Day 8 Puente de Reina

The first 5 kms today, leaving Pamplona, is mostly via city pavements and suburban roads until Cizor Menor. Beyond Cizor Menor there are pathways through a hill involving a steep climb (750 m) to a summit about 10 kms further. At the summit, called Alto del Perdon, roughly translated as the Hill of Forgiveness, there is a sculpture depicting pilgrims either on foot or on horseback overlooked by many wind turbines.
It is bit of a tough climb, but the panoramic views of Pamplona are well worth the effort. At this place, I selected four stones, representing each member of my family, then carried them to the statue of The Virgin of Irunbides where I placed the stones at the statue’s feet asking for everyone’s solace and happiness.
For today’s walk, I was accompanied by a mother-daughter duo from North Carolina, who were joined by a Danish woman named Tina. Tina didn’t say much but looked every bit the free spirit. When we reached the summit, Tina, looking back at the panoramic view of Pamplona, exclaimed in eloquent English, “This is fucking beautiful!”
The daughter, Sarah , I found out, had spent a week in Yellowknife during March, 2018, when the snow castle was open.Read more