Another brilliantly blue sky all day today. What luck! Three degrees outdoors – super warm in albergue all night – so hat and gloves to start. Back across the Bridge of Rabies, then swiftly past a large industrial site and back to rolling green country and small towns along the way.

Along with many other pilgrims, the plan was to breakfast at a cafe a couple of hours along the trail, according to all the guides. We were all too early in the day or the walking season though, and the only place to purchase anything pre Pamplona was an emterprising hombre selling fruit and cold drinks out of the back of his jeep. Best apple ever.

A really beautiful section of trail climbing above the rio Arga, and then the outskirts of the city. Our entire pile of pilgrims stopped at the same cafe for well-earned snacks and coffee.

Another hour of walking into the city centre, via newer and then historic streets, across the rio again at the Puente de Magdalena and into the old town via the historic city walls and the Portal de Francia. Streets alive with people celebrating the end of a fun run from Zubiri, bars and restaurants packed and spilling out into the narrow cobbler streets, and indeed I overshot my intended end and nearly headed out of town.

Beautiful place, and it’s easy to see how Pamplona captivates people. Tricky to see everything in the few hours remaining, and trickier still to capture the zeitgeist with a camera.

Stats for today:

• 21.1km
• 414m ascent
• 487m ascent
• 4 hours walked before breakfast and coffee