Day2 Spain Arre - Puente La Reina 32km
Had long lie in and slow leisurely breakfast and restful getting together of kit in the garden, by the time i finally left it was almost 8.30!!!!! Lovely morning walking through cool deserted streets into and through the historic centre of Pamplona without any stampeding bulls to dodge, turns out this only happens once a year.
Picked up a couple of loaves at the Panaderia and tied them to my backpack, then got my credencial stamp at the university by reaching up to hand it to a man leaning out of a window who disapeared for a few minutes then dropped it back down to me, this is how it is done. Discovered ´stroopenwafel´ , something i never would have anticipated happening today, at a rest stop set up by a dutch couple in a van at the top of a hill, their drinks and snacks were plentiful for a small donation. Big hill today called Alto del Perdon at the top of which is a windswept looking sculpture of pilgrims on the camino. Fortunately the sun was shining and this was not harsh windswept spot for today at least so i plonked myself down under a giant wind turbine and had my lunch loaves. Very steep going on way down this afternoon and the thermometer was pushing 30......it was not supposed to be this hot!! Passed a japanese woman who was slightly jogging to keep up with her headstrong daughter who marched on ahead. I thought it was going to be a little harsh on the mother to get all the way to santiago in this manner but the daughter was also carrying a full size 780page Spanish guidebook and i had to admire her for that...it´s got to be well over a kilo!
The alburgue this evening was in a lovely peaceful spot above the bridge at Puente La Reina....had i known it would be 500 metres up a steep hill at the end of the day and none of those metres were on the official camino i might have slept on the bridge.....but the strength in their power showers rendered them forgiven for the location.
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Friday, 24 September 2010
Crossing Over
Day1 Spain...Roncesvalles to Arre de Trinidad 40km
So, after such exertions yesterday climbing the Pyrenees and all, word on the camino was to take it easy today and not overdo things so early on. This i translated into thinking a 40km day was quite a reasonable undertaking. Still no monks when the lights went on at 6......kindly they had them on a dimmer switch system so you had about 10minutes before the full 150watt solar blast hit you.Even being the last to leave at 7.30am it was still dark and i was not so enthralled with this keeness to leave while the stars were still out. Apart from anything else it was nigh on impossible to find the bloody way and semi asleep pilgrims were walking round in circles in all directions. Saw small french lady, Francoise, this morning in a small town called Burguete. Given my random sightings of her in places she should not be i was beginning to think she kept hopping on the bus, which of course is highly frowned upon in pilgrim circles. Pushing on i passed two german girls who were making about 4 miles a day with plentiful ice cream stops, they were very sweet but i doubted i would see them again. Arriving in Arre, a few miles from Pamplona i was welcomed into another monastery building with chapel inside and beds upstairs. Brother Jacob signed me in, stamped my credencial and showed me around with unfaltering enthusiasm for pilgrims and the camino. I was so pleased to have gone the distance today as this was such a gem of a place to spend the night. Drank tea endlessly for the remainder of the day.
So, after such exertions yesterday climbing the Pyrenees and all, word on the camino was to take it easy today and not overdo things so early on. This i translated into thinking a 40km day was quite a reasonable undertaking. Still no monks when the lights went on at 6......kindly they had them on a dimmer switch system so you had about 10minutes before the full 150watt solar blast hit you.Even being the last to leave at 7.30am it was still dark and i was not so enthralled with this keeness to leave while the stars were still out. Apart from anything else it was nigh on impossible to find the bloody way and semi asleep pilgrims were walking round in circles in all directions. Saw small french lady, Francoise, this morning in a small town called Burguete. Given my random sightings of her in places she should not be i was beginning to think she kept hopping on the bus, which of course is highly frowned upon in pilgrim circles. Pushing on i passed two german girls who were making about 4 miles a day with plentiful ice cream stops, they were very sweet but i doubted i would see them again. Arriving in Arre, a few miles from Pamplona i was welcomed into another monastery building with chapel inside and beds upstairs. Brother Jacob signed me in, stamped my credencial and showed me around with unfaltering enthusiasm for pilgrims and the camino. I was so pleased to have gone the distance today as this was such a gem of a place to spend the night. Drank tea endlessly for the remainder of the day.
