September 14. St. Jean Pied de Port, France
…and so it begins. After a fantastic trip on the TGV from Paris, we registered and got our peregrinos’ passports stamped at the pilgrims’ office. Then we booked in to a very interesting albergue. (Red Cross packages on Thursdays, escape committee meets @ 2130). It was a private one and had we known better, we should have looked around the town for an official one. We decided to head off for Roncesvalles the next day (27Ks) as the albergue at Orrisson is booked out.
September 15. St. Jean Pied de Port – Orrison – Roncesvalles, Navarre, Spain
Day 2. Definitely our hardest day yet. (Yes, I know. 🙏 ) It was raining, windy, freezing cold and the visibility was down to 20 metres occasionally. We walked 27 km, climbed 1200 metres and descended 425 metres. On the plus side, Leo and I crossed the Pyrenees from France to Spain in one day on foot so we’re feeling pretty chuffed. Exhausted and sore but chuffed. Leo took a bad tumble on the way down from the border and we just wanted some rest. The hospitaleros in Roncevalles are from a Dutch pilgrim’s association and were incredibly welcoming in to the huge monastery converted in to an Albergue (pilgrims hostel) . It was almost dark when we arrived and we were allocated bunks in the overflow in the basement. We laid out our beds, showered, washed our clothes, hung them out and chatted with our fellow walkers. This was the beginning of a routine which we would follow every day. Domestics first then socialising. Curfew was at 10 pm and we were allocated the 8 pm pilgrims meal at the nearby restaurant. There were a few too many vino tintos over dinner before we realised it was 10.30 so we rushed back and got some knowing winks from the hospitalero on the front desk.
September 16 Zubiri, Navarre
Day 3. A lovely 23 kms today through forests. It was a much easier day although somewhat challenging . Zubiri has a bridge known as el Puente de la Rabia (the Rabies Bridge) Legend has it that if you took any animal three times around the arch, it would be cured of rabies. We were booked in to the municipal albergue by a woman who definitely needed another vocation. She was rude, brusque and didn’t want anything to do with peregrinos. Definitely not the job for her. Our bunk room was full and a lot of siestas were in progress so we did our routine and went looking for a bar.
September 17 Pamplona, Spain
Day 4. We hiked about 28 Ks today. First following the rio Arga down the valley to Pamplona then through the suburbs and city to the old city. We couldn’t find a vacant albergue so we got a hotel across from the Plaza de Torros. Apparently, Jumanji was a bit of a hit in this town.
September 19 · Uterga
Day 5. Pamplona – Uterga. 18kms. After a rest day in Pamplona, Leo & I had a lovely stroll through rural vistas and over the Alto del Perdon where there is a pilgrim’s monument (monumento peregrino). One of the more disconcerting things is the number of trailside memorials to pilgrims who have died doing this. Quite a lot across the Pyranees but more as we continue.
September 20 Lorca, Navarre, Spain
Day 6. 25 km. Uterga – St Maria Eunate – Puente la Reina – Lorca. Another lovely stroll with some challenging climbs. Puente la Reina (Bridge of the Queen) has a rather ghastly legend attached. (Look it up. Typical medieval Europe) The church of St Maria Eunate was a 5 km detour but it’s part of the original Camino route and was protected by los caballeros templarios, the Knights Templar. The grail wasn’t there 😢. We checked.
September 21 Los Arcos, Navarre, Spain
Day 7. 30 Kms. Lorca – Estella – Villamayor de Monjardin – Los Arcos. A beautiful days walk if a tad long. A lot of medieval and Roman ruins, churches and forts. The towns are SO medieval. We stopped and had a wine from the Fuente de Vino (fountain) at the Monasterio Irache.
Lighten The Trip Fantastic 