The green Valley of Ata (Navarre, Spain) and Roldan's stone (megalithic menhir) Hike + blog

in #nature5 years ago (edited)

green valley - by priscilla Hernandez (yidneth.com)-2.jpg

Above: Green and isolated Valley of Ata (Navarre, Spain) full of prehistoric megalithic stones

Summer is ending... I can't believe how fast it has flown away... and I have been intending to share my hikes for a while but I never find the time (in fact I'm heading outdoors at the moment I'm typing this). So I thought I would share some of the highlights of my Summer and hikes, and maybe try to keep up later on. Nature plays a key role in the inspiration that nourish my art and music. And I'm fortunatelyto live close to it. So here a dose of a bit belated #thursdaygreen for you.

valle de ata - by Priscilla Hernandez (yidneth.com).jpg

At the beginning of the trail we stumble upon green fields and herds of horses and ponies roaming free... They all had cowbells and the sound was really entrancing. I used my zoom recorder to sample the sound to include it in forthcoming songs and I event tried to kulnig (Swedish traditional herding calls) and they seem rather interested.

I had decided to carry my harp with me. I thought it was a good idea to film in our destination, the isolated and green Ata Valley in Navarre, Spain... For any reason I thought it was a good idea to carry a harp upwards through uncharted path...

Unfortunately @hedac and I realized very soon the hiking trail was really bad... Mud everywhere, the trail often disappearing or being absolutely blocked by fallen trees... And nettles and thorns... and NETTLES... Did I say Nettles? Sigh, yes, plenty of them.
And mud... Did I say mud? Sigh, plenty of it too!

navare ata- by priscilla Hernandez (yidneth.com)-11 (3).jpg

Trail was still Summer green and lush and full of curious details as this little lair surrounded by cobweb on a mossy stone...

- by priscilla Hernandez (yidneth.com)-4.jpg

@hedac said... don't worry, the way back will be easier... so up we went... sweating and carrying the harp... well, being fair and honest, Hector took the worst part after a while... It did require many halts along the way.

And then... Wow... it was just worth it!

How Green is my Valley : Ata Valley in Aralar Mountains (Navarre, Spain)

navare ata- by priscilla Hernandez (yidneth.com)-11 (5).jpg

I was too exhausted to be able to record a proper outdoors singing video, though I stood there making my harp sing. If you place a harp against the wind it "chants" with suspended chords, played by the air itself... It's called "aeolian harp" and I've used that sound in many of my songs, including the "The Wind song"

green valley - by priscilla Hernandez (yidneth.com).jpg

At this point we were aware that we were against time if we were to find the megalithic menhirs and dolmens scattered around the valley. We found the location of a few in gps and they were concealed by thorns and blackberry bushes, so nothing really I could share...

There is always a black sheep in every flock

blacksheep.jpg

That's a fact XD... though I think this XVIII proverb is very unfair... nothing wrong in being different, being rare and unique is precious...

We spend a while with this fluffy beautiful sheep.. valley is very far from any village or civilisation so peace up here is only interrupted by the gusts of wind and the herds of animals.

navare ata- by priscilla Hernandez (yidneth.com)-11 (8).jpg

Thus we aimed for the most famous menhir in the valley: La Piedra de Roldan (Roldan's Stone)

Roldan's menhir: Dated more than 4000 years ago

Roldan's stone menhir found in XIX century in the isolated Ata Valley in Aralar (Navarre). This happened in 1894 when Iturralde and Suit classified the stone as a megalithic prehistoric menhir upright erect stones prehistoric monoliths.

navare ata- by priscilla Hernandez (yidneth.com)-11 (1).jpg
The stone is less than a meter high but more than two thirds of the megalithic stone buried more than 2 meters undeground. What we see is very much like an iceberg only a relatively small stone of 1.10 meters x 60 cm wide, yet most of the structure is hidden.

piedraderoldan.jpg

Above: The menhir and a sketch made by the archaeologists Iturralde and Suit showing the true dimensions of it.

It has seven claw like marks, legends say the marks of the fingers of mythical hero Roldan (Roland in France and Errolan in the Basque Country) who threw it. This hero died in Roncesvalles battle, precisely in Navarre, Spain, and his figure is surrounded my mystery and countless legends. During the Middle Ages Menhirs were thought to be have placed or thrown by giants... but Roldan lived as ordinary (or extraordinary) human.

So It was unlikely this legendary knight caused the marks as the stone while throwing it as it is dated in prehistoric times and Roldan lived in in the VIII century.


Death of Roldan in Battle of Roncesvalles (year 778) illustrated by Jean Fouque in 1455-1460. Public Domain Link

So how were the marks done? Probably engraved to sharpen tools but of unknown origin and meaning. For me they look like claw marks...

Yep...
I made them

valle de ata - by Priscilla Hernandez (yidneth.com)-4.jpg

I was always wild and free

What do you think caused the marks?
Mysteries are good for legends but I'm curious about your thoughts

navare ata- by priscilla Hernandez (yidneth.com)-11 (2).jpg

Above: @hedac photographing the landscape (and yes, carrying the harp, hahah)

The last rays of sun...

navare ata- by priscilla Hernandez (yidneth.com)-11 (7).jpg

So we had to retreat... and undo our trail the same way we climbed... all the way through the nettles and mud again...! But in complete darkness, just using some dim headlights. We fell a few times and it was so slippy and we were really sore by the time we reached the car...

