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7.7
Aroue to Ostabat 23 km
Dinner at the local basque restaurant after a visit to one of the 3 remaining churches with a
3 pointed clock tower. A great piperade with roast porc and one of the best ice creams we have had.
The walk today was lovely, quite hot in the sun though. We stopped for lunch at L'escargot restaurant on the way. It is a charming place on the trail which also accommodates pilgrims on a donativo basis. We shared a piperade and a piece of gateau basque along with a panache. The heat and lunch made us very sleepy and we nodded off in our chairs. After an hour or so it was time to move on, oh dear, our legs felt like lead and our feet were
sore, a big lunch in the middle of the day had not been a good idea. We bumped into Jean Christophe, hobbling along, new shoes, feet covered in plasters, insect (?bedbug) bites...not a high point walk for him.
We got into Ostabat around 2.30 pm and I was very grateful to have booked into the new Gite Aire Ona next to the church. A superbly restored Louis 15 building with thick walls, we had a double room with balcony window looking out at the church, exquisite bathrooms, fully equipped modern kitchen and wonderful garden with loungers! Very rare luxury! I had recommended the Gite to 5 other pilgrims and the owner was very grateful. The place only opened a month ago and does not feature in any of the guidebooks. It is a welcome alternative to the grotty Hospitalia albergue and Gaineko Extea, a very large Gite 1 km further on with the singing basque who seems a little too fond of the ladies.
We cooked a simple dinner with Francine and Karl, a couple we have been meeting for the last few days and stayed in the same Gite with. They are in their 60 's, he from Quebec, she from Troyes, they met on the trail, a little camino romance.
8.7.
Ostabat to St Jean Pied de Port 23 km
Really approaching the end now, last day before we hit the Pyrenees. We stepped it out, overcast sky. There was nowhere really to sit and have a break today, so we walked the 5 or so hours non stop. Not a good idea and as "camp leader" as John calls me I felt I had let the team down, as John's right leg started to complain by the end of the walk, not a good thing as tomorrow we start the big climb across the mountains.
John here: We discovered today that the high concrete walls to be seen in every Basque village (see pic) were for pelotte their national sport. A bit like squash with wooden bats, no side walls and an endless court.
Fortunately the owner of the very lovely Gite Azkorria specialises in magnetism and successfully treated John' s ailment in spite of his scepticism. We had a double bedroom with ensuite and lovely views out into the Rue de Citadelle, which the pilgrims walk through on their way. Dinner at the Gite was also superb, the host is the son of the owner of the Hotel and Restaurant Ramuncho and sure knows how to cook. A variation on piperade, followed by calamari in a delicious sauce, pork roast slices in a dark mushroom sauce, rice and apricot cake after slices of aged brebis cheese.
We had a farewell drink with Francine and Karl, Jean Christophe turned up also and we bumped into a Dutch woman we had met on the trail a few days earlier.
Jean Christophe was going on to Santiago, for the others this was the end of the walk. I sensed a sadness in Francine and Karl, Marie, the Dutch woman finished her walk on a high, already planning her continuation next year to Santiago.
9.7.
St Jean Pied de Port to Orrison 8 km
We left around 9 am to start the climb up to Orrison. Over the 8 km you gain 700 metres in elevation. It took us just under 3 hours and it really wasn't hard.
Unfortunately the weather was not great, misty, slightly drizzly and by the time we got to our destination we were surrounded by cloud cover. No views!
We passed a rather overweight German man in his 30's with a huge pack. He was huffing and puffing and drenched in sweat. " I am not really sporty" he said.
We reached Albergue Orrison before lunch. A bit like a ski hut on the mountain. It was cold and damp, no comfortable seats, no heaters, no fire. The bunk rooms had a bit of a toilety smell and the showers were lukewarm. I wore every layer I had and drank 2 hot chocolates in an attempt to get warm. It wasn't until dinner that I finally warmed up again. The afternoon dragged on, we could have walked further, but the next place to stay would have been 19 km away over the mountain top, too far in one day.
For a few minutes the clouds lifted and we could see far into the valley and surrounding mountains.
The German man we met earlier stopped for a drink, he had already changed his sweaty clothes and decided to walk on, brave or foolish?
We had dinner at 6.30. The gite was full and there were 20 of us at the table. Mainly people who were starting on the Camino Frances to Santiago.
An Italian woman biker was complaining as her bike had been dropped off the plane and she was not able to replace the broken part, so a makeshift repair job had to do for now. Getting to a bikeshop in Pamplona would be almost impossible as the "Running of the Bulls" is taking place this week.
We shared our bunk room with 2 nice German women and 2 sisters from Manchester, who had just graduated from university.
10.7.
Orrison to Roncesvalles 19 km
We left before 8 am after a surprisingly good night's sleep. I had the top bunk, always a challenge!
Another 650 metres or so of height to gain, but over a longer distance, so it was less steep, followed by 500 metres drop into Roncesvalles, which was the hardest part of the whole walk.
We walked the entire time in the clouds, visibility 20 metres or less. Herds of horses and flocks of black sheep barely visible through the mist.
We did not see anything of the superb views, even missed the Virgin of the Sheperds statue and the border stone between France and Spain. It was cold and rained some of the time. We got a feel of the drama of the landscape, rocks, stunted oak forests, beech forests and finally close to Roncesvalles a forest of huge ancient deciduous trees.
We enjoyed the mystic feel of the walk in spite of the unfortunate conditions.
There were quite a few people on the trail and we kept on overtaking each other.
I talked with a young German guy from Stuttgart for a while. His name was Markus and he had walked to Santiago last year. He was walking again this year " to work some stuff out."
He had met a woman by the name of Kate from New Zealand at the Abbey in Roncesvalles on 30 June last year, really liked her, thought he would come across her again, but never saw her again on the trail. He regretted that his shyness had held him back from approaching her. Over the last year he has made several unsuccessful attempts to find her. I gave him the website for the Camino de Santiago Forum, which would be the most likely lead, who knows...
We sailed across the mountain and arrived in Roncesvalles before 1 pm, no stops on the way. We had made the 820 ish km over 41 walking days without any major problems or difficulties. Everything had gone smoothly really.
We got our last pilgrim passport stamps from the abbey in Roncesvalles and treated ourselves to the pilgrim menu lunch before hopping on the bus back down to St Jean Pied de Port. It was still rainy and an icy wind was blowing. We bumped into the 2 English girls we had shared the bunk room with last night and I gave them my walking sticks, as they regretted setting off without.
The bus went through the valley of Valcarlos, spectacular cliffs and forest landscapes became visible as we got below the cloud.
Back in SJPP, we checked back into Azkorria, warmed up under a hot shower and settled on an early night after a picnic dinner in the back garden.
Tomorrow we take the 6.35 train to Paris where we stay for 4 nights, Saturday being "Bastille Day".
It is all over now, strange feeling. When I went into town after my shower to get some dinner provisions I saw people arriving off the train, full of enthusiasm and anticipation, pale skinned, shiny new boots and packs. I am sure they took me for a tourist, my pilgrim identity gone, I felt momentary pangs of regret that I was not continuing on to Santiago.
What do you reckon John?
John here: What a great experience - but I'm not sure I'd be on for Santiago. Thank you camp leader for all the organisation and taking responsibility for our day to day needs - it really was a smooth trip thanks to you.
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