Walked: Today: 6.4mi /Camino 2022: 35.8 mi
Although today was a shorter walk, it still presented some challenges.
Because Bizkaretta is not a primary stopping point, we had the Camino to ourselves from the time we left at 7:05 until arriving at Zubiri just before 11:00. All the other pilgrims were either behind us or ahead of us. We encountered less than a dozen pilgrims along the way!
We walked in forests most of the morning, eliminating the heat of the sun as a factor.
One challenge came from a relatively short but steep climb out of Lintzoain (200 ft rise over 0.2 miles) on a textured concrete surface.
During the walk, we initially encountered paths/washes that provided difficult footing, but their short duration was not a major hinderance.
The next 3-4 miles were very manageable walking surfaces with short duration and mild elevation changes.
The most difficult challenge came during the 2 mile descent into Zubiri. We encountered frequent sections that were washes, not paths that featured sharp ridges of shale and loose stones that created opportunities for Camino ending injuries.
While tackling the last wash, we sneaked a peek at the tops of Zubiri buildings through the trees and breathed a sign of relief! We exited the forest and a few hundred yards later we crossed the medieval 12th century Puente de la Rabia, into the village of Zubiri ( pop. 435).
We stopped at a cafe for some refreshment and breakfast items. We decided our legs needed a break and some recoup time, so Jim called for a taxi to take us into Villava, a suburb of Pamplona, where we had reserved a room for the night.
We checked-in to Hotel Villava/Pamplona at 1:30, crashed for a bit, then ordered an early supper delivered to our room. Salmon for Jim, spaghetti for Linda, Navarre wine and an apple crepe for dessert.
Reading, blogging and napping filled the remaining hours of another satisfying day on the Camino.
Jimandi 