Page:A Handbook for Travellers in Spain - Vol 1.djvu/301

Basque Provinces. to visit the valley of Loyola, the Baths of Cestona, and the seaside watering place of Zumaya. Pop. 1788.

From Villareal the road passes through a beautiful and well-cultivated country to

4$1⁄2$ m. Azcoitia. (See Rte. 34.)

2$1⁄2$ m. Azpeitia. 1 m. from this village are the Convent and Santa Casa of Ignacio Loyola (Rte. 34). From Azpeitia, continuing the rte., we next visit

3 m. The Baths of Cestona. For description of this Thermal establishment, see Rte. 34. The road continues to

3 m. Zumaya. This seaside watering-place is described at Rte. 34.

Villareal (see Rte. 1). The road is the same as that described in Rte. 38, as far as

7$1⁄2$ m. Vergara. Pop. 5726. (Rte. 38.) Hence the road passes through the locality where the Convenio of Vergara was signed, and winds through Welsh-like hills, maize crops, and chestnut groves, to

5 m. Mondragon. (Inn: Parador de las Diligencias, decent; Pop. 2833.) A walled town placed upon the beautiful Deva, and also watered by the Aramayona. Here is an iron mine of most remote antiquity. It is situated in the hill El Campanzar, which may, in the words of Pliny (N. H. xxxiv. 14), be correctly termed a “hill of iron.” The ore as found is in appearance like a red ochre earth, and yields nearly 45 per cent. of the finest metal. Very fine iron is also procured from the adjoining Mina de hierro helada, “the mine of congealed iron,” and from la Cueva de Udala.

From Mondragon 2 roads branch off rt. and l.; the first (A) to Guesalibar, and the Baths of Santa Agueda; the second (B) to the Baths of Arechavaleta.

(A) From Mondragon the road traverses the beautiful and well-cultivated valley of the Aramayona to

2 m. Guesalibar, where are situated the Baths of Santa Agueda. (Inn: El Establecimiento; accommodation for 80 persons; elegantly fitted up, and contains reading and billiard-rooms, and a charming little garden. Prices—1st class, 45 r. per diem; 2nd class, 30 r.; bath, 6 r.) This establishment is considered the best of its kind in Spain. The cuisine is first-rate. There are also two comfortable hotels in the place. Diligence service, during the season (June 1 to Sept. 30), between the baths and Mondragon, and Villareal.

The baths were erected in 1825; the waters are nitrogene-sulphuric, cold, and peculiarly efficacious in syphilitic, scrofulous, and neuralgic affections. The establishment contains 14 separate bath-rooms, each with its marble bath. The water is heated artificially.

(B) From Mondragon to the Baths of Arechavaleta, the old diligence-road to Madrid is followed.

4. m. Arechavaleta. Pop. 1819. (Inn: El Establecimiento : accommodation and prices the same as at Santa Agueda.) The mineral waters are similar to those of Santa Agueda, but contain a larger amount of gas. Season, June 1 to Sept. 30. This establishment was first opened in 1842. The neighbourhood is pleasant, and the climate is peculiarly salubrious. There is another excellent establishment near called Otalora. [Visitors may vary the above route, and rejoin the rly. at. Vitoria instead of Villareal. The old Camino Real to Vitoria (14 m.) passes through Escoriaza, where the poor Infanta Pilar died in 1879 while taking the mineral waters (2000 Inhab.), Castanares and Salina de Lenis.]