Roncesvalles

25 Aug 2025

A nice intimate dinner for 25 last night at Orisson where pilgrims from Brazil, Singapore, France, New Zealand, Australia, England, and the US broke bread together. I ate with Yiting from Singapore/ Netherlands and Bridget from Vermont who is working on a college project and wants to talk to pilgrims along the way about their grief and grieving process. Janie and Jill from Washington discovered two pairs of couples also from their state!

Sleeping was tough in a hot room with 6 bunk beds and several hot bodies. I am very glad I brought ear plugs because I am used to sleeping next the soothing rhythmic white noise of a CPaP but I was able to get a few winks in. Breakfast this morning was a quick orange juice, water, (coffee for those that partake) and toast before hitting the road at 7:30.

I am very glad that I made the decision months ago to split up what is considered by the guide books to be the “first stage”. It was more uphill for 2/3 of the day again but I was much higher on the mountain so it was pretty darn windy and cool.

Lots of sheep and cows and Basque ponies were grazing all along the way. Also lots of “land mines” to avoid! I walked and talked for a while with Katie from Minnesota who just passed her licensure as a psychologist. We laughed that the “inner journey” of the Camino must start when our bodies get more used to all this exercise and we aren’t as focused on how difficult the walking is! Just as I got above the tree line there was a group of what looked like food trucks and utility vans and my fellow pilgrims and I believe it was a film crew…. Maybe I will be in the background of the sequel to “The Way”!

Crossing the actual border from France to Spain on the Camino is pretty uneventful- it is simply fencing with a livestock grate. But I still took a picture!

The hostel at Roncesvalles is huge- it is a former monastery that is now the first main stopping point for most people doing the Camino Frances- Hundreds of pilgrims come here every day and they are very organized – this place is run like an extremely well oiled machine. Several floors of hundreds of bunk bed/cubbies and two huge rooms for washing and drying clothes- I chose to hang mine outside in the sun instead of paying the 4euros to dry them- I am saving those pennies for rainy days (when I can’t dry my laundry outside!)

Speaking of rain, it is forecasted for tomorrow so I hope it will help me stay cool. It is a gradual downhill tomorrow from the foothills of the Pyranees to a town called Zubiri. It should be more miles but I am hoping not as difficult as today.

Pilgrims’ dinner soon and then bed!