Week 1 – To Pamplona

I always step off from Saint Jean Pied-de-Port with high hopes for clear weather and wonderful mountain views as I cross the Pyrenees. I’m imagining a nice picnic at the half-way point, looking across vast valleys, under a pleasant sun. And that’s exactly how it worked out… last time.

This year, however, I got none that. My first two days, up over the mountains, were accompanied by hard rain, dense fog, flodded trails, and soaked gear. The best that can be said is that it was in the 50s, so not freezing. Whoopee!

I spent the first night at Borda again. This is a nice albergue and a good place to rest for those of us not inclined to make the trek all the way to Roncesvalles the first day. It’s also a good place to meet others in your “wave” of pilgrims setting out on the Camino Frances.

Last Camino I distinctly remember walking parts of the trail and thinking “this would turn into an awful stream bed if it was raining”. I wasn’t wrong! Add wet rocks, leaf mush, and mud, and there were places that I felt were very dangerous. In fact, I got to within 1 Km of Roncesvalles before I slipped and fell going down some rocks. By that time, my legs were very tired and fatigue took its toll. I was sooo lucky that I wasn’t injured.

Nonetheless, I made it to Roncesvalles, managed to dry out almost everything overnight, and set off for my easy “short day” walk to Viskarret. The next day was much longer, to Zubiri. The sun came out, the breeze came up, and life was good. The trail, of course, was still a mess in places and the steep descent into Zubiri in wet, muddy conditions was frightening. I took another spill and wound up with what later became a world-class bruise down my arm. Nothing broken or sprained but my ego, so again I was lucky.

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The next day, it was a long but dry and uneventful walk into Pamplona (my iPhone said 38,000 steps) and I’m happy to have a rest day here. I enjoyed pintxos (tapas) on Estafeta Street last night and I met some nice fellow pilgrims here. I’m looking forward to a foot and leg massage this morning, then to enjoying a relaxing time around town for the rest of the day.

I’m staying at a nice albergue, Casa Ibarrola, where I’ve stayed twice before. It’s a bunk-room-style accommodation but each bed has its own “capsule” and some privacy. Also, the sleeping area is air conditioned. The two brothers that run the place are great fun and it’s another good opportunity to make friends with other pilgrims that I’ll probably see on the trail in the coming days.

Tomorrow starts a week of long walks every day, but with good weather. Heading out of Pamplona in the morning, I’ll have a long climb up to the wind turbines on the ridge overlooking town, followed by a long descent on the other side to get to Puente de la Reina. I’ll check back in next week. Thanks for coming along!