Thursday (29th August)

You will be pleased to know the dogs had a great walk, and even a smashing swim!

We are just outside Pamplona at Camping Ezcabar, a large site mostly filled with seasonal pitches and small chalets; nestled in the foothills of the Pyrenees.

After lunch we strolled down to the river that runs alongside the campsite and Enzo soon found the route to a big pool at the foot of a weir, closely followed by Bryn and the pair spent a quarter of an hour washing away the trials and tribulations of the ferry crossing.

A path alongside the river took us north until we came to an old packhorse bridge that took us into the tiny village of Sorauren, it was not much more than a church and a pelota court with a bar attached.

Pelota is the national sport of the Basques (the ancient Basque region straddles the Spanish/French border in the western Pyrenees and the folk see themselves as distinct and apart from both countries). Pelota is played on an oversized squash court and has many different varieties. In some the ball is hit with the hand, in others with a bat and in others with a type of basket that is strapped to the forearm. Today there was a children’s doubles competition taking place with plenty of proud parents politely applauding. As proud parents ourselves we thought it only right to have a beer in support.

Walking back to the campsite and admiring the scenery of the Pyrenean foothills, it was hard to imagine that it could get any better, when it did! Through the trees, almost at head height flew three red kites, wheeling and calling. Magnificent birds!

Not a bad first day in Spain!