We started the day following the city pavements and roads, getting a bit lost as we couldn’t see any Camino signs in the old part of Pamplona. We bought our breakfast from a local bakery and a few oranges from a local grocer just opening for the day. The Camino finally showed the way and Roz and I were striding along the path with confidence!
In Cizur Menor we stopped for coffee and our breakfast pastries. The XII century Romanesque church dedicated to the archangel Saint Michael Iglesias de San Miguel Arcángel was shut, which made me think about gods house keeping certain office hours! Only open certain times of the day! Every church bar one was shut. It’s a sad reflection of todays society!
Our path ran through open countryside to the steep climb through the wind turbines up to Alto del Perdòn. As we climbed we were treated to wonderful views back over Pamplona. As we crested the Alto del Pedròn summit, we had another wonderful view westward and could clearly see the path and villages which lay ahead.
The decent was not as ankle breaking as Zubiri, but we had to careful because of the loose boulders!
We stopped for lunch in Zariquiegui, where legend tells the story of a medieval pilgrim who was dying of thirst. The devil disguised as a pilgrim offered him water if he renounced god. The pilgrim refused and St James miraculously appeared quenching the pilgrims thirst with water from a scalloped shell. The symbol of the Camino.
You can see the changes in the countryside as we walk westward. Arriving in Puente La Reina was such a treat with the views of the Queens Bridge, a magnificent Romanesque bridge. The delightful streets lined with the most spectacular doors and entrances.
I went to the pilgrims mass in the cathedral, where each pilgrim walking the Camino was blessed. It was a lovely service, didn’t understand a word of it apart from Christ!
Buen Camino 😘
#josiewalksthecamino
#eastanglianairambulance
