Cizur Menor to Mañeru

Deciding to wait for the sun to rise before setting out this morning proved to be a good decision. Not only did it provide clear waymarkers (which I wouldn't have seen otherwise), but walking through open fields under a clear blue sky energised me. This helped to overcome the pain that persisted in my left knee.

The ascent leading up to the Alto de Perdón was a minor challenge, mostly due to the loose gravel and uneven ground conditions, but the views provided looking back on Cizur Menor and surrounding areas were definitely worth it. The statues at the pinnacle depicting medieval pilgrims was something that I had wanted to see for years. The inscription at the statue reads "Where the way of the wind meets the way of the stars".

Descending towards Uterga seemed a bit of a long slog, with my knee repeatedly protesting to the added effort required to provide stability. The Gods of Ibuprofen, Voltaren and a knee brace were smiling on me, and a cappuccino was my reward at the Uterga cafe.

Arriving in the town of Puente la Reina meant making a decision about whether to stay here for the night, or push on to the town of Mañeru. After an early but hearty dinner, and walk along the beautiful 6-arched Romanesque bridge, it was decided to walk the extra hour onto Mañeru.

Tonight's albergue is an old 17th Century building, packed full of charm and delightful hosts. A Belgian pilgrim kindly offered to teach me a song about the Camino (not sure which language he was using), so I politely excused myself.

It has been said the the Camino presents pilgrims with three personal challenging stages; the physical, the mental, and the spiritual. Given that I only have 3 weeks to walk, I'm hoping that the physical stage passes relatively soon, and the mental processing can happen without being distracted by how various parts of my body are feeling.

Looking forward to visiting the Irache monastery tomorrow. I'd like to say that this is for religious or cultural purposes, but to be honest it has something to do with the fountain that provides red wine.

Steps: 37,700
Distance: 23.9km
Total Distance walked from St-Jean: 97.6kmLæs mere