Good evening my fellow pilgrims,
I want to just follow up on a tread i started before i started my camino https://www.caminodesantiago.me/community/threads/i-may-have-to-limit-my-camino.26884/#post-241260
Having done as much training as my knees would allow both hill and flat terrain![20140828_084333_002[1].jpg](https://caminoforum-4df7.kxcdn.com/data/attachments/12/12135-e092086db029782cacbefebe2c4381eb.jpg "20140828_084333_002[1].jpg")
before i stared my camino i can truthfully state i was totaly unprepared for what i was about to under take, My start in St Jean was full of enthusiasm after spending the last year planning and fine tuneing my kit to suit i got the wind knocked out of my sails in the first 10 minutes or so the Brierly guide states (A strenuous uphill walk is rewarded with stunning views in all directions) this is correct except for the word strenuous, for a not overly fit man it was grulling to say the least in 24 degrees sunshine fortunely i had Orisson booked for the night as i had met John Brierly my self in Dublin in January and he recomended i do so. I was not alone in my suffering as many of the older pilgrims who stayed in Orisson also had the same problem and a few had wondered as i did if walking back down the mountain and busing around to Roncesevalles was a better option. I made inquires with the staff if the next stage was as tough and they assured me i was over the worst of it, The next day started out with rain that turned to drizzel as we neared the pass while it was a struggle the fact that the mist blocked the view of how high we had to walk was a God send. I use the word WE here as my fellow suffers and i formed a small band of encourageing warriors were we shared our pain and any help offered to each other including pain relife and all the goodies we had for energy, After the uphill struggle most had a big problem with the down hill into Roncesevalles one lady in front of me slipped and fell backwards but had recoved before i got to her, we heard later in the albergue that another lady needed stiches to her head after she had slipped also.
I want to state here that i knew the way over the pyrenees was not going to be easy but i totaly under estimated the level of difficulty it was to be even after reading a lot of posts on the forum, Why then did i deside to start in SJPdP because i come from an island and i wanted to walk over the border from France to Spain and try to get my head around why there is so much turmoile in this world over an imageimery line that some one some were at some time had drawn on a map, My conclusion pure madness.
My plan was to reach Pamplona and i did so just as my doggey knee started to swell up to say i had a ball is an understatment i loved and still do love all who i had the pleasure of meeting and shearing there experiences including there sore limbs and pain.
I am not saying not to take the way over the mountains but for the not so agile of us do put plenty of tought into it starting at some other point on the camino is by no means a failure it may just mean that you get to finish what you started .
Buen Camino
I want to just follow up on a tread i started before i started my camino https://www.caminodesantiago.me/community/threads/i-may-have-to-limit-my-camino.26884/#post-241260
Having done as much training as my knees would allow both hill and flat terrain
before i stared my camino i can truthfully state i was totaly unprepared for what i was about to under take, My start in St Jean was full of enthusiasm after spending the last year planning and fine tuneing my kit to suit i got the wind knocked out of my sails in the first 10 minutes or so the Brierly guide states (A strenuous uphill walk is rewarded with stunning views in all directions) this is correct except for the word strenuous, for a not overly fit man it was grulling to say the least in 24 degrees sunshine fortunely i had Orisson booked for the night as i had met John Brierly my self in Dublin in January and he recomended i do so. I was not alone in my suffering as many of the older pilgrims who stayed in Orisson also had the same problem and a few had wondered as i did if walking back down the mountain and busing around to Roncesevalles was a better option. I made inquires with the staff if the next stage was as tough and they assured me i was over the worst of it, The next day started out with rain that turned to drizzel as we neared the pass while it was a struggle the fact that the mist blocked the view of how high we had to walk was a God send. I use the word WE here as my fellow suffers and i formed a small band of encourageing warriors were we shared our pain and any help offered to each other including pain relife and all the goodies we had for energy, After the uphill struggle most had a big problem with the down hill into Roncesevalles one lady in front of me slipped and fell backwards but had recoved before i got to her, we heard later in the albergue that another lady needed stiches to her head after she had slipped also.I want to state here that i knew the way over the pyrenees was not going to be easy but i totaly under estimated the level of difficulty it was to be even after reading a lot of posts on the forum, Why then did i deside to start in SJPdP because i come from an island and i wanted to walk over the border from France to Spain and try to get my head around why there is so much turmoile in this world over an imageimery line that some one some were at some time had drawn on a map, My conclusion pure madness.
My plan was to reach Pamplona and i did so just as my doggey knee started to swell up to say i had a ball is an understatment i loved and still do love all who i had the pleasure of meeting and shearing there experiences including there sore limbs and pain.
I am not saying not to take the way over the mountains but for the not so agile of us do put plenty of tought into it starting at some other point on the camino is by no means a failure it may just mean that you get to finish what you started .
Buen Camino
