Day 10 Camino…Santo Domingo de la Caldaza to Belorado – 22kms

Up at 6am….bag down and Breakky at 6.45am…on the road at 7am!….

Over the bridge…there seems to be a bridge as I leave every village….a little solo walking to get the knee and feet into the rhythm…

As the sun rose in the east, I was out in the countryside again…

Within half an hour the day had opened up to clear blue skies….with a promised high of 30 degrees!!…

Still comfortable walking me and this guy getting as many miles under our belt before it got “hot” . Not long after this, Rosanne and Micki (Camino friends from day 2) caught me and we walked together to the first town of Granon….

And we were greeted by a food truck and bathroom stop…

Rosanne ready for both amenities….6kms in on a 22km day…we all took a break…

We continued through the village admiring the flora…as springtime in northern Spain is full of colour!

We exited the village from this lookout point …promising long and winding roads (and they didn’t disappoint) …. The knee had warmed up and brace off…handling downhills much better…

Micki, Rosanne and I did the next stint together to the halfway point of Redecilla del Camino…along side a major road construction ….not too pretty!!!

Rest time, water break…sporting my new hat (I hate hats) but need one to protect my part line from the midday sun!

Micki and Rosanne continued on at their pace and I wandered at mine…taking a few shots (pictures) along the way…again wonderful floral plantings in these little villages…

Not long past here I ran into Jans (my Dutch Camino friend) having his morning tea sitting on a bench in the shade…so we trucked on together…he is not opposed to walking at my pace…and we came across a small village…both gasping for a coffee hit …off to the side a Dutchman has opened his home…provides great food and drinks…you make your own and wash up (in his house) with a donation…best lunchtime food I’ve seen so far!

Viloria de Rioja…is the village (a little side detour) but well worth the rest stop…Jans and I both took coffee here … me I had two!!! Then it was a bit of a long haul …. 6 Kms of exposed path beside motorway…into Belorado

The thought of my nice cold beer treat at the end of today’s trek kept me going…and pleasantly surprised….this was was just around the corner….sometimes the longest haul is when you can see the village…and the roads go on forever! Today it was just there!

Boys…this one is for sale!! A Reno job in northern Spain! Can probably get it for a few Euros…summer camp…just all bring tents!

This cute little village is nested underneath fabulous rock formations..may be a side trip but after 22kms…maybe not!

We wandered through the village to the square and the first beer (for me) with murals adorning the large plaster walls…

And of course the church! As always after a hot walk the beer was good – ran into my Camino gals…who were showered and were ready to eat! I was ready to shower (and shower laundry) as I have a terrace and clothesline outside my room (with pegs even)…I did have a wee flood in the bathroom…but the floors got another clean and my laundry is now flapping in the wind! Meeting my Camino friends back in the square at 6pm for dinner! Feet are good and knee is getting stronger by the day! Certainly not craving a bus day again any time soon!

Najera to Santo Domingo de la Calzada…day 9 – supposedly 20.88km…I walked 19.1kms… not quite accurate as I’m sure I didn’t take any shortcuts…in fact probably did more as I zigzagged down the descents!

Leaving my room on the top floor at 7am…sneaked in for an early breakky…cornflakes and fruit and a coffee…I was ready to hit the road by 7.30am, before it got too hot!

Following the yellow arrows past the monstery in Najera then up…a (quite steep)cobbled road…knee brace flapping around ankle, as I need to strengthen this bad boy…and toes all plastered up to avoid hot spots turning into blisters…the breathing is not a problem…just saying!

This village of Najera is built into cliff faces and they were catching the first of the mornings rays!

The path then continued (more) up on white gravel…as Alot of this track is…there is a constant crunch crunch of feet and clack clack of walking poles! At this hour mostly mine!

Me and my shadow, today’s companion, heading downhill after the climb…knee still unbraced…and rolling along at a steady Sue pace (slow)

Looking back, the sun was coming over the mountains in the distance and one layer removed…as by 9am the day was already starting to warm up! Just me and the track, and Ken from Taiwan(we compared photos – a big connection) certainly time to smell the roses…

And avoid stepping on these inch long dung? Beetles…(I think that’s what they are.)