All of this along many miles and hours...

carrying an harp...

Hector said to NEVER to carry my harp again... but I may say the week after we filmed an open mic by the creek and he did carry it... (that is love, I guess)
That resulted in my open mic entry a few weeks ago...
a reminder?

Above: Next hike (a week after Ata Valley adventure) I managed to actually record my harp outdoors and this entry won open mic week 101.

Concert next Saturday out in the woods to welcome Autumn

leaves - by Priscilla Hernandez (yidneth.com).jpg

I steal the leaves but I'll bring them back in Spring

I do always carry my instruments like a minstrel and intend to do more outdoors music.
Playing out in Nature is one of my greatest satisfactions... in fact next Saturday 22nd I will welcome the Autumn Equinnox with a concert outdoors in the Oakwoods of Orgi (Navarre). But this will be a formal concert with public this time featuring this time my friend and musician Enrique Galdeano and some surprise guesting friends. I will try to film a bit of it or take many pictures to share with you all.

  • All photographies taken by me and @hedac while hiking except the painting (XV century) and sketch (XIX century), both Public Domain.


Priscilla Hernandez
singer-songwriter & illustrator
http://yidneth.com

Sort:  

Great story.... and such mysterious stones, these menhir. I remember these from reading Asterix comics as a kid, Obelix always carrying around a menhir. Seems they may have a similar use or history to the henges of Britain, maybe?

Loved the song by the way. Truly enchanting. Following you on Choon now, too.... I love the idea that you're a wandering minstrel... too cool!!

Actually Roldan´s origina is a very mythical hero from France, Navarre and France are very close. This particular stone though is much much older than the time where the Knight Roldan (Roland in France) lived. Aww thanks for following me on Choon, you have plenty more at youtube.com/yidneth and yidneth.com :) My artist name is Priscilla Hernandez if you're curious to look elsewhere like itunes or spotify

Beautiful and very inspiring! love your music ❤😃❤ Amazing nature photography...so detailed, Nature you are beautiful always with the color, really really gorgeous photograph my friend.

Omg I agree so much what you said about carrying your instrument everywhere I do the same with my guitar, and I love playing outside, I actually will go back and welcome spring here in South Africa.
Great backstory with the mehnir and dolmens, I visited many of them in Bretagne, France, so many myth and legends surround them it's quite fascinating.
Lovely pictures and great outdoor performance too!

QUE HERMOSO E ILUSTRADO POST, me fui en el tiempo, te felicito, tus post hacen que uno sueñe con el pasado. Increíble aventura. Saludos y ya me gustaría ver el siguiente.

Muchísimas gracias, me gusta ir a la Naturaleza, de hecho ayer di la bienvenida al otoño con un pequeño concierto pero esta vez con público :)

That Roldan Menhir is wikkid awesome...love the history!

Yes, there are so many prehistoric stones in the area, dolmens too.

Wonderful journey except nettles, you need vitamin C the faeries are saying.... love the photography @hedac.... love and smoochies

What an adventure! Hope you've recovered from it, I know it was a tiring one. I love that you hike with your harp. I've always gone singing in the forest, but now I often think of you when I do. :)

Tomorrow I perform in one officially, but usually yes I am kind of a minstrel lol

Such a Fun day , nice pictures and your video is great , like a fairy in nature <3

Aww, thanks, I hike very often and I never dress normal when I do... I guess my art and music nourish from fantasy so it infused my lifestyle as well, thanks for the lovely compliment.

Glad you were able to make the harp sing even if you were too tired yourself :D

To be perfectly honest I can't even see the claw marks in the photo but I have no idea what I'm looking at or for at the best of times with rocks, I just like how they look :)

And I'm even more impressed you made it up in that dress!

I can hike even with a corset on hahah :) I've done it ;-) I never hike with conventional clothes and though my way of dressing is unconvenional is very comfortable. There are seven claw marks in the stone... but though the stone is more than 4000 years old they don't know the origin of them. the video was not that day but the week after, still up there I sang as well but I was too tired and sweaty hahhaa to do a proper video that day.... as you see we opted for a shady damp forest.:)

Nice pics, nice places and a nice voice. (Of course a nice guy too - carrying the harp the whole way ;-))

I deleted the flyer of the concert because the person in it is my friend Enrique and not hector and was a bit confusing, and Héctor is playing too :) but yes, Hector was very nice and very willing to help :) carrying my harp when I could no more.
I just came home from another hike to a very special location :) hope to share soon, of course I'll mix the articles of my music and art and curations as usual, but will start to include blogs of our hikes as well.

you need one of these little carts

fba19092-28e0-4f8a-b467-4103fd3c0452_1.3069e4cee089dec8d5353570178e29e2.jpeg

then you an pul al of your equipment instead of carry it :) Hector will thank you :)

Believe me, no way that cart eould make it up the steep trail muddy netyle thorny trail lol, you would need to lift the cart too, ouch

Coin Marketplace

STEEM 0.29
TRX 0.12
JST 0.035
BTC 64866.85
ETH 3369.73
USDT 1.00
SBD 4.45