Legendary routes: 6 places in Spain surrounded by magic

Spain has been and is a place of legends, myths and stories that leave more than one person with goosebumps. Or with a smile on your mouth, if you are one of those who don't miss an Iker Jiménez program. We are in a great time for hiking, and this time when the leaves change color, the wind is fresh but with the sun still in sight, makes it a pleasure to get to know nature on foot.

Thinking that the Day of the Dead will soon be celebrated and for lovers of the occult, Nattule wants to create a little atmosphere by proposing you to visit 6 legendary places in Spain.

Barcelona: Montserrat and Orrius Forest

Barcelona has a lot of fame, both nationally and internationally, for all the heritage that is preserved in its city, but do you know two of its most mysterious natural places?

Visiting Montserrat in Barcelona is an unforgettable adventure, which we make possible in our tour of Spain & Portugal 12 exciting days long. And its monastery acts as a catalyst for its magical surroundings. There you will meet La Moreneta (the Virgin of Montserrat), the stories of how the Nazis searched for the Holy Grail in their lands, its possible healing sources or diabolical stories like the one that supposedly happened at the Cavall Bernat. You can even see UFOs on the 11th of each month with other ufology lovers.

On your mystery visit to Barcelona you cannot forget to visit the Orrius Forest. Just half an hour away, in the town of Orrius in the Maresme region, you can discover this enchanted forest full of legends and figures carved in rock. This forest will leave both adults and children with their mouths open, and wherever you look up the view is surprising. Giant elephants carved in stone, moais and rocks that resemble human heads.

The route that crosses it is very well signposted, and the route is quite easy with a duration of approximately 5 hours. Place of goblins, goblins and witches; Who knows, you might run into one of them along the way.

Zugarramurdi, in Navarra, a magical place par excellence.

Witchcraft, black magic, vampirism, cannibalism and dealing with the devil himself; rumors that have inhabited the lands of Zugarramurdi for hundreds of years. His fame has spread to the movie screens with films such as Akelarre (1984) by Pedro Olea or the most recent The Witches of Zugarramurdi (2013) by Álex de la Iglesia.

History dates back to 1610, in Logroño, in which the Spanish Inquisition accused dozens of women of being Zugarramurdi witches, of whom 16 were condemned to be burned at the stake.

“Sorginen Leizea” or The Cave of Zugarramurdi, located half a kilometer from the town of Zugarramurdi, is where it is said that they celebrated their pagan rites and that they were presented as irrefutable proof of witchcraft. This cave of impressive dimensions was created by the Regata del Infierno water current, and you can visit it during your tour.

One of the sections you can do is start from this cave to the town Urdazubi/Urdax. Its duration of 3 hours and almost no slope means that it can be traveled by both families and people not used to hiking. Let yourself be enveloped by the magic of its chestnut and oak forests, and feel part of the most mystical nature.

Navarra: San Juan Xar Forest and forests of the Baztán region

Navarra has places that are worthy of belonging to the filming of one of the Lord of the Rings films. Precisely one of them is the one that surrounds the municipality of Zugarramurdi: the Baztán valley. Crossed by the Bidasoa River, this valley is marked by ancient beliefs. In their towns it is still possible that you will find a woman capable of playing cards.

Less likely (although you never know) is that you will come across the nature goddess Mari or the lamias, a species of water nymphs with duck feet, while taking the hiking route that leads to the Xorroxin waterfall, birthplace of the Bidasoa River. It is a walk of just 4 km that starts from the Gorostapolo neighborhood, in Erratzu.

Nearby, also in Navarra, is the San Juan Xar forest. This forest, in addition to being a Nature Reserve and containing the only hornbeam forest in Spain, preserves inside a grotto-hermitage with a magical fountain.

According to the villagers, this three-jet fountain emanates healing water capable of healing skin conditions. The ritual to follow would be to drink from the three streams and rub the affected area with a cloth dipped in its waters. To finish the ritual, you must leave the used cloth near the fountain so that a priest can come, pick them up and burn them.

Soria: Laguna Negra and the Monte de las Ánimas

The Black Lagoon of Soria, located in the peaks of Urbión, is a place of legends. It inspired Antonio Machado's famous poem La tierra de Alvargonzález. The stories that are told about her are many; like there is no bottom under its waters or that a marine being lives in it that devours every human who dares to bathe in it.

This lagoon of glacial origin is located 50 km from the city of Soria. If you park at Paso de la Serrá, you can enjoy a 2 km climb through pine and beech forests until you reach it. Once there, and if you dare, you can see first-hand to what extent these stories are true.

Another option to visit in Soria is to go to Monte de las Ánimas and see the cloister of San Juan de Duero. Bécquer captured in his ghost stories, El Monte de las Ánimas and El Ray de la Luna, the landscapes that your feet can now travel through.

If we continue walking, about 3 km from the city, following the right bank of the Duero River, we will find the hermitage of San Saturio. Along the way you will find laudas of conical graves that invite the walker to rest, so be careful where you sit! It's not going to be that you wake them up from their afterlife.

Mount Pindus of Galicia

Mount Pindus, the Sacred Olympus of the Celts, is located right next to Carnota beach. This land is full of fabulous stories about treasures, beautiful princesses, fairies, sacrifices and secret routes.

The route begins just behind the O Pindo church, near San Pedro beach. During your passage you will find castles, mysterious caves, forts and remains of ancient hermitages.

To reach its summit you will have 2 hours of climbing of medium-high difficulty (a total of 10 km). As you ascend you will be able to admire magnificent views of the coast and mountains. At the top of the mountain you can see the Pedra da Moa and its natural bathtubs, possibly where the Celts performed magical rituals.

Otzarreta Forest (Basque Country)

Our last forest is located in the Basque Country, specifically in the Gorbea Natural Park, between Álava and Biscay. To get to the enchanted forest of Otzarreta you have to follow the N-240 road to the top of Barazar. Once there, you will find the reason why this beech forest is said to be haunted.

The oddity of this forest is that the beech trees usually have their branches horizontally, but curiously the century-old beech trees of Otzarreta have their branches facing the sky, it almost seems like a private dance between the trees. This, together with the green blanket of moss that grows on its trunks and the little light that enters through its branches, make the appearance of this forest seem like something out of a fantasy book.

There is a legend linked to the forest, as old as the beech trees themselves. The Otzarreta forest is the home of the Basajaun, a giant that protects nature, the herds and the forest itself. He is a friend of shepherds, and always warns them if there is going to be a storm with a fierce growl. Let's hope that he does the same favor to us hikers.

As you can see, Spain has magic inside. From legends so old that we don't even know when they began, to popular stories passed down from father to son that remain almost intact today. We don't know how much truth is hidden in them, but in the meantime we can visit these places and live our own storybook adventure.