Sue and her shadow passed the next marker… the road to Compostela de Santiago is less than 700kms… we are just eating away the miles!

First village…Azofra…almost 6kms in …

Greeted by the livestock pens of roosters and hens..

Spring time in Spain is certainly very colourful..and the plant of choice in this area seems to be roses…here growing up the side of a house…

Welcoming guests at the front door…and…

Planter boxes at every window…I walked on through this village, not stopping, as I was feeling pretty good after my bus day yesterday…to be greeted by modern construction in

Timber…rather an anomaly in these parts where all buildings are stone or brick!

The only wood on the old houses are the (short) doors…I’m guessing the population of old were a much smaller race!

Leaving Azofra to head through to the next village of ciruena (9 kms away) …it was more of the stone chipped paths…and farmland

With the locals walking at my pace…birds cheeping…undulating countryside

The odd roadside waterfall…bees buzzing…and

This cotton ball thing growing on plants…guessing a nest of some sort……more grapevines and crop fields on either side…

Then a very long uphill…to the next village …needless to say…in exposed 28degree sunshine I was once again a hot sweaty mess…90 minute bikram yoga has nothing on this!

Lo and behold at the top of the hill and entrance to Ciruena…we were greeted by the rolling greens of a golf course! No humans partaking in the sport today……but a welcoming sign inviting hot sweaty pilgrims to wine and dine, or coffee and snack at the clubhouse…so we did , luckily, as there was nothing further into the town…and a restroom stop (note this for tomorrow Sue!)

To be honest, this village is a little underwhelming, with newish architecture and townhouses! And very soon we were out into the fields again for today’s homeward straight!

These were super pretty in flowers and sweet peas…kind of looked like a garden rainbow! Knees still rocking on without bandage!!!

Oh yeah…a lot of long straight paths…crunch crunch, tap tap….certainly time to smell the roses! Not a town in sight…

A little frog pond producing lots of croaking sounds…but frogs hiding out of the sunshine I’m sure!

Then behold – over about the 500th hill (ok so I’m exaggerating) there was the town of Santo Domingo de la Calzada in the distance, with a nice selfie of the hot sweaty mess in the foreground!

This area is known, I believe for its Iron…sculptures and bridge construction!

Hitting town…a welcome little fountain …and following the signs into the old town and home for the night…

With the golden arrows (not arches) leading the way!

Another little iron sculpture of a backpacking cyclist- these real life humans on bikes go roaring past us from time to time on the track!

Down the cobbled streets…

To rest in the square…seems to have become a daily habit…I blame Bob (friends from my first week!) although not in a bad way…,at the end of 20kms, we have earned this! I met up with another Camino mate Jans , who I’m catching for dinner in a bit back in the square…

Past the church and checked in…showered and changed…

I want looking for a new suitcase…on google the place was open…but I’m guessing IT hadn’t updated for the summer months…

A great day…sometimes solo is good for the soul (and knees) … just strolling along at 4kms an hour!

Logrono to Nájera – day 8 – 6 kms

With toes almost in blisters and downhill knee not happy and 28 Kms in 30degrees ahead of me, my Camino buddies…encouraged me to take a bus today!!! At €2 a ride it was kind of a no brainer after 7 days on these old feet! This was of course after a beer…and my FMO (fear of missing out) on a nice restaurant dinner with the team at 8pm … so another beer, some local wine and a great dinner…I rolled into bed and slept until 7.35am!!! Sue (2) and I had arranged to meet at breakfast at 7.30am…I was late! As I had to pack up my three legged dog(suitcase who list a wheel yesterday) and have to reception before 8am to be transferred!

Breakfast was rather a non event, so we trucked off and graced the laundromat with our presence! Then met our other two Camino buddies for a coffee before they left for their next destination (not ours!)

Here we are looking bright and chirpy and relaxed…without the footwork ahead of us today!

Stupidly I ordered a cappuccino instead of a latte…and ended up with half a cup of cream and chocolate bits…

Sue and Sue left Betsy and Bob (2nd goodbyes) via the hotel to drop laundry, then strolled through the town towards the bus station!

The choices for kiddie treats in the bakeries is over the top…

A little more than the smiley faces we get in New Zealand! I know three little grandsons who would be in heaven!

