Vizcarret-Guerendiáin to Zubiri – 10Kms, 13,721 steps
All laced up and ready to go
Roncesvalles to Zubiri is a typical stage but I decided to give my legs a break in the first week by dividing the stage in two. Today, I went to Zubiri, a relatively short distance at 10 Kms, but a challenging walk at times nonetheless. At the end specifically, I went down some steep paths over sharp rocks and large rock slabs – good opportunities for a Camino-ending fall.
It’s always good to know where you’re going
The two long-haulers in our albergue jetted off at dawn and will probably go all the way to Pamplona today. The Irish lasses passed me in the first 20 minutes and disappeared. I caught up with the Aussies and walked with them on and off throughout the day.
A popular architectural embellishment here
The day started off with a nice, long, steep climb out of town and then the beech trees were replaced with pine. The way was mostly on forest paths but not necessarily easier on the feet.
Pastures and contrails
The weather was simply outstanding! Sunny, low humidity, and with a nice breeze. I passed through several smaller villages, ever vigilant for the Camino markers.
Some sections are cement, and some are very worn
The fields are pretty brown now, what with the drought and unusually hot weather. The path had a lot of brown deciduous leaves littering it and other plants were dried out too.
Thorns galore!
The thing about the walk to Zubiri is that the last kilometer or so is really hard. It’s a steep downhill and the path goes over jutting rocks and slabs. As I mentioned earlier, it’s dangerous and requires careful attention to where you’re putting your feet. Imagine my surprise when, in the middle of this section, I found I was sharing it with a herd of cows!
Very large animals on the path
The cows were calm, even shy of me as I passed by, but then they followed and I didn’t want to be crushed by a cow on a descent! They had no problem negotiating the rocky surface with their hooves, probably do it every day. Nonetheless, it as a surprise to encounter them.
Happy to reach Zubiri
I have such horrible memories of how bashed up my feet and legs were when I arrived here in 2019! How nice to arrive in good shape, if tired, this year.
Pilgrims cooling off in the river
I arrived at 12:30 and was pleasantly surprised when the hospitalero let me right into my albergue (usually they open around 2:00). I showered, got my laundry going in a machine, and had lunch. Very civilized.
Tomorrow is my first really long walk, 21 Kms, to Pamplona. There’s a rumor of rain but I have yet to check on that. Thanks for coming along.
Roncesvalles to Vizcarret-Guerendiáin – 12 Kms, 18,390 steps
Too bad the sign is now defaced
Due to the fact that the weather forecast was poor for the the next morning, I went out last night in front of my alberge and took the picture above. That’s the famous 790 Kms sign everyone gets themselves photographed in front of as they leave Roncesvalles. Turns out doing it the night before was a good idea:
The 790 sign is just to the left of this shot
Here’s what the start of the Camino, across the street, looked like at 8:00 AM the next morning: misty, foggy, wet. Everyone suited up in their rain gear and headed out for the next stage. In my case, I put on my Altus poncho, which covers me and my pack. It was misty and damp, but not actually raining, which was promising. Within half an hour, the sun broke through, the mist cleared, and everyone shed their rain gear.
The scallop shell, symbol of the Camino, is everywhere…… as are reminders of the heritage of the area
Today’s walk went through mostly-flat and very welcome forests. I re-experienced an appreciation of the raw beauty of it all; it was almost overwhelming. The huge mossy beech trees inhabit a special world.
“Zona de Perros” means loose dogs in the area
My halfway point today was the town of Espinal and halfway throught it was Bar Keler, a wonderful place to take a break. The exhuberant owner is a real character, who delights in quoting Marcus Aurelius and exhorting us all to connect with our inner selves. He was a bit manic and may have been sampling the espresso too often. Oh, but the food on offer was outstanding. A wide range of tasty stuff in small, perfect-for-pilgrims sizes.
The good stuff, at Bar Keler
I felt bad for the gaggle of young pilgrims I saw who fell for the signs and had stopped short at what was a “vending village”, instead of carrying on a few blocks further to Bar Keler.
I wasn’t the only one having a mid-morning snackThe familiar signs that guide me on my way
How nice it was to just sort of stroll along (though there were a few uphill climbs), knowing I had plenty of time to reach my stop for the day. The town of Vizcarret-Guerendiáin is small but has several nice alberges and Bar Juan, where I had lunch while waiting for the albergue to open.
