Day 74 – Ainhoa to Herburu (25,5 km) – Thuesday 12.09.2023
Despite the hotel, I didn’t really sleep well last night. The room was far too warm and the air conditioning was too loud to leave on all night. Nevertheless, we got up at half past seven and made breakfast. Today this consisted of a cup of coffee and a piece of chocolate cake. Afterwards we left the accommodation and started walking.
At the beginning of the day we walked through the forest for a long time. Soon we met the soldiers from the day before again and somehow we just ran along with the troops. Only when they stopped at a waterhole did we leave them behind and walk alone to the next place.
Apparently there was a festival going on there and there were small stands with food and drink everywhere. A pelota game was taking place on the village square. Since we had never seen a game of this popular sport in the Basque Country, we decided to watch for a few minutes. First we bought something to eat in a supermarket. Then we sat in the stands and watched the game while eating the food we bought. The game was really interesting to watch. After a few minutes we left the place again and continued our hike.
After the town there was another long and steep climb. More and more clouds gathered and soon we could only see a few meters ahead. We crossed the tracks of a cog railway and then descended again on the other side of the mountain. Apart from the path and a few horses there wasn’t much to see for a long time.
Soon the clouds moved higher and higher and suddenly we actually got to see the sea for the first time. Even though it was still a long way off, it was nice to finally have a view of the sea. We took a short break to enjoy the view and then continued walking down the mountain. Soon we were so deep again that we could no longer see the sea for the hills.
As soon as we reached the bottom it started to rain. As the rain became increasingly heavy, we walked to a campsite and asked for a place to put our tent. To our surprise, the woman told us that there were no spaces for tents at this campsite. While we were wondering how there can be a campsite that has neither parking spaces for camping trailers nor places for tents, we continued walking to the next campsite in the pouring rain. We set up our tents there. Since the restaurant was unfortunately closed today, we walked to a nearby bakery to buy our dinner there. We bought bread, a jar of beans and a can of pre-cooked food. When we opened this can at the campsite, we realized that we had bought 4 duck drumsticks marinated in fat. We then prepared these on my small camping stove together with the beans and then ate our noble meal in a dry place.
Later, when it got dark, we went to sleep in our semi-dry tents in the pouring rain.
Day 75 – Herburu to Hondarribia (24,7 km) – Wednesday 13.09.2023
Despite the constant rain, I slept quite well. After packing up the wet tents, we set off again in light rain.
First we went through the forest for a while before the landscape became hillier. Soon we were walking through beautiful grasslands. Somewhere between the many hills I reached my next milestone. In the meantime I had actually left more than 2000 km behind me.
When a final climb followed, during which I literally crept up the mountain, I had to think about the distance I had covered so far and knew that after this mountain I would finally descend to the sea. Once at the top we had a really nice view of the sea and its coast. We took a break at a rock and enjoyed the wonderful landscape. With the weather now improving, we made ourselves a coffee and marveled at the surroundings while several eagles circled above our heads.
After that we went downhill and continued towards Irun. In Hendaye we reached the sea for the first time and took another short break on a small bench. Then we went over a bridge to Irun. So we crossed the border and were now traveling to Spain.
In Hondarribia we set up our tents at a campsite. Afterwards we walked into the old town and from there straight to the beach.
After taking a few pictures, we first walked through the water with our feet before finally going for a swim in the Atlantic.
After our little bath we went to eat at a restaurant. Today we had delicious octopus. Since I was still hungry afterwards, I bought a Yufka from a kebab shop. Afterwards we walked back to the campsite and went to sleep in our tents.
I was very happy that I reached three milestones today. In addition to my 2000 km mark, I had finally reached Spain and was able to go swimming directly in the Atlantic. All in all, it was a really great feeling to know that I was actually walking from home to the Atlantic in Spain.
Day 76 – Hondarribia to San Sebastian (24,2 km) – Thursday 14.09.2023
Today we set off from the campsite to San Sebastian. It went straight up steeply and we soon had a beautiful view back. Since the path led over the ridge of the mountain for a long time today, we always had a beautiful view to marvel at. In addition to the impressive landscape, we also saw more pilgrims today than in the last few days.
Later we walked downhill through the forest for a long time and when we reached the bottom, I was allowed to use a means of transport for the first time on my trip and didn’t have to walk myself. We crossed the water with other pilgrims in a very small ferry and continued our journey on the other side.
There we went up another strenuous staircase into the forest. In between, the forest opened up again and again and so we always had a beautiful view to enjoy from above. Shortly before the end of today’s tour, we got a nice view of the city of San Sebastian with its famous sandy beach.
Today we checked into a hostel in the city. There we quickly put on our swimming trunks and went straight to the beach to do a bit of swimming. After some time in the water, we went back to the hostel, showered there and had a beer in the courtyard.
Afterwards we ate a prawn calzone at an Italian restaurant and drank some wine. After eating it was almost time to sleep again and so we returned to the hostel.
Day 77 – San Sebasitian to Zarautz (20,8 km) – Friday 15.09.2023
Thanks to the sleeping cabins in the hostel, I was able to sleep well despite the other people in the room. After we checked out, we shopped at a supermarket. Afterwards we got a small breakfast from a bakery and ate it on a bench. When we were finished, we first walked along the beach through the city before leaving it again through a steep climb.
On the path, which was very easy today, we repeatedly overtook smaller groups of pilgrims. Most of the time today the path led over small ascents and descents through bushes or forest. Unfortunately there weren’t many places with a sea view and so we walked through the morning almost without breaks. At lunchtime we arrived in a small town with a harbor. There we ate steak and fries in a restaurant and took a short break. In order to practice my language skills a bit, I asked for the bill in Spanish, which I did immediately.
We continued running through the forest and soon arrived at today’s destination. Shortly before Zarautz we set up our tents at a campsite. Since we only had a very short tour today and were at the campsite early, I took a short nap. Afterwards we walked to the coast for a few minutes and looked at the sea for a few minutes.
When we got back, I used the time to write on my blog while Tobias went to the beach.
In the evening the usual program followed and then we went to sleep.
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