Sunday, 19 September 2010
BreakyourBack Mountain
Day 3 France
SJPP to Roncesvalles.....AKA The Big One
kilometrage : 27.4 stan balls : big 0, sorry stan, nothing in these hills but sheeps to chase.
Ok, todays the day. On Camino de Santiago proper i have to get over these Pyrenees hills things. The climb of 4000feet uphill looks quite severe on the makeshift map i picked up in SJPP, i´ve never seen a 85degree incline or 9 in 10 hill or 88% gradient on any map.....surely this is a printing error, it just cannot be this steep. To add to the trepidation it is dark, wet, foggy and cold this morning but feeling in fine fettle (as they say) i schlep off.......right after my 2euro pilgrim breakfast!! Turns out the map was erring on the slightly melodramatic side and it really was not that steep at all or then again it is impossible to tell when you can only see 20metres ahead. The way was very clear and well marked though and i worried not about my lack of navigation equipment. i.e. a decent map. I could only imagine how incredibly breathtaking the views from here must be, i literally could only imagine, as i said the ´vis´was down to 25metres or so. My fears of losing my way in this weather were unfounded and i was glad i chose the ´high pass´route despite the lack of available scenery. The advice had been that in very bad weather or in bad weather not to take this route but march along the main road thru the valley with the hertz car rental crowd. I suspected it could not be really classed as ´very bad weather´ as there was no snow or biting winds but it may have fallen under ´bad weather´. The only other life around aside from 2 irish ladies on a weeks walking holiday consisted mostly of cow bell clad sheep and a couple of horses which i thought looked rather cold. One very strange creature did run past which i believe was a dog but it seemed pretty inbred as it had a pigs snout for a nose.....didn´t try to bite me though so i´m not one to judge.
At the top of the pass a very hardy man was living in a van for 3 months in order to dispense hot tea to weary walkers. What a welcome sight - he shone through the mists like an angel of refuge and i enjoyed a few wonderful minutes sheltering with him under his tarpaulin and sipping hot fragrant tea until it really started to throw it down and the pigdog came back so the magic was broken.
I arrived in Roncesvalles quite early, basically down to the fact i had no desire at any point to stop walking and do anything else since it was so wet, i even skipped lunch so my squashed and wet demi baguette and emergency kit kat will do nicely for a delicious supper before i bed down in the monastery refugio with a bunch of smelly boots and snoring pilgrims. Disappointed i haven´t seen any suitably robed monks yet, though they hold a mass at 8pm so might get into their work uniform for that i guess.
SJPP to Roncesvalles.....AKA The Big One
kilometrage : 27.4 stan balls : big 0, sorry stan, nothing in these hills but sheeps to chase.
Ok, todays the day. On Camino de Santiago proper i have to get over these Pyrenees hills things. The climb of 4000feet uphill looks quite severe on the makeshift map i picked up in SJPP, i´ve never seen a 85degree incline or 9 in 10 hill or 88% gradient on any map.....surely this is a printing error, it just cannot be this steep. To add to the trepidation it is dark, wet, foggy and cold this morning but feeling in fine fettle (as they say) i schlep off.......right after my 2euro pilgrim breakfast!! Turns out the map was erring on the slightly melodramatic side and it really was not that steep at all or then again it is impossible to tell when you can only see 20metres ahead. The way was very clear and well marked though and i worried not about my lack of navigation equipment. i.e. a decent map. I could only imagine how incredibly breathtaking the views from here must be, i literally could only imagine, as i said the ´vis´was down to 25metres or so. My fears of losing my way in this weather were unfounded and i was glad i chose the ´high pass´route despite the lack of available scenery. The advice had been that in very bad weather or in bad weather not to take this route but march along the main road thru the valley with the hertz car rental crowd. I suspected it could not be really classed as ´very bad weather´ as there was no snow or biting winds but it may have fallen under ´bad weather´. The only other life around aside from 2 irish ladies on a weeks walking holiday consisted mostly of cow bell clad sheep and a couple of horses which i thought looked rather cold. One very strange creature did run past which i believe was a dog but it seemed pretty inbred as it had a pigs snout for a nose.....didn´t try to bite me though so i´m not one to judge.
