Thursday June 8 2017

23.4km (75.7km)

On paper today seemed like a relatively easy amble offering a ‘happy balance between beach towns, sea views and quiet hills’ in reality it has to be said that (as my sister Aileen might say 😊) I didn’t have a very good day. It started out relatively normally but on leaving the Pension at 7:30am I was aware that it was already hot. I had plenty of water, so that wasn’t a problem. The walk began with a route climbing through vineyards overlooking the bay, all very lovely although the temperature was around 30. After about 12 kms the route took me through Zumaia where I sheltered from the sun, in a cafe with some tapas and a lot of water, although it was still only around 10am. Zumaia’s beaches are set on the longest continuous rock strata in the world apparently – see photo below. About 3 km further along there was a choice, either to continue on the Camino route or take an alternative route that my book describes very briefly as more strenuous but very scenic…so off I went.
It became apparent quite quickly that more strenuous meant ridiculously strenuous and in the heat it came close to unbearable (for me) but being on my own I could hardly down tools and send Daniel off to find a taxi. The ascents were ferocious, by the time I reached Deba this alternative route had added nearly 800m of ascent to the day. I cowered under trees, ate my melting protein bars that I’d bought for emergencies, and just kept going. I was able to fill up with water along the way so having taken in nearly 4 litres of fluid throughout the day I was in no danger of dehydrating , I was just feeling a wee but miserable. Finally I could see Deba and thought all was well until I came across a huge bull sitting on the path. Anyone who knows me at all will know that I am no James Heriot and that I’d rather walk an extra 20k in the heat than pass a dozing bull. I started trying to pick a route down to the beach but was thwarted as each path that I took petered out becoming a cliff…no danger here as once again my wimpyness means I am always peering over the edge of any given cliff as opposed to dangling off it. Eventfully there was nothing to be done but climb back up and face the bull…of course this was fine and it barely noticed me commando crawling past it in the dirt, all the time ready to jump over a barbed wire fence if need be. I continued on, tired and hot but still on the GR121 route, when suddenly the markers stopped and the way was barred with tape and barricades. As before, I tried various routes and once again I was thwarted, I was tempted to call Dan to send out the Deba mountain rescue but my pride wouldn’t allow it so I climbed over the barricades, through the tape and hoped for the best. As it turned out it was a bit rough and steep but fine, until I reached the road, entering Deba, beside a sign which obviously meant I shouldn’t have come out there. Anyway I staggered to my Pension, collapsed on my bed for a bit and then summoned up the energy to head out for some pintxos and a large G&T. I’ll not be taking any more alternative routes that’s for sure.

Pension Zumardi, Mariñel, 12, 20820 Deba, Spain

Zumaia – longest continuous rock strata