Logrono is a really nice city, with a mix of old and new…

On the walk we found a pharmacy…there are lots of them on this route, and treated ourselves to a new more suitable knee brace…ready for our next days on foot! Right next door, an optometrist who fixed Sue’s glasses (a screw thing) and re tightened my sunglasses so they didn’t fall off every time I bent over! No charge and great job!

A mere stroll to the bus station..

And I purchased a €1.94 ticket to my next town of Najera! Leaving around 11.45sm and arriving at 12.15pm – a mere half hour!

As I got off the bus there was a street market in full swing!

Of course worth a wander! To fill in time until 1pm check in!

I then joined the last 100meters of today’s Camino trail en route to my hotel …

This is a very cute town…still open until siesta at 1.30pm…I thought I would look for a replacement suitcase, but none to be found…so my three legged dog will have to go the distance with me!

I did find some postcards and stamps so plonked myself at a bar…

To sip and write! And wile away a bit of the afternoon! As you can see it was a big beer and filled in an hour or so!

I then went in hunt of a postbox….these seem to be not a thing – will check with reception! As I don’t want any extra baggage to lug around…

I think my other two friends have arrived (walking) but no socials so will just go hang out on the street to see if I can catch them…no seriously an early ish dinner and early night to get ready for the next few days! Today was a mere 5.5km stroll total, tomorrow is a different story!

The first week has been everything expected and unexpected – from winter to summer from rain to sunshine…and some great connections with people from all “walks” of life!!!

Los Arcos to Logrono – day 7 – 28kms

“ It will be both glorious and unbearable…Every road is lonely…Every road is holy….The only error is not walking forward” (poem culpable by Joy Sullivan)

Today was all of the above….just know that walking forward with my new Camino Family….

Makes it all worthwhile! Here we are at dinner last night…as 6 are soon to become three! Betsy and Bob take a train tomorrow and Sue 2 (or 1) is having a rest day! My feet are very jealous…that leaves Rosanne and Micki from New Jersey and the kiwi wanderer to hit the long and winding road in the morning….

Today started in Los Arcos for me at 7am…after taking the breakfast coffee and a croissant….i took the chicken sandwich with me for the walk… and yes it walked the 27kms with to end up in the hotel bin in Logroño!

Leaving Los Argos early meant the first couple of hours to the first village of Sansol was in very pleasant conditions…

Meandering through fields and undulating countryside…

About 6kms into the walk I took a foot rest and drank my electrolyte water…then headed to the next village of Torres Del Rio…

This was only actually a couple of kilometres on but the first big down…challenging the knee!!

Here I met up with a young woman ((Mel) from London…who walk with me the rest of the day….the next town (and lunch destination was Viana! A mere 10kms on!

There were a few highs…

A few pilgrim memorials…

Lots of grapevines…the wheat fields seem to have given way to wine making!

The odd bush walk which was a relief as day really warming up as promised!

And around 12.30pm we arrived at Viana…

Here’s the holy bit…

A beautiful church where we could get our Camino passport stamped!!!

Then a foot up lunch break in the square…at this point we could have taken a bus the next 10kms but…as Camino would have it, we met up with the three gals (Rosanne, Micki and Sue 2 or 1) and rallied each other up to make it to the finish line!!!

More vineyards…

A bit of street art in the park…

More wildflowers – and thistle flowers!

Long ascents…longer descents…the unbearable bit….feet starting to scream loudly…and sweat drenched attire! We certainly were an attractive bunch on the homeward slide!

There I am …knee length socks…dripping hair and the rest of a hot mess!

Feet up for a minute while one of the gals took a bush wee! Staring at the city of Logrono! Little did we know there was still a fair bit of pavement pounding before reaching our hotel…but it takes a village and we arrived!!!

Day 7 down, bath and now out for a Beer!

Estella to Los Arcos – day 6 – 22kms

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…

Puente la Reina to Estella – day 5 – 21kms

This morning I left Puente La Reina in northern Spain for my next leg of the Camino Frances trail… around 7.30am….

The Puente stone bridge, where one is supposed to take off shoes and cross barefoot (I was told later)…kind of pleased I didn’t know this at the time as it was still chilly, even though I had donned my shorts in anticipation of the temperature rising during the day!

