Don't let this happen to you

[Old Hillwalker]

My unsuccessful May 2018 attempt: I arrived in Irun on Mayday and started out walking the next day. The weather was great with bright sunny days and mild air. I took the high route from the Ermita and filmed almost all the way to the albergue in Pasi Donibane. Wonderful walking however at one point while walking the path through a vinyard a machine spraying the vines surprised me and a I got a lungful of whatever was being sprayed. I didn't feel any bad effects right then, but as time passed I found myself coughing up large quantities of phlegm. In a nut shell, by the time I got to the albergue in Deba I was feeling quite unwell. I took two days off to no avail. Then, I took the train to Bilbao and flew home to Maine after only nine days. At home I was diagnosed with pneumonia apparently caused by whatever it was that I had inhaled in that farmer's field. I plan on continuing my walk of the Norte this coming September (2019) continuing this time from Deba.

 

[Anamiri]

was it an insecticide?

 

[Jan_D]

Oh no, sounds like an absolute nightmare Glad you seem to be ok now though. What rotten luck. Here's hoping for a less noxious round two!

 

[Iriebabel]

Happy you are feeling better..Buen Camino for the second time around !

 

[MikeyC]

Walking up to Ciruena there is a golf club near the top of the hill. We passed by in late April 2017 when there were sprinkler systems putting up jets of water and also a fine mist that covered all the area. We detoured as much as possible, pulled our Buffs up over our mouths and timed our passage to avoid the heavier concentrations. Perhaps it was just clean water from a borehole and we were being over cautious but as your experience shows sometimes you just don't know until it's too late.
Wishing you a safe return in September.

 

[Miki Goldie]

So much for organic crops! You did the right thing, so disappointing but a healthy choice.
Good luck in your healing.....Love

 

[willydp]

Good luck
Carpe Diem
Buen Camino

 

[Glamgrrl]

Walking up to Ciruena there is a golf club near the top of the hill. We passed by in late April 2017 when there were sprinkler systems putting up jets of water and also a fine mist that covered all the area. We detoured as much as possible, pulled our Buffs up over our mouths and timed our passage to avoid the heavier concentrations. Perhaps it was just clean water from a borehole and we were being over cautious but as your experience shows sometimes you just don't know until it's too late.
Wishing you a safe return in September.

Was it a ghost town when you walked by? It was eerie when we passed June 2018

 

[Camino Chrissy]

Ciruena is the weirdest, eeriest town on the Camino IMO! My last time was in 2017. I won't comment on the owner of the "unusual" albergue we stayed at, but it was an interesting experience, to say the least!

 

[Anamiri]

Ciruena is the weirdest, eeriest town on the Camino IMO! My last time was in 2017. I won't comment on the owner of the "unusual" albergue we stayed at, but it was an interesting experience, to say the least!

I didnt stay there but used the bathrooms in the golf club. Very posh.

 

[camino-david]

It was an even more of a ghost town in 2010. I agree it is weird and an example of doing everything wrong by head- in-the-sky developer.
Incidently you can get a good cafe con leche at the golf club that you walk past before entering the housing

 

[Old Hillwalker]

Ciruena is the weirdest, eeriest town on the Camino IMO! My last time was in 2017. I won't comment on the owner of the "unusual" albergue we stayed at, but it was an interesting experience, to say the least!

I can't help but to ask. Did the albergue owner call himself "Ramone"

 

[Camino Chrissy]

I can't help but to ask. Did the albergue owner call himself "Ramone"

No, but I call him that whenever I share that story!!

 

[Ian L]

No, but I call him that whenever I share that story!!

I also went through Ciruena in 2017. It was 95 degrees that day and I think the entire town was in the public swimming pool in the center of town. Even though it wasn't a ghost town, it still had that eerie feeling and I couldn't get out of there quick enough. When I reached the edge of town without finding a fountain, I opted to walk to Santo Domingo, with no water, instead of walking back into town to find some. Probably not a wise decision, but that first beer when I reached Santo Domingo was one of the best of my entire Camino.

The next day I talked to some people that decided to stay in Ciruena, and I will just say that I think they ran into your "Ramone".

 

[Camino Chrissy]

So what you are saying is that all 5 of the people who live in Ciruena were swimming that day! If there were more than 5 it was all the pilgrims taking a break on a hot day, or they were trying to get away from Ramone after checking in at his albergue!☺

 

[Dominick]

My unsuccessful May 2018 attempt: I arrived in Irun on Mayday and started out walking the next day. The weather was great with bright sunny days and mild air. I took the high route from the Ermita and filmed almost all the way to the albergue in Pasi Donibane. Wonderful walking however at one point while walking the path through a vinyard a machine spraying the vines surprised me and a I got a lungful of whatever was being sprayed. I didn't feel any bad effects right then, but as time passed I found myself coughing up large quantities of phlegm. In a nut shell, by the time I got to the albergue in Deba I was feeling quite unwell. I took two days off to no avail. Then, I took the train to Bilbao and flew home to Maine after only nine days. At home I was diagnosed with pneumonia apparently caused by whatever it was that I had inhaled in that farmer's field. I plan on continuing my walk of the Norte this coming September (2019) continuing this time from Deba.

