Fiesta de San Pedro - Day 31
Wednesday, April 9th, 2008 Posted in Fiesta, Spain | No Comments »It’s only a few miles into Santa Domingo de la Calzada, founded by its namesake, another saint who dedicated his life to helping pilgrims on their way (after he was refused entry to San Milan monastery due to his illiteracy). ...
New boots - Day 32
Friday, April 11th, 2008 Posted in Fiesta, Spain | No Comments »Helen is still dehydrated from yesterday’s heat and is suffering with headaches today; once you’re dehydrated it takes at least a day of constant drinking to get your system back to normal. Luckily it’s cloudy so at least she shouldn’t ...
Lazy in Logrono - Day 33
Monday, April 14th, 2008 Posted in Fiesta, Spain | No Comments »This is a wealthy, modern city filled with trendy cafes and shops, a business centre rather than a tourist one. This provides us with the perfect excuse to do very little but relax, rest in the park and munch empaňadas ...
Into Navarra - Day 34
Thursday, April 24th, 2008 Posted in Fiesta, Spain | No Comments »After crossing a great bridge, a long, slow climb takes us into Navarra, the heart of the Basque country. The effort is rewarded by Viana, a hilltop town will panoramic views behind. It’s an enchanting place of old mansions and ...
The Way Ahead - Day 35
Tuesday, April 29th, 2008 Posted in Fiesta, Spain | 1 Comment »There was a sign in the hostel reading ‘Silence until 7am’; a late start but we’re not planning to go far today so we thought it would be ok. So we were surprised when the hostel owner switched on all ...
Fountain of Life - Day 36
Saturday, May 3rd, 2008 Posted in Fiesta, Spain | No Comments »We decide to have a really short day today, to ensure we don’t arrive at Pamplona before the start of the fiesta. Happily, our Dutch hosts serve a big, leisurely buffet breakfast. Afterwards they hand out tiny sewing kits to ...
Bridge of the Queen - Day 37
Wednesday, May 7th, 2008 Posted in Fiesta, Spain | No Comments »Outside Estella we crossed the Salt River. In the Santiago pilgrim museum we saw an original copy of the Codex Clatinus, the original book written to help pilgrims and reputedly the world’s first guidebook. The author of the Codex warned ...
To the Fiesta - Day 38
Sunday, May 11th, 2008 Posted in Fiesta, Spain | No Comments »We were kept awake much of last night by guitar-playing pilgrims, but were cheered outside town when we saw a signpost declaring ‘Santiago – 825km’. It sounds a impressively long way, but I’m glad there’s no pointer for Istanbul. After ...
Long Live San Fermin! - Day 39
Friday, May 16th, 2008 Posted in Fiesta, Spain | No Comments »We lie in as long as we can, until Maribel wakes everyone to come and watch the first encierro on her television. There’s an absolute throng of people all along the half mile of narrow city streets; it seems impossible ...
The Running of the Bulls - Day 40
Saturday, May 24th, 2008 Posted in Fiesta, Spain | No Comments »Beyond the walls a massive funfair has been set up. We wonder round the stomach-churning rides before opting for the big wheel – which still proves terrifying for Helen. We run round after a peña band for a while before ...
Adios, Peregrinos - Day 41
Tuesday, May 27th, 2008 Posted in Fiesta, Spain | No Comments »The arid plains of Spain seem to be behind us at last as we near the Pyrenees – today’s hike passes through beautiful beechwoods. The villages have changed too – Burguete is a cluster of whitewashed Alpine chalet-style houses with ...
Hold the Heights - Day 42
Thursday, June 12th, 2008 Posted in Hold the Heights, Spain | No Comments »CHAPTER THREE What if I live no more those kingly days? Their night sleeps with me still. I dream my feet upon the starry ways; My heart rests in the hill. I may not grudge the little left undone; I hold the heights, I keep the ...
Running dry - Day 43
Monday, June 16th, 2008 Posted in Hold the Heights, Spain | 2 Comments »Not a good night’s sleep: we hadn’t checked the ground under the tent very well and some rocks seemed to embed themselves in my back during the night. I’m only using a half-length foam pad to sleep on, to save ...
Hard Cheese - Day 44
Tuesday, July 15th, 2008 Posted in Hold the Heights, Spain | No Comments »[caption id="attachment_139" align="alignright" width="198" caption="Orbaceita streets"][/caption]Yesterday had completely taken it out of us and we really need to take a day off. We spend it doing virtually nothing except eating. The buffet breakfast in the Casa Rural seems a real ...
European Unity - Day 45
Wednesday, July 16th, 2008 Posted in Hold the Heights, Spain | No Comments »Another steep climb begins a long walk on forest roads. It seems much easier than a couple of days ago – which is a relief! When we emerge above the forest we again see the stark mountain outlines we’d glimpsed ...
Swot Team - Day 46
Friday, July 18th, 2008 Posted in Hold the Heights, Spain | 1 Comment »The GR11 has two options from Isaba, a steep rock scramble up a fearsome-looking peak known as Ezkaurre, first of the two-thousand metre mountains – or a shorter route through the forests to the north. We use the excuse of ...
A high and lonely place - Day 47
Tuesday, July 22nd, 2008 Posted in Hold the Heights, Spain | No Comments »We set off up the valley to the east, far below the great rock towers on our right, which remind me of the Towers of Paine in Patagonia. Woods and pastures give way to stunted trees and gorse, before we ...
Flee the scree - Day 48
Sunday, July 27th, 2008 Posted in Hold the Heights, Spain | 1 Comment »After packing up our gear we enjoy the leisurely walk up Aguas Tuertas, the easy ground underfoot meaning we can concentrate on watching the gliding circles of Griffon Vultures overhead. Then we start on the climb to the next high ...
Back on Track - Day 49
Tuesday, August 5th, 2008 Posted in Hold the Heights, Spain | No Comments »After finding yesterday’s route across the scree simply too hair-raising, we study our guidebook with care this morning for word on any hazards ahead. Yesterday’s horrors merited the comment ‘cross a steep scree slope (care is needed)’ whereas today’s route ...