Another clear blue sky to start the day. A local train today, from Bayonne to the charming town of Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port (SJPP) in the foothills of the Pyrenees. Both towns are in Basque country and it’s great seeing the language alongside French on most signs etc. Also noted a graffito calling for “Independentzia!” – the culture and region span this area of France and northern Spain.

Quite the quietly stunning wee train journey. Rocky rivers, bright green fields, white homes with reddy brown rooves and shutters.

SJPP has been the main departure point for pilgrims for something like a thousand years – not the thousand years of a long and unnecessary work meeting, but the actual, literal kind. From the train no maps were needed – simply followed the dozen or so other pack-wearing pilgrims heading up the hill to the pilgrim’s office. And saw the first of the famous yellow-on-blue stylised scallop signs, used as trailmarkers all the way to Santiago, on a gate under the old city walls.

Picked up my “credencial” or pilgrim’s passport that entitles me to stay in albergues (refuges) and buy the pilgrim’s meals en route; and for my pack, a scallop shell, a symbol of this walk. The main pass across the mountains – Napoleon route – is still closed by the Spanish police due to weather (it’s something like 5 degrees overnight even at this low elevation), meaning we must use the lower Valcarlos route, involving a fair whack of road walking for day one. Less exciting but also less deadly, which, sure, I’ll accept that trade-off!