Pamplona was born in the heat of the Arga. The old city was built looking at the Arga and the labrador district of Pamplona drew the hugs of the Arga. However, in the twentieth century, the marriage between Pamplona and Arga broke. The new city was built far from Ugalde. Most of the people of Pamplona lived for a long time behind their backs to Ugalde. In the last years of the second millennium, capital has been reconciled with the Argara. Currently, the Parque Fluvial del Arga is the most important green area of the city, a stroll and a sports space for thousands of nonsense and nonsense. In return, the banks of the rivers have changed radically.

From the border of Barañain to the Irotz Bridge, the route that borders the Arga is 22 kilometers. This time we will not tear more than half. It is precisely the eleven kilometres separating the border with Pamplona/Iruña.

Magdalena, Labrador de Pamplona

In Pamplona there are 28 bridges to pass from one side to the other of Arga. Some were used by our ancestors in the Middle Ages. Others are recent or not so recent. We departed below one of them, on the northeastern border of Pamplona.

The Burlada bridge kisses Burlada and the capital. We have on the left the Ugaldea River, the snow of the last few days has grown. The turbid waters are very alive here, but they will soon be dissipated. Now, different kinds of ducks are swimming on the surface. Twenty years ago we could not see anything like this. The River Park has broken the little savagery of the banks of the Arga, but not always to the detriment of nature. Recently, a otter has been spotted in the place where ducks are pecking each other. Today we have to resign the piraguists, the cold rattling. In this area there are several sports associations at the margins of the water course.

However, it is not all buildings or sports clubs. Agriculture is still alive in Pamplona. The landscape is chopped by the orchards and greenhouses on our right. We are in the neighborhood of La Magdalena. The vegetables here are the most appreciated, and the ones of cariot, in the Plaza del Mercado de Pamplona. There is no shortage of animals, especially mares. The last farmers in Pamplona have their heaviest sentences.

The Caparroso mill is in front, recently restored and converted into a restaurant. If we want to get there, we'll have to go through the catwalk, zigzagging, almost touching the surface. It's not always been a fixed step, not so elegant. Until 10-15 years ago, the City Hall placed planks on cement bases planted in the area of the regatta, so that people could pass in summer. As the beautiful station was exhausted, the boards were removed and the cement foundations were undressed. Passing over the initial tests of the boys from Pamplona was a lucky one. We would jump to the base, while the water, stirred by the winter, would ruin, would dip the soles of our shoes. Even today, it is better not to approach here in times of flooding.

The walls and the cathedral of Pamplona are in sight. On the left, the old Magdalena Bridge, passing pilgrims from Santiago. On the same side, without just a hundred meters, we have the Txantrea Bridge. We entered the German area.

I. In the time of the World War, German refugees took refuge in Pamplona and named him: They had a habit of bathing in the Arga, both in summer and in winter. Modern toilets prevail here. On the other side of Ugaldea you can see the Ziganda mill, which is in the process of producing electricity for the El Molino school.

Aranzadi, ahead of destruction

We crossed the river with a new viaduct. We're in Aranzadi. Here again are the orchards and the greenhouses, next to the farm houses. You also see a number of pallets. The wealthy families of Pamplona in the summer were at that time. Today, however, there are no great movements, either sometimes or in others. We have re-entered Labrador Iruñea. Not for much. In addition to gardeners, excavators are also working.

Gardens, prairies, riverside forest... Nothing will last here. The City Hall wants to “reorganize” Aranzadi. It aims to build a parking lot, lots of roads, well-preserved lawns and a “interpretation center of the horticulture”, under the pretext of “bringing” this area to the Locals. No one has had to “get close” to walkers, cyclists and runners who look everywhere. The activity that is carried out in the eyes of all does not need a large centre.

The possible walker who is making this road does not have much time to get to know one of the last corners that still retain the smell of Pamplona for a while.

Crisis in Rochapea

We cross the river again. For this we have used the medieval bridge of San Pedro, on the other side of the meander that forms Arga in this area. To enter the Runa Park, we have gone below the relatively new bridge of El Vergel. Here we find the most terrible consequence of the economic crisis: two homeless people, each in a bed, sleepy, with their remains around. The ambient temperature is not greater than 1ºC.

The remains of the rochapea orchards appear in our environment. Towards the river, standing, were the whites, the sauces and the alisos. The road has brought us back to the old walls. We have on top the palace of kings. Under the bridge of the butchers, the ducks are big. Beyond that, from another small partnership, young people are throwing themselves up in piracy. On the other hand, the building that has been erected by the City Hall instead of the old barn of bulls of the lockdown. In addition to Ugaldeako, the house that remains after being the neighborhood of the Curtidores de Larru is the last one that remains. Some okupas caused a fire in the area last fall.

We left aside the bridge of the Plazaola, through which the railway passed to San Sebastian. We've also disdained the new Oblat bridge. It was a proposal to baptize the coast with an old toponym of the area. UPN flatly refused and preferred the one in front of the convent. Over 200 meters further, we cross the river again through the Santa Engracia Bridge, next to the barrier of the same name. We left cars on the Cuatro Vientos Bridge.

San Jorge, new and old

Sanduzelai is the last neighborhood of our route. We went through the garden of Eugi. It also has a pediment, available to those who rush quickly. We leave behind the walkway of Pipes, an iron deposit for pedestrians tanned by the City Hall. Undoubtedly, the mill and the Biurdana dam are the most beautiful fodder in the eyes, on the largest esplanade drawn by the Arga on the border of Pamplona.

Since then, the waters of the river have been speeded up again and we have set ourselves in motion with them at full speed. We spent almost without realizing the large San Jorge Bridge. On the right are the new houses of the neighborhood. On the left is Biritxitu, cemetery of Pamplona.
Another medieval bridge appears before us: Miluze. In these places a Navarro king – Carlos II el Malo – sent several hangings, and the bridge has been tied in the memory of the people. The name – “long language” – comes from there. However, the philologists have denied everything. Shit from corrupt people, philologists, who have no pity of spoiling a nice story!

Along one of the typical riverside forests of the middle area of Navarre we have travelled the penultimate stretch of our journey, in the shadow of the long chopas. Beyond that, the orchards again. Greenhouses. A trigal. From the last of Pamplona.

Once, the industrial pavilions have stole space from pebbles and cabbages. We're in Landaben, the largest industrial estate in the city. If it were Sunday, we would see a great movement in this corner. Thousands of old Falkland people and thousands of new Falkland people, with their hands full of bags, on the way to the Landaben market or back. Besides the companies, Landaben shelters the largest open-air fair in the Region of Pamplona. Here, once a week, Navarre’s most multi-ethnic show is celebrated.

It is not a Sunday, indeed, but a working day. It's cold and dark. The few Pamplona people we find cannot tell what origin they are, because they are so stubborn. The lights are being turned off in the companies on the right margin. At eye level is the bridge of Landaben, southwest border of Pamplona. Arga follows his way through Barañáin, but he will have to do it without us from here.