After Espelette, the landscape turns hilly straight away. There’s no long climb, just a steady run of short ups and downs along narrow lanes and paths past Basque farmhouses. The highest point stays low, so the pace is relaxed and the going isn’t too hard.
It’s the sum of it all that counts. You climb more than 500 metres over the course of the day, and then descend just as often. You’ll feel that mostly in your knees. Take a break every now and then and those six hours will pass by easily. Towards the end, Ascain appears among the greenery. You walk into the village, drop your rucksack at a café terrace and look up at the broad ridge of La Rhune.