Lunch: My first Ensalada Mixta of this Camino… but not the last
In my albergue, La Posada Nueva, I met a number of interesting folks. Three senior citizens from Australia (also on their second Camino), two young Irish girls from Kildare, and two long-haul pilgrims: Maurice, an American who started in Paris, and Hendrik, a Dutchman who started near Amsterdam! We had a very pleasant communal dinner.
My legs and feet are tired but doing quite well considering. I’ve been stretching carefully every night and morning. Tomorrow is a taxing but short walk to the riverside town of Zubiri. After that comes a long one, to Pamplona.
Auberge Borda to Roncesvalles – 17 Kms, 17,778 steps
Overnight we had a huge thunderstorm and downpour but, luckily, the weather cleared by morning. After a communal breakfast and general well-wishing, we loaded up our packs and headed out at 8:00 AM.
The view behind me, of mist-shrouded valleys
The walk ahead of us was a little daunting and, in 2019, I did it during terrible weather, so I was really looking foward to doing it again in good weather and enjoying the vistas.
Roadside onlookers!
I soon met up with Margo, a solo hiker from Indiana I met the day before and, as our walking paces matched, we stayed together for the rest of the day. Her husband and daughter are meeting her in Sarria in five weeks and they’ll walk the last 110 Kms together.
I fulfilled my goal of seeing the views! They were awsome. I didn’t take many pctures simply because a photo doesn’t do justice to the scale of the view. Suffice to say the views were magnificent and humbling.
We proceeded through the mountains and I was surprised at how many details and landmarks I remembered from last time. Given that I was walking through fog, sleet, and rain then, it’s amazing how much I registered and retained.
There were a lot of other pilgrims out there with us and even what looked like a few tour groups. The temperature was 70-80 F and there was a good breeze to keep things comfortable. The first half of the day featured lots of uphill climbs, while the second half was all down.
Crossing the international border from France into Spain on foot was a little less formal than, for example, it is at the airport. There was a sign and a “cattle guard” (one of those grills in the ground to keep cows from passing) and that was it. A very refreshing change from the requirements of the last few pandemic years.
He started in Germany!
Near the highest point of the day, we encountered the pilgrim shown above, with his unicycle! That was a “”first” for me.
Over the peak and on the way down
After about four hours, including a break, we came over the final peak and started several more hours of relentless downhill. This was tough on my knees and my legs were pretty rubbery in the last kilometer. But, at last, we arrived at Roncesvalles! Margo said goodbye and we headed for our separate alberges. Mine, La Posada de Roncesvalles, featured air-conditioning and it was worth every penny.
Many alberges bring in extra revenue and make it simple for pilgrims by offering a special-price dinner and breakfast. The fare at La Posada as very good, and the staff was first rate. For dinner, I had a huge salad, a pork knuckle and escalloped potatoes, and cheese cake. Very tasty!
I hand-washed my clothes and hit the rack early. I slept well, though my legs were a bit worn out. Tomorrow is a short, recovery day, only 12 relatively flat Kms.
Tomorrow’s forecast is dicey, we may have to start out in rain gear (never real encouraging) but let’s see what happens.
Saint Jean Pied-de-Port to Auberge Borda – 8Kms, 17,763 steps
At last, with great excitement and an improving weather forecast, I set off from SJPP at 8:00 AM, looking forward to this first, hard stage of my journey. It’s a pretty uphill slog getting out of town but eventually my path gave way to rolling hills and dales.
My destination: the mountainsThe first Camino marker
The streets were empty and quiet as I made my way down the hill to the old city gate, across the bridge, and out of town.
My first stamp, from the Pilgrim Office in SJPP, in my Pilgrim Passport. Many more to follow!
The day before, I made the obligatory stop at the Pilgrim Office in SJPP to get the latest intel on the local route, weather, and tips.
Dawn peeking into farms and villages as I passed along
The weather was really perfect: clear, cool, and with low humidity. I encountered many other pilgrims; they passed me or I passed them. However, the “easy” part of the morning ended after a few hours and the really steep ascent up paved roads started. My aerobic training this summer helped a lot, but it was still quite difficult and I had to stop to get my breath now and then. I had plenty of company doing that.
