I had pre-arranged a taxi from Biarritz airport (which cost almost as much as my two flights put together) and watched eagerly as we passed by the French landscape. There were mountains on all sides and I wondered which one we would have to cross the next day. The houses are built in chalet style and the land is very green.
It is an hour’s drive to St Jean Pied de Port and it was 9pm when I arrived. Ella had already chummed up with a Danish guy called Søren. I had a quick bite to eat with them at the albergue that Ella had booked us into before going to bed in a dormitory of 14 beds, I think 12 of them were being used by all nationalities. There were two loos and two showers between us which didn’t seem to be a problem. There was a lot or rustling before everyone settled down to sleep and I set my alarm for 06:30 so that I could use the facilities before everyone else was up.
We had breakfast at 07:30 and then I had to go to the pilgrims’ office to get my credential (the pilgrim’s passport that gets stamped at each overnight stay). Ella had obtained her’s the previous day when she arrived. We then set out in search of somewhere to buy something to eat on our journey. There was almost nothing open – what a lack of initiative by the local shop owners – there are loads of people leaving town every day, and I expect most of them need food. We finally found a bread shop and a deli and we set off with Søren on the start of our trek. He is a very useful guy to have around – he is a guide for outdoor activities and so is very knowledgeable about how we should conduct ourselves.
It is 8:15am by the time we leave town and it is literally an uphill struggle that continues for 22km. Imagine la rampa in Cómpeta continuing for 22km and then turning round and walking down it for a further 5km.
The scenery is stunning, mountains in all directions, lots of farm animals close to town and further into the wilderness there were wild ponies roaming at will, all looking very well fed on the abundant grass.
Halfway through the morning we hooked up with a Dutch guy called Peter and the four of us stuck together throughout the walk. Ella found it really difficult to begin with and I gave her my walking poles to see if they helped. I must say that I missed them though. Søren walked slower than his normal pace in order to stay with us and under his instruction we stopped every hour or so for ten minutes and took our boots and socks off to air our feet.
We stopped at 12:30pm to eat some lunch and rested for half an hour in the sunshine before tackling the hardest part of the climb.
There was quite a lot of snow at this height, mostly on the mountain sides but we had to walk through quite a bit of it, and lots of very wet and deep mud. Our boots were well and truly christened. It was however a beautiful day, warm and sunny but not too hot, we were all walking in shorts and short sleeved T-shirts.
After crossing the border into Spain and Navarra We finally reached the highest point at 1,429 metres at 3:45pm and from here it was all downhill, some of it in snow, some in mud, both of which were very slippery. I almost went down in the mud, first of all skidding and then over-compensating and almost falling backwards. I did however end up on the ground whilst walking through a forest of beech trees, but not much harm was done, except to my pride.
Just before reaching our destination we came across the stone that had been placed in memory of the Brazilian pilgrim who had died a couple of weeks ago whilst attempting the route we had just taken.
We finally reached the albergue at Roncesvalles at just after 5pm. The building is an old monastery with accommodation for 180 pilgrims over three floors, with very modern facilities. The beds are in cubicles of four (two up, two down) with very clean and tidy loos and shower rooms.
After signing in and getting our credentials stamped, we showered, did our laundry and wandered over to the nearby bar where we ordered a beer and a pilgrims’ menu for 7pm. There are two sittings, and there were at least 80 people at the 7pm sitting, no idea how many at the later one. But there must have been at least 100 pilgrims who set off from St Jean this morning. I had no idea there would be this number.
After dinner I attended the pilgrims’ mass at the monastery church, not really my thing but I thought I should attend. I then set about writing up my blog but ran out of time to post this one. Wifi shut down at 9:30pm and lights out at 10:00pm.
It is now 10:45pm and I hope I can add photos to this in the morning and post it, so that I don’t get behind with my blog.
Incidentally the guy we are sharing our cubicle with is a very consistent snorer and I don’t know where my ear plugs are!
It has been a very hard day but we made it and hopefully we will get stronger each day.
Trepidatious traveller - camino blog 
Wow what a wonderful start, how exciting. Hope you found your ear plugs!!! Cindy and Graham
LikeLike
Must be a great feeling: you realy started, after all those preparations and trainings! Just keep on walking and enjoy.Renate
LikeLike
Thanks Renate, I appreciate the support
LikeLike
Well done both of you! But suggest Ella gets her own poles. Maggie, you seem to be haunted by Danes. Given there are only 5 million of them, seems you have a magnetic attraction for the breed. Looking forward to the next installment and I hope day two was a little easier on your bodies. Lyn
LikeLike
Day two was hard, but day three got a bit easier
LikeLike
well done you two. snow looks fun. get the Dane to cut some poles off a tree for Ella. He’s
probably tell enough. And not surprised the loos are clean, your back in Spain now. lovely pictures Maggie. bestWs Hxx
LikeLike
oh and; at your name sakes funeral they sung a song for you. clever of Maggie T to know you would be walking the comino on that day. It does something like this.
Then fancies flee away!
I’ll fear not what women say,
I’ll labour night and day
To be a pilgrim.
john Bunyan
john is the one who wrote the words not the one sending the message. te he
LikeLike
Can’t imagine what the other Maggie would have thought about some of the sleeping conditions on the camino.
LikeLike
Sounds like a really hard first day. I agree with Lyn in that Ella needs her own poles. Ear plugs might be a good find. Good walking on day 2.
Frances x
LikeLike
Great to hear from you Frances. Ella takes absolutely no notice of anything I say, but I still keep saying it!
LikeLike
Enjoying your blog very much. Inspiring me to finalise my plans for the section from Le-puy -en Velais to SJP. I still dream of my walk on the Norte last year.
LikeLike
Hi Tim. Thanks for your message. I am considering the Portuguese next year, so another six months of planning to come! Buen camino!
LikeLike
Thank you, Maggie, for all the wonderful information and pictures you have posted. I now have more clarity to the multitude of questions I have about gear, terrain, and albergues. Onward to day 2!
LikeLike
Great to hear from you Francine. Glad you are finding the blog useful. If you have any specific questions, don’t hesitate to ask.
LikeLike
Pingback: CBBH Photo Challenge: Looking forward, looking back. | East of Málaga
Hi Maggie, I started reading this tonight and am enjoying it. It’s great to see so many photos too.
I’m just wondering did you take the Route de Napoleon from St. Jean, or the Route Valcarlos?
Thank you!
LikeLike
Hello Susan. We took the Napoleon route. It was hard going, but definitely worth it.
LikeLike
Hello!
My name is Kate, I’m an American studying in France, and I’ve just found your blog. I want to just say thank you, even though you put it up here so long ago, it is still helping people! I’m really happy because I will be leaving in a couple of weeks, so from your blog I can get an accurate picture for this time period of the weather and the number of pilgrims en route. Thanks again, I can’t wait to finish reading your posts!
Kate
LikeLike
Hi Kate. I’m so pleased you have found the blog useful and I wish you a wonderful camino and I hope the weather is kind to you.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Your blog is so helpful and I plan to read day by day as I make progress with my own journey from SJPdP to Santiago starting May 6!
LikeLike
Thanks Emma. I hope the blog helps with your Camino.
LikeLike
Hi Maggie – I am so glad that I found your blog. We will be walking the Camino Frances for ten days, starting in SJPDP on July 15. Your insights and photos are very helpful. Donna
http://www.retirementreflections.com
LikeLike
Hello Donna. Thanks for your comment and I wish you a wonderful Camino, only a couple of days away now.
LikeLike
Just reading your first day !
Realy interesting.
I will cross the Pyreneeen first week of May so by reading your travel experiences I will know what to expect !
Also your advices are very handy !
Thank you !
LikeLike
Hi Maggie,
I commented on your Camino del Norte blog months ago when I thought my husband and I would be walking that route in the spring of 2019. I loved your Camino del Norte blog! Our plans have changed now because my husband who just celebrated his 80th birthday feels he can’t do it. He encourages me to go alone and I will, but not the Camino del Norte. Instead, I’ve decided to walk the Camino Frances again since there is comfort in familiarity. My husband and I walked the Camino Frances n the fall of 2015 when I was celebrating my 70th birthday on the day we reached Orisson. People sang “happy birthday’ in many different languages! So fun! I am delighted to see you wrote about the Camino Frances and look forward to reading your “take” on it. Your first day is a page-turner and I look forward to more. I will start walking in mid-April, 2019 and am already excited. It will be different from the first: fall vs. spring; alone vs. having a companion; albergues vs. mostly B&Bs. Once again, thank you for blogging about your experience. I blogged during our Camino Frances and can appreciate that it isn’t always easy, especially with the ups and downs of Spanish wi-fi!!! I so look forward to reading all about your experience.
Judy.
LikeLike
Hi Judy. You will love the Camino in spring – it’s so lush and green and the wild flowers are stunning. I was a camino newbie when I walked the Frances back in 2013. Also new to hiking. I learned a lot along the way, and have been ever since. Enjoy your planning.
LikeLike
I enjoyed readiing your post
LikeLike