Day 3, Zubriri to Pamplona

We began today’s 20+ km walk at the reasonable hour of 8AM.  The five of us walk well together and are each able to have quiet time to contemplate our individual journeys, while having companions to chat and laugh with during the breaks or times when it gets a bit rough.

We walked through to Zuriain before stopping for a food and relaxation, having passed through some lovely hillside villages and a long path alongside the Rio Arga.  There was one pretty steep part and all of our feet have begun to feel the cumulative effect of over 20 km per day of walking, often over rough terrain.  But it was a beautiful day, and we had some laughs and fun along the way.  In Irotz we found a lovely little cafe with pizza ovens and house made orange juice which was perfect for us at the time.  The weather is sunny and hot, so we find the need to take more frequent moments of shady rest.

We added Karen from Belgium somewhere along the way, and so we carried on through Arre and Burlada as six.  The French gates to Pamplona were a welcome sight as the last 5 km was very long for all of us.  The others had a difficult time with a place to stay, but prevailed in the end with some help from the tourism office.  I met Keith and Lynn for dinner (the Brits from Bayonne), and May (from the bicycle) joined for tapas, quite early by Spanish standards.  We met some people from Australia over vino and and I happily back at my relatively posh hotel soaking my feet as I write tonight.

Tomorrow is another 24 km to Puente la Reina, with one terribly steep incline and downhill.  Hopefully my feet will keep up, and the weather looks like it will hold.

Enjoy the pics and remember 9/11.

Rio Arga along the Camino

Markers and tributes all along the path

Resting on medieval bridge over the rio Arga

Pamplona at night – crazy street scene