Days 4 & 5 Zubiri to Pamplona & Rest Day

Our walk from Zubiri to Pamplona was much better than we expected after such a hard day on Monday. When we left Zubiri, we seriously contemplated taking a bus or taxi part way because we were so sore. But after walking a couple of miles, we really hit our stride and just kept going all the way to Pamplona. We passed through several nice little towns, but because it was Tuesday there were no cafés open. We didn’t know they were closed on Tuesdays, but luckily we had a great breakfast so we were fine with the snacks we had with us. We made it to Pamplona around 2:00, so we walked 21 km in about 5 hours. The walk was nice, mostly through pine forest and along the Arga River. I loved smelling the pine trees, which reminded me of where I grew up in Louisiana. I reflected on that young girl from Louisiana who never dreamed she would be walking the Camino across the entire north of Spain. Crazy how life works out sometimes.
We love Pamplona. Grace says it’s the perfect sized town. It’s big enough to have everything you could need, but not so big that it’s overwhelming. The population is around 350,000, but we were mostly in the old town while we were here and it didn’t seem too crowded. There’s an impressive cathedral and museum, and the town is really beautiful with all the picturesque streets and squares. It’s easy to see why Hemingway loved this town.
We both had pretty tired legs when we got here, so a massage was definitely in order today. I also made the big decision to buy new shoes because my Hokas were pinching my toes too much, especially after 6 or 7 miles of walking when my feet swelled up. I found some Altras with a much wider toe box, so my fingers are crossed that they work out well.
It’s been really nice having Grace with me to start this journey. She’s been super encouraging and a great walking partner, but she’s leaving Spain tomorrow. I’ll be walking solo for the next 250 miles or so until Amy meets me in Leon in mid-October. I’m feeling a little sad about Grace leaving, but also excited to continue my journey. I’m also feeling a little scared, if I’m being honest, but ready to do it anyway (scared of the challenge and if I can do this, not about my safety, so don’t worry 🙂).Read more