The overcast morning, with the view from the bridge….meant the water was green and murky!

Leaving town I noticed the locals had also been up early as the laundry was already hung out from the windows…

The path meandered through fields and wild poppies…which seem to grow prolifically in this Navarre area.

The sun was trying to peep through and warm up the day…

Breaking though to highlight the fields of yellow wildflowers! Halfway up the first climb, I can get up with my pilgrim friends Sue, and the Gals from New Jersey … we walked together for a while into the first village..

Of Maneru…an ancient village with another uphill climb entering through the gates…

Cobbled streets and sandstone brick buildings, very reminiscent of my Malta home! we came across a public toilet (yes one only) and all decided we should utilise this facility as the next one could be mikes away!

This convenience area also had the luxury of flying bats!!! Upon leaving this village (on the top of the hill there was a very long descent…

It was at this point that I suggested the girls carry on without me as my knee requires less pace and lots of zig zagging on these stones downhills… the undulation continued as I picked my way through the countryside…

Yes another slow downhill!

Through wheat fields, olive groves, and wild roses…

It was here I caught up with Bob and Betsy, my pilgrims in beer drinking crime from a few nights ago…or rather they caught up with me….

And here we are on Day five, with over a hundred kilometres under our belt! Minus 10 for me as I took a half day bus on day two after my treacherous mountain crossing…

We visited a beautiful Catholic Church… and carried on to Lorca – the coffee break, lunch stop village again high on a hill…I took a coffee and met up with my Dutch dinner companion from last night…whom I left the town with!

And for all you wine lovers….we are heading into vineyard country, with rows and rows of grapevines…in the infant stages of fruiting…

Still wheat fields and still wildflowers and poppies! In the next little village a local was picking cherries from his huge cherry tree and he offered me some….delicious! a young Croatian girl and I walked for the next little while…until another steep decline slowed me down again…do the last few kilometres I walked solo into the town of Estella…underneath these water bridges …

Spanning the countryside from hill to hill…

Another little bridge and alongside a river into town…

Spying this castle on the other side of the river…I cannot find any reference to its history, but it was rather impressive…

The locks that lead to the hydro power plant on the edge of town…

My booked hotel was on the other side of town…and being mid afternoon all was very quiet in the streets…as closed up for the afternoon siesta!

I walked past the chapel of San Andrés, patron saint of the city, which was built in baroque forms in 1706. As I had an extra kilometre to cover…the first bar I could find open(and only 600m from my destination) deserved my patronage! And medication for my knee…

My medication of choice is now san Miguel beer!

I arrived at my hotel after my little sojourn, and reflection upon my 22 km walking day, around 5pm…I love these hotels…they all have baths…perfect for soaking the sore bits and doing another round of washing!

Pamplona to Puente la Reina – day 4 – 24kms

Sometimes what seems like impossible is actually possible…last night with a very sore knee and a cold coming on – I had plan B ready to catch a bus for day four walk!

This morning I thought…not so bad …strap knee and get out there… the forecast for no rain!!

I left Pamplona around 8.15 am …. Found the starting point…,

Followed other backpacking people to clear the city and look for my yellow shell trail for the day…

Within a couple of miles…the countryside opened up with poppies and wildflowers…

I stopped and stripped off a couple of layers as the sun was shining and I was heading uphill!!!

Goodbye to the crazy busy party city of Pamplona and into the wide open spaces of rural northern Spain.

High clouds and skies clearing into the first little village of Cizur Menor…,about 5 kms from Pamplona

And what did I spy…the Maltese cross! A hospital….in the heart of this small village! It was “the sign” my heritage is with me….not long after this I ran into a lady from Michigan who was called Sue too! And was also nursing a bit of a knee injury from our first treacherous day…

The two Sues joined forces and headed south up the hill and away from the city…both intent on smelling the roses!! And taking care of our knees! As we had a 24km walk today…this was the beginning of a great day!!!

A comfortable gradual ascent…towards Alto del Perdon …. The highest point of the day…,

Up hill..,for the first couple of hours – good on the knees!

