May 30: Over the Top

Carey has long been saying we would be surprised by how “easy” we would find the Pyrenees climb today. We are “match fit”, as it were. I was sceptical. I know I am walking well, but many of the days are still clocking in as “hard” (after the fact with my watch), which big chunks of the day in “Zones 3 and 4”.

I’ll say it: he was right (of course!). It doesn’t “feel” like fitness, but we just kept on going. The morning was cool and foggy, which was a blessing. I posted a couple of pictures of the sweat pouring down my chin (virtually no evaporative cooling), but I felt strong throughout.

We left around 6:30am and saw the first signs of the sun trying to burn through the cloud/fog around 8:40. By then, we were already 10km in, having set a strong pace. By the time the sun really blued out the sky, it was 10-ish. We had two-thirds of the climb (if not the distance) under our belts.

We stopped briefly at the Alpine Meadow around 15km in, for a laze in the sun and found ourselves at the pass before noon. As always, we chose the Bonaparte route, which is steeper, but iconic (and a fraction shorter). We then chose “the left-hand path” down. This is the notorious, steep, stony/muddy scramble that takes you down 1,300m in a little under 2km. Again, it’s what we do, but, also, where we have seen accidents. The St Jean Camino Office, and all the Auberges, now ask people to take “the right-hand path” down, which curves through grassland (and offers views, which the other does not). Most people now do, which has really helped make the “left-hand path” safer. It is much less churned up and pretty much empty, meaning you can take your time and not feel pressure (on what is a very narrow track) from behind (or ahead). We got down easily, not least because the conditions were good, and planted ourselves in the upper bar at Roncesvalles for “dos cervezas grandes”.

The climb usually offers stunning views. These were absent today because the sun never succeeded in burring off the lower cloud/fog banks. Instead, we crested through the edges of valleys that were filled up with white cloud, like dense bubble baths. It was an incredible series of almost-seascapes, with creeping tendrils of fog attenuating (or somehow regaining vigour) to enclose hillsides that became islands in a sea of foaming fog dense enough to accept shadows from higher peaks, turning grey and lilac where they fell. We were both mesmerised by the spectacle that evolved throughout our entire climb.

We stayed in the Hotel Roncesvalles, which is the converted dormitory of the former Catholic College and an extraordinarily evocative place for the first night of this new pilgrimage. We arrived in the middle of a huge celebration for a First Communion, but later had a lovely intimate dinner with some local rosé.

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Inspired by our 2024 Camino Francais, Karen has a periodic podcast called "I sent you a bloody boat", personal thoughts on faith by a person who believes in thinking. Also, known as "The Reluctant Christian". You can listen to it on Spotify and on Apple Podcasts at: