We knew the day out of Pamplona would be tough as there would be a long climb to the top of the Alto de Perdon. The way climbs to 800 metres from about 400. As we approached the summit was hidden by cloud which we hoped would clear so that the vistas back into the Pamplona basin to the north and down toward Oterga in the south and beyond would be open to us. After a good hike and lots of short stops ("poco, poco" as I´ve been advised) there were the 14 sculptures of pilgrims down the ages. A guy we met selling drinks reckoned there were about 200 pilgrims coming through each day at this time of the season which swells to around 400 a day. This means that in the summer months there must be about 14,000 people strung out along the way.
We´d met a few people along the way who seemed to be walking at a similar pace to us and it really does help on the uphill bits. Some of the people who are really struggling but still keep going are an inspiration. We´ve met two guys from the deep south and one of them is finding it tough but each day he´s out there ready for the off. Makes you feel a bit of a wimp. Well, we looked down on Uterga where we´d booked a room. The accom is either in albergues run by the church and local councils which tend to be big and institutional (bell rings at 6.00 am and lights out 10.30) where snoring and noise is a problem and private albergues who offer a mix of bunk rooms and private rooms. We tend to go for the latter as they are still pretty cheap (under 20 Euro pppn) but we´ve stayed in small bunk rooms for 7 Euro pppn. So far so good and the one in Uterga was clean and quiet with a 10 Euro pilgrim meal.
The next day it rained and our spirits dropped a bit. We´ve planned to do 24Km a day but we´re only doing about 19. Never mind. Smelling the flowers and watching the birds. Lots of nightingales and griffon vultures.
We knew the day out of Pamplona would be tough as there would be a long climb to the top of the Alto de Perdon. The way climbs to 800 metres from about 400. As we approached the summit was hidden by cloud which we hoped would clear so that the vistas back into the Pamplona basin to the north and down toward Oterga in the south and beyond would be open to us. After a good hike and lots of short stops ("poco, poco" as I´ve been advised) there were the 14 sculptures of pilgrims down the ages. A guy we met selling drinks reckoned there were about 200 pilgrims coming through each day at this time of the season which swells to around 400 a day. This means that in the summer months there must be about 14,000 people strung out along the way.
We´d met a few people along the way who seemed to be walking at a similar pace to us and it really does help on the uphill bits. Some of the people who are really struggling but still keep going are an inspiration. We´ve met two guys from the deep south and one of them is finding it tough but each day he´s out there ready for the off. Makes you feel a bit of a wimp. Well, we looked down on Uterga where we´d booked a room. The accom is either in albergues run by the church and local councils which tend to be big and institutional (bell rings at 6.00 am and lights out 10.30) where snoring and noise is a problem and private albergues who offer a mix of bunk rooms and private rooms. We tend to go for the latter as they are still pretty cheap (under 20 Euro pppn) but we´ve stayed in small bunk rooms for 7 Euro pppn. So far so good and the one in Uterga was clean and quiet with a 10 Euro pilgrim meal.
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