A view from later in the morning
I was not wiped out, however, by this ascent as I was on my last Camino. I decided to not take a very steep, popular shortcut and stayed on the road, which was more gradual. I saw no other walkers but I met a solitary bicyclist with an amazing story:
Russel, an Englishman from London and an ardent cyclist, caught severe COVID two years ago and was hospitalized for four months. He suffered all sorts of awful physical problems and now has “long COVID”. One of the effects is that he has no short term memory. Yes, just like in those movies, he cannot remember tomorrow what has happened today. He has to leave himself notes and recordings so that he’ll know what happened! Due to this, he lost his Art Gallery business and is now living on disability. His Camino is an attempt to reset his life. Wow! How incredibly brave just to tackle the Camino with such a disability.
Yours Truly at the Orisson Refuge
I finally made it to the Orisson Refuge. I took only three hours and felt much better than my last Camino (last time, the climb wiped me out). I chatted with Robert, who was continuing on over the mountains, and also talked with a couple I met through the Camino forum,
After killing an hour, I made may way one more kilometer up the road to Auberge Borda, a new, small establishment. I stayed at Orisson last time, so I wanted to give the new guy a try. Wow! Borda is a very nice place; modern, clean, and well thought-out. Laurent, the proprietor and only staff, is a former food service manager. He’s done several Caminos on foot and by bike, so he knows what being a pilgrim is all about. He’s funny, clever, and a great cook – staying there included a nice communal dinner, during which we all introduced ourselves.
We slept in dorm-style accomodations at Borda but with separate cubicles, not bunk beds, and it was very comfortable. Everyone was excited about what was to come the next day, our ascent over the Pyrenees to Roncesvalles.
I left Paris aboard the SNCF high-speed train Friday morning and whisked south through Bordeaux, at nearly 200 mph at times, to Bayonne. What a pleasure train travel can be compared to flying!
At Bayonne, I expected to connect to another train to St. Jean Pied-de-Port (SJPP) but found a “special bus for pilgrims” laid on by the railway instead. It sounded interesting, so I boarded the very nice tour bus and we wound our way through the foohills and quaint towns to SJPP, arriving at the train station at the same time the train woud have. Perfect.
There was a Spanish family sitting in front of me on the bus, with a tiny dog in a dog carrier/backpack. I wondered if they were really going to go on the Camino with the dog!
My hotel is on the rue de Citadelle, the main drag through the old town and the route of the Camino itself. The Pilgrim Office, an important source of information and resources, is just up the street. It’s now Saturday and there is an energy and tension in the people passing by, a sense of anticipation. I was out on the front steps this morning at 8:00 AM and wishing “Buen Camino” to those folks heading down the street to begin their walk (or bike ride, in some cases).
The town is the former capital of the region and is a tourist spot. French schools go back into session next week, so this is the last summer holiday weekend and SJPP is jammed. The weather is really nice today, sunny with temps in the 80s. The forecast for the next few days, and my Camino start on Monday, is not so good. It’s a case of hoping the weatherman has gotten it wrong; almost no one gets through the Camino without getting rained on but starting off in the rain kind of dampens the spirit.
The Camino goes down this street to the mountains in the distance
I’m spending today loafing and packing. I’m using a two-bag strategy: I’m wearing my excellent Gregory Zulu 40-litre backpack and having a small duffel bag transported each day. This lets me keep the backpack weight down to a managable 14 pounds (including 4 lbs of water in the hydration bladder) and still access supplies and gear I deem essential. As you may remember, I’m 6’2” and 230 lbs so my clothes, shoes, etc. are larger/heavier than some, and this strategy, based on my last Camino experience, works for me. I’m just lucky that the bag transport services along the Camino are good and reliable.
Disney comes to Saint Jean Pied-de-Port
Continuing Sunday… The good news this morning is that the weather forecast for the next few days is improving. When I went over the mountains in 2019, it was through a hellish storm and I missed all the fantastic views. There now seems to be a chance I’ll see them this year.
I’ve arranged a meet-up this afternoon with some fellow pilgrims who are also starting off tomorrow. I’ve already had some nice conversations over breakfast with pilgrims from Canada, France, and Germany. The comradery of a shared challenge is easily established.
