Today is a very different feeling walking, I wonder why it feels much more lonely. Perhaps it was because I had a chat with Pat, my wife, on the phone for an hour before I started. We try to chat each day on Skype, and I’m probably missing her company.
Crunch, Crunch, Click, Click. Crunch, Crunch, Click, Click. That’s the only sound as I’m walking towards the next village as my boots and poles hit the gravel track, interrupted now and again by the noise of another stream around the bend with little stone bridges over them for crossing.
The walk from Viscarret to Zubiri was really very pleasant even though it rained all day. The final stage, I tried an alternate route, walking down the side of the highway which had been recommended as not being so steep and therefore would be easier on my heels.
Been going since 7 this morning, it’s now 20 past 12. Been taking it easy, been through some interesting villages. The way takes you along next to the Rio Ara, stopped for a late breakfast and then arrived in Zabaldika.
Today I leave from Pamplona up over Alto del Pardon to a small village called Uterga. It’s a bit of a climb today, so I don’t want to overextend myself. So today should be about 15 kilometers. I woke up at about 6:15 this morning, I actually got more sleep than usual, which was great.
Just as I was leaving Pamplona, I saw a sign at a local university saying that you can get your credential stamped at the porter’s office. Of course I left the hotel this morning without getting a stamp!
Finally I’m coming to the outskirts of Pamplona and just as I come over, all eyes on the road, I see Alto del Perdón off in the distance. I know that’s the one I’m going over because it’s lined with wind turbines all along the crest.
I expected today to be quite a hard walk because it took us up over to Alto del Perdón, which is the wind farm on top of the hill overlooking Pamplona. This is one of the iconic sights of the Camino Francés, not only for the wind farm but also the steel statues of the pilgrims.
Today is about 22 kilometer stretch between Puente la Reina and Estella. It’s a good day for walking, not too hot overcast and a light breeze. As always, I’m meeting some interesting people along the way, and always seeing faces that I recognize from earlier stages of the Camino.
I’m still waking up early, but at least I could get breakfast early today. Breakfast was available across the road at a cafe from the hostel where I was staying. I’m actually on the road at 7:15 and of course my first challenge is to find the route of the Camino.
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