Day 34 Urdos to Canfranc, 28k

It poured rain last night and it was still raining when all four alarms rang in our room at 6:00. So no one jumped out of bed. It was a long, long day. I’m trying to think if it might be one of the longest. I left at 7:40 and did not get here, Canfranc pueblo, until about 5:30.

10 hours (minus breaks!), more than 1000 metres elevation gain, wet feet in the first ten minutes, having to walk through swollen streams — it was something! I had Laurie’s track from last year though I still managed to lose the markings TWICE in the first 20 minutes.

It was good though. Clouds, rain, sun. The climbing was more gradual (mostly) than I thought it would be. Lots of nice forest track, a bit of meadow near the top.

But the main impression of the day was water. So much water everywhere. Le Gave d’Aspe, the river I was following for the past few days, was blasting, it had turned from blue/grey to red/brown, full of soil (full of iron) from up the mountain. And the noise! I hardly ever take videos (except of the dogs) but I took about 5 or 6 videos today of these exceptionally full and fast rivers and streams. By the end of the day I really wanted not to hear water!

Towards the end of the morning Michel caught up with me - the speedy walker who has been at the same gites the past few nights. He was dragging. And we walked the rest of the way to the pass more or less together. The pass itself is definitely not a highlight. Huge parking lot for a ski station. And then not much. And nothing that was open. Michel was going back home so had to wait there for a couple of hours for the bus. I kept on going, now on the Camino Aragones in Spain. And the difference in the quality of the path just made me laugh. Spain does not want pilgrims to die. Railings, abundant trail markers (yellow arrows), well maintained and graded footbed, clear separation between pedestrians and vehicles on the road.

It was 9 kilometres to the first place to get coffee and a huge sandwich, Canfranc Estacion. Huge train station with an interesting history remodeled into upscale hotel. Lots of closed buildings- between seasons? Off season for winter town?

And then it was all downhill another 4 km to Canfranc village where I am staying in a fantastic albergue. We are 6 here, 7 including Alan the volunteer hospitalero from Australia. He was expecting me because Annie told him I would be coming. That was fun.

And then a pretty low key evening of laundry and trying to sort out tomorrow’s accommodation. It’s a holiday and a Friday and the albergue in Jaca is closed for repairs. Someone told Alan it had reopened but I see nothing anywhere to confirm that.

Spain - tiny village, almost 10:30 at night and the sound of children outside playing!

So that’s the end of the Chemin d’Arles!

Argh. I tried to upload the videos (from iPhone) and it didn’t work.Læs mere