We were underway walking the full Camino de Santiago. With two long walking days behind us and a blissful night’s sleep in our comfortable overnight accommodation in Akarreta, Days 3 and 4 would be breezy short walks.
Day 3 – Akarreta to Pamplona
Knowing that the walking day would be short, we started the day at a leisurely pace. Breakfast was served at 8:00am so there was no rush. However, we were keen to be on our way to Pamplona because it was the first day of the annual San Fermin Festival (Running of the Bulls).
Leaving Akarreta
Fuelled by a hearty continental breakfast, we left Akarreta down a narrow track before continuing along a path full of rises and falls that snaked alongside a river.
After several kilometres, we emerged into the open air, surrounded by wheat fields. There were several small townships to pass through before we encountered a couple of short but steep descents and ascents before finding ourselves walking on a paved track that ran above the highway.
Puenta de la Trinidad de Arre and Basilica de la Sanctissima
The path descended into a small park next to the medieval bridge spanning the Argo River which has, for centuries, been the official entrance into Pamplona for pilgrims. We took a short rest in the park before crossing the Puenta de la Trinidad de Arre into Trinidad de Arre, the first suburb on the outskirts of Pamplona.
Just over the bridge on the right is Basilica de la Sanctissima Trinidad. It’s the site of a monastery and an old pilgrim hospital where weary travellers on the Camino used to stop to rest overnight. The small chapel was open and we could self-stamp our pilgrim’s passports before continuing through the outer suburbs towards the city.
Pamplona
Almost immediately we were immersed into the festivities of San Fermin. It was the first day of the festival and no bull running would occur. However, it was a public holiday and people were out celebrating.
Groups of revellers dressed in white with red neck scarves joined us and before long we merged with more crowds to cross the Puente de la Magdalena before entering the old town through the Portal de Francia.
As we approached Plaza Consistorial, we found the streets packed with people. Some were just milling around while others had gathered around trestle tables to eat lunch. Plaza Consistorial is home to Pamplona’s City Hall, which boasts an impressive Baroque facade.
It was almost midday, and the opening day celebrations would soon commence. The Plaza was filled with people, and the crowd had spilt into the narrow streets surrounding the square. The mood was jovial: rubber balls bounced above heads as people drank Sangria and sang at the top of their voices.
Fortunately, we’ve visited Pamplona before and had the opportunity to walk the bull-running route incorporating Plaza Consistorial. It’s a compact and pretty square which is better appreciated without the San Fermin crowds.
San Fermin festivities
As the clock approached midday, the excitement in the air was palpable. The San Fermin chant and the launch of mini rockets, known as “Txupinazo,” signalled the start of a week-long celebration. Excited residents and their guests gathered on the balconies of houses overlooking the crowded streets and squares. Sangria flowed freely and bucketfuls of it were poured from the balconies onto the crowds below, making navigating through the crowds challenging. Without getting drenched, we arrived in Plaza Castillo, the heart of Pamplona, to see what was happening. It was packed full of people too!
With little room to move and people drinking and cheering as rockets were launched above, we managed to make our way through to the other side of the square to find a quieter square with fewer people to sit down. It became clear that we wouldn’t be able to find anywhere to have lunch in the city area, so we snacked on our provisions whilst enjoying one of our favourite travel pastimes – people-watching.
Our accommodation
Because of the Festival, our travel arrangers, UTracks had not been able to find accommodation for us in the centre of Pamplona and had instead offered to taxi us back to Akarreta and return the next morning to continue on our way. We did some independent searching and found an Ibis Styles hotel about 5km from the city where we could spend the night.
Walking a few extra kilometres
We had intended to catch a taxi to the hotel but again, it was apparent that this would be difficult so after an hour we put our backpacks on and started the walk.
The hotel was comfortable and roomy enough to unroll our yoga mats to stretch. Refreshed we enjoyed pre-dinner drinks in the covered outside area surrounded by locals and before long joined them in the restaurant for a simple and delicious seafood meal before retiring to bed to the sound of thunder and lightning and finally heavy rain.
Some discoveries on the Camino de Santiago
There were two things we discovered that afternoon:
- trees along the pathways laden with ripe fruit ready for picking; and
- refreshing lemon beer.
We would enjoy both on the remainder of our Camino.
The highlight of the day
Stumbling through an interview with a TV reporter while sitting on a park bench. Asked about what we thought of the festival, we used our rusty Spanish and plenty of gesturing to indicate our excitement of being in Pamplona during the San Fermin festivities.
One more thing
While some of us may not support bullfighting, there is much to be said about the atmosphere and euphoria of being in Pamplona during the fiesta and witnessing the festivities on the day before the actual bull running commences. It was an experience to remember.
Walking statistics
- 15km plus a further 5.7km to our hotel
- 5 hours including our stop in Pamplona
Day 4 – Pamplona to Puenta de la Reina
Eager to be on the move we watched the build-up to the first bull run on the TV as we ate breakfast in the cafe where we had dinner the evening before. Hotel reception called a taxi to take us for a 9-minute drive to the small township of Cizur Menor, the starting point for our day’s walk.