The shame of the French nation!
The next few days will be strenuous and I may not be able to post daily but I’ll catch up ASAP. Hang in there with me and wish me luck!
It’s 2022, the pandemic is sort-of under control, and I’m not getting any younger, folks. These are some of the reasons that I’m embarking in four days on another Camino de Santiago hike, 800+ kilometers across Northern Spain, from France to Santiago de Compostela.
After crossing the Pyrenees, “only” 790 Kms to go!
In 2019, after completing my first Camino, I wrote:
So, what was it all about? The inner stuff, the accomplishment and achievement, the challenge met, sure. I think it was also about the pilgrims I met, and met again later, along the path. There was something spiritual going on there for me. The unlikely connections and can’t-be-random interactions with people from all over the world kept me in tune with the special moment of what I was doing on the Camino. This walk also came at a transitional time in my life, my retirement, and that colored my views and conversations, too.
It was a special achievement for me and I’m going to do it again. This time, I’m taking longer to do it and, hopefully, can spend more time appreciating the experience. Here are some links you may find useful this year:
If you want to know what I’m taking with me, the basics are the same as in 2019: What To Pack
Beautiful days on trails around Canterbury, UK
To prepare, I spent three mild, summer months in Canterbury, UK, walking the many footpaths and trails in the area. I broke in my new boots and reacquainted myself with all my gear, in really idyllic circumstances. I also spent 60-90 minutes most mornings in a local gym, lifting weights and building endurance. Paraphrasing Tricky Dick (the late president Richard Nixon), “I’m rested, tanned, and ready”.
Subject to the rigors of the trail and the limitations of sometimes-spotty hostel Wi-Fi, I’ll attempt once again to document my journey here daily. I thank you in advance for joining me. Cheers.
When I realized that I’d be in Canterbury in early August, I knew I had to attend the UK’s biggest beer event: The Great British Beer Festival. The GBBF, a week-long event, showcases almost 1,000 cask ales, craft beers, real ciders, perries, and wines. I attended back in 2008, when I lived in Reading, UK, and I had a ball. I wasn’t going to miss this opportunity.
First, you must understand the event’s organizer: CAMRA (the Campaign for Real Ale). CAMRA is dedicated to the British beer industry (though it’s a private organization and is not owned by any huge brewers) and the preservation of the English pub. That last bit is important, because one UK pub goes out of business every single day. Some of that is down to the pandemic, but it was happening before COVID, too, as a result of government regulation and predatory industry practices. CAMRA helps pubs survive and lobbies the government extensively to prevent beer taxation. Putting it into an American context, I like to think of it as the “NRA of Beer”. Yes, I have been a member since 2008, when I first attended CAMRA’s famous Reading Beer Festival.
This year’s GBBF is being held in the Olympia Exposition Center, near Hammersmith, in west London. I took an hour-long train ride from Canterbury to London St. Pancras station and then a 25-minute taxi ride to get there. London Black Cab drivers are never boring to talk to and mine did not disappoint. One gave me the low-down on the woes of getting driver’s insurance when you’re 70+ years old, and the other was driving while waiting for his television show script deal to come through!
Olympia is a vast space with two big halls and, in it, the GBBF featured 18 bars offering beverages grouped by categories, food stalls, and merchandise vendors. For example, all the beers, some 65 of them, from the US were served at the “Statue of Liberty” bar. Hmm – so many beers, so little time. I consulted the online beer list the previous evening and made a plan. Well, one had to, or risk being lost.
One of the two Olympia halls
Where all the U.S. beers were served, including Heavy Seas, Sam Adams, and Stone
It’s important to lay in a good foundation before starting to drink at these affairs, so I went to the Handmade Cornwall Pasties booth and bought a “Moo and Blue” (that’s steak and Stilton cheese) pasty:
The huge “Moo and Blue” didn’t disappoint
There were also plenty of other food offerings, including traditional English “pies”, shawarmas, cheeses, sausages, “Bombay Street Food”, and more.
What an enormous variety of pies!
In case you’re confused about what meal I was having
And then, it was off to the bars! I may be a rare breed, but I’m surely not alone: the sight of hundreds of beer handles just gives me goose bumps and makes my mouth water.
That’s a view down just 3 of 18 bars!
