TRAVEL MEMOIRS

Bridging Traditions on the Camino de Santiago

Curing anger and mad dogs on the tranquil river flowing to Pamplona

The Bridge of Rabies in Zubiri, Spain (all photos in article by author)

Details matter in Basque legends. So, to cure an animal of rabies, you shouldn’t just let it cross the 12th-century bridge over the Arga River at Zubiri. It has to do so three times, making sure it passes through the highest part of the arch each time. However, humans struggling with rabies or dealing with anger issues have to wade through the river to the central pillar and take three turns around it.

If you have never walked the Camino Frances, the 1200-year-old pilgrimage route from France to the presumed grave of Saint James in Santiago de Compostela, Spain, you have likely never heard of this bridge or these legends. But if you have walked the Camino, it is unlikely you have forgotten about the Puente de la Rabia (Bridge of Rabies), which you passed while entering the town of Zubiri in Northern Spain.

Many pilgrims rest here for a night after two days of crossing the Pyrenees mountains and the strenuous walking on the second day on uneven and sometimes slippery slopes that end at this bridge. In the small town, a bed, shower, and cafe to meet with other pilgrims await you, often after first cooling down your blistered feet in the fresh waters of the…