Camino del Norte, day five

Markina to Guernica

Tuesday May 9, Day five, Markina to Guernica

Our room at Casa Rural Intxauspe.

The term Casa Rural can mean many things. It’s a rural hotel, right? 

That means it may be somewhat inconveniently out of town.

Last night we stayed at Casa Rural Intxauspe. Once we’d reached the town of Markina, we had to walk another kilometre to get to it.

Cathie is enchanted by the dinner setting at Intxauspe.

It was worth it. They had water, beer, a lavish laundry, and they provided a three course dinner with wine for €12. The dinner was served at two large tables, each of eight or so pilgrims and they had to put on two sittings.

At 7.30pm sharp, our first course of lovely oily pasta with olives was banged on the table. It was followed by a strange mixture of potato chips (french fries), a fried egg, some lettuce and a piece of grilled chicken, fish or ham. Some ice cream and strawberries were banged down soon after and at 8.30pm sharp we were told to go away to make room for the next sitting.

Actually, it was a lot of fun, delivered with enthusiasm and humour.

We sat beside an Italian couple from Venice, who we thought were really old. They both had wild grey hair and he had a bushy beard to match (she didn’t). I was very respectful that they should be undertaking such a tough walk at their age, so I asked Mr Methuselah his age.

Seventy-one - what a fraud. I’m planning to grow a grey bushy beard too (later). 

We also had for company a Dutch woman who had lost her job and decided to walk the del Norte. She wasn’t enjoying it and thought perhaps she’s made the wrong decision.

A French couple in their fifties were our other dinner companions.

Tonight it’s a bit of a contrast at Casa Rural Aristieta, near Guernica.

This is a tiny establishment with six rooms, but it seems only one is occupied.

They don’t do food, they don’t have beer and they’re nearly two kilometres from the nearest supermarket.

Tomorrow We’re at Hotel Rural Matsa, close to Bilbao. So we’re not caught out again, we’ve emailed them, asking what we might expect.

What a preamble.

We started the day with a pretty nice breakfast at Intxauspe and were on the road soon after 8am.

Following four dry days, rain was expected and we weren’t disappointed - it arrived before 9am.

I’m starting to get my second wind now, so I found today easier than the first four. Cathie is feeling strong, but the accumulated tiredness is getting to her a bit - we’re both looking forward to a rest day.

I had a slight blister problem just below my ankle, at the sole of my foot, with an accumulation of blood, but Cathie followed the recommended treatment, threading a double strand of cotton through the blister so it could drain, and that seems to have done the trick. I hardly screamed.

The scenery today was great, but the rain made it a little difficult to look around. The terrain was moderate, with a total climb of about 600m, but the surfaces were pretty good.

We saw lots of farm animals.

At one stage we descended through an incredibly elaborate series of staircases - muh easier than the muddy trail.

Cathie takes it step by step.

We’re still in a fairly remote area, so the chances for coffee were few. 

We found a great haven at Zenarruza monastery, at about 7.5km. No coffee, but shelter from the rain and a catchup with other walkers as we drank water, rested and ate a stroopwafels (a Dutch syrup wafer).

The monastery at Zenarruza - a haven from the rain.

We missed a bar at Munitibar (11.7km), but had reports of it later. That was a pity, as we were flagging at that stage.

Later we sheltered in a farm shed with three French women, eating the dry bread and ham we’d pillaged from breakfast.

Looking out into the rain.

Eventually, we found coffee at Mendata, after about 18km. It was just the thing to boost our flagging spirits as we chatted to a couple of Americans, one of whom I’ve decided is Gary Cooper, even though he would now be 124. Explanation may or may not follow if we meet them again.

After 22km we made it to the hillside village of Marmiz, where we called it quits.

The Spanish company Pilgrim, which has booked all our accommodation, had provided for a taxi to pick us up once we got close, and drop us off back on the trail in the morning.

The rain was coming down, we were only a couple of kilometres from Guernica when we spotted a bus shelter, so we phoned the good Daniel, who didn’t have a word of English, and half an hour later he turned up for the ten-minute drive to Aristiata.

We had a fine time in the bus shelter with a couple of nice Spanish ladies who thought New Zealand was in the US, but were kind and friendly. They told Daniel off for taking so long when he eventually arrived in his chariot of salvation.

The day wasn’t over yet.

Now that we were installed, we didn’t fancy either option of pizza or Chinese, which we could order by phone and might arrive by 8pm. And what about the beer?

I manfully strapped on my pack and hightailed it on foot into Guernica, where I found a large supermercato with beer, red wine, VEGETABLES and a spaghetto bolognese.

Aristieta runs to a kitchen for our use, so in the fullness of time we’re going to have the best meal we’ve had for days.

Today there have been no brain explosions, no revelations of old songs, no jokes from the Muppet Show. I gave a little thought to some music from Fiddler on the Roof, but I couldn’t inflict that on you could I?

Perhaps I could, nothing to do with the walk - it’s optional:

So to tomorrow.

We’ve done 117km now in our five days, climbed a total of nearly 5 kilometres and we’re starting to get used to it all. We’re looking forward to a rest day soon though.

Here’s today’s photos: https://photos.app.goo.gl/fF9dddoAgKi355oK6

Here’s today’s Relive video: https://www.relive.cc/view/v8qVnDVRy3q

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