19/20 Sep and the sun comes out

Wed 19 Sep  A good evening in Deba with our first proper pilgrims menu. We had a lovely veggy stew to start with and then peppers stuffed with seafood. Pud was slightly strange as it appeared to be cold runny custard with a biscuit in it!  However, at 10€ inc water and wine it can't be too bad. Got off at 0645 and stopped at the bakers for a coffee and bun as well as some fresh bread for lunch. Plan was then to walk to Markina which was about 24 kms. A little wet at the start but it dried up by about midday. Much as I try not to compare this walk with my Camino Frances last year I must say that so far this is a tougher walk. Far more ups and downs and we went from 0 to 400m back to 200 then up to 450 and back to 100 and finally to 350 m for then end of the day. On the way mike showed a strange fascination for slugs feeling the need to point out every one. We got to Markina at about 1430 and the AdP was closed until 1500 so we walked on to a private pension but never found it!  At this point we decided to walk an extra 6 km to the next AdP in the book at Bolinar. Got there to be told that the AdP was actually another 2  km further on and that proved to be all up hill. Finally arrived at about 1600 having completed about 31 km in the day. However, this AdP is lovely and there is a promise of good food tonight. Off to Gernika tomorrow. No wifi here so this will not be posted tonight and the photos will also have to wait. One of the disadvantages of the damp weather is that it makes it difficult to dry our clothes fully so last night I slept in my socks to make sure they were dry for the morning. 

Last nights meal was good and not so good. The good was the tuna salad, then peppers then fish with a sweet cake for pus. The not so good was the local special of tripe in tomato sauce! One of the very few things I hate to eat is tripe. However, given the bill for two inc wine, beer, cheese and olives was 30€ it was well worth it. A great AdP last night with just the two of us in a room for four. Off at 0730 with our still wet washing on our bags. A good 19 km walk to Gernika and now at 1300 we have just finished lunch and are about ready to walk the last 8 km for today to the next AdP. This extra bit today will help reduce the books 32km route for tomorrow to Bilbao. 

18 Sep 2012 and it rains!

A good meal in Getaria although a little expensive. However, we did choose a fish restaurant next to the sea and had fresh grilled sardines to start and turbot as the main course. All very good and complemented by the local white wine. Off at 0730 with a little rain in the air that gradually became more persistent. It turned into 'lazy rain' which is the type that once it gets to you cannot be bothered to go any further so it just lays all over you. Stopped a couple of times for foot maintenance, inc once where the local cider was on sale by the footpath. Ended the day at Deba after only 17 kms. Stopped in part owing the the persistent drizzle but also because the only other option appeared to be to walk another 24kms to the next AdP at Markina which is tomorrows destination. Went to the tourist info office in Deba to get the key to the local AdP and paid 5€ each for the night. All very basic but functional, just the type of place that Ian who walked with me last year loved!  The lady in the tourist office was extremely helpful and have us a copious amount of local info as well as a guide book for Camino Norte as well as a very good accommodation list. There are also a few places with Menu de Pelegrenos available in town so tonight is my walking companion's (Mike Smith) first experience of the real Camino spirit. Hopefully, it will be a little dryer tomorrow but if not so be it. Have our cheese and meat for tomorrow's walk as there appears to be no where on the way to stop and the local bakers opens at 0645. 

Added exta for 17 Sep

A short addition to today's comments. While laying on the bed reading waiting for the Spanish to serve food after 8 pm we suddenly heard the sound of running water.  I thought mikes stomach was being noisy but it was his drinking water sac evacuating all over the floor! It's amazing how far 1.5 ltrs goes!!

17 Sep with about 70kms done.

Got away at 0730 this morning after a quick breakfast of microwaved coffee and a stale biscuit. Path went immediately up to an elevation of about 300 m and then stayed mainly on the ridge for the next ten k amongst trees and open farmland until we dropped down to Orio for a quick snack and some foot maintenance. The. We went up hill again towards our expected destination of Zarautz, but we got to the east side of town by midday so carried on to the centre. This place has a huge sandy beach that is very popular with the local surfers and a lovely looking 9 hole golf course. It was still a little early so we headed off to the next place called Getaria.  Got there just after 1330 when most places including the tourist info office was closed!  Tried a couple of places for rooms. It they were either full of closed! Then found a posh 'Relais' hotel for 88 euros a night for the room, but they told us of another place close by. So eventually stopped in a little two star pension for 50€ that gave us a nice two bedded room with a private bathroom - lovely.  It is now 3 pm and all ablutions are done so I will take a stroll around what looks to be a pretty little village. It looks like the local special is fresh sardines so that will do me for tonight. No telephone service here so no calls or texts today. Off towards Deba tomorrow but as that is now only a out 18 Kms away we will probably walk on if all is ok. My feet are aching  but otherwise seem ok given that we have walked about 70 Kms in 3 days. 

Sun 16 Sep

Got away a little later than standard owing in part to the poor nights sleep because it was so hot. However, had a quick breakfast and left at 0830.  A good days walk thereafter ending in San Sebastian at about 3pm. The walk was primarily along good woodland tracks with some pretty hefty climbs.  Stopped about 4 Kms before the end for a lovely lunch of calamari and prawns. I think we walked about 28 Kms today which was a bit further than planned because last nights AdP was a further away  from the start and today's is at the far end of town. Feet and legs are fine although we probably walked a bit too fast for so early in the hike. I think we are both too stubborn to say slow down.  The start of this Camino certainly seems more demanding than the Camino Frances. Still, all settle now for tonight with a planned earlier start tomorrow. Also, tomorrow's walk should be relatively short and we have the next AdP booked.  Temp ranged from about 12 to 25 regs today and is expected to get warmer still - good job mike has a fleece with him (I think his 'mum' made him bring it). 

Sat 15 Sep - We are off!

Pretty good start with easyjet doing what it was paid for. Got to Biarritz on time but as I expected there was. No bus service to Bidart. So jumped into a taxi which dropped us off at Bidart about 15 mins later. Good walk today of about 27 kms in total. Most of it was along the coast once we found the correct path! Cloudy to start with, which was a blessing as full sun would have been too much for the first day. That said it reached 25 degs and was clear  blue sky by the end of the day. Only a pity the French do not clean up their dog mess as the aroma along the path was a little high in places. Found the ferry ok but it took a bit of wandering to find the AdP. However, all settled in now with washing done and about to go and find some food. The link to the photos is https://picasaweb.google.com/home where you should see an album titled Camino Norte for all the new photos.  Buon Camino!!!

Getting closer now.  Expect to arrive at Biarritz around 0930 on 15 Sep and to walk from Biarritz airport to Irun and hopefully get there on the first day.  However, if the bus to Bidart is at the airport when we arrive we may get on it as I have some good information about the route from Bidart and very little about the route from Biarritz to Bidart.  Still intend to walk on the coast to Muxia and Finisterre before we go to Santiago but we have very little information about the route after Ribadeo so it all depends on how the first few weeks go.  I cannot imagine that we will get another 5 weeks on the camino without rain!