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Published: September 2nd 2009
P1000571
Roncesvalles storm - great rainbows above Capilla de Santiago. A magic Moment.Pyrenees to Roncesvalles:
Crossing the Pyrenees, going through a few forests full of beech wood tress and crossing the
Col de Lepoeder summit at 1,450mt was wonderful with the most clear sunny day and mild temperatures.
It was unforgettable. Going down from this summit, we found several pilgrims waiting and looking around
Just before the descent into the forest, and wondered why???? We soon found out that this section was
full of eagles flying about and using the warm thermal winds.
They were majestic to watch.
But we needed to move on.
Since it was a great clear day with no signs of bad weather, we chose the more steep and difficult
but shorter trail to Roncesvalles.
It turned out to be one of my most memorable days of the trip.
The forest was just gorgeous. With tranquil moments, silent moments and the rusty of the millions
of leaves on the ground. This forest is known as 'Bosque de Irate', the main trees are beech.
One could see how a person, especially on their own or in less clear weather may easily get lost.
The signs were often difficult to see, some were very faded on tree trunks,
S5000715 Roncesvalles Alergue
Run by the collegiate church and is located on the main road. The Gothic building was originally a medieval pilgrim hospital and has one room with 100+ bends. Here we are waiting for the doors to open. I began the line order with our backpacks, so there would be some order on entering. The hospitaleros were so pleased they took a Photo after opening the door. then when you looked
away from the trail it was difficult to get your bearing again as the forest tress are so many in numbers.
We eventually saw the church roof of the abbey at Roncesvalles, the back of the large old Royal Collegiate Church
of Saint Mary and was where we had to get our credential stamped and pay for our accommodation.
With our receipt we were invited to get a Pilgrim Meal for 9 Euros and also to attend a
special Pilgrim Mass that evening.
The mass was held in the Church of Santa Maria, the priest gave a special pilgrim mass in
Spanish and said many special pilgrim blessings to help us reach Santiago safely.
The priest also made note of the number of pilgrims and their nationalities
e.g. '2 Australians, 15 Germans etc'.
Later that evening watching a late spring rain storm complete with rainbows over the tiny
Chapel of Santiago (13th century Gothic chapel) and the 12th century Romanesque chapel of the Holy Spirit,
I found my arms were quite red. I realised I was sunburned and made a mental note to make sure I
used sunscreen on the following days.
The
P1000562 Roncesvalles -
Using the clothes dryer situated ouside the albergue before hanging my clothes. It was lucky for me because my clothes dried before the storms came. Albergue was in main street in a one room Gothic building housing 120+ beds.
Its origins were of being a medieval pilgrim hospital. It had good showers and all facilities (internet, clothes driers).
The hospitaleros were very organised and made the pilgrims enter one by one, remove their boots and place
them in a shelf cupboard then were allocated with a pillow and could choose our own bed.
In many albergues you were allocated a bed, either top or bottom bunks, but you soon learned to ask
for your preference.
We were also told that no-one was allowed up before 6am.
At 6am we were woken up with beautiful soft church music and soon after the lights were switched on,
I soon wanted to go back under my covers when I discovered it was still dark outside, windy and raining!!!!!
Can you feel the cold? I soon forgot to apply sunscreen cream and the sunburned skin, I now had goose flesh!!!!
Roncesvalles to Zubiri
Struggled to put on our rain ponchos - we became ‘The hunchbacks’ in blue.
We head off on our 3rd day of walking - in the dark, wet, cold and
P1000541 Collegiate Church of Saint Mary
Arriving in Roscenvalles we needed our credentials stamped here at the Youth hostel in the modernised part of the monastery complex. Collegiate Church of Saint Mary, build by order of Navarrese King Sancho the Strong, it is also a museum and houses the 14th century statue of Our Lady of Roncesvalles.
The iron chains at front of the arch entrance are the chains the Sancho broke in the defeat of the Moors at the famous balttle of Navas de Tolsa in the year 1212. miserable looking morning BUT
full of energy and with great smiles on our faces. We head off and follow the other walkers hoping
they are going the RIGHT way. We are too lazy to get out guide books out in the wet.
The rain was mild and misty but had rained all night and the tracks were very muddy and slippery in some areas.
Some sections had such sticky mud that one grew heavier and heavier and taller by several inches.
Eventually it was necessary to remove it and come back to earth lightly. There were several pilgrims slip
sliding away on the steep slopes, but thankfully no one was hurt.
One of the highlights on this day was sharing it with two American priests because they had a wealth
of information relating to the religious trail. One of our adventures was making sure we found the
famous ‘Pasos de Roldan’ stone. It was eventually found and my step was only half that of the great man.
He was BIG!!!!
The other highlight was the abundance of wild flowers all over the hills giving the glorious day so much
colour and pleasure to be a part of it all.
On reaching Zubiri and after a great cardio workout going uphill it was time to go downhill in a very treacherous
trail which was quite dangerous in the last few hundred meters before arriving to the famous
‘Puente de Rabia’ or Rabies Bridge.
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