Camino Day 1: It isn’t stopping for breath, it is pausing to admire the view…

 …until the view disappears - more of that later!!

Firstly, due to shonky internet connection, it is a real bother to try to get photos into these blog posts.  I will try to include one or two if I can, if not please look at my Facebook feed as I have put them all up there.  I’m assuming that the only reason you have stumbled over this blog is because you follow me on Facebook - if not please let me know!

After a fitful night of something approximating sleep, I was thrilled to hear my fellow pellerins starting to wake and get themselves organised for the day at around 5.30am.  Finally I could get going!  I got up, dressed etc., and made my way down to the breakfast I had prepaid 8 euro for.  Not so much a buffet as an anyone can help themselves to tepid coffee, supermarket brioche rolls and fruit.  And everyone was helping themselves - including those who were quite open about the fact they hadn’t paid.  I grabbed a banana and a coffee and headed off out of the door.  My hostel was directly on the Camino - so no wasted steps getting to the start.  

I walked along for all of a quarter of a mile, before catching up with Eva from Sweden.  We chatted and walked together for a while before she dropped back.  I joked she’d catch me again and that I’d get the coffees in at Orison! The scenery was stunning and it was a privilege to walk along the deserted roads with only my own thoughts, the sunrise and the sound of cow bells for company.  Arriving at Orison I was in need of a cup of coffee, I spotted the sign that said they didn’t open until 8am at the same time I’d spotted the Aussie I’d been chatting to at the pilgrim office yesterday afternoon.  We were bemoaning the fact that we were too keen, but decided that 20 minutes was an acceptable wait for breakfast.  Eva caught up while we were waiting and we all had breakfast together before setting off for yet more up hill walking. 

There is something about walking, side by side, that makes conversation happen easily and inevitably.  Eva used to work for Ericsson but, at 62, had taken two years salary for redundancy, Clayton grew up in Zimbabwe (or Rhodesia as it was then) before emigrating with his parents to Australia at 15.  Eva dropped back occasionally but caught us up when we stopped for a cup of tea and cheese, or to take photos of the thick fog we were walking through.  

The going was tough - this stage is predominantly up hill, we’d had promises of stunning vistas, but we were walking through fog on treacherously slippery ground.  Despite keeping our eyes out for the sign that took us to the less steep route we found ourselves teetering down a rocky path through the woodland.  We had joked that there were sections of the route that had a marker every 20m - but these were on stretches where you had no possible chance to go wrong, whereas there were junctions where it was a case of “well that route is going uphill so obviously that is the way we need to go!”

We didn’t rush, but we did make fairly good time. It was probably 6 hours of moving time, everytime we overtook a group I said to myself ‘it’s not a race!’  We arrived at Roncesvalles at 12.30, but had to wait until 2pm to check in.  This is a huge alberge and very well organised.  After a hot shower and a change of clothes I found myself some lunch - the sun was now shining so sitting on the terrace with a cold beer was a delicious treat - before doing my washing and hanging it to dry.  

I’d precooked my stay here, and had included breakfast and a packed meal for tomorrow.  I don’t think I’ll do that at future stops as I am now tied in to a 7am breakfast.  I may just grab it and run, or not bother at all and pick something up at the nearby supermarket (3km down the route).  I want to go a little further than the ‘guide book’ distance for tomorrow.  Today is supposed to be the most challenging stage (most elevation anyway), and it didn’t feel too bad.  I want to build in some slack for later on, or maybe to allow me to carry on beyond Santiago to Finistera.  

Tonight I will have a Pilgrims Supper and another early night