Looking back to Pamplona as we climbed up to the first village of Zariquiegui..,

Fields of wheat and wildflowers

A snack break, water refill, and a loo stop!!! As the church bells rang out for the 11.30am mass(being a Sunday) …

Another 2.5kms up….

Headed towards the ridge line wind mill farms…

And peaking at the top with the well documented (photographed) steel statues of the pilgrims…

In line with the wind farms windmills… and then what goes ups (Sue and Sue) must come down… a moment I was dreading….

Ahead of us was a 3.3km steep rocky descent…

Starting at the circle of stones…each representing a village in the area..

Carefully navigating this downhill stretch …zigzagging on the path to minimalise the from knee pressure an following the Camino signposts atop either rocks? Why I say are there various piles on rocks on these signs? There are several theories…1. To honour a person who has passed…2. To bring a stone from your home to place and leave your fears and mistakes behind…3. or simply to mark the touts for future pilgrims!

The next village of Uterga … starts with a St Maria (virgin) statue … and meanders through a small village!

Then the next village of Muruzabal … had a very busy garden bar becoming all pilgrims on their final leg for the day…unresistable!! A cold beer on what was now a very warm afternoon!

The other Sue, relaxing on the terrace!

One more village of Obanos…roses in bloom…another field trek..

Wildflowers and poppies… Bordering wheat fields into the homeward stretch with more country colour…

Planter boxes overlooking their homestead!and it was one more (zigzagging) down to the final destination of Puente la Reina…. My hotel first the Sue carried on another Km to hers! We said goodbye and both agreed we had had a great day…compatible in our walking and knee care and curiosity!

Ok so here I check in and the bag transfer had mislaid my bag…a very helpful receptionist track it down to another hotel and said it would be here in 30 mins… at this point I ran into a young chap (welsh) I had met a couple of days ago and joined him and an Englishman for a beer…until my bag arrived … a quick shower and back to join the team..with a Dutchman thrown in to even the odds!

Ready to sleep and face a new tomorrow!

Akerreta to Pamplona – Day 3 – 20 kms…a little longer than anticipated as I got a bit lost getting to my hotel, and being a Saturday….the bars are bursting at the seams…

But let’s go back to the beginning of the day!

I woke to a misty morning – the view from my window…breakfast was at 8am as today was a “short” day of walking…

Had a great dinner at the hotel Akerreta last night with Camino friends Betsy and Bob from Florida! Maybe too many of these…

A 6.5% local beer, tasted great at the time….but I was certainly ready for my freshly squeezed orange juice and coffee at breakfast… I tootled off around 8.30am…and ran into a couple of young chaps I had met on my first day over the mountain….as they roared off into the distance, I picked my way carefully down the hills – trying to take care of my knees!!

Past Wild flowers in the paddocks…

Following the river on still very soggy tracks…but not much rain, just the slight drizzle here and there!

A few raging rapids and river still really high…it was really nice to walk with the sound of the water rushing down beside me.

About an hour in, I crossed to the other side and got a fellow walker to catch me in action! Yes I am actually here somewhere in Spain!

A cool cafe on the side of this bridge, but a little early for my 2nd cup of coffee (as toilets are few and far between)

A little roadside walking before heading back off grid through small villages…

Following the yellow arrows and blue and yellow scallop signs…

Bridges crisscrossing roads and rivers…

The first leg to Zabaldika complete, I then had a gentle descent back towards the river

And walked between the wheat fields and the river.. this was turning into a very pleasant day!

Then as I got nearer to Pamplona…the trail sent me up high….

I’m guessing to get my first glimpse of Pamplona…. I knew what this meant however…if you go up you must come down…and down is what my knees don’t like!

However before the final descent into the city, I spied this little ginger squirrel munching on a nut…a couple of loud French ladies appeared around the corner as I was trying to catch him in action, so I put my finger to my lips and pointed to the little guy…they stopped talking for long enough to take a photo then marched off and turned the volume up again!

I crossed the old stone bridge into the edge of town…

This was the beginning of city walking… having just come down from the hills and realised that final steep, long descent had got my right knee again..

