Day 2 The Hard Yards

Today was glorious – apart from one detour around a maganese plant, the route was delightful rolling countryside. The uphill bits were obviously a lot less enjoyable than the flat bits but it was still gorgeous. I did 17 and a bit miles – a bit more than yesterday – but it was hard. The overweight rucksack was killing me and when I took it off at my destination at Larrasoana I discovered some nice bruising under the sunburn. The Spanish are saying the weather here is very unseasonably warm, a fact I can testify to with physical evidence – a nice line of white salt on my polo shirt. I will spare you seeing a photo.

I’m getting a little suspicious about the pilgrimage route. Don’t get me wrong, it’s superbly signposted and well maintained. It is just a little suspicious that it is so, well, wending. It seems that any attempt to include a hill has been seized. Take the last bit of my route today, from a town called Zubiri to Larrasoana. The towns are connected by a river and there is a very serviceable road that follows the river. It is of course flat. How did those conversations go in medieval times that established the current route?

“Well, stout bartender of Zubiri, it is getting dark and we pilgrims are weary – we must depart to Larrasoana. How should we travel – along the valley road?”

“Well good sirs, you could travel along the easy road next to the river. The road is well travelled and the local Lord’s troops keep travellers safe”

“That sounds like our road then”

“Of course, as you are weary, and carrying a lot of gold to Santiago, may I suggest a small diversion. Climb out of town through that thick forest, past the hideout of Manuel the Mass Murderer and his jolly band of bandits. Then pointlessly come down the hill and then go up another, even steeper one, to bring you closer to Wild Man Pedro and his merry cut-throats”.

“Huzzah. Let us put on our climbing boots”

It’s the only rationale for the route of the Camino Frances that I can think of. Still, it’s pretty. And, apparently, if you walk your rabid dog around the central arch of the medieval bridge below, it gets cured. I wonder how they tested that theory.

Zubiri

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