My Camino de Santiago (In the footsteps of Napoleon)

At about 8:20 a.m. on Saturday 20th April 2013 my great expedition began, with me posing for a photograph under the clock tower by the Porte D'Espagne (Spanish gate). Earlier during my  leisurely breakfast I got into conversation with a little Frenchman with a thick white beard, who looked about seventy years old. He was dressed like me in walking clothes and I thought to myself he's going to struggle over the next few weeks. I enquired if this was his first camino to which he replied "No my second, I've already been to Santiago and now I'm walking home to Grenoble".  That completely shot me down in flames. But if he can do it I'm sure that I can as well.

Armed with my John Brierley guide book (the most popular one) and checking my direction at the first sign post I set off up hill into the Pyrenees. It is a 30 kilometre climb over the mountains to Roncesvalles (Valley of thorns) my first destination in Spain, although there is an alternative lower route. I chose to take the high path via the Route de Napoleon, used by the French army to enter Spain during the Peninsular war. This is the recommended path in good weather as although it is a strenuous ascent, you are rewarded with stunning views. The mist of the previous days had cleared and it was a clear crisp day, perfect for walking.

Snow was clearly visible on some of the high peaks and this being my first day I wanted to break myself in gently to avoid injury. Therefore I decided to break my journey and spend the night at a private albergue at Orisson only nine kilometres from St Jean. The ascent turned out to be easier than I anticipated on quiet country roads and  I reached Orisson by 10:30 a.m. much too early in the day to stop. So a quick refreshment break and with the second sello in my credencial, I carried on up into the mountains.

After a while the road veered away from my route and I now followed a rough grass track for the next few kilometres, past some wayside shrines, to the frontier with Spain. The sun was shining and Gryffon vultures were circling over head as I reached the highest point, the Col de Loepeder at 1,450 metres. From now on it was all down hill to Roncesvalles and the albergue, a converted monastery which I could see in the distance below.

It was a beautiful spring day as I descended through Beech woods to the valley of Roncesvalles and its magnificent Abbey and Monastery. Lying at an altitude 950 metres above sea level and with a resident population of less than 100 this is a major starting point for Spanish peregrinos. The old 110 bed dormitory as seen in the film 'The Way' has been replaced with modern bunk beds set  in cubicles of four, with excellent facilities. The old dormitory is now only used for overflow accommodation in peak season. That night I had an excellent peregrinos meal complete with red wine in the adjoining hotel before going to sleep. If anybody was snoring I was much too tired to hear them.

Note: 'I am not a complete Billy no mates'. During my camino I walked with peregrinos from all over the world and made some great friends. I talked about them in my original Facebook blog. However for this serialisation I have decided to write as if I was travelling alone in order to concentrate on my adventures and the places that I visited.