# 5: Day 3 Larrosoana to Pamplona 16km

Another hot day reaching 30degs later in the afternoon. This was only a short day where I gave a few kilometres back to the itinerary so approximately 4 hours and 16km into Pamplona.

The track was really pleasant and a fairly sensible grade with only a few ups and downs really. There were some nice sections in shade following beside a river and we passed through the occasional small village and little clusters of houses.

This was the first major city of the Camino, and it was actually a really nice walk skirting some of the new towns and taking us through the original fortified walls and structures such as draw bridges and trenches and up into the old town.

I’d already been here on route to the start, so I felt a little familiar with the city and led the “family” for the day, through a major plaza and down some side streets for a well-earned Sangria close to where I had stayed. A refreshing and delicious mix of Spanish red wine chopped fruit, and a sweet soda all chilled with a generous amount of ice. We ordered a little dish to accompany it and set to solving the world's problems as one does on the Camino!

It’s nice to come off the trail around midday before it gets really hot and for now, we have had that luxury. It also gives you time to shower, change into fresh clothes, hand wash the trail clothes, and set up camp for the night. I’m in an Albergue close to the Cathedral with a bottom bunk and a curtain…surely that makes it soundproof right?

Pamplona is a fun city with lots of bars and plazas where people socialize, eat, and drink. It feels like the Monday here is just as busy as last Thursday when I last visited and we enjoyed a nice meal in a small laneway, and a few variations of sangria over the course of the evening with a few people from the Alburgue. These communal types of accommodation are great for meeting people.

Pamplona hits the world stage every year on the 7th of the 7th when the bulls are famously let loose in the city. We followed some of the routes walking past a countdown clock that said there were 18 days to go….I'm hopefully well across the country by then but in the meantime its one foot in front of the other as I push on to Puento La Reina tomorrow. 24kms and it’s gonna be hot so an early start it is.

Buen Camino

Little clusters of houses or in this case a small accommodation provider

Stiff uphill just outside Pamplona Many stopped here for breakfast for coffee… well placed 5-7km after the start

Dinner with some fellow walkers My accommodation for the night!

Pamplona Cathedral David from Wales and Claire from Australia shared some of the journey. Good chat.

Well, you have to eat and rehydrate, don't you!