Camino Day 5: Pamplona to Puente la Reina
“A journey becomes a pilgrimage, as we discover, day by day, that the distance travelled is less important than the experience gained.”
Day 5: 27 Kilometres - 40,825 Steps
Our hotel in Pamplona has the prettiest breakfast room ever. It’s a converted chapel with stained glass windows and chandeliers. The sun streams in as we eat. We are eating big breakfasts here, with fresh bread, sliced meats, cheese and coffee to fuel our days walking.
Our exit from Pamplona is first through parklands and then the outer suburbs. I really love this city, it seems somewhere I could happily live. We start walking at 8am but it seems very early for a Sunday morning in Pamplona, it’s very quiet on the streets.
After a steep climb (our daily cardio!) we reach Alto de Perdon. It’s an iconic spot and in amongst the colossal wind turbines is the famous iron sculpture of medieval pilgrims. It bears the inscription “Where the way of the wind crosses the way of the stars”. It’s an exciting and much anticipated moment. We goof around taking photos and videos then we sit away from the sculpture on the cliff side facing the coming walk and make our sandwiches for lunch. Bread and jamon of course. We purchased the ingredients from the most delicious looking characuterie in Pamplona and they do not disappoint. The views are breathtaking and when we finish our simple meal, we descend down into the valley, the fields of rape (Canola) and wheat surround us.
We overnight in Puente la Reina, a town named after the spectacular Roman bridge built by the queen in the 12th Century to help facilitate the safe passage of pilgrims. Our hotel is charming but bizarrely the bath is in the bedroom.
POSTCARDS FROM Pamplona to Puente la Reina
