In the previous edition of the Tour of the Basque Country, we discovered a new mountain pass, named Ermualde, which finished at the Shrine of Santa María del Yermo. This shrine is an extraordinary but mysterious monumental site. This is due to its location, perched on a mountain and built-in search of solitude and isolation. It is not surprising, therefore, that it is the setting for various popular legends involving witches, spirits, and Templars. Everything appears magical in such extraordinary natural surroundings dotted with various sites of archaeological interest, such as a late Gothic church with its free-standing bell tower, two nearby hermitages, snowfields, lime deposits, and other eye-catching features.
