (12.2 km)

This road is nearly deserted, as they opened up the tunnels that go through the mountain to make an easier route, which is a favourite with the majority of drivers.. This emptiness allows us to take the turns at higher speeds, but Beware!, as this road can be used by the peole of the area and their livestock.

Over just 6 kilometres we go up 600 metres and reach the Belate high point, surrounded by pasture land and deciduous trees.

The way down is much shorter, only 1.5 kilometres long, and on which we will also find many bends.

At the foot of the mountain pass we will re-join the NA-121-A.

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N-121-A - PAMPLONA (23 km)

We finish this route on this fast stretch of road. We drive past Olague and on towards Pamplona, dropping the speed as we drive past Ostiz, Olave, Sorauren and Oricain, until we reach the Ezcaba tunnels, where we come to Pamplona and to the end of this route.