Roncesvalles to Zubiri

21.5 km and 4:53 (see map).

Easier walk today – undulating rather than lots of big hills/mountains and some downhill for the last few kms. Another day of spectacular scenery. A few high clouds about, but sunny and warm.

Wifi bandwidth abysmal so far – too many peregrinos trying to access it at once. Consequently uploading photos challenging. Will keep trying.

790 km by road. About the same on foot.

Inquisitive (and, I must say, rather attractive) sheep.

Breakfast stop. Interesting juxtaposition of bar and church, although I suppose each could be considered a sacred place.

Started to see a few rivers today.

Pretty houses in the villages.

Typical countryside for the morning.

Morning tea stop.

A slug.

Haven’t seen or heard any wild animals yet. Greatest danger faced so far is spearing by an errant walking pole.

Not much grass in this small village.

Blind corners abound.

A coffee cart a few km before Zubiri.

The municipal albergue at Zubiri.

€8.00 for a comfortable bunk bed in a bright airy room.

Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port to Roncesvalles

24.2 km and 6:23 (see map).

Clear blue skies, warm, nary a breeze. 16 km up to 1,400 m, then level for a while before 5 km descent into Roncesvalles. Beautiful walking. Bunk for night in 180-bed albergue in old monastery. €10. Albergue is full. Phone about to run out of charge so this will be all I’ll post until later. Will put some photos up too – took at least a hundred or so.

Leaving Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port. About 5 deg and foggy.

8.75 kg pack weight. Not bad. Includes sandwiches and copy of Eucalyptus.

Into the mist we go.

Out of the fog after a few km, to rolling rural vistas.

The camino diverges from the road part way up the hill to Orisson.

Lots of signs pointing the way. Not much chance of getting lost.

The approach to Orisson albergue and an espresso. Did think of staying here for a night, but it was full and anyway was keen to go through to Roncesvalles. Nice albergue nonetheless.

Post-espresso view of Orisson albergue, looking back down the hill.

Getting higher.

Some snow on the distant big peaks of the Pyrenees.

Ever higher and what do I see around a corner? A coffee cart. Turned out to be a good place for a lunch stop.

The unprepossessing marker of the border between France and Spain.

Through a dead forest, well that’s what it seemed like – leaves from last autumn on the ground and no new growth on the trees. Late bloomers.

Emergency shelter near the Col Lepoeder.

Snow near the col.

Emergency wifi at the col. Social media updates not supported.

Down through a grand forest …

… to the albergue in an old monastery. €8.00 for the night.