However, I was still 3 kms from my destination and carried on straight through Pamplona new town…followed by what seemed to be a large area of construction sites and paddocks…at this point I met up with a chap from Texas (Dallas) called Ron and we both took a shortcut heading to our respective accommodations… thinking we were very clever and we weren’t, we ended up doubling back to the original route and the only bridge to cross another river into the old town…here we parted ways…as we do on this journey…me to the left, him to the right!

I climbed up another hill, uphill is good – never thought I would say that!!!

With the walls of the old city opening up to the bustling streets of Saturday young people all queueing for drinks and having fun…I found my hotel in the middle of all this madness and had an hour to kill before I could get into my room…I had to get off my feet and found a bakery

And a nice hot cappuccino- as it was now drizzling again and the temperature was barely double digits!

I had a quick look at the main square, devoid of people not wanting to get wet…

However the alleyways and covered terraces were heaving!

A bit much turmoil after my day in nature to be honest! So as soon as I could check in I retired to my room – took a hot bath and hand washed a few bits….the old rolling in a towel, then my new trick of drying with the hairdryer…all my hotels here seem to have hairdryers – which I don’t use on my hair but are great for clothes and wet shoes!!!

I will need to venture out soon as I am hungry! But would like to get a take out and come back to rest my knees in hope that I can do the 24km walk tomorrow!!

Roncesvalles to Akerreta – Day 2 – 8kms

I started the day with a brainwave….as shoes were still soaking from night before…

Some previous guest had kindly left their hair dryer!

Just when I thought it couldn’t get any colder…I woke up this morning, with a sore knee…donned all my walking woolies, strapped the sore bits…fully anticipating a 27km walk through more mountains, looked out the windows and it was snowing….heavily!

So sub zero temperatures! Before breakfast I went for a walk outside to get the feel of chill and slipperyness and gauge whether my knee would handle it!

Yes it was cold and yes it was slippery, but

Kind of beautiful too…this is Roncevalles at its picturesque prettiness! Last night when I arrived it was kind of run down and just grey!

One more snow photo for the road…. Or not…I joined a table for breakfast with an American couple, who informed me a man died on the route I took yesterday and another had a nasty fall and smashed his face, to be rescued off the track by police and paramedics! These people took the low road yesterday (I didn’t know there was another one) and thought I had done very well to complete the mountains in those conditions!

My next decision was easy…I have hundreds of miles ahead of me and today’s route posed a very long slippery downhill before the town of Zubiri…and a bus came through at 9.30…to take me over the mountains….then a gentle 8km (undulating) walk from there to my next destination!

The difficult bit was finding out where the bus left from! Running around in the snow for about an hour I finally found an old Spanish woman who had a friend who could translate for me, that it left from the carpark! (around there!)

Off I trudged, to wait in the carpark…and get very wet and cold by the time 9.30 rolled around!

There was an American man, named John, whose destination was Zubiri, from where I was walking who also figured a bus ride this morning was a good option!

We arrived in Zubiri around 10.30 and went and grabbed a hot coffee…he headed off to his hostel around midday and I hit my Camino for the day (8kms) from here to Akerreta!

Leaving Zubiri to join the Camino trail (rather than follow the (busy) main road,

The sun was peeping out from time to time, however the waters were high …. As I hit the track….

I felt I was walking in a rain forest…as so much water has come down from the mountains…

The paths were rivers and at the lower points there was a bit of fording to do!

This was a little precarious and calf deep and fast running…so it was no haste all care…but saturated shoes again!

A few ups and downs…

And waterfalls on the side! …

An ancient 18th century abbey on my travels…looking rather empty and forlorn.

A bit of street art on the back of someone’s garage!

And roses and arrows showing me “The Way”, possibly not in the biblical sense just yet…it was more like get to my next hotel before the next rain shower swept through!

Too wet for snails…but this big fat slug escaped being trodden on by this kiwi pilgrim!…he was lucky as due to the wet nature of the path I did spend most of today’s walk looking down!

More beautiful Spanish country gardens on my final ascent to my abode for the night…arriving an hour before check in…I donned my Poncho and enjoyed a rest…

Waiting till I saw some life at my hotel, which once again is great (although I am on the 2nd floor and my transferred bag is heavy)

I’m in a very cute rustic room with lots of exposed beams that look like a hundred years old! And yay…I have a bath…albeit a shortish one, so had had a nice hot soak, going to take a beer and order my dinner…I may meet my breakfast companions from Florida, who I think they said they are heading here tonight! I can’t remember their names, oops, I wish every man was called John – that seems to stick on this trail!

