España

I was a little bit disappointed there is no sign to say you're entering Spain. You walk across a bridge, over a river, and then posters and signs are in a different language. And that's it. I was expecting a bit more but hey ho.

Tomorrow I start on the final path to Santiago and I was starting to get pains in my tendons so I've invested in a new pair of shoes. I've also got my hair cut which is a bit of a trauma for me in the UK nevermind abroad. I tried to get it cut in France but they wanted me to make an appointment and I'm more of a cheap and cheerful walk in guy. I found a place in Irún with prices on the window and zero pretence so I went for that. I told a German guy I was talking to about it and he joined me and we're both out unscathed. It was really no big deal. I just need to wear a hat for a few weeks.

Finally, I had a very special moment this morning. A young French boy asked me if I was walking to Santiago. I said yes, his face lit up, and he ran to tell his mates. A really small thing but it made my day.

Photos - Irún was obliterated during the Civil War so it's not photogenic hence I took a photo of the main square. Yesterday was my last night in France so I drank my first and last bottle of wine there. Unfortunately a slug marred the occasion slightly by crawling up the bottle. The fifteenth century Chateau D'Urtubie is the last chateau I'll see for a while and the last photo is St Jean de Luz this morning. It's a charming town.Read more