Started off with St. Austell Brewery’s Tribute
My entrance ticket included a real souvenir Imperial pint glass. Beers were sold in full-, one half-, and one third-pint servings, which was great for sampling. My entrance ticket also included £15 of beer tokens.
In case the pint glass was not to your liking, you could go native with the purchase of a Viking Drinking Horn:
Probably not marked for 1/3 and 1/2 pint servings
Each day of the GBBF has a theme and the day I attended, Thursday, was “Wacky Hat Day”. In 2008, I saw large groups of people wearing amazing hats and there was some kind of team competition. This year, there were fewer hats (although perhaps they appeared later in the day) but there were some amusing specimens:
About the beer: I had some old favorites and a few new ones, some of which were not that great. My beer list follows:
Timothy Taylor: Landlord 4.3% (always a winner)
St. Austell: Tribute 4.2% (ditto)
Harveys: Sussex Best Bitter and Armada Ale (both meh)
Downton: Honey Blonde 4.3% (very nice)
Five Points: Best Bitter 4.1% (okay)
Surrey Hills: Shere Drop 4.2% (last year’s Champion Beer, very nice)
The volunteers manning the pumps were pretty casual about the servings – several times I received a half- when I asked for (and was charged for) a third-pint. Sounds good but maybe not if you’re trying to avoid seeing double by the afternoon’s end.
For those keeping count, I only had one half- or one third-pints and, as a result, I didn’t fall on my ass getting into the taxi going back to St. Pancras station. Which happened about three happy hours after I arrived.
What a nice event. Special thanks to all of the CAMRA volunteers who manned the pumps, served as stewards, and generally made it all happen. I had several long conversations with fine, beer-loving folks, and enjoyed some great traditional English ale and food. If you’re ever in or near London in early August, you should put the GBBF on your schedule in future.
The Canterbury Roman Museum was closed due to COVID the last time I stayed here. It’s reopened now, so a visit was in order. The museum is small and below-ground, and geared toward engaging children, but there were some exhibits of interest to me. It’s built on the site of an ancient Roman townhouse.
The Cathedral looms in the background outside the Roman Museum
According to the museum, the town was home to the Cantiaci tribe. The Romans showed up around 43 AD and, over the centuries, developed the town. They renamed it “Durovernum Cantiacorum”. It was located at an important crossroad and was a strategic location, so the Romans applied all of their usual improvements.
What it looked like around 350 AD
A large religious and administrative complex was soon established, including a forum, a basilica, a temple enclosure, and a theater. The theater, originally built around 80 AD, was totally rebuilt in the early 3rd century. It was probably associated with religious festivals as much as the dramatic arts. The public baths were just to the northeast. The town was enclosed by defensive walls in the late 3rd century and was given single-arched gateways.
Oysters, anyone?
Industries included brick, tile and pottery production, as well as bronze working. There were many commercial shops, notably a baker’s shop with donkey-driven millstone. Cemeteries outside the town appear to have continued in Christian use and St Martin’s Church appears to be built around an old Roman mausoleum which stood in one of these.
Durovernum seems to have survived in good order until the Roman administration left, around 410 AD. After that, its decline was rapid. Mercenaries were hired to defend the town but they revolted. By the time of the Battle of Aylesford in the mid-5th century, the Jutes had taken over the area. The town became known in Old Welsh as Cair Ceint (“Fortress of Kent”) and in Old English as Cantwareburh (“Kentish Stronghold”), which developed into the modern “Canterbury”.
As was common practice, eventually the predecessor of the modern Canterbury Cathedral was built atop the site of the Roman temple.
The museum has on display several floor mosaics discovered when the building was being excavated (Canterbury was badly bombed during WWII). Some of these were left in situ and are accompanied by an excellent explanation of how they were created. Wall paintings and the foundations of an under-floor heating system were also discovered. All of these can be seen through glass windows today.
Given the size of the Roman town, the modern museum has a surprisingly small number of artifacts on display. However, its explanations of the various aspects of Roman life are clear and well-presented.
Like many museums committed to stimulating children, there is a large “Please Touch” room, with replica helmets and clothing. There is no separate Gift Shop, just a small display of items for sale near the ticket booth. The museum web site is here: https://canterburymuseums.co.uk/canterbury-roman-museum/
I’ve taken the fast, modern train from London to Canterbury several times in my travels. After my latest trip, it occurred to me that the train continues on and terminates a half an hour later at the beach town of Margate. A trip to Margate, at $8 roundtrip, to see the Brits at the beach was definitely in order.
