The Bidasoa region. This Cantabrian region is headed by the Navarrese mountains of Alkurrunz, Otsondo, Gorramendi, Izpegui, Auza, the Belate buttresses and the mountains of Santesteban and Ezkurra. From Maya and Errazu, it covers the whole of Baztán, Bertizarana, the Ezkurra river valley and the so-called five villages, Santesteban, Sumbila, Lesaca, Yanci, Echalar and Vera. To this fundamental part must be added the lower Gipuzkoan-Laburdine basin, with Biriatu, the two Behobias, Irún and Fuenterrabía. In the bay of Txingudi, the Bidasoa has reached port. Here, the river exhales a wide sigh, now free of the mountainous burden. Las Peñas de Aya is the perfect place to savour this pale beauty of the Bidassoa estuary. This ramshackle mirage of the low tide with its washed sands and lazy backwaters. From up there, the beehive buildings of Irún look like a fabulous city. Fuenterrabia - its authentic part - seeks the dark lap of the Jaizkibel. Endaya and Behobia have let their houses escape to the other bank, looking for the river or the beach. Biriatu stays up there, up on its mountain. Inland are the islands, old anchored beacons: Irukanale, Galera and Santiago-aurre. Then the landscaped Zubernoa (Pheasants) with the category of an old galleon loaded with ballast. Further up Kaskabeltza, already . At Endarlaza we pass to the other side. The border goes through the mountains, gets lost in the undergrowth, crosses bracken groves and climbs up towards the pastureland. The granite escarpments of Aya and Larrun harass the river, but the Bidasoa, gentle and green, continues its tenacious millenary work. We pass through Vera. Soon Sumbilla unfolds before us its odd magic. The parish tower, pointed to make it more graceful, is very reminiscent of that of Sara. When we reach Santesteban, we remember having left Echalar, Lesaca, Yanci and Aranaz to the left and right, each with its own heavy load of singular beauty on its shoulders. We pass Santesteban, with its beautiful mansions, the villages of Bertizarana with houses covered in flowers. And we reach Oronoz-Mugaire and Baztan. Fourteen villages in an immense park. Irurita, Arrayoz, Lecaroz, Elizondo, Garzain, Elbetea, we don't know which one to choose. Or go up to Almandoz or Aniz, or Berroeta. Or continue on to Errazu, Arizcun, Maya and Azpilcueta. Through Irurita you go up to the balcony of Baztán. A marvellous view: the wide valley with its villages, with Irurita in the foreground and the white agglomeration of Elizondo and Elbetea in the background, towards the borders of Laburdi and Lower Navarre.