- earlyoungnz
# 6: Day 4 Camino Frances - Pamplona to Puente la Reina, 26kms
With another hot day forecast, I left the city just after 7 am. I’d heard that sometimes the trickiest sections to correctly follow on The Way are the entries and exits to the larger cities but the signage was excellent and after about an hour I was well clear of Pamplona after a short but really enjoyable stay.
I often lament not drinking coffee as it appears so many others take such great enjoyment from allowing themselves a moment to savor the simple pleasure of a “cup of Joe” earlyish in the day and passing the cafe at the first small town we came to, Cizur Menor had a number of pilgrims doing just that on its seats outside.
My appetite has actually reduced somewhat since I’ve been walking haha which for me is probably a good thing but between a combination of watching the family finances and not really wanting to eat just for the sake of it, I’ve tended just to plod on through the little towns where others have opted to rest, water or graze.
It was a day of walking through wheat fields with beautiful golden hues stretching out in every direction. I’m back “on stage” so to speak, so there just felt a greater number of pilgrims on the track this morning than say I’ve had the other days. Still not a line of ants level by any stretch and it was fun to interact with others including a school group of American kids on a holiday program who skipped past, all very polite and interested. Their local guide obliged by taking a photo for me later at a place of interest and like many others, once you mention you are from New Zealand, he related quickly to “What’s your rugby team called again?”. On this occasion, he actually meant the Hurricanes. Turns out he was a Chiefs fan and was pretty excited when I informed him of their semi-final success!
The little village of Zariquiequi appeared about 11km into the journey and this seemed another popular spot for a stop with some nice food options and just prior to the stiff push to the high point of the day, the Alto de Perdon.
At this point, there is a large tin sculpture depicting pilgrims traveling either on horseback or by foot. There were great views back to Pamplona and also forward to the little villages ahead, one of which I was staying at tonight.
Any walking after midday can start to get really uncomfortable it’s seems at this time of year, and this matured as promised. The next couple of villages provided important water stops as I was draining it and had already gone through the 2 litres I’d loaded up for the day.
At the village just before my final stop, I found exactly what I had been looking for to tempt me off the trail - they called it a supermarket, and yes, surprisingly it had all the key departments covered such as a butchery, deli, bakery, fruit/veg, alcohol, dry goods etc however it’s amazing that the store that provided all of that, was not any larger than what we’d know as a dairy back home.
I’d told myself after the burger experience of a few days back that I was gonna try and avoid the easy tourist fare and the lady serving was extremely helpful (assisted by a customer who understood some English!) in cutting and slicing me half a baguette of which I could place some purchased ham and cheese inside of. I had one of the most delicious lunches of the trip, on a shaded bench in the grounds of the local church with even a fountain close by to wash down the bread. She even tempted me into a little sweet pastry. 6 euros in total will keep the CFO happy back home!
It was 32 degrees by the time I staggered into Puente La Reina (Bridge of the Queen) and I was pleasantly surprised to see a lovely old town with laneways as beautiful as Pamplona. My Albergue is really nice and I splashed the euros I’d saved on lunch into a private room for the night. After spending the last two nights in a dorm with a snorer (now I wonder who that could be!), I think I’m gonna sleep well tonight!
The facilities are great, there was a vending machine located conveniently beside the shower block that dispensed 1.50euro beers. When combined alongside a shower with incredible pressure and a small stool inside said shower, it took the “shower beer” experience to a whole new level and was the perfect way to just sit there and allow some hot water to provide much-needed relief after a long day on the feet.
Outside there are loungers and hammocks on a patio and the place has a great vibe of pilgrims in for the night. Me? I’m taking advantage of the room and getting an early night. I had a wonderfully simple dinner of pre-made salad from a grocery store across the road and then the pleasure of eating it beneath the famous bridge built for pilgrims, from
which the township takes its name.
Buen Camino
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