691 km to Santiago
Today we started from Pamplona a bit earlier – at 7:30. The friendly hosts at the albergue made breakfast for all of us: coffee, bread, cheese, butter, jam, and tea. Simple, but more than enough.
We walked through the French Gate and into the old town. You can really feel the spirit of the city – almost as if the bulls were still running behind you. Several tourist signs tell the story of this tradition.
We continued toward Cizur Minor and then up to Alto del Perdón, where there’s a sculpture dedicated to pilgrims. On the way, we passed fields of rapeseed, peas, fava beans, and wheat. The sun was getting intense – hats and sunscreen were essential. The trail was mostly rocky, at times even muddy. Along the hilltops, we saw many wind turbines turning in the wind.
At the top, we took a quick photo and tried to move on quickly – the sun was strong. The descent was steep and rocky, so progress was slow. We hoped to find an open market in the next village, but Muruzábal had none. The next town’s store was closed until 4:30 PM.
In Obanos, we took a rest under a tree. We pulled out a baguette, apples, and water. Two local police officers stopped by, checked if we were okay, and kindly gave us an emergency number just in case. A truly kind gesture.
Then we packed up and headed for Puente la Reina – our destination for the night. It was around 22°C. We’re staying in a public albergue, with set pricing and a kind receptionist.
We hit the market, cooked some instant soup, ate it with lots of baguette, and stocked up for tomorrow. Now, freshly showered, we’re sitting in the courtyard planning the next day.
Today we walked over 25 km – quite a challenge.
Thanks to Jadranka Smiljić (Sgeek s.p.) for making sure our Camino updates are fresh and well edited each day.
Shall we check in again tomorrow?
Buen Camino,
Martina
P.S.: Honestly, it wasn’t the distance that got to me today – it was the heat. But hey, we’re already under 700 km to Santiago.
