Finally on to Roncesvalles

 Tired and furious at myself, I continue on. At least now I see other pilgrims and the Camino markers and know just how far I need to go.

 

 

Only 9.9 km to Roncesvalles- Ronceveaux in French, Orreaga in Basque.  And here I am, in my stylish hiking clothes and lumbar pack- see the scallop shel?

 

 

 
This is the trail I should have been on. 

Below is the famed Fontaine de Roland, near the cross-over point into Spain. 


Note the HELP 211 sign up there- people do get trapped on the mountain in bad weather or because of injury and get rescued.

 This marker indicates I was now in Spain, in Navarre.

 
 
And yes, other pilgrims!



 

It continued to be quite cool and rainy and, as we climbed, windy.  Up on this pass, as we approached the highest point of the hike, is a small stone hut, used as an emergency shelter.  A few of us stopped here to get out of the wind and have a bite to eat. (Laurent at Borda offered us sandwiches - I'm glad I got one. )

I'm holding an EENP bag, which I borrowed from the Kuntzmans who take it on all of their trips. Its a great conversation starter. 


 

Below is inside the hut- our jackets and poles- its great to rest a bit. 

My fellow hikers- the young woman is Hong, a 20 yo from South Korea, hiking solo.


 

Here's an image of this area from another pilgrim's blog- it gives you a great idea of what the terrain is like:

   

Leaving the hut, I continued on to the highest point of the hike:  Col Leopeder, at about 1400 meters or 4700 feet. Remember, I started from St Jean Pied-de-Port at about 170 meters. 

 


 At this point we can see down into the valley to Roncesvalles, our stop for the night. A very small town but a very large albergue.  (By this point,my phone had no power and was too tired so not my photo here)

Leaving the pass,we have a choice to make: go left down a very rocky and hill trail into town or go right-a bit longer but a more gentle descent. Our hosts at Borda told us to take the right as many pilgrims have been injured and rescued on left side path.

 “left is death and right is life“. 

 

 

 Given that I was very tired and it was wet and slippery, I went right,along Hong, a 20 yo hiker from South Korea.  We were about 5 km from Roncesvalles

  

We walked and walked down a gravel road, then it transitioned to an old macadam road that was pretty chewed up. It was late afternoon and we were tired, looking forward to getting there. 

As we neared the town, I slowed down to look at my phone for the next turn - and then stumbled over the uneven road surface. My poles stopped me from falling but my ankle snapped. I knew it was broken.

We got my ankle wrapped, I put my shoe on and managed to stand up.There was no one else around so we just continued into town.We eventually came to a busy road and followed the signs to the albergue.  I could walk poles with some pain.

Hong and I were staying at different places in this very large pilgrim hostel so she bid me good bye and went off to sign in for her room.

Entrance to the Roncesvalles Albergue



 

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