Day 7 on the Camino Frances, Pamplona to Muruzabal

We went on a little scavenger hunt through Pamplona, searching for scallops and yellow arrows, and stumbled our way through Pamplona and its suburbs. For a big city (200,000 plus) it didn’t take that long to walk out of the city. This was our first day in summer heat, with no overcast or shade. We stopped in Cizur Menor for coffee and a roll, and continued on to Zariquigul for BEER. This was survival beer, because the heat was killing us. We learned that his hamlet was wiped out by bubonic plague. Yikes.

From there we headed over the big hill, and passed the iconic pilgrim sculpture.

From there we headed down a treacherous trail full of cobblestones, super ankle twisting territory. This is one of the few places on the Camino where hiking poles would be helpful. I didn’t have hiking poles, having shipped them home in Pamplona. I just had to watch every step, and we made it out OK. We hiked on in the heat, crossed a few highways and roman era bridges, and finally got to Muruzabal by 4 or so, having walked 19.8 km. This turned out to be an oasis of comfort and refreshment. They had a pool, and offered a room with 2 beds, homecooked dinner, shaded park-like grounds. laundry services, and a “continental” breakfast. You don’t find many pools on the Camino, but I was just too spent to avail myself. I think I took a shower, and a nap.

This business was the job of the wife to manage, and the husband had a job in Pamplona. The wife’s Dad was present, doing yard work and pruning the fruit trees. They hosted a communal diner for their guests, about 10 of us, so we didn’t have to go out on the town to find dinner. There wasn’t much in the town, maybe not even a grocery store. Everyone here commuted to jobs in Pamplona.