I am really getting the hang of this…up at 6am…dress, sit on suitcase to close, then dump it at reception for transfer to the next hotel…make sure I have all my emergency supplies in daypack…off to breakfast….then walk….today actually only added up to 18kms!
The sunrise in the morning from my window in Estella….today promised to warm up (considerably) … I ate, not much as it was less than desirable at breakfast…had my water bottles full…and started walking around 8am…yay it was an up!!! As I was leaving town, q Camino friend, who I had had dinner with a couple of nights ago was trying to work out the route for today…I was following another backpack and Jan’s joined me! He has actually been walking since March from Rotterdam…do I thought our buddy walking would be short lived (due to my downhill knee issues)
The first attraction at a little after 8am was the wine (or water) tap as we left the town!
Some imbibed at this hour but either a 6 hour walk ahead for a non wine drinker…this was merely a photo opportunity!
We carried on out of Estella past the monastery at the top of the climb, we then continued on bush pathways until a big downhill … at which point I took it slowly! and thought I would be walking solo! But my knee managed the zigzag and Jan’s and I climbed up into the village of Azqueta….
Uphill is still my friend…
Through the odd tunnel…to a fabulous cafe!
Run by Dutch people and overlooking the valleys! great coffee too (and a restroom – 4stars, Tona)
The view from our lounge chairs and it was still only 10am…with a 3rd of the walking for the day done!
The next bit was a bit of a climb…good for the knees…but sun bursting out to an exposed 25degrees! So as I de layered…we climbed higher towards the abandoned castle on the top of the hill…not tempted for the side climb though!
A pocket photo of my Shadow…that is now (in the sunshine) coming with me all the way!!!!
We plateaued out to a small village -Villamayor de Monjardin…at our highest point for the day
St James (bronze statue) holding fort in front of the church…
And the church…not open to pilgrims (a little rude) with double padlocked doors! The next 12kms to Los Arcos was a little more of the same…
Walking through wine country exposed to the hot sun…now down to T-shirt and shorts! having some one to chat to whiled away the miles…and in the middle of like nowhere…
A man and a guitar pounding out sounds and adding another sound to the click clack of piles and scrunching of boots on the stone pathways!
More and more stone pathways…until we reached a Foodteuck in the middle of nowhere, with a few trees around perfect for a potty stop (or bush wee) and a rest for the now burning feet… from her 6kms for me and 13kms for Jan who couldn’t get a room in this town of Lis Arcos! However it does mean he only had a 21km day tomorrow and I have 28!!!
Entering los Arcos- there was a menageries of goats and confused Roosters crowing their heads off at 1.40pm! Yep I made it in the proposed 5.5 hours… thanks probably to my walking buddy of the day!
Who carried on his final 7km while I sat down and had a cool beer to reward myself for the days walk… it’s now a little after 4 going to message some Camino buddies and see if they are up for an early dinner….or not happy to do this on my own…
All who wander are not Lost girls 