St Jean Pied de Port to Roncesvalles – day 1 – 25kms – The Camino Frances….day one of walking!

If I had written this story at 4pm when I arrived in Roncesvalles (Spain) from St Jean pied de Port (the start of my 800km trek), it may have been vastly different….now I have hot showered and filled my tummy (with the only thing that made sense on the menu) a hamburger…I am finally, warm, dry, breathing and not hungry! All I can say is you never get what you signed up for!! So my story begins…

Breakfast at my hotel did not start until 7.30am, and I was ready to go at 7am with an hour before the rain came in to get up the first hill at least, I forewent breakfast knowing I had a pastry, two apricots, nuts and a chocolate bar to snack on before the only eating place on this leg (8 kms away and all uphill)

This guy was watching the idiots clim out of his town, as he probably does every morning. I have to say there were a few of us getting an early start!

Then these guys settling in under a tree for the day, smart move in light of what rolled in around 9am!

The photos I have are from this morning only as after the rain came in …. My phone was buried deep inside the five layers of clothing I had put on this morning – in hope of keeping some warmth going on!

So we just kept going up and up and….

Up more as the sealed road ended and the real tramping deal kicked in….this was about the time the rain came in…and there was another two hours of Up before reaching the Orisson refuge…

The only building in this town…supplying hot drinks (first coffee of the day at 10.20am) soup, sandwiches and hearty food for cold drowned trampers! I took a loo stop here(the only one of the day weather I needed it or not)….they had one loo!

For a moment, while I was waiting for the loo…the rain stopped and it was clear enough to see where we were in the Pyrenees. When I arrived there I was engulfed in rain and cloud so had no idea where I was!

I was only 8kms in to the days 24.5kms…and as I left here…still going up….one foot after the other….this is where the predicted weather rolled in! The next three hours were going up, in howling 100knot winds (almost blowing my walking poles out of my hands!) the fingerless gloves, now wet in the driving hail (which was pricking my face skin) and rain, meant the ends of my fingers were numb with the cold! Luckily inside a thick black sack, in my now wet backpack, were Mums possum gloves! Which saved the day, or at least my fingers from getting frostbite!

I battled on to the sound of flapping ponchos, on other people…a waste if time today as they were almost launching the wearers into the clouds (and everything underneath was wet anyway!) I was just wet, without the threat of becoming Mary Poppins!

We peaked at 1450metres above sea level – at which point I saw the most exciting thing of the day…couldn’t retrieve my camera quickly enough…so I’ll have to paint a word picture….

Just as I was about to hit the 14km mark and nearing the peak of my climb…to my right a flock of Latxa black faced sheep, native to the Spanish Pyrenees, was wandering beside the track…down into a valley….then from above,on the left, a herd of wild Pyrenees horses came thundering down the last ascent, within 50 meters of where I was standing…circling and bucking around for a bit, then ran off down the side of the mountain! There were about 6-8 wonderful looking beasts, obviously trying to keep warm like the rest of us!

The last climb, or so I thought, stopping at the only other refreshment place on this day, a tatty old food truck, selling hot (sachet) drinks, cold boiled eggs and bananas….the food of athletes?? I grabbed a hot coffee…it was terrible but it was hot!!!

So a couple more 1km ups, then the terrain plateaued out for about 5kms followed by a steep 5km decent into Roncevalles…my destination for the day! I was starting to feel the knees by this stage!

Leaving this morning at 7am arriving at 4pm! A nine hour day…possibly due to my fitness level, but definitely weather restricted tentative walking…with at times zero visibility, lots of mud slides, and the super chill factor coupled with soggy clothing!

Nothing a very hot, long shower, full set of dry woolies, a cold beer and food…

The beef burger, which was delicious. I am now lying flat relaxing before another early start. Breakfast here at this hotel is 7am, so I will definitely grab a bite before I head off into another mountainous wet day! (Longer distance but less altitude!)