Day 3 successful..22 kms and all’s well!

We are now in Zubiri, a small town you won’t find on a Google map, but we are in a delightful accommodation - a 1700s building, with wonderful wooden beams, and a charming hostess who greeted us.

Set off from Roncesvalles quite early, Amr says before 9. It was rainy, as predicted, and we wore ponchos all day, even though it did stop occasionally, and even a ray of sunshine…but the rain has never been drenching - just sprinkling, but enough to get quite wet. Ponchos great, and body remains dry and warm! So today we descended down over the other side of the mountains. It was a gorgeous walk to start…a smooth easy path, through lovely countryside…we stopped for coffee/ColaCao and bought supplies to eat when we needed sustenance. It. Continued like this, undulating and just beautiful even though it drizzled on and off, and we were more than half way along and feeling that all was wonderful.

Then, we came to the last 6 kms…this was the descent into Zubiri which is in the floor of the valley. (10 years ago we walked this, and arrived at Zubiri at 2pm, and I don’t remember it being difficult)…anyway, as we started the descent the path became quite hazardous - downhill with loose uneven stones, with ridges of the slate that is the solid base, mud, rivulets of water from all the rain and basically all the filling eroded…it took so long, watching every step and concentrating on not slipping or falling!! You’ve no idea how long walking a kilometre takes doing this!! Thank goodness for sticks. I think it was the rain over the last few days, plus that this is the end of winter and the melting snow etc…but the path wasn’t really a path. BUT we all survived, and were so SO happy to reach this town and walk on a footpath!

And our accommodation is perfect. Lovely Maria welcomed us, our bags were here. There is a jacuzzi which Amr had (I didn’t have swimmers - one of the things eliminated when packing for carryon) and our room is absolutely charming. We arrived with 2 Aussies we have talked to on and off who are also staying here, and ended up having drinks and dinner with them. Very fun and comfortable. They are staying at the same hotel at Pamplona (tomorrow) but leave the next day, and we have a rest day there on Sunday, so we will prob get out of sync…

So that is our day..the first real day of 20 kms + and I feel proud that while my bones were aching during the long descent, I feel less stiff now than the others…!! But photos will show the stunning scenery…and tomorrow it is predicted to rain in the morning, then clear up and Sunday sunny! Yay! Saving all the muddy clothes till we have walked tomorrow and Amr will find a laundromat in Pamplona!!Read more