The journey continues!

Day 2…Roncesvalles to Zubiri

After a more leisurely start to the day and a yummy breakfast, during which we manage to pack a contraband lunch and a few snacks, we are away by 8.30 in misty conditions and in the company of Maggie from Melbourne and Mary from Sydney, sisters whom we met yesterday.   As everyone walks at their own pace, and some like to stop to take photos (!), we change company frequently. 

The going is easy to begin with and quite pleasant along a well formed track through forest. The trail continues through farmland where we enjoy a chat (in Spanish) with a local farmer who wishes us well and offers advice about the weather which we gather is going to be either better or worse than today’s continuing drizzle which by now has us once again in blizzard jackets. At the top of the climb from Espinal we erect our flysheet to shelter under for our first cuppa of the day – which attracts quite a few comments from fellow Peregrinos…both the cuppa and the flysheet! 

The descent into Viskaretta has our leg muscles reminiscing about yesterday’s exertions and we discover a little store where we can buy bread for lunch. The locals are shopping and Senora sits at the counter, complete with a fancy flat screen computer with all the whistles and bells, happily adding up the prices on an old envelope and using an old till drawer under the counter!  She expresses concern about how wet we are and seems quite excited to find that we are from Australia.  We have quite a chat, most of which we all seem to understand. 

The climb to Paso de Roland is quite demanding so we set up the kitchen again for another cuppa.  A little further on we find a rock that legend says measures the length of Rondal’s stride..we presume this refers to the aforementioned Roland…obviously a very large man with extremely long legs!!

The descent into Zubiri seems OK at the top but the last bit is as steep as anything we had encountered and quite rough in places. Demands fairy steps and maximum concentration. By this stage – 4.45pm - we are as tired as we had been at the end of the day yesterday. After a bit of a wander around, we find the tourism office where we get our stamp, and also our accommodation so, after another long, day, we are ready for the shower and a Menu de Noches.  Not too much sitting around tonight…most people are ready for bed!

Day 3…Zubiri to Pamplona

The day from Zubiri to Pamplona is, according to the map is a relatively flat 21.5kms, so an 8.30am start seems to be the go. Unfortunately the shower is cold – maybe you are only allowed one hot shower – read on!  Breakfast provided a surprise or two being organised with military precision by, we presume, the daughter of the owner. John is moved to his ‘correct’ place, we have two slices of thin, crunchy toast with one sachet of butter and jam each, a small pre-packaged piece of plain cake, one glass of orange juice and a cup of tepid tea or coffee. Most people at the table (11 of us) wanted a second cup, but ‘No, only make 20 cups and more people to come!’

The trail out of town is a tree-lined pathway through a rural area before briefly opening out onto a large industrial quarry site then back to rural surroundings and the company of draught horses, sheep and goats. We meet a friendly Mexican gentleman who is, believe it or not, clearly a little more elderly than us and we have quite a chat in a mixture of Spanish, English and French.

Walk for some time with Marcella from Canada who shares many of her travel experiences before we find the need for a rest!

About the only wildlife we encounter is one startled deer which risks life and limb by bounding across the busy motorway, and an array of different coloured slugs. A bit of a trudge along the N135 brings us to a roadside stop with picnic tables and a TOILET!  From here the trail climbs steeply for some distance, a real problem for the cycling peregrinos who have to push their pannier-laden bikes not only up the steep slope, but around and over various sizes of rocks.  The joy for them is that they get on their bikes when the trail levels off and they are away and out of sight on the steady descent into Villava, the home town of Miguel Indurain…how appropriate!!

Here we are greeted with some enthusiasm by a Spanish senor who tells us he spent 7 years herding sheep in California but has come back home to live because California is too hot…then he finds out we are Aussies…knows about us too!  We meet Maggie and Mary who, along with many other peregrinos, have found the Bar Paradiso…selling coffee and food.  We buy 2 cups of coffee and 2 large slices of local frittata (potato) with bread for €6.40…which is very cheap.  And the owner sits at a table and stamps everyone’s Credentiale with the bar stamp! 

Our first view of Pamplona is the imposing ramparts of the old city. The trail follows along between this massive wall and a network of lower outer fortifications to the drawbridge gateway and then the main gate into the town. From here the Camino route into and through town is clearly indicated by silver scallop shell disks set into the roadway, making it impossible to get lost…hmmm!  We overshoot the street we are looking for, so back up and ask a member of Pamplona’s finest – a charming young policeman who said, “Only one minute!”  Thanks once again to Callum, our itinerary organiser, our hotel, the Maisonnave, is located less than 100 metres from the route.

After a shower, we wander about the old quarter and find it as fascinating as any…narrow streets and laneways opening out into plazas of various sizes – maybe a children’s playground, a statue of St Francis of Assisi, cafes, and the huge central Plaza de Castilla with a rotunda/bandstand in the centre!  It’s Saturday so families are out and about.  Too early to eat – locals still into beer and coffee, so book into the hotel restaurant for dinner – opens at 8.30pm, by which time we are not only hungry but ready for bed.  Upside is that the meal was quite nice, not too expensive and the waitress takes us into a convention room so John can photograph the nearby Church…a very nice thing to do!

Looking forward to a sleep in tomorrow – our first day of rest!