Day 3

Zubiri to Pamplona

No bull - we are in Pamplona! It was a pretty easy hike today with a modest incline.  I say that, but my Apple Watch indicates we climbed 1,200 feet. The walk was 12.8 miles and it took four hours and 21 minutes to complete. We left the hotel in Zubiri around 7:30 am, and it was quite cool on the trail. Even now, sitting in our hotel room in Pamplona at 3:00 pm, the windows are open and it’s a beautiful 73 degrees with a nice breeze. 

The beginning of the trail was wooded and followed a fairly large stream for a good part of the way. There were damp leaves covering the path and with the coolness in the air, it reminded us that fall is not too far away.  

One of our observations is that the Spanish are not big fans of switchbacks. They’re common on U.S. trails so they are not too steep. Steep trails are more of an issue for us going downhill, as it is easy to slip or injure your knees. Well switchbacks, apparently, are for wussies, and the Spanish won’t stand for it. They have some steep trails!

The last part of the hike was walking through a city called Burlada. It was a striking contrast to the wooded trail. For the most part we just walked a straight line through the city. At one point, we crossed an intersection and continued forward. A guy on a bike stared at us, whistled, and pointed to my right. I was like, “What?”  He waived his arm some more and continued to whistle. Duh. We missed a turn, and he was just being helpful. We quickly got back on track and made it to Pamplona in time for lunch. 

​It might be because it’s Saturday, but Pamplona is hopping! There are tons of people around, the bars and restaurants are full, and the energy is high. We have a day off tomorrow, so have the opportunity to really explore the city.