the cold muddy road to santiago

I knew my luck couldn't hold...

After 5 weeks of near perfect weather, including a trip over the Pyrenees in picturesque conditions, the rain has arrived. As I was leaving Pamplona for Cizur Menor, the sky darkened suddenly. By the time I arrived at the albergue it was raining and it didn't let up all night. Luckily the snow the woman there predicted didn't come to pass but who knows! Anything's possible. The next morning it was grey but not wet and I thanked my lucky stars and set off for the Alto del Perdon, a ridge that offers spectacular views (in good weather). It was really very beautiful - the fields had been tilled for winter and the clouds were all very dramatic. Along the ridge there was a huge windfarm and I watched the blades spinning as I walked up.

As I got a little further along, the track disintegrated into mud and stones - highly unpleasant to walk on but I figured it still wasn't raining so I shouldn't complain. Then I found out why there was a windfarm on that ridge. By the time I got to the top I was being blown sideways and was using my hiking poles to keep myself upright. It was all I could do to take a quick look around and appreciate that it would have been beautiful without the galeforce wonds before I headed down the other side, hoping desperaely for a bit of shelter. I got it for one kilometre while I trekked down a hideous rocky slippery path. Once I got to the bottom though I discovered the problem with those lovely tilled fields - they offer absolutely no protection from aforementioned winds!

I got to Uterga and had a badly-needed break. I was heading for Lorca and my guide book said it was about 34kms altogether. Well, they'd put in a few detours and deviations thanks to construction and roadworks and when Lorca finally rose up before me I think I'd probably covered more like 38kms. Thankfully the albergue was truly lovely and not at all crowded. There was an American couple that I'd met on the road that day and a Spanish man I'd met the night before, as well as two other ladies. We bought home-made chorizo from a tiny shop and cooked together (and drank too much wine). It was one of the first real pilgrim meals I've had on the road in Spain and I really enjoyed it.

The next day was more of the same really - more rain, more mud, more sliding down hillsides when walking along the road would have been soooo much easier. It was snowing on the mountains nearby and from the biting cold of the rain and the fact that I couldn't feel my nose, I wouldn't have been surprised if it'd started snowing on me! Luckily, my rain gear is all living up to it's expensive reputation and I remain dry and relatively warm (except my nose!). Bad news is... it's forecast to rain for at least the next 5 days. DAMMIT!