Day 1. St Jean Pied de Port - Roncasvalles

     By the teeth of Odin, that was a brutal day. 

     I knew it was going to be steep, I researched this trip, and I know that day one is over a mountain. But FFS, My thighs and my knees will never forgive me.  Ever. 

     How can a Lincoln lad, from a County that looks like a pancake, train for that experience?  Well you can't. I could maybe go to Austria, and train there, that would be an expensive six months though. 

     Anyway, I'm now in Spain. Hola! 

     The only respite was at the 8km point where a coffee (eight sugars por favor) and a water refill at Refuge Orrison saved the day. 


     Being on top of a mountain, the views (obviously) were spectacular, my phone camera will never do them justice, but here's a few. 


     My accommodation for the night is at a monastery, built in the 13th century for Peregrinos, the ill, the sick, the exhasted and vagabonds. I qualify for at least three of those criteria, so they let me in. 


There are 300 beds here. This is mine. Bottom bunk. Yay!
A Lady from France who speaks no English is above me. I speak no French, so we'll get on just fine. 

     Pilgrim dinner is at 19.00. Two choices. Take it or leave it. I'm taking it. 150 Peregrinos will be attending. I'll take photos. 

Bed for the night €17. Three course dinner €10. 

    Weather forecast for tomorrow is fair to middling, but anything will be better than today, so let it do its worst. 

    There is a helpful road sign in the tiny village of Roncasvalles, (population 30) in case anybody who has just trekked 27 kilometres over the Pyrenees needs reminding, just how far we have to go. 


Buen Camino!








Comments

  1. Feeble21 May 2023 at 18:00

    Frankieeeeee - dia uno under your belt brilliant. Are you there yet? Oh no we are not 5 anymore! Lovely scenery to take your mind off any hurty body parts! Hang on though is this all a flabs ... are you in Cumbria uploading stock photos???? I know rude! I can't even begin to imagine how you are feeling, you are proably too tired to know too - well flipping done. Enjoy your meal and early night x

    ReplyDelete
  2. S Castle22 May 2023 at 06:46

    Great effort yesterday Frank.
    Remember, “It’s only pain” 😂
    Did you manage to pick up some walking poles before you set off? Hope you slept well and are ready for the day ahead. Good luck x

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Castle Camino23 May 2023 at 17:14

      No poles bro. My priority was my brolly! I'm not trained in the use of poles, I'd probably have somebody's eye out.

      I get plenty of sleep mate, I finish walking no later that 14.00. That's never going to a problem. Apart from the snoring!

      Delete
  3. Anonymous24 May 2023 at 06:09

    Good effort Bro.. Outstanding infact.. Go round the next Mountain 😂

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Castle Camino24 May 2023 at 20:32

      There's always another mountain bro. It's easier going through the bloody things than around then, so it's over the top and down the other side for me, same as the Peregrinos that have travelled this route for over a thousand years.

      Delete
  4. Anonymous25 May 2023 at 15:29

    Absolutely great effort, I climbed Snowdon so I have empathy mountain pains but don’t know how you can then keep doing big miles the next day! 😬❤️

    ReplyDelete
  5. Anonymous31 May 2023 at 08:33

    Spot on cheeky cherry boy, just Spot On 👍

    ReplyDelete

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