Approach with caution
“I think walking is the best way to see the area,” says Julio. “You can reach some higher parts of the valley, where you have very good views of the Pyrenees.” In many cases, it’s the only way to see the Pyrenees, as roads only take you so far in these dense forested mountains. Walkers and mountain bikers have the chance to burrow much deeper into the countryside.
Julio also believes that
walking vacations are key to keeping Western Valleys Natural Park just the way it is. “Our vacations are all small groups (6-8 people),” he says. “We try to show them the best of these valleys; to show them places that few people can reach. We work with local guides that know this area very well, and we walk through the valleys and forests that few people walk around.”
Julio and his wife Natalia also run the B&B included in their vacations. It’s also their family home, shared with their son Dario and faithful hound Argos. Staying in a place like Julio’s is a protective measure in itself. No land was damaged in the making of the guesthouse, as it occupies an existing cottage built out of local stone. They’re also passionate about sourcing food from surrounding farms, so you might end up eating
ternasco (Aragonese lamb), stews with buttery green beans from Navarra, or homemade ricotta with red fruit jus. Breakfast is omelettes and bread baked in a wood fire oven traditionally used in this part of Jacetania.