At the top of the pass a very hardy man was living in a van for 3 months in order to dispense hot tea to weary walkers. What a welcome sight - he shone through the mists like an angel of refuge and i enjoyed a few wonderful minutes sheltering with him under his tarpaulin and sipping hot fragrant tea until it really started to throw it down and the pigdog came back so the magic was broken.
I arrived in Roncesvalles quite early, basically down to the fact i had no desire at any point to stop walking and do anything else since it was so wet, i even skipped lunch so my squashed and wet demi baguette and emergency kit kat will do nicely for a delicious supper before i bed down in the monastery refugio with a bunch of smelly boots and snoring pilgrims. Disappointed i haven´t seen any suitably robed monks yet, though they hold a mass at 8pm so might get into their work uniform for that i guess.
Friday, 17 September 2010
SJPP
day something or other...day 2 in france
So, the hills are starting to get bigger now as i get to the foothills of the Pyrenees, around each new corner i am greeted by a mixture of 'wow' along with slightly ominous foreboding of what lay ahead. These mountains are all well and good whilst skirting around them but soon, very soon, i am going to have to go over !!! Reached St Jean Pied de Port, (SJPP) such a gorgeous little place and it is a good thing i cannot carry another gram as this gorgeous little place is filled with gorgeous little shops brimming with gorgeous little things to buy and i fear a shopping frenzy might have otherwise occurred. I have now seen clues of other pilgrim types around......the squeak of new walking boots coming around a corner and shiny fresh 'jack wolfskin' cargo trousers abound here in SJPP. This influx of ´pilgrims´ however has given rise to the ´menu peligrin´ , a special 3 course bargain evening chow down for pilgrims only, just show your blistered feet as proof and out comes all the flan you can eat.happy days..
So, the hills are starting to get bigger now as i get to the foothills of the Pyrenees, around each new corner i am greeted by a mixture of 'wow' along with slightly ominous foreboding of what lay ahead. These mountains are all well and good whilst skirting around them but soon, very soon, i am going to have to go over !!! Reached St Jean Pied de Port, (SJPP) such a gorgeous little place and it is a good thing i cannot carry another gram as this gorgeous little place is filled with gorgeous little shops brimming with gorgeous little things to buy and i fear a shopping frenzy might have otherwise occurred. I have now seen clues of other pilgrim types around......the squeak of new walking boots coming around a corner and shiny fresh 'jack wolfskin' cargo trousers abound here in SJPP. This influx of ´pilgrims´ however has given rise to the ´menu peligrin´ , a special 3 course bargain evening chow down for pilgrims only, just show your blistered feet as proof and out comes all the flan you can eat.happy days..
Thursday, 16 September 2010
Bonjour
La France
I decided that what was going to happen on this venture was that my body was going to completely break down and fall apart and then decide 'Ok then, this is what we are doing' and put itself back together to emerge stronger and fitter on the other side.....well, the first part was true.
To be fair after a day and a half rest i feel almost back to normal and everything that stung and blistered and scratched and fell off is beginning to heal up nicely. I am not naive enough to believe that it won't happen again yet, but it will be a joy to walk on happy healthy feet again for as long as it lasts.
