Take the path, PR-HU3, which is well signposted. It runs through the land around Sobrepuerto and brings you to Ainielle, an uninhabited village famous for being the setting for the novel by Julio Llamazares, The Yellow Rain. The book relates the story of the inhabitants’ final days in the village before it is abandoned, and it is highly recommended that you read it before you do this excursion.
The path leaves Oliván – a stunning, south-facing village – and crosses the ravine.When you get to the other side, take the turn-off to the left, to Berbusa, an uninhabited village. You can walk around the village and discover how the former inhabitants lived, in perfect harmony and balance with nature. There are barely one or two houses still standing; weeds grow where before there were houses, hay sheds, a school…
The trail continues upstream until you reach the Ainielle gorge. There you take the old bridle path, which has magnificent views, until you get to a bend in the track and before you know it, there is Ainielle. It appears like in a dream, with its houses in ruins. You might get the feeling that you have travelled through time, to the past. And you can almost imagine what life there was like: tough, intense, isolating, but also the strength, pride and solidarity. These are the words that come to mind when you visit this place.
