Pyrenees

26 April

Like most other Northern Spanish cities, Pamplona’s historic centre is kept separate from its hinterland and it’s an easy place to navigate your way out of. In my case, the vague direction of Jaca & the Pyrenees beckons. Although a map will indicate otherwise, large sections of the A21 are still under construction, so it’s a case of hopping on and off the N240. This is no great hardship as it’s flat, wide, well-maintained and largely traffic-free as it hugs the shore of Elbalse De Yesa.

I have the time so go to see what’s on the other side of the lake on the A1601. This minor road is up to race-track standards albeit it does not go anywhere of note. But why? Over the next days, I keep coming across one superb stretch after another but without any idea of why anyone thought it a good use of Spanish taxpayer’s money to build it. Or maybe it was German taxpayers who picked up the bill, such is the mysterious ways of the EU? Aboard a pimped V2 and with my hips somehow holding up, it’s not mine to question why.

South of Jaca, the motorway building stops and N240 morphs into N260. Apart from an unmemorable overnight stop in Castejón De Sos, it’s then a mixture of the twisty, swoopy and speedy all the way to Barcelona.