As my feet hit France it was a glorious day and just a little on the hot side for anything much more strenuous than sitting in a park, on the beach or in a cafe. But walk i must and following the (long) length of a very pretty small river i, along with the river, meandered south and upwards towards Saint Jean Pied de Port.This was fantastic countryside. My dodgy grasp of french is getting me by, the locals being exceptionally patient and helpful and generally 'unfrench' by stereotype. Just one more day before the Pyrenees!!!
I decided that what was going to happen on this venture was that my body was going to completely break down and fall apart and then decide 'Ok then, this is what we are doing' and put itself back together to emerge stronger and fitter on the other side.....well, the first part was true.
To be fair after a day and a half rest i feel almost back to normal and everything that stung and blistered and scratched and fell off is beginning to heal up nicely. I am not naive enough to believe that it won't happen again yet, but it will be a joy to walk on happy healthy feet again for as long as it lasts.
As my feet hit France it was a glorious day and just a little on the hot side for anything much more strenuous than sitting in a park, on the beach or in a cafe. But walk i must and following the (long) length of a very pretty small river i, along with the river, meandered south and upwards towards Saint Jean Pied de Port.This was fantastic countryside. My dodgy grasp of french is getting me by, the locals being exceptionally patient and helpful and generally 'unfrench' by stereotype. Just one more day before the Pyrenees!!!
Light at the End of the first tunnel
Looe to Plymouth
mileage : 16 grammage : -22 (more maps gone) balls4stan : 0 sore bits : bloody feet (not quite literally)
A clear sky and sunshine streaming through my breakfast window spelt a hot sweaty day on the path. My landlady this morning was considerably chipper and quite sober which was a nice surprise as i had quite suspected her to be nowhere to be found this morning so her alert presence meant that i would both be getting breakfast and not having to climb out of a window to get out of the building, a very welcome start. After a quick compeed stop at Boots i was climbing out of Looe and back onto the coastal path. Having told my brain that today was a steady 16 miles and therefore an easy breeze into Plymouth this information was of course relayed to my body which then did not take too kindly to the constant up and down vigours of the coast path. If a challenge was set to create a route that could continously climb from sea level to the highest point in the vicinity and then straight back down again whilst also making sure you walked three sides of a square to get from any one place to another then the coast path had it down. But, of course, it is a beautiful walk and the scenery just stunning. My weary legs perked up considerably when the first glimpses of Plymouth came into view and as this leg of my foot journey came to an end as i passed through Mount Edgecombe Park and hopped onto the Cremyl ferry i still couldn`t quite believe i had walked the length of Cornwall. As i had looked back at the furthest speck of headland in the distance, which may or may not have been lizard point it seemed impossible to have walked so far. My feet on the other hand found it quite easy to believe.
mileage : 16 grammage : -22 (more maps gone) balls4stan : 0 sore bits : bloody feet (not quite literally)
A clear sky and sunshine streaming through my breakfast window spelt a hot sweaty day on the path. My landlady this morning was considerably chipper and quite sober which was a nice surprise as i had quite suspected her to be nowhere to be found this morning so her alert presence meant that i would both be getting breakfast and not having to climb out of a window to get out of the building, a very welcome start. After a quick compeed stop at Boots i was climbing out of Looe and back onto the coastal path. Having told my brain that today was a steady 16 miles and therefore an easy breeze into Plymouth this information was of course relayed to my body which then did not take too kindly to the constant up and down vigours of the coast path. If a challenge was set to create a route that could continously climb from sea level to the highest point in the vicinity and then straight back down again whilst also making sure you walked three sides of a square to get from any one place to another then the coast path had it down. But, of course, it is a beautiful walk and the scenery just stunning. My weary legs perked up considerably when the first glimpses of Plymouth came into view and as this leg of my foot journey came to an end as i passed through Mount Edgecombe Park and hopped onto the Cremyl ferry i still couldn`t quite believe i had walked the length of Cornwall. As i had looked back at the furthest speck of headland in the distance, which may or may not have been lizard point it seemed impossible to have walked so far. My feet on the other hand found it quite easy to believe.
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