Wikipedia reports that “Margate is a seaside town on the north coast of Kent in south-east England. The small town is 16 miles north-east of Canterbury, has been a significant maritime port since the Middle Ages, and was associated with Dover in the 15th century. It became a popular place for holidaymakers in the 18th century, owing to easy access via the Thames, and later with the arrival of the railways. Popular landmarks include the sandy beaches and the Dreamland amusement park. During the late 20th century, the town went into decline along with other British seaside resorts, but attempts are being made to revitalize the economy.”
When I was doing a little pre-trip research, two things struck me about Margate. First, it has one of the best beaches in the UK, because it’s a sand beach. Yes, beach sand is not usual here; UK beaches are generally made up of small stones. So, getting some “sand between your toes” is apparently a novel experience. And, the main Margate beach includes something I’d never seen before: a tidal swimming pool.
This is a very large concrete-sided swimming pool plunked right down on the beach and, owing to the big tides, it’s overrun and filled with sea water twice a day. It looks like quite the swimming experience, only six-feet deep at most, and quite calm.
Other than that, Margate is a typical beach town. It has all the amusements, casinos, fast food, and souvenir shops you might expect and a main drag along which folks can “cruise”, showing off their hot cars, convertibles, and motorcycles.
This magnificent tower was built in 1887 to celebrate Queen Victoria’s Golden Jubilee
The beach itself has many rental and food vendors. You can rent beach chairs, umbrellas, and even “wind protection”, aka the cloth fencing shown below that many people use to fence off their section of beach.
It was a very popular day for going to the beach, what with a national heat emergency declared for later in the week. Brits flocked to the shore to enjoy the sun and the light breeze.
Beach towns are full of graffiti and strange art, and Margate was no different. As I made my way back to the train station, I passed some interesting art displayed in the window of a house. It was emphatic, as it appeared in the windows on both floors. Your guess is as good as mine:
And so, to Canterbury. It seems fitting that I should be spending the summer of 2022 here, in what was once a major pilgrimage destination, while training for another go at the Camino de Santiago pilgrimage route in Spain. There’s good, ancient pilgrim karma here.
I’m staying at the same beautiful Airbnb that I stayed in back in 2020. Canterbury is a nice little town and the manageable summer tourist-season crowds are a welcome sign of post-pandemic economic recovery. I have a relaxing view of the river and a wildlife area from my balcony, yet I’m within easy walking distance of all the local amenities and sights.
Canterbury is also a nexus of national biking and hiking trails, making it ideal for my training purposes. The (so far) mild English summer was also one of the reasons I selected this town.
The question has come up: isn’t one Camino enough, why are you doing it again? Well, the perfectionist in me wants to do it again while applying all the lessons learned from my first trek in 2019. And I suppose I think that I’ll be better able to appreciate the experience, absent so many of the unknowns of the first time. Finally, it was a fantastic, life-altering experience; who wouldn’t want to do it again?
Briefly, my training includes weight work in the gym most mornings and hikes most afternoons. I’m slowly building my hiking distances and have the luxury of being able to experiment with a range of gear and strategies. The Camino is not a marathon – my average daily walk in Spain will be but 12 miles – but it does require mental and physical toughness to do it day after day for more than seven weeks, through sun and rain, heat and cold. I’m building that here and I’m all in. My next Camino begins August 29th.
Although England is behaving as if COVID is over, case counts are really climbing here. Same for Europe, with the French openly referring to a “7th Wave” now. I’m aware that my two vaccinations and two boosters may not protect me, so I’m taking a very conservative approach: I still wear a mask indoors in public (yes, including at the gym), I still only eat at restaurants with outdoor seating, and I still practice social distancing. It will be a challenge in the communal settings of the Camino hostels.
Over the next month or so, I’ll be back-filling my posts here. If you want to see what we’ve been up to for the last nine months prior to coming to England, check them out. Marti and I were in Barcelona, Cyprus, Greece, Paris, and the U.S. during our travels. Cheers.
The Occasionally-Examined Life 