Hola, sorry to hear about your experience on El Norte. I am also in the planning stages of walking El Norte and Primativo, starting in September. Do you use a guide book, and if so, where did you get it? Are you planning to be at "the Gathering" in March? Gracias y Hasta Luego, Dominick

 

[Magwood]

I don’t know about the north of Spain, but in the south some landowners use sulphur on their vines. Apparently it inhibits mould.

 

[Jeff Crawley]

I don’t know about the north of Spain, but in the south some landowners use sulphur on their vines. Apparently it inhibits mould.

Could be Bordeaux Mixture - mainly copper sulphate used to inhibit mould. It gets used around the time of year you set out. We used to see it a lot in the Charente Maritime area of France where we had a house. The neighbours told our daughters not to eat the grapes. It gets washed away eventually but you wouldn't want to eat it although it IS supposed to be "organic".

 

[Jeff Crawley]

Walking up to Ciruena there is a golf club near the top of the hill. We passed by in late April 2017 when there were sprinkler systems putting up jets of water and also a fine mist that covered all the area. We detoured as much as possible, pulled our Buffs up over our mouths and timed our passage to avoid the heavier concentrations. Perhaps it was just clean water from a borehole and we were being over cautious but as your experience shows sometimes you just don't know until it's too late.
Wishing you a safe return in September.

On the upside the golf course has immaculate toilets, the sandwiches are tasty and they don't mind grubby pilgrims rubbing shoulders with their members.
Have never seen anybody going in or coming out of the houses in 4 Caminos though.

 

[Thornley]

Walking up to Ciruena there is a golf club near the top of the hill. We passed by in late April 2017 when there were sprinkler systems putting up jets of water and also a fine mist that covered all the area. We detoured as much as possible, pulled our Buffs up over our mouths and timed our passage to avoid the heavier concentrations. Perhaps it was just clean water from a borehole and we were being over cautious but as your experience shows sometimes you just don't know until it's too late.
Wishing you a safe return in September.

Two things about Ciruena
10 years ago we stayed in a beautiful Pension there with a wonderful family as host.
The attention they gave my wife with her blisters stays with us.
They had a beautiful deck under cover looking over the old town , a bar opposite.
Many Spanish stay in this village , there are more places than the fore mentioned albergue.
As Jeff just said the Golf Course is a secret GEM .
They serve the best coffee , their toilets are immaculate , not like the crap we usually get and their staff are terrific.
We never walk past there and then always stay in the same place in Santo Domingo , it's at the end of the street when you walk in with a verandah on the front , off the bar , and I'm directed there by the Boss.
Stay there and Leon and you will get a very nice surprise when using the same place in SDC

 

[freeflyer123]

So sorry to read about your experience. We had a similar one once when we were cycling through France, although we didn't have the same problems you did. But I remember at the time thinking it couldn't have been very healthy. Good to know it's around May that this happens because that's when we were thinking of doing the Del Norte ourselves this year. We may make it later in the year, though missing the height of the summer season.

I'm making a note not to stay at Ciruena, although a stop for a coffee at the golf club has definitely wetted my appetite . Do like the sound of Santo Domingo and will make a note of that.

 

[Thornley]

So sorry to read about your experience. We had a similar one once when we were cycling through France, although we didn't have the same problems you did. But I remember at the time thinking it couldn't have been very healthy. Good to know it's around May that this happens because that's when we were thinking of doing the Del Norte ourselves this year. We may make it later in the year, though missing the height of the summer season.

I'm making a note not to stay at Ciruena, although a stop for a coffee at the golf club has definitely wetted my appetite . Do like the sound of Santo Domingo and will make a note of that.

It's the first Parador you reach in the town , which has two.
If you love golf or like wearing a golf shirt with shorts after you shower then buy one there as The Boss does every time . The older shirt she took along at the start , gone......... I feel dressed up mate she mumbles.

 

[TaraWalks]

I didnt stay there but used the bathrooms in the golf club. Very posh.

I did too!

 

[Camino Chrissy]

Was it a ghost town when you walked by? It was eerie when we passed June 2018

Sure was for me in 2015 and 2017.

 

[ranthr]

Sure was for me in 2015 and 2017.

and in 2007 as well.

 

[nycwalking]

Buen camino.