Next few days….

Thursday: Spent a leisurely day in St Jean Pied de Port. Tried to have a fairly light breakfast and lunch but we find that can xxx be nl in France! Got some basic supplies

for our journey tomorrow lo. We also needed some walking poles. Susan got these aluminium mal mix cones with cork handles and snap lock extension clips in a fetching

bronze design, I got an old ostick.
Bit of a fitful sleep as we are iunderstandably a bit apprehensive about jm

lo tomorrow – 20 miles to a height of

4688 feet is obviously somewhat daunting.

DAY 1 – 29/04/22 Friday

Friday: sunrise was actually just after 7 but it was light enough for us to leave at 6.30. First few minutes toll i’ll miles were a bit of a struggle until we adapted to a regular breathing pattern. We could have happily left our various maps and guidebooks at home as there was literally hundreds walking today. We did however meet one English lady who managed to get lost yesterday and had to phone 112 (999) and an ambulance turned up and took her back to St JPP.
The weather was perfect for walking, humid low down, turning fresher at altitude. However the low cloud / mist meant that the famous views didn’t materialise.
All was going well to about the 13 mile mark and I was thinking this is a bit of a doddle (pride before a fall), when my lower back started to get really sore on the descent. I subsequently spoke to a German physiotherapist who said it was a common problem. Anyway we soldiered on, not helped by the fact we had to cross a field of horses, to the next town, Roncesvalles. We relaxed in a bar there for a while and debated getting a taxi for the last 4 miles but the sun came out and we carried on to Espinal. We couldn’t face the 3 course ‘Pilgrim’ menu but had a couple of drinks and an amazing selection of pinchos appeared on the bar. 1 euro each and we only needed a couple. Slept well.

DAY 2 – 30/04/22 Saturday

Saturday another nice walking day. Susan is absolutely fine but I am definitely struggling a bit with my back. Anyway we managed the 15 miles to Akerreta to arrive at a beautifully restored old building, now a hotel. Jose, the owner gave us chapter and verse and pictures!, explaining the restoration. Very interesting but I was more thinking about a beer and a bath. He tells us that where we are sleeping in is the room used by Martin Sheen in ‘The Way’? We are going down for dinner in a couple of hours. I suspect it will be very good – not that there is anywhere else nearby anyway.
Onwards to Pamplona tomorrow.

Day 1

Day 2