It’s off to a great start on the Camino for Willemse
THE first week of my Camino has been a great adventure.
Catching flights, taxis and trains, nearly missing my train from Paris to Bayonne, meeting so many new people and seeing so many new places.
The walk began with two rainy days but thereafter it has been wonderful weather.
My body has become used to the long walks and heavy 9.5kg backpack and I have enjoyed the company of fellow pilgrims along the way, as well as having enough alone time to relax with my own thoughts.
-XO\ ± GD\
As predicted, I awoke to rain and, after a cup of coffee, left at 6.20am.
On a combination of tar and gravel roads, the climb seemed never-ending and, surrounded by mist, all I could hear was the sound of cow bells.
Today’s 26km walk in unrelenting rain took me 7hrs 44 minutes, and a very special highlight was seeing the Vierge de Biakorri – a statue of the Virgin Mary with the child Jesus watching over the local shepherds – often missed by pilgrims because of the thick mist.
I refilled my drinking system at the border between France and Spain, and enjoyed the breathtaking views of the Pyrenees.
-XO\ ± GD\
After a good night’s sleep and waking to the sound of monastery music, I hit the road at 6.30am on a dusky, rainy day.
Today’s route was mostly farmland and dense forest with well maintained paths, and it drizzled most of the way.
The 22.2km route took me 5hrs 20minutes.
-XO\ ± GD\
This morning my body still feels surprisingly good, with no major aches or pains.
After a breakfast of coffee and a Spanish tortilla (potato, egg, cheese and ham – looks like pizza but is more tasty), I was on the road at 6.30am.
Today’s highlight was a beautiful old building which looked like an ancient church or abbey.
It dates back to the 12th century and was used by the Knights Templar to protect the pilgrims travelling to and from Santiago Compostella.
A riverside hike took me to Zuriain, followed by the village of Zabaldika in the Eseribar Valley where I found the early 13th century Church of St Stephan.
The nun on duty allowed me to climb the spiral stone staircase which led to the bell tower.
Of the two bells in the tower, one is said to be the oldest in the Naverra region.
I was so thrilled when the nun allowed me to ring the old bell, that I gave her a hug afterwards!
From there it was a long walk through Pamplona, arriving at my hostel at 1pm.
Today’s walk was 24.5km, which I did in 6hrs 30 minutes.
-XO\ ± GD\
Today’s walk, the longest stretch so far at 28.73km, I completed in 7hrs 23 minutes.
The rain is over and today was very hot.
I enjoyed a photo session at the Pilgrims Sculpture on Alto del Perdón, on which the inscription reads, ‘Donde se cruza el camino del viento con el de las estrellas’ ‘Where the path of the wind crosses with that of the stars’.
Despite a punishing downhill, I walked an extra 5km out of my way to see a Knights Templar building from centuries ago.
Early documented reference to the Church of Saint Mary of Eunate, a 12th century Romanesque church, dates from 1487 and states that it was a Templar church.
To me, the engineering and architectural ingenuity and ability in the Middle Ages was absolutely phenomenal.
Lunch was a five-course buffet meal and drink-as-much-as-you-can for only 11 euros (R176).
I think the vino tinto got the better of me.
My toes are starting to take strain and I will soon lose my second toe nails on both feet.
Today’s walk from Puente la Reina to Estella began at 6.30am in the dark, in beautiful weather fit for a short-sleeved shirt.
I’m sulking though because, after wanting to see two things in Spain
– a bull fight and a flamenco dance – I missed a bull fight yesterday afternoon.
Today’s walk took me to Cirauqui, over many vineyard-covered hills and, meandering along the Ega River, I reached the town centre of Estella where I bumped into some pilgrims I have come to know.
Today’s walk was 24.3km which took me 5hrs 26 min.
-XO\ ± GD\
At 6.30am today, five Spaniards and I set off to Los Arcos.
About 3 km into the walk we reached the Fuente de Vino at the Monasterio de Santa Maria de Irache.
Today’s experience saw me sampling the local vino tinto from a tap in the wall – free of charge – drinking out of my hands as I did not have a cup.
Thereafter a walk through vineyards and wheat fields took us to the village of Azqueta.
The scenery throughout the day remained the same and reminded me very much of the Overberg in the Western Cape and of the Boland’s winelands.
Reaching Los Arcos, I bade a sad farewell to my Spanish friends who walked a further 7km to the next town.
Today I covered 26.5km in about 6hrs 30 minutes.