The taxi driver was chatty on the short drive and left with a little extra in his pocket. The total cost was 18 euros. We knew he had overcharged us!
Cizur Menor
We exited the taxi and met a Camino walker and chatted while walking through the quiet streets of Cizur Menor. Our fellow pilgrim had started her walk in Normandy. Leaving her to continue at her leisurely pace, we soon came across another pilgrim picking plums from a tree on the side of the path. He offered us some telling us that they would give us the energy and nutrients to carry us through the day. They were delicious and oozing with sweetness.
Soon we were walking amongst vast fields of wheat and sunflowers with their heads turned in unison towards the sun. The scenery was stunning as we climbed towards the small township of Zariquiegui (pop 162). Our guidebook told us that it was the ideal spot to stop for a rest before the steep climb to Alto du Perdon.
Leaving the Zariquigui, the trail became steeper, gravely and muddier because of the overnight rainfall. On our slow and steady climb, we came upon an old local out walking with his dog (this is the middle of nowhere), another set of pilgrims who looked like a mother and daughter to whom we wished “Buen Camino” as we manoeuvred past them and a trail bike rider who roared past us just as we reached the summit. Where did he come from?
Alto del Perdon
The sculptures on the ridge at Alto du Perdon (height of forgiveness) were a welcome sight. We’d been told it can get quite gusty on the ridge – but we are lucky, the winds are moderate and views across the slopes and fields below are splendid.
Previously, the ridge was home to a Basilica and a hospital for pilgrims. Nowadays, these structures have been replaced by the famous metal sculptures of past and present pilgrims. Some of the sculptures depict pilgrims walking, while others show them riding horses or donkeys.
The climb down was slower and more difficult. We navigated down a slippery and steeper trail of stone, gravel and plenty of uneven crevices and were left astounded when a young couple strode past us without hiking poles, one in trainers and the other in sandals!
Urtega
Once on the flat, a scenic path led past a prominent Camino landmark. A marble sculpture of Mary stands in a shaded spot with benches to rest on. The benches were full of pilgrims resting after coming down the arduous path.
The small town of Urtega wasn’t too far away so we carried on to take our break there.
There was not a soul in sight walking through Urtega. Nor did we see any cafes. Finally, we stumbled across a hostel with a cafe attached selling fruit so seized the opportunity to collect some sustenance
Muruzabai
With no seating, parks or shade in sight, we carried on walking a short distance to the small village, of Muruzabai to find the perfect spot to sit under the shade of trees loaded with ripe cherry plums next to the village church. Voices from the church verandah reveal the trainers and sandals couple chatting to another young pilgrim.
Obanos
Sufficiently rested and with our pilgrim’s passports stamped at the church we moved on along a prettier wildflower-lined path to Obanos. Again, we noticed just a few residents outside as we passed through the charming town: an elderly man sitting on a park bench reading his newspaper; a group of very young children struggling with a table, chair and bags full of goods who look like they are going to set up a stall by the church nearby; and a young family walking near the church.
Puenta de la Reina
It was becoming warmer, and our destination wasn’t far away. Puenta de la Reina and our hotel sprung upon us after we navigated a trail past a few large vegetable patches.
We walked past our hotel for another 10 minutes into the main town for lunch. The streets were deserted apart from a few pilgrims like us. Shops were closed. There was a bar opposite a small square set up for a local bull run which offered a hearty salad lunch (always served with freshly baked bread) which we enjoyed with our now customary lemon beer.
Back at the hotel, we refreshed ourselves after our yoga session and washed our clothes in the coin-operated washing machine, before sitting in the bar area to reflect on our day over a cold beer while a short rainstorm passed over.
The sun was out after dinner, allowing us to return to the town to explore the alleyways and look at the churches, and the beautiful 11th-century seven-arched Roman bridge, an icon of the Camino, after which the town is named.
Walking back through the main street of the town, we saw a few familiar faces from the trail, including a couple we saw at our hotel Roncesvalles.
The highlight of the day
Having a short conversation with Jens and Kirsten outside a tapas bar which marked the beginning of a friendship that accompanied us on our walk to Logrono (where they completed their pilgrimage). The friendship has continued beyond our time on the Camino de Santiago now that we are back in our respective home countries.
Some of our most unforgettable memories were created not only by the places we visited and saw but also by the people we met along the way and the impact they had on our journey. Stay tuned to learn about our chance encounters and observations as our journey progresses.
Walking statistics
- 18km
- 5 hours
Everything you need to know about walking the full Camino de Santiago
Contemplating completing all or part of the Camino de Santiago? Learn everything you need to know about walking the Camino de Santiago here.
If you’d like to read how our accounts of Days 1 and 2 of the Camino de Santiago, have a look at this post.
