27.0km (129.5km)
Saturday June 10 2017
I managed to get to sleep last night at 8:30, in an attempt to be asleep before the snorings began. My new ear plugs seem to have done the trick because although it was noisy I did have a reasonable night’s sleep and awoke with everyone else in the the dorm at 6am. Breakfast was included, not a patch on yesterday’s fresh everything but then it is a ‘donativo’ Albergue. I was walking by 6:50 (not as usual occurrence but the predicted temperatures for the day meant that an early start was necessary) and although I started at roughly the same time as many others I was on my own all day. It was incredibly hot, again, but then what did I expect going to Spain in June?
The walk meandered along a stream before reaching Bolibar, a lovely little village with a museum commemorating Simón Bolívar and many nods to him around the village with commemorative plaques and a bust. I must admit my ignorance and say I I have never heard of him, on googling him I discovered that he was also known as El Libertador and was a Venezuelan military and political leader who played a leading role in the establishment of Venezuela, Bolivia, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru and Panama as sovereign states, independent of Spanish rule. Immediately after Bolibar is the picturesque Monastario de Zenarruza. It appears quite unexpectedly on the walk and was an extremely tranquil spot. Legend has it that an eagle brought a skull from the Gerrikatz ossuary prompting the monastery’s construction. It’s been a very educational day, for me at least! I stopped for a coffee in Munitibar; it was deserted just me and the empty cafe in an empty square…not a ‘pilgrim’ to be seen. It is so quiet, as I’ve said before.
I arrived in Gernika and had a booking for the Hotel Akelarre (another booking based on good ratings from booking.com). I tried the door, it was locked with a notice saying opening hours were 10-13 and 18:21. I started shouting at the sign, as only an overheated, tired walker would do, before noticing that there were instructions for a automated checkin. It said to use the code that had been sent to me – what code? I am rather prone to deleting important emails to keep my inbox tidy…luckily I had saved it in my holiday folder. I proceeded, received my key from the machine and then attempted to enter the hotel. I tried my code, tried the bell, tried calling and was just about to give up and go and look for the Albergue (even although I had just paid for the room) when I noticed that on the key it said: Codiga Puerta de entrada; I have no Spanish what so ever but even I realised that this was another code for the front door. Anyway it is very quaint, the room has a great aircon and I’m right in the middle of Gernika, so perfectly placed for tomorrow’s 36km walk. Hopefully it will be a bit cooler because I don’t think many of us could have walked much further in the 33c heat today.
Gernika is a place of historical significance, it was almost completely obliterated during WWII in one of the first aerial bombings by the Germans, so today is a modern city today with only a few historic buildings remaining, the part I am staying in is very pleasant with a square and surrounded by those few surviving sites . One of Picasso’s most famous paintings was inspired by the bombing of the city, Guernica.

The internet is very limited, I will try and put some photos up tomorrow form Bilbao.

Pilgrim walking with what I can only describe as a wheels bag, he says it’s harder to carry!

The medieval road to Zenarruza

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