Stephen
Active Member
- Time of past OR future Camino
- Twice walked from St Jean to Estella and once from Sarria to Santiago. Maybe someday I'll find the time to do the entire walk.
I've found the time. Just completed SJPP to Santiago. 25 Aug to 1st Oct, 2016.
And now the Portuguese from Lisbon.
I took the bus from Bayonne to SJPdP on 2-1-'18 and arrived about 8.50. By the time I'd got my Credencial, visited the Church, and bought some food it was after 10 o'clock.
It was a day of rain the like I'd never seen.
I arrived in Valcarlos about 3 and foolishly decided to push on to Roncesvalles.
I'd passed the point where the trail joins the road for about 100mts and was walking, sometimes ankle deep , along a very muddy and slippy path. I eventually came to what could be described as a torrent rushing down the hill from the right. It crossed the path like a river and tumbled down into the gorge to the left.
I thought slipping there could have had really serious consequences so decided to turn back.
The light had gone by the time I got back to the road. So it was pitch dark and still pouring down.
Even at the best of times I've never liked walking along the side of a road. Doing it that night would have been very dangerous so I phoned the emergency number for help.
The firemen arrived very quickly and drove me to Roncesvalles.
They asked if I was injured (well, my pride was) or lost. I said lost.
I guess if there's a lesson to be taken from this it is don't try to do on a short Winter day what you could easily accomplish on a long Summer one.
Initially I was so angry with myself I thought of going home. But the next morning was feeling in better spirits and set out for Zuburi.
It was a day of rain the like I'd never seen.
I arrived in Valcarlos about 3 and foolishly decided to push on to Roncesvalles.
I'd passed the point where the trail joins the road for about 100mts and was walking, sometimes ankle deep , along a very muddy and slippy path. I eventually came to what could be described as a torrent rushing down the hill from the right. It crossed the path like a river and tumbled down into the gorge to the left.
I thought slipping there could have had really serious consequences so decided to turn back.
The light had gone by the time I got back to the road. So it was pitch dark and still pouring down.
Even at the best of times I've never liked walking along the side of a road. Doing it that night would have been very dangerous so I phoned the emergency number for help.
The firemen arrived very quickly and drove me to Roncesvalles.
They asked if I was injured (well, my pride was) or lost. I said lost.
I guess if there's a lesson to be taken from this it is don't try to do on a short Winter day what you could easily accomplish on a long Summer one.
Initially I was so angry with myself I thought of going home. But the next morning was feeling in better spirits and set out for Zuburi.