Day One

After catching the fast train from Paris to Bayonne and a bus to St. Jean I checked into a small hotel to make the transition from tourist to pilgrim.

My suitcase booked on a transfer service to Santiago I am left with my backpack and planned gear for the next 50 days.

The next day I spend exploring St Jean, a beautiful historic village at the foot of the Pyrenees. It’s Monday and Market Day the locals gather to buy fresh sheep milk cheese smoked hams and local fruit and veg. This evening I am checking into Albergue Bellari. Bellari is the Basque word for Pilgrim. A friend has recommended this place as they provide a very special pilgrim experience. A great way to start my Camino. There are 15 of us It’s a bit like the United Nations, we have Uk, Canada 1 & 2, Taiwan 1 & 2, Denmark and US 1 to 7 Here I make my first Camino friend we bond over a discussion about our cats he is from Denmark. After a delicious vegetarian meal and wine and Camino discussion during which I of course cry while saying how happy I am to be there, it’s off to my shared room with 2 others. We have a single bed each. This I will treasure as I come to experience more of dorm life in coming days. Everyone is nervous the next morning when we are getting ready to start, do I have everything? wet gear on or off?… I feel like my very first day at school nervous excited and a bit scared of the unknown.

And then just like that after years of dreaming and months of planning I am off. There is light rain and mist its coolish and great walking weather. As we depart St Jean the incline is short and sharp I am soon digging deep with my poles to get me up and up and up. I have my full pack on. I am walking on my own but there are many pilgrims in front and behind me and passing me with calls of Buen Camino. About halfway I stop for coffee at Hunto which I ordered from a French lady who seems surprised people are coming into her cafe it’s very funny and we all seam to have had the same experience with her. The coffee though is excellent and a real reviver. I start talking to 4 ladies, Irish, Dutch and English. We all start walking again and the Irish lady and I fall into a similar rhythm of walking. This continues all the way to Orrison our end point for today. I have made my second Camino friend.

In the dorm room I volunteer to take the top bunk, this has been a worry for me not just the actual act of hoisting myself up but getting down in the middle of the night, but in the end it’s ok the bunk is strong and sturdy. The welcome hot shower is short but does the trick. The meal is filling and the red Spanish wine Vino Tinto is delicious. There are about 60 of us. A lady from Canada is turning 80 today and is walking here second Camino, we all sing her Happy Birthday. I sleep pretty well and wake feeling good. Amazing!

About 8km and many pilgrims.

Elevation 800m.

Day Two

After breakfast of bread and jam it’s off we go. There are a group of us all women from all over the world my Irish friend and I slip behind as the others are just faster. As we walk the conditions are cold misty and visibility is poor. The road is steep there are horses and sheep and farming life to see. This land reminds me of where I grew up. It’s beautiful. We come to a food truck and stop for coffee which is strong and hot there are no seats but a wall to lean and sit on. One of my bunk mates is not feeling great and we all check on him and make sure he has some food and drinks.

Then off we go the going is tough it’s step and there or drops offs either side along the path. I am walking still with my Irish friend. The wind picks up and my rain poncho is now more of a sail than a poncho. My face feels numb my legs are starting to ache. At one point we come to a hut where a few pilgrims have squeezed in to have a break from the conditions. There is a damp fire and the smell of smoke not enough warmth to revive us. We push on. Just after this we are shocked to see two emergency vehicles we both worry about our bunk mate and hope he is ok. We start a descent which is tough and steep.

I notice a man sitting by a tree, he doesn’t look well as we approach. I asked him if he was ok he said yes. I could tell though he was not ok. A few more questions and I find he has had no water or food and he has slept in the hut we passed not long ago over night. I feel his hand they are like ice. I have a hyperthermia emergency blanket in my first aid kit. I pull this out and wrap it around him. We decided we need help. I removed my gloves and put them on him and give him water and a few snacks we have. Here you dial 112 for help. The conversation is confusing even though my friend can speak Spanish and French we are almost at the Spanish boarder I also try from my phone which doesn’t help, they need our GPS coordinates. This is eventually sorted we keep chatting to the gentleman who has a little more colour. About 45min later down what isn’t even a road come the emergency service in a Polaris all terrain vehicle it is terrifying to watch as they come down there is a quick exchange and just like that they whisk the man away. We are left standing shocked and cold and very damp. They offered us a lift thinking we are with the gentleman but we explained we had just stopped to help. I didn’t think on day two I would be rescuing and American Catholic Priest off a mountain. We hear he is ok and back walking on the Camino again.

The rest of the days walk is down hill, steep and long. It’s cold and wet. We get to our hostel at Roncesvalles a bit dazed by the day’s events. Hot showers and clean clothes some delicious food and wine, I sleep in a dorm with about 60 people thankfully no bunks tonight.

About 17km many pilgrims

Elevation 1450m at peak then back down to 1000m

Day Three

After an excellent breakfast of bread ham cheese cake and strong coffee even an apple to go we head off in the rain and mist.

We are heading up again the rain is not hard but we are damp the whole way. We stop for lunch in a little village my Bocadillo is so big I take half with me for later. It’s ham and cheese the ham more like prosciutto, perfect. The walking is up and down but the conversation with my Irish friend keeps the aches at bay.

I have heard a lot about the descent into Zubiri, it has rocks like lizard skin and when wet is very dangerous. It lives up to my expectations. It’s extremely hard to navigate we go very slowly and carefully. It just keeps on going. But we make it no slips or trips it’s done! I am last to arrive at my Albergue my friend from Denmark comes and gives me a hug. I burst into tears, it’s so good to have arrived.

I have a top bunk, it’s light weight and I am terrified I will pull it over but it’s all ok in the end after a warming meal and wine it’s off to bed in the dorm with 10 others.

About 22km Many pilgrims

Descent to 500m.

It’s been a tough start. But I feel so grateful to be